Wednesday 25 May 2016

Nature in the back garden


I've just finished a Facebook challenge, where I posted a photi every day for seven days. Each of the photos illustrated my love of nature.

The back garden is blooming and full of nature busily doing natural things. For the first tine ever, blue-tits nested in the nesting box, which, by now, is covered in ivy, affording them protection.






Beneath the nesting box, the border under the crab apple has been colonised by the common columbine, predominantly a stunning blue, but with some white and pink also.

MWNN says that we acquired them from a beighbour, and I'm sure the first pair were planted by the gardener. They've spread (they tend to do that, native wild flowers) and the lawn may well be at risk.












The Columbine is very at home in this corner, in the shade of the trees, beside the wood pile and old bench,. They are in the spot that was once covered in ground polygonum that used to drive me wild in late summer and early autumn, by encroaching ever further along the border. The Columbine sbould be easier to control.












Beside the Columbine, a variegated holly seems to be flowering for the first time, so we may get some berries this winter.









In the space vacated by one of the many Viburnum shrubs, I have planted some Sweet Williams  They, too, should spread and provide some much needed colour at this time of the year,





The wild Hawhorn, that seeded itself decades ago, is in full flower, providing shade for the Columbine and stretching along the border to the
















Variegated Euonyums Japonicus behind the statue of Minerva. The statue was called 'Rosemary' by the makers, Inigma, and I thought she was a fitting memorial for my Mum, who fostered my love of learning,


















To the right of Minerva, is a mock orange, in full flower, but showing some signs of damage and age.. We need some warm, humid days for the scent to be noticeable in the evenings.













Across the terrace, the Red Hat Lady Rose has put out its first bloom. It will be followed by a profusion of flowers that cover the dwarf shrub throughout the summer.











On the opposite side of the garden, the Dogwood is giving a wonderful display of masses of flower heads. They will become dark purple berries in the atumn. When the leaves have dropped, the lovely red stems will bring colour to that corner of the garden throughout the winter.









The birds that have benefit from the berries in the garden include the thrush. They've been absent for a few years but have been spotted feasting on snails on the slate-covered bed containing the lavendar. I found a few pieces of evidence of the work of the thrushes in the  border this morning,













MWNN doesn't like me cutting flowers to bring into the house, so he bought me some carnations (big brothers of my little Sweet Williams) for the spot in the kitchen where I like to have a vase.