Hollyhocks!

Unusual to see hollyhocks on a walk round a nature reserve like Westport Lake. I guess the seeds may have been dropped by someone feeding the birds? It’s more the plant you would find in a cottage garden?

I’m glad it hadn’t been grubbed up. It suddenly reared up about six foot high next to the low hedge of the maze that has been created at the far end of the lake. It definitely is a hollyhock plant, my mum used to grow them in our garden. When the flowers fade they make big round seed heads that easily break into flat seeds, shaped a bit like orange or satsuma segments.

Yellow cat!

Yowl! I have a metal cat hanging in the garden, I was going to put a small plant in his mouth but I forgot. Yellow and scared? Frightened? Amazed? He’s certainly got an expressive face. I don’t know how long he will last though, he’s going a little rusty inside. Maybe he’s meant to hold a candle or tea light.h

Was a birthday present and I’ve had him about five years so he’s lasted well. I think the photo came our clearly.

Massive thunderstorm and huge(ish) hailstones!

Wow! I’ve ever seen hailstones this big. I know there are bigger ones but these re the biggest I’ve ever seen…

It’s already melted, but it was so heavy my plants were bashed. Now? Bright sunshine. Mad weather, global warming? Could be, the thunderstorms these days are bad ass!

Flock or Phlox?

Next to my raspberries a tallish purple flower stands. I think it’s a phlox? I’m not sure of the spelling. Homonyms, words that sound the same but are spelt /spelled differently.

The English language can trip you up. It has evolved, with different spelling rules like ‘i before e except after c’, which isn’t always correct.

Anyway, back to this plant. I was really pleased I managed to get a reasonably close image of the flowers. With water droplets visible on the petals. Any ideas on identification?