June 2020

1^st - They may be a weed but you have to admire their construction. At least one frog remains to enjoy the pond weed! The Foxgloves are starting to appear along with more roses.

2^nd - The Lords and Ladies don't look quite so good at the moment - give them time! The teasels survived the wind and are reaching for the sky while the broad leaved heliborines are doing nicely in the shelter of the wall.

2^nd - The white poppy was opening as I got there and the case fell off onto the ground.

2^nd - I wonder how many of these apples will survive to be picked in the autumn? More foxgloves appearing while the iris is looking good and has opened in the last couple of days.

2^nd - More roses and greenfly on the bud - need to grow more garlic around them!

4^th - Seed heads on the fritillaries looking good as does the white poppy. Iris has opened nicely while the bee is harvesting. Some more poppies to appear here and a yellow rose.

4^th - The "mound" and pond beginning to look populated and almost part of the garden!

5^th - Up far too early - a rose bud at 5am or so..... and waiting for the next poppy to open.

6^th - Some of the Foxgloves are showing nicely and appreciated by the bees.

6^th - Down by the pond the mint is a pleasing odour while the flags give a lovely colour.

6^th - The Aquilegia still fascinate - especially the delicacy of the yellow bloom.

6^th - More colour from the "mound".

8^th - A sad start - it looks like this wood pigeon chick was evicted from the nest.

8^th - Lots of blooms to enjoy. The aquiligia is from a new plant this year. The borage seeds did not seem to do anything so I accepted a kind donation of some seedlings - now to try and keep them alive! Two poppies out and another just starting to split - will look for this tomorrow. Roses continue well - Fellowship beginning to bloom while Gordon Thomas is resplendent.

8^th - Damselfly loitering on the edge of the kitchen window....Azure?

8^th - Having put bamboo across pond to deter the Tawny Owl, I found the blackbirds perching on them to eat the fish food - let's see them get through this unattractive mesh!

8^th - Nice to see the GSW in the garden again - even if I had to photograph it through the kitchen window!

9^th - I was only expecting one more "red" poppy and got three.... Bee enjoying the Aquiligia while I enjoy the roses and the open poppy.

11^th - The four orchids are still growing even if the runt of the litter is a mm high! How do Hostas shed the water so easily? The Aquiligia has lots of seed heads so a lot more next year! The heliborines are flourishing behind the wall and I suspect that this poppy could be of a reddish hue when it opens.

14^th - Finally the bud on the Blue Moon opening.....

14^th - The pink Poppy is popular with the insect life!

14^th - The redder poppies are doing well and it looks like there will be a deeper red one in the next day or so.

14^th - The warmer day brought out a number of insects to enjoy the bounty.

14^th - The yellowrattle seed heads are forming and will soon be rattling. A lot of dew (or rain!) on a spiders web.

14^th - The teasel is now well over 5 feet tall and the first heads are starting to appear. The BL heliborine continues to flourish.

14^th - More flowers and seed heads with the blackbird keeping up appearances.

14^th - Lovely to see a Red Admiral enjoying the evening sun.

15^th - Bees enjoying the flowers and who says that a blackbird can't use a seed feeder? The cuckoo has been spitting all around the garden!

15^th - A scruffy little Blue Tit and a very smart Dunnock.

15^th - Lovely deep red Poppy and an early morning snail on a window.....

15^th - Late afternoon sun brought the insects out to forage in the front garden - and in the poppy.

15^th - And finally a spider enjoying the roses!

17^th - Not my favourite garden visitor! Chasing a frog (that got away) and then chased a blackbird....

17^th - More insects enjoying more plants - the late afternoon warm sun brought many out.

17^th - Good to see a House Sparrow again. Resplendent Starling and a brood of 5 juveniles. The niger seed finally being appreciated by a Goldfinch.

17^th - Another view of the spider and an even smaller one. The emerging dragonflies didn't fare too well. The one on the Hosta emerged from the exuvia (pictured) which was found underneath the leaf the body was on.

17^th - The poppy is seriously red! The first lily of the year to flower while the remaining roses are blooming nicely. The one about to open is Fellowship.

17^th - The Heebees are starting to flower while I continue to be amazed at how the BL Heliborine can hide in plain sight every year!

17^th - Some general views of the garden along with the chance of some rhubarb and, if the birds don't get them, some strawberries!

20^th - GS Woodpeckers are back on the peanut log for the first time in ages.

20^th - Red Admiral and Bee enjoying the Heebee that is just starting to flower.

21st - The recently arrived Borage appears to be doing well - no doubt helped by the amount of rain we have had recently! Always fascinated by the complexity and intricate nature of a poppy flower - a real work of art.

22^nd - GS Woodpecker feeding young - as messy as kids! Then youngster trying to hide!

22^nd - One of the Hostas beginning to flower and I continue to be amazed with the way the Broad Leaved Heliborine just seems to appear fully grown out of nowhere - now have discovered 15 of them - so far! Seed pods of the Snakeshead Fritilaries are now empty - is this a good sign for next year? The Lords and Ladies are starting to fruit.

22^nd - Meanwhile insects continue to enjoy the bounty and bring the garden to life with their sounds.

23^rd - The Lady Emma Hamilton, Fellowship and Gentle Hermione first thing in the morning.....

23^rd - More colour from the "mound" and the yellow rattle is rattling - hopefully to spread a little further into the wild area. The fly is on the lip of a poppy flower - amazing how small they get!

24^th - Nice bright start to the day to show of the Heebees, The Poets Wife, Lady of Megginch, The Lady Gardener and Graham Thomas in that order.

24^th - A rare occasion for the GSW to let me get a clear shot while feeding! This dragonfly larva was at the edge of the pond in the evening - did it crawl out and emerge during the hours of darkness?

25^th - Green Orb-weaver on a web. The wood pigeons are at it yet again. Nice to see frogs in the undergrowth and in the pond despite Tawny Owls and Herons.... The ladybird is in the right place to feed on the grrenfly!

25^th - The orchid is past its best now while the Heebees are looking good. The yellowrattle is starting to open the seed pods as is the aquilegia.

26^th - Nice to see the lilies starting to flower.

26^th - Life on the goat willow - at least they seem to be staying away from the roses this year - thanks garlic! Nice to see the ladybirds also on the willow - hopefully they will feed well!

26^th - The foxgloves are looking good and the blue globe thistle is starting to look bluish..... The Hostas are starting to flower.

27^th - Don't often see two GS woodpeckers on the log at the same time - one day I will learn to keep the kitchen windows clean.... As soon as you creep outside they take flight......

28^th - More wind this morning following all the rain of yesterday. The grass has been flattened and the teasels, which are over 6 feet (2m) tall are blowing in the wind - how do they survive without breaking? How many of these apples will survive the wind and get to feed the blackbirds later on?

29^th - An almost clear photo for the GSW - they are so flighty it is hard to sneak up on them!

29^th - The extra rain has flooded the pond making some of the lilies partially submerge - they will need to grow more!

29^th - Only one of the Lords and Ladies appears to be fruiting. Some of the Broad leaved Heliborines did not survive the wind - fortunatley this one has - so far!

30^th - The Teasels are still more or less standing despite the high winds - quite amazing! The Rhubarb did not fare quite so well so looks like I will be cooking some this afternoon! Found this moth as I was cutting the grass and relocated it to a stone out of the way. Woodpecker still enjoying the peanuts!