Moyogi Garden Centre

16/08/2026

09/08/2026

🌸 Hydrangeas are one of my favorite shrubs to propagate because a few healthy cuttings can turn into completely new plants. August gives you plenty of fresh stems to work with.

02/08/2026

A fast-acting flesh-eating bacteria just killed a person in Florida.

Scientists are warning people to be careful when swimming.

Florida health officials have confirmed that a Palm Beach County resident has died after contracting Vibrio vulnificus, marking the state's first death linked to the 'flesh-eating' bacterium in 2026.

Often found in warm, brackish coastal waters, this pathogen can enter the body through minor cuts or raw seafood consumption, rapidly progressing into a life-threatening infection. As of late July, Florida has reported 12 cases of the disease, following the previous year in which the state documented 33 cases and five deaths.

Although Vibrio vulnificus infections are rare, they are exceptionally dangerous, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warning that about 1 in 5 infected individuals die, sometimes within just 48 hours of exposure. The bacterium can cause necrotizing fasciitis—a severe condition that quickly destroys skin and surrounding tissue—or spread directly into the bloodstream. Health experts urge individuals, particularly those with compromised immune systems, to avoid warm coastal waters if they have open wounds or fresh tattoos, and to ensure all shellfish is thoroughly cooked.

source: Torres, A. (2026). Flesh-eating bacteria infections in Florida: 1 dead, 12 confirmed cases, health officials report. Local 10 News.

02/08/2026

A Japanese immunologist spent two decades studying what happens inside the human body when we spend time among trees.

The answer was more powerful than expected.

Trees release natural airborne compounds known as phytoncides.

When people breathe forest air, some of these chemicals can enter the bloodstream.

Research led by Dr Qing Li found that time in forests was associated with lower levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.

Some of these immune changes remained measurable for days after participants left the forest.

In one experiment, researchers even released tree oils inside hotel rooms and observed similar effects, suggesting that the chemicals themselves may play a role.

The compounds do not literally hunt stress hormones, and walking in nature is not a cure for disease.

Exercise, cleaner air, quiet surroundings and reduced stimulation may all contribute.

But the research suggests forests are doing more than helping us feel calm.

Every breath among the trees may be sending chemical signals throughout the body.

30/07/2026

The total solar eclipse on August 2 will bring one of the most extraordinary skywatching events in decades. As the Moon completely covers the Sun, daylight will briefly fade into twilight, bright stars and planets may become visible, and the Sun's glowing outer atmosphere, known as the corona, will shine around the dark lunar silhouette. In parts of the eclipse path, totality will last for nearly 6 minutes, making it one of the longest and most spectacular total solar eclipses of the century. This remarkable celestial event will take place in 2027.