Latest news with #OliveTree
The Sun
11-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Cheapest plants to buy now to get your garden ready for summer including Ikea, Lidl and The Range
DOING up your garden makes it better for relaxing, entertaining and can even make your property more valuable. Pretty plants can make all the difference giving colour, attracting wildlife and adding interest to your green areas. 7 If you get carried away, you can end up spending a small fortune on shrubs and plants. However, there are bargains to be had too. So we've looked across the high street shops to find the best priced plants to upgrade your outdoor area this summer... Flamingo trees - The Range, £3.99 7 Flamingo trees are the garden must-have. The striking tree with beautiful pink leaves blooms into colour every year. It's officially known as the Salix Flamingo or the Hakuro-Nishiki willow tree. The Range has the 60cm trees for £14.99 each or you can pick up two for £20. There's also a mini version for £3.99 each or you can get three for £10. Peonies A lovely romantic flower, peonies are a beautiful addition to the garden. When cared for properly, they'll bloom each year. Standby as Lidl is stocking the flowers for a fab price of £7.99. But you'll need to hurry as the plants are only avilable for a limited period. Olive tree - Lidl, £16.99 Olive trees can look fab potted by front doors or on patios. These can be quite pricey and you'd usually be looking at spending £30-40 a pop. However, Lidl currenly has the plants for £16.99 making them a bit of a steal. You'll need to be quick though as the trees aren't a permamnent offering. Once they're gone, they're gone. Bedding plants - GardeningExpress, £1 Add some colour to borders, planters or hanging baskets with cheap and cheerful bedding plants. Online retailer is a fab place to find cheap and cheerful plants often for as little as £1. The retailer does daily deals so keep checking in to see what's available if you don't fancy the offers when you first look. Hydrangeas - Ikea, £8 Hydrangeas are really pretty and will change colour depending on the soil they are in. The plants don't always come cheap, however, if you head to Ikea you can get top value shrubs. A 15cm potted version of the plant is available for £8 or you can get 23cm for £13. Strawberry and tomato plants - B&M, £1.50 7 If you want to try your hand at growing some strawberries this year, B&M is a great place to get your hands on the plants at a decent price. You can buy the plants for £1.50 each or get five for £5. The same deal is also available on tomato plants if you want to branch out and grow more food types. How to find gardening bargains Doing up your garden to enjoy on warm and sunny days needn't cost the earth. Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to get a top deal on items for the garden… You can bag big savings on plants, shrubs and flowers, as well as gardening tools and furniture. Many retailers have flash sales across entire seasonal ranges – often these promotions tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout. Sign up to mailing lists of your favourite brands and you'll be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too. Use a price comparison site to search out the best value items. And keep a close eye on the specialbuys at Aldi and middle of Lidl drops which drop a couple of times a week and usually mean great value seasonal items for your outdoor areas. If you are not in a hurry to buy an item, try adding it to the shopping cart online and leaving it for a couple of days. Sometimes big brands will try to tempt you into the sale by offering you a discount. And always check if you can get cashback before paying. It's especially worth using sites such as Topcashback, Quidco and app Jamdoughnut when buying bigger ticket items such as garden furniture as you'll get a nice kickback.
Forbes
23-03-2025
- Science
- Forbes
Meet The 4,000-Year-Old Olive Tree That Saw The Rise And Fall Of Alexander The Great's Empire—A Biologist Explains
The olive tree of Vouves has survived fire, droughts and other climatic shifts while watching ... More history unfold over millennia. Deep in the heart of Crete, where myth intertwines with natural wonder, stands the legendary olive tree of Vouves. For millennia, this 2,000-year-old ancient sentinel has silently witnessed the rise and fall of civilizations, outlasting even some of Greece's most famous historical figures. Olive trees have long been revered not only for their fruit and oil but also for the resilience encoded in their DNA. These trees symbolize endurance, wisdom and continuity. In a landscape where nature's secrets are often obscured by time, the olive tree of Vouves reminds us that life can sometimes persist against all odds. Its storied past offers a rare glimpse into evolutionary processes that allow living organisms to thrive for thousands of years. Its gnarled trunk and sprawling branches are living testaments to a lineage that defies time and the biological marvel behind this near-immortal lifespan has captivated scientists, historians and nature enthusiasts alike. The olive tree of Vouves is one of the oldest living olive trees in the world, with estimates ranging from 2,000 to as many as 4,000 years old. If at the upper end of these estimates, it may predate historical figures like Alexander the Great and Pythagoras. Unlike many younger trees, this tree exhibits extraordinary adaptations. Its robust, weathered trunk and complex network of roots have enabled it to endure periods of drought, climatic shifts, fires and human encroachment while still producing fruit. The deeply grooved, contorted bark of the Olive Tree of Vouves reveals centuries of adaptation. The tree's structure reflects both genetic inheritance and influences of the tumultuous environment where it has thrived, making it a unique subject of study for botanists and biologists interested in longevity and adaptation in long-lived species. Beyond its botanical marvels, the olive tree of Vouves, which is also older than the Parthenon, is a cultural symbol woven into the tapestry of Greek heritage. Archaeologists and historians have unearthed ancient myths and legends that speak of olive trees as sacred spaces, inspiring countless studies and debates on the true age and significance of Vouves. Olive trees like the Vouves exhibit a fascinating phenomenon known as vegetative or clonal reproduction. At the heart of this process lies the "root mother"—an underground network that not only stabilizes the tree but also enables it to sprout new growth long after the above-ground structure has aged. This regenerative ability acts as a biological time capsule, allowing olive trees to survive environmental stresses that would otherwise be fatal to less adaptable species. Regardless of whether the tree is burnt down, axed, or damaged, the root mother will continue to send up new shoots. Through the centuries, the olive tree of Vouves has harnessed the power of this genetic blueprint to produce genetically identical offshoots. This form of clonal propagation is one of nature's most effective strategies for ensuring survival in a changing climate. On a cellular level, olive trees deploy unique biochemical pathways that repair damaged tissues and fend off pathogens. These mechanisms involve antioxidants and stress-response proteins that maintain cellular integrity over centuries. Furthermore, the oil from these trees isn't just good for humans, it's also great for the trees themselves. It has antimicrobial and antifungal properties that protect the tree and contribute to its biological 'immortality.' Olive trees are not merely ancient relics, they are vital to the environment and also aid in human well-being. The olives they bear are rich in polyphenols, vitamins and healthy fats. Extensive research has shown that these compounds contribute to cardiovascular health, reduce inflammation and even exhibit potential anticancer properties. Olive oil production remains a vital industry, contributing to sustainable agricultural practices and the livelihoods of communities across southern Europe and beyond. The transformation of olives into olive oil has played a significant role in Mediterranean economies and culinary traditions, particularly since ancient times, with large-scale cultivation emerging in modern history. Beyond culinary applications, olive oil has been traditionally used in cosmetics, medicine and even religious rituals. Its role in ancient ceremonies and modern kitchens alike underscores the olive tree's deep-seated cultural and practical importance. The groves in which these trees are grown are also integral to the Mediterranean landscape, supporting biodiversity and local economies. They help prevent soil erosion, promote water retention and serve as habitats for a variety of species, serving as a reminder that their impact reaches far beyond the confines of botanical studies. Does reading about this ancient tree that has seen human history unfold and survived to tell the tale make you appreciate the marvels that Mother Nature creates and nurtures? Take this test to find out more about your relationship with the natural world: Connectedness To Nature Scale
Los Angeles Times
15-02-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
House of Mandi brings the flavors of Yemen to Westwood
Walking through the glass doors of House of Mandi in Westwood, my eyes went straight to the fabric patterns I remembered from the restaurant's original location in Anaheim. Ribbons of black-and-white geometrics stream across stop-sign-red cushions. I peered around the far corner of the dining room and, sure enough, there were the similar low-to-the-ground partitioned booths for communal seating, all full of diners on a rainy Wednesday night. I wrote about the first House of Mandi, run by Sarem Mohamed and his family, back in July 2021. The restaurant took over the space that had long housed Olive Tree (a heartbreaking casualty of the pandemic) anchoring one end of U-shaped Little Arabia Plaza. In an area most richly saturated with Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian flavors — the homey goodness of Al Baraka, the manaeesh at Forn Al Hara in dozens of savory variations, newer Kababji Grill for raw and cooked versions of kibbeh — House of Mandi had opened a specific window into Yemeni cooking, shaped for centuries by trade routes that ran through the Arabian Peninsula and along the Red Sea. Family member Faris Alkabass oversees the second branch, which he launched last March with chefs Om Fayad and Zumzum Omer. The menu looks nearly identical, a gift for those who have a shorter drive to Westwood than to Orange County. Meals center on the restaurant's namesake feast, a platter of aromatic rice and meats intended for groups: The 'whole lamb of mandi,' for example, costs almost $600 and feeds up to 18 people. At lunch, the restaurant serves portions geared for individuals, with accordingly reasonable prices. At dinner my table ordered the 'No. 1' option, comprising lamb roasted two ways and spice-rubbed roasted chicken, for three people at $93. It was an image of bounty. Turmeric-stained, cardamom-scented grains created a base for the splay of chicken and lamb. Garnishes dotted the landscape: whole green chiles, round lemon slices, wisps of caramelized onions. The odd slivered almond or golden raisin occasionally showed up, having almost disappeared into the rice. Haneeth, one of the lamb variants, arrived still in its foil to preserve its juiciness. I unrolled the packet onto the tray and the mingled scents of spices rose up from the steam. I caught cinnamon and garlic and ginger and black pepper before they evaporated, but I found them again in the lush meat. Alongside there were herbed yogurt and what the menu labels 'Yemeni sauce' — a.k.a. zahawiq, also called salata harra but more widely known these days as zhoug — its adoptive name in Israel and throughout much of the Middle East. Many versions burn with green chile, but this one is as tame as the mildest tomato salsa. They helped every forkful vary in taste and texture. The other crucial order to me is fahsah, a dense, mulchy stew of shredded lamb and vegetables fragrant with cumin and coriander. It arrived in a stone pot simmering around the edges, not quite as volcanically as soondubu appears from the kitchen in Korean restaurants, and crowned with a wholly unique topping: silky, pale-green hilba. It's made by soaking ground fenugreek for several hours; beating it to a consistency that registers somewhere between meringue and Cool Whip; and then stirring in a puree of scallions and herbs. This marvel of science fascinated me as much as it did on my first encounter in Anaheim — so much so that I went back to 'Sifratna,' an authoritative cookbook on Yemeni food by Amjaad Al Hussain, to study the instructions. Someday the right chef will reignite the trend of modernist, vegetable-forward vegan fine dining in Los Angeles, and I hope they adapt fluffy whipped powdered fenugreek as a nondairy embellishment. (As it happens, House of Mandi does serve a vegetarian version of fahsah slicked with hilba.) For contrast to these hefty centerpieces: shafoot, a salad of herbed yogurt and cucumbers over thin bread that, as it absorbs the ingredients over top, takes on the delicateness of a large crepe. There's a whole section of breakfast dishes on the menu, available any time of day; Al Hussain notes in her book that her family often eats morning staples for dinner too. Lamb galaba featured chopped bits of lamb sauteed with minced peppers, tomatoes and onions, tossed in nicely gritty spices and delivered sizzling in a stone pot. The Yemeni version of shakshouka came in scrambled form, cooked to firm, nubbly curds almost like diner eggs. They wouldn't be as bad as an early lunch, alongside strong Arabic coffee brewed with cardamom. The restaurant opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 1 a.m. I looked around the room at dinner, full of people who appear to be from many backgrounds and whose general youthfulness had me guessing that plenty of them are UCLA students. We're all diving into the pleasures of Yemeni cuisine together. House of Mandi: 1083 Gayley Ave., Los Angeles, (424) 273-1198,
Zawya
05-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Olive Tree Development to complete the first phase of the Administrative Capital projects
As part of Olive Tree Development's orientations to expand in the real estate market and with an ambitious plan during the coming period, and with more than 30 years of experience in the field of real estate development, Olive Tree announces the achievement of many of its prominent achievements in implementing various projects in the New Administrative Capital, as the company is currently working on 3 major projects, the first phases of which are about to be completed and the units delivered to its customers, with significant progress being made in the remaining other phases and the start of the fourth and final phase of the project. One of the company's most prominent projects is a multi-use project in the Administrative Capital consisting of 8 floors, including 4 commercial floors, a medical floor, and 3 administrative floors, and is located near the central monorail station and Al-Massa Hotel. As for the second project, the "Oro New Capital" project in the Administrative Capital, which is a residential project located between the embassy district and the investors' district, the project includes a clubhouse, a mosque and a mall, and meets all the needs of customers from different categories, as the company is about to complete the first phase of the project and deliver the units to its customers, in addition to achieving significant progress in the other phases of the project and starting the fourth and final phase of the project with major contracting companies. "Olive Tree" projects are distinguished by their strategic locations and bright views under the sun of the capital, as they provide a residential environment that combines luxury and comfort. The residential units enjoy modern designs that ensure full use of natural lighting, which enhances the quality of daily life for residents. The company is also keen to integrate green spaces and integrated services to provide a quiet modern life. The company's projects are also distinguished by their strategic locations and modern designs, while providing payment facilities, and using strong entities in engineering consulting to ensure that projects are implemented according to the highest quality standards. The company offers a range of payment facilities for all its projects, as the company's investment plan is based on providing added value to the real estate market, by offering a range of different real estate projects that meet the needs of the real estate market for different segments.
