New paintings and regular art updates.
Blue flowers, ridged flower buds and bright green leaves with a jagged edge. Its a biggish bush /plants but in a raised bed, so I’m not sure of its maximum height.
Does anyone recognise this, I’d like to find out. I might take a cutting. The plants are covered in flowers and seed heads so I might try and gather seeds too. It’s in full sunlight/partial shade. Any ideas?
We still have yellow Welsh poppies in the garden and it’s almost November!
I don’t think they are that hardy, but it’s a testimony to the exceptional warmth we have been experiencing recently.
It’s edges are darkening, its bright flower reaches up to be pollenated by a bee or hover fly. But they are not awake (or alive?), so perhaps it waits in vain? We need to see nature and our damage of it, look closely at the environment and try and turn back some of the destruction we have wrought. Let’s try and do some small thing to help mother nature.
Our pear tree grows lovely pears. These were sweet and juicy when they ripened. And big too. They are lovely baked into a pie or a cake, or just freshly sliced.
Pears seem to take ages to ripen, then suddenly they all get ripe at once. Five years ago we had a massive crop, this year much more meagre. Perhaps the tree blossom was too early, and the bees and other pollinators hadn’t emerged yet? Or maybe the wind blew the blossom off to soon. Hopefully next year will be a good crop?
Little spidery flowers
Unfold like sea anemonies
Trapping bees in their anthers.
Pollen spreads to flowers,
Ivy will grow black berries
In the winter.
To go with red holly berries.
“The holly and the ivy
When they are both full grown….. “
Someone banged on my front window this morning, insisting my garden is overgrown (it is) and saying the council wants him to cut our trees down! I asked his authority and he said he was doing a local survey for the council and they would take action unless I got work done? He had no id and was really bullying and pushy. He had tree surgeon and land survey written on his vehicles. I said I was already going to get the work done (I have someone who can help). He said neighbours had complained. (the neighbours houses are empty!). He then glanced at the hedge and said he would charge £550. By then I was shaking and my anxiety was high. But I held my ground and asked him where he thought I would get the money from? He replied he has four daughters and needs to work 6 days a week! I told him to come back in a few weeks and it would be done (why?). It was only after speaking to my councillor that I realised he had not shown me his id, he mentioned no laws or legal information, and he did not mention where his authority for coming round and making demands came from. I put in a written complaint to the council. I think it was a scam, and if in fact he did represent the council he was not professional. He was a bully and demanding. I cannot imagine him being employed by them. Beware, Cold Callers can be very persuasive.
I found a photo of a ceramic head I made several years ago at my friend Claire pottery class. It must have hung on the same nail in the back yard for at least 20 years!
The weight of the face squished the space inside it in a bit, but it still is a good planting pocket. It has a crack in the back from the firing, so when I plant it up I use plastic to line it but make sure there are holes for drainage. I put different plants in each year, this time I have some sad snapdragons still clinging to life. Maybe next year I will try Sempervirans? (house leeks).
Fronds, split into feathery leaves.
Under the shade of trees
Unfurl in spring
Like curled question marks
Springing out
Bright green
A lovely scene
Covering the ground
In friendly frothy growth
Oh I do like a good hanging basket. This is one from a couple of years ago, I think it was one I planted myself. The red flowers are pelargoniums although generally they are called geraniums. The purple ones are Petunias which are also called Surfinias. It’s interesting how names can be changed for fashion or trademark reasons.
Old photo of the golden calf which is next to the Chinese garden and temple at Biddulph Grange garden a National Trust property. Near to it is a huge and grotesque stone frog. I guess the place is so eccentric that it’s worth several visits just to take it all in. There are garden rooms and buildings that are so spectacular. It’s hard to think the Grange was once a hospital for TB patients.
I must visit again before the end of the summer.
Some years the pears set, the tree is well watered and we get many pears off our tree. But it’s looking sad as the wind blew it over at an angle a few years ago. We had to support it on blocks of wood.
As the branches are horizontal that usually encourages fruiting. But both the pear and cherry trees flowered but we’re caught by late frosts and then strong winds that blew the blossom off. The cherry only managed half it’s crop and now the pear is even worse. A few pears had a fungal infection and had to be thrown away, you can’t compost them as it encourages the fungus to spread. So we only have a few pears to show this year. Here are three. The little one is going squishy so it’s getting thrown out.
Pears are funny, they stay unripe for ages. Then seem to ripen overnight. We will just eat these, as there is not enough for a chutney.
Mallaband-Brown