I may be years behind everyone else, but I was recently introduced to the delights of Google Earth, a free-to-download featrure from Google. It gives one a satellite view of the Earth from variable altitude, providing a unique view of this planet and its diversity of habitats. Coverage is variable in its quality: in some areas one can see the most extraordinary level of detail. For example, my parents' property is in the high resolution area covering London and one can almost see what is growing in my father's vegetable patch, but coverage of this area of Gloucestershire is at low resolution and 'my village' in Tanzania is more clearly visible. In the USA and UK one can type-in a street address and be whisked round the world to see it, and I must confess to checking-out the gardens of several prominent gardeners on these lists... Happy New Year to everyone! John Grimshaw Dr John M. Grimshaw Garden Manager, Colesbourne Gardens Sycamore Cottage Colesbourne Nr Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 9NP Website: http://www.colesbournegardens.org.uk/