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The Last Days of the Supermoon
I am rather pleased with this dramatic effect which happened when I tried combining the last dog walk of the evening with a photograph of the moon. Who knew that a torch could be so effective. When I first read an article by Mick Kelly the founder of ‘Grow it Yourself’ about growing garlic I…
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Eighty Two and Counting
Since my first garden, I was determined never to knowingly introduce any wildflowers, but to encourage and record what emerged. To date in this garden I have recorded over eighty varieties. I am confident that there are even more, as I have not even started on the field below the house. I am fascinated by…
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New Life
The garden is a much quieter place since my winter visitors left. My permanent residents make themselves known, but can’t compete with large flocks of chattering sparrows and greenfinches. I miss the chatter of all the birds, but the resident robins are making up for the loss. They still follow me about the garden despite…
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The Deluge
The remnants of a hydrangea flower still providing interest in what should be Spring. Maybe we will just jump to Summer. Two hooded crows on one of the only sunny days this year. Actually, I mean sunny morning, as it was pouring with rain by mid-afternoon. Like all the other birds they are usually waiting…
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Fourteen Years On
I moved to this garden over twelve years ago. I say garden, but it was mainly fields surrounded by barbed wire. There was a lovely stand of trees by the house but Storm Darwin put an end to about eight of them and a further five had to be removed for safety’s sake. I rarely…
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Winter Visitors
I am not a photographer, but sometimes I have a piece of luck and this was one of these occasions. This little blue tit was resting just two feet from where I was walking and did not stir when I took the photograph. Despite being next to the path it was just ten feet from…
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Waiting Impatiently for Spring
30 January 2023 I am not usually envious of other people, but recent visits to my local village have been turning me green. Here on the coast the winds are rarely benevolent and we are still having frosts and days when the wind chill can reduce the temperature dramatically. My camellias continue to hang back…
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At Least the Rain has Stopped!
16 January 2023 The last leaf in the garden against the backdrop of winter heather. It is hard to imagine how this has remained on the tree throughout all the gales but the colour is a bright spot on a dull day. The heather in all of its glory. I still have to look carefully…
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Autumn Colours
The autumn colours have been very impressive this year, as this young blueberry bush demonstrates. However, they lost their leaves very quickly as they were exposed to the series of storms that have battered the garden on and off for weeks. By next year, I am hoping that the hawthorn hedge that I have planted…
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A Benign But Dry September
The nights are drawing in, but it is the changes in the wildlife that to me are the signal that winter is on the way. The goldfinches have started to return to the garden and I do hope that I have as large a flock as last year. The slugs are less evident although by…