Some of the foliage in the garden has started to take on autumnal tints, but I am not ready for autumn yet! This first one is a photo of the leaves of Geranium Spinners
August Foliage GBFD
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Tagged autumn tints, Darmera, elymus, foliage, geranium, lamium, Mahonia, Miscanthus variegatus, pontaderia, rhododendron, stipa arundinacea
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Our visitors have arrived!
All summer I have been waiting for our visitors to arrive, but with all the rain and cold wind that we have been having, there was no chance, until a few days ago. That morning started off very misty and foggy, but by midday the sun was out and boy, it was hot! All of a sudden I noticed lots of colours flying round the garden, the butterflies had arrived!! As well as the butterflies, everywhere was buzzing with bees, my bee and butterfly border was in business at last. This red Admiral was unlucky, no nectar in the flowers on my T shirt!
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Tagged bees, butterflies, Comma, Crickets, dragonflies, Gatekeeper, Jersey Tiger Moth, Painted Lady, Peacock, Red Admiral, Tortoiseshell
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August abundance.
I know I’ve been going on about it lately, but the August garden has had so many more flowers than it usually has, thanks to all the rain we have been having.
Autumn already?
I can’t believe it’s autumn already, or at least it seemed like it when we got up on August 9th to find it was thick fog and a lot cooler than it had been of late.
The Only Way is Up Now.
When you run out of space on the ground for any more plants, the only way is up. I wander round the garden looking at the trees and shrubs, wondering which are strong enough to support a clematis. Also, just because an arch or pergola already has a climber up it, maybe a clematis can be added for extra colour, either to flower at the same time as the original climber or to extend the season.My favourite family of clematis are the viticellas. When we first came here and I planted some of the large flowered varieties, they all succumbed to clematis wilt, something the viticellas will never d0.
Dinner missed by 1 hour!
A female pheasant decided to have a look around our garden one day recently. She was very nervous, constantly looking round to check that there was no danger. Photos were taken through the window, so apologies, not the usual standard!
Then there was Light.
I’m awake quite early these sunny mornings, the main window in the bedroom faces east. When the sun is shining and the birds are singing, what is the point in staying in bed? Wandering round the garden at 5.30 or 6am with a mug of tea is quite a magical time, I chat to the birds and the hedgehog if I meet him.
Flowers for July part 2
There are so many flowers in the July garden, that I felt they had to be divided into two. I was getting really disheartened with the garden and the weather, so much non stop rain meant that we couldn’t cut the grass for weeks as it was so sodden and I couldn’t get into the borders to tidy up, really, it looked a mess. All change now, non stop sunshine which has dried everything out, the grass is cut, more weeds have been tackled and dead heads seen to, it looks ok once more. The first photo is of Iris ensata which has really enjoyed all the rain.
July Foliage for GBFD.
Foliage day seems to have come round again so soon, so in a break from the rain (on the 18th of this month) I photographed as much as I could, starting with one of my favourites, Rosa glauca which is contrasting with its neighbour, Cotinus.
The thief wore black with a splash of yellow.
The thief that has been enjoying himself in our garden was dressed all in black with a splash of yellow for his beak and a yellow line around his eye. I wouldn’t mind but I provide a nice juicy breakfast for him each morning of mealworms, he is welcome to all the slugs in the garden and this is how he repays me!
Here is our culprit, the common Blackbird, photo courtesy of Wikipedia.