New paintings and regular art updates.
I keep coming back to this tree as it spreads its branches over the view from Penkhull. I have watched it in leaf, with dying leaves, bare and now in bud. It makes me realise how fast a year can pass. The same with gardening, the seasons and plants come and go. And I’m a year older and no wiser….
Flowers from a bush in our garden, tentatively matched in the Spring 2021 issue of the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Magazine, page 13 in the Nature Spy section.
It says ‘Blackthorn is one of the first native shrubs to burst into flower around mid-Marsh.’ (I think it means March) ‘Its fluffy white flowers, tinged with pink, provide vital nectar for the first of the years butterflies, bees and flies. See how many different insects you can spot feeding on the blooms.’
I used our old cracked bathroom sink and pedistal as planters in the garden rather than sending them to the tip. #MendNotTrend is coming up with different challenges to re use various objects…
This was Good Fridays challenge (day two) we actually did this last year… They are looking bright and cheerful today.
Here we go!
Time to sow!
Flowers and veg
A new hedge?
Plant with love
Rain from above
Fresh green shoot
Of leaves that sprout.
Growing happily now?
If we don’t have some snow!
I could crop this photo to tidy it up…but the bits of blue sky reflected off the sink and the red bowl, top left, seem to add interest. I have windows on both sides of the kitchen, dual aspect I think they call it? So I get lots of light in the kitchen on sunny days as the sun climbs higher in the sky.
Spring is coming, I can feel the warmth in the sunshine. The trees are about to come into leaf, buds of blossom will be bursting, pink and white clouds. I will have to get out and prune things like our buddliea bushes. They are thugs! And the pears? They remind me we should get our crop from our pear tree later in the year….
Walking today, did just shy of 3.5 miles. We saw this lovely Camellia in someone’s front garden. As the sun lowered the colours shone out. As we were walking we were discussing whether to add plants to our garden hedge that is getting rather thin and straggly. This is now a candidate, together with hawthorn, buckthorn and Holly. Maybe with a bit of beech hedging added… Its nice to contemplate the spring garden. Soon there will be frogspawn and cherry blossom (not together, obviously!)
Anemone Blanda,
or Windflower
spring flower
delicate,
gentle and true
purple white and blue
Old photo
old memories
garden surprise
brings smiles to my eyes.
Snowdrops and Crocuses
Then Daffodils and Iris
Helibores and Hyacinth
Grape Hyacinths too…
Slowly the Tulips
Spread their petals
While perennials lift
Their sleepy heads
From the soil.
As rain falls
And air warms
The Magnolia
Opens its petals
And Cherry blossom
Blooms…
My friend took this photo so I hope they don’t mind me sharing it. But I wanted to find out what causes this sort of overgrowth. I’ve seen twigs fused together before but is it a virus or a fungus? Or is it caused by insects. A gall? Any info?
Pink summer Fushias. Looking forward six months and they will be here in June or July. A riot of colour covering our wet and soggy gardem and back yard. I can’t wait. Flowers are uplifting and cheering. They make great subjects to paint and though green has been proved to calm the mind, I think the colours of flowers add joy and happiness… .
Mallaband-Brown