I have been missing out on Six and Saturday the last while. Life is busy and Saturday’s are equally so. But here are my six for this week. The wildflower meadow is just getting going.
Wildflower meadow
Lots of blues and purples in the garden – like this iris
iris with bumblebee
Sage is looking good.
Sage
As is the lavender.
Lavender
And for a change of colour – how about a pink geranium?
geranium
And finally this week an aquilegia seed head.
Seed head
For more Six on Saturday check out Six on Saturday’s host page here – The Propagator.
A mixed week but the last couple of days have been frosty and then bright. Feeling very like spring, and first pollinators are emerging so bit of a pollinator theme going on this week. Many thanks for our host “The Propagator” for hosting Six on Saturday. Check out the participation guide.
My first this week is a dandelion with the first of the pollinators, a hoverfly, which I think is Eristalis pertinax. It is really important that we leave dandelions to bloom as they are a very important food source for these early emerging pollinators.
Dandelion with hoverfly
Crocuses are another great food source for queen bumblebees that are emerging from hibernation at this time of year.
Crocus
Willow catkins, again here being used by hoverflies, and they will also be used by bumblebees.
Hoverfly on willow catkin
As will Hellebores.
Hellebores
I love daffodils – and the larger ones are also flowering now – bees will use them but only if they are really hungry and can’t find anything more appealing.
Daffodil
And finally this week the frogs have pretty much finished spawning in the garden pond (this photo is from earlier in the week). I hope the spawn won’t get too frosted.
Seeing other Six on Saturday participants popping into my reader box, I feel the urge to get gardening, except it is very , very, wet and for the last few days stormy too! But then this morning we had SNOW! There was only a little and it quickly started to melt, but it makes the garden look pretty even if underneath everything is sodden. Many thanks for our host “The Propagator” for hosting Six on Saturday. Check out the participation guide.
First this week a friendly garden robin (my daughter calls him Timmy), puffed up against the cold.
Robin
Next, daffodils, tete-a-tete, copying with a dusting on snow.
mini daffodils
Third, frog spawn in garden pond – also trying to cope with slushy snow. Frogs arrived, like last year, in time for Valentines day. So far numbers are low, thirty at most, but hopefully more will come after this cold spell.
frog spawn
Fourth, hazel catkins with melting snow.
Hazel catkins
Fifth, willow catkins. The last few years these seem to acome earlier and earlier. There are even some green leaves on this Salix rubra.
First this week a Hawthorn shieldbug – not that well camouflaged against the reddening leaves.
Hawthorn shieldbug
We are still getting some autumn raspberries – though the wet weather of the last three days has made them pretty squishy. Maybe able to harvest a few more this weekend as weather dries up a bit.
Raspberries
Not such good crop from the apples this year, and those few that are there, are being attacked by birds. Picked six good ones from the Pixie apple though.
Pixie apple
Pixie apple
Some hazel nuts too.
Hazel nut
There hasn’t been great germination of the winter lettuce.
Lettuce
But I am holding out for these brussels spouts to fill out for Christmas!
Not quite sure what happened to September, it seemed to go in a blink of an eye. It was a pretty mild month for us but things have definitely got a bit chiller in the last week. And the nights are really drawing in. The sunshine and heavy showers of the last couple of days have resulted in some beautiful rainbows though.
Double rainbow over workshop
The haws are showing great colour. Here an American hawthorn, who’s berries are not as plentifully this year as our native hawthorn trees.
Hawthorn berry
The poly tunnel plastic is showing its age. We did some repairs last year but this winter we are going to have to go for a new cover. The plastic is probably about 14 years and they say 10 is a good age, so I can’t really complain.
Polytunnel tear
This sweet chestnut trees is about 10 years old and this is the first year it has fruit – there are only about half a dozen fruits.
Sweet chestnut
This aster seems to have flowered late but is adding some well needed colour now.
Aster
Similarly, I had nearly given up hope that this sunflower would open but it had this morning, adding it’s own bit of sunshine.
July is proving to be a pretty grey month so far here in the west of Ireland, with little sun. Thankfully some dry days despite the clouds. Still plenty colour in the garden to bring us some sunshine.
Cosmos
Cosmos
2. Yellow Loosestrife
Yellow Loosestrife
3. Day lily
Day lily
4. In the flower meadow, orchids are really abundant this year. When we started the meadow we had about three orchids. This year we counted 18 a week ago, and a couple of more have appeared since. They are all common ones but still lovely to have.
Orchid
5. Also in the meadow more ragged robin – it looks lovely against the white ox-eye daisies.
Ragged robin in the meadow
6. The bees are certainly enjoying all the wild flowers.
white tailed bee on yellow rattle
Thank you to The Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday.