Busy Monday....

Another sunny day, the garden is quite dry at the moment. Although nights are still chilly we have not had rain. The woodland area I planted....
is taking shape this year. I am pleased with how this area has developed.
Just look at the fruits on the old apple tree, so perfect. I can't wait for autumn......thoughts of apple crumble come to mind.....

Found these little beauties in the grass today....I must show Poppi tomorrow.....
The crocosmia is just starting to come into bloom.
And the phygelius yellow trumpet are looking good.
This pretty plant has appeared in one of the tubs. I didn't put it there, the tub has an acacia tree in it and I never underplant. Wherever it came from, I am grateful, it is so lovely.
This is one of the hanging baskets..........the plants are surviving well, despite strong winds, and drops in temperature. Previous years, the baskets are normally looking quite shabby....so it would appear I am restricted to herbs and nasturtiums for my basket planting......at least they are colourful.

Woody is still around, this was taken from my bedroom window, through glass, hence the poor image.
The rabbits are producing well, they seem to increase everytime I go out........Where is that fox????
Another moth on the door this morning..........I looked in my book and couldn't find it....I will have another look tonight, when I have more time.

Just came in for a break to do this post......back to the garden, to deadhead the plants......have fun out there......

Sunday Safari

I am going out today so I was in the garden at 6.00a.m. looking for bugs....I didn't have to go far, before I noticed the common footman on the front of the house. I must be honest I have never read up on this rather insignificant looking moth. After perusing my books I thought I would share the findings with you.

The disappearance of a species of footman moth from an area can be an indication of rising atmospheric pollution, as their caterpillars feed on lichens which grow in a fairly clean environment. In the wild lichens seem to be an essential food. The moths fly in July and August, in deciduous woodland throughout England and Wales. They fly at night and rest during the day. They rest with their long thin wings wrapped flat over the abdomen, suggesting the stiff appearance of a footman in livery, hence the name.

We always have this moth in the garden in summer. We have lichen in the garden all year. The above photograph is our maple tree and it is covered in lichen.......so I now understand a lot more about this little fellow. He may not be the most beautiful moth in the world but he is giving me a message.........that the environment I live in has fairly clean air. Long may he stay here..........................

Damselfly......

I believe this is the white legged damselfly......I have seen quite a few of them in the garden this week. I have an area of meadow in the garden. It has some wildflowers but I have many grasses there. This is by choice........some species of moths and butterfly will use the grasses as a host plant. It is also a wonderful area for grasshoppers, I get many, although this is not a good year for them. Also I have seen evidence of hedgehogs in this area, probably looking for insects. One patch of meadow has had a large creature in it. The grasses are flattened. I would think it is probably a fox waiting for the rabbits to come out of the warren. We have many young rabbits in the garden at the moment....although cute they are doing a lot of damage......hopefully the fox might take a few.
I love this space.....my love of nature started at a very early age....I can remember gazing from the classroom window looking at the trees and just wanting to be out there. Although we lived in London....in a very built up area....Mum and Dad would take my brother and I to the woods most Sundays. I loved it, I never tired of it and when I think of those days, I know that my parents knew I needed to run free in green spaces. My love of nature grows with age,my passion to keep the green open spaces for my grandchildren is a strong one..........our world is changing and if every gardener left just a little bit of space for wildlife, it would make a huge difference..............I leave you with that thought........happy wildlife watching.....

Bees, galls and woodpecker.....

Some of you will remember a few months ago I posted about bees being attracted to purple. The report was in a national newspaper. I decided today I would go out into the garden....
and photograph as many bees as I could in ten minutes......
to see if there was a colour they preferred.....
As you can see there is a mix of colours.....

It would appear, at least in my garden,
that are happy with most colours.......
provided they can get to the pollen easily....
I was pleased in just those few moments
to see so many bees in the garden......woops another blurry image Rose.

I thought you might be interested in the above.....this is a Robin's pincushion, also known as the rose bedeguar gall........common all over Britain on the dog rose. There may be up to 60 chambers inside the brightly coloured gall, each containing a larva of the small gall wasp. They do little harm, and I love to see them in my garden. Many species of bug in a space, shows a healthy garden.
Just walking indoors when this Great Spotted Woodpecker arrived. He didn't stay long, but I managed to get this photo. Not the best but it's nice to show you what is around. Have a great weekend.......

Waiting in the wings.....

When you love bees as much as I do, you plant the garden to cater for their needs all year. I have tried to have blooms for every season....it may be winter flowering shrubs, wild flowers or annuals. In July three of my favourites will bloom.......they are in bud at the moment, I would like to introduce you to my star performers.......

the globe thistle, this one is white. Bees, hoverflies, wasps and butterflies will flock to this plant. Children are always attracted to them.......I suppose they almost look like lollipops as their stems extend.
The teasel is the most wonderful wildlife plant. Bees adore it and the goldfinch will feast on its seeds in the winter. The stems carry pairs of glossy green leaves that form a natural cup, rainwater collects in them attracting small birds to drink.
And finally the magnificent cardoon....this plant is fast growing, and a great architectural plant. My two plants have reached two metres in height....they will draw bumblebees in by the dozen. Once on the bloom they are reluctant to leave.........I look forward to showing you these beautiful plants in bloom around the middle of July.

Bees and clover.....

The bees came back today to visit the clover....the bumblebee was the first to arrive......Next the honeybee and he looked very happy.......The bees were expecting a visitor....."Hello bees" said Poppi "May I pick some flowers for Mummy?""Of course" said the bees "There are plenty of flowers here, enough for us all."
"I like bees Nanna.".........................."So do I Poppi, so do I."

We're warming up......

This morning I awoke with anticipation........for the first time in weeks the breeze coming in through the open bedroom window was warm. I knew that the garden would come to life today, and sure enough I was right. A little pied wagtail greeted me as I walked out into the garden.
The clematis in the hedgerow had started to open her blooms.....
and over the arches, bloom after bloom....... and yet another scrambles up the old pear tree.

As I walked around just more and more flowers.......the rain......
and sunshine....and cool temperatures........
had kept everything on hold......
and as the temperatures increased everything.....
has started to blossom.....

A skipper butterfly arrived and my heart skipped when I saw it....
And this funny bug.......where were you yesterday?
There were dozens and dozens
of hoverflies.....a gardeners
best friend.

Miniature roses and feverfew....
pots full of petunia's
and nasturtium's to brighten a plain wall.
The pink mallow is just starting to bloom.....
and this one is just full of flowers....I had to stake it yesterday as the weight of the blooms was pulling it down.

The clover is out and it has attracted lots and lots of honey bees.......not a good photo Rose.....but who cares it's a honey bee......
and another....I can't tell you the absolute joy this brought me.
and finally the bumble, my most favourite of them all. For me they are, and always will be the sunshine in my garden. I work with them, they work with me. I am not precious about the plants in this space.....things do well some years......and not others. When you garden for wildlife you can accept the loss of a plant, or shrub.....but for me to lose the life in my garden, the little creatures who come here for shelter and food, would take the very heart and soul away from God's little acre. This garden feeds my spirit....it lifts me so high some days I could almost fly.............and I leave you, dear bloggers, with one little thought......I have a garden full of blooms but it took the clover in the lawn to bring in the honeybees.......