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.
Lots of blues and purples in the garden – like this iris
Sage is looking good.
As is the lavender.
And for a change of colour – how about a pink geranium?
And finally this week an aquilegia 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.
Crocuses are another great food source for queen bumblebees that are emerging from hibernation at this time of year.
Willow catkins, again here being used by hoverflies, and they will also be used by bumblebees.
As will 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.
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.
Wishing everyone a great gardening week.
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.
Next, daffodils, tete-a-tete, copying with a dusting on snow.
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.
Fourth, hazel catkins with melting snow.
Fifth, willow catkins. The last few years these seem to acome earlier and earlier. There are even some green leaves on this Salix rubra.
And finally this week – snowdrops in snow.
Mid October and nearly Halloween. Below my squash and pumpkin harvest this year.
The continuing relatively mild weather means that late flowering cosmos are still providing some good colour.
Meanwhile the sweet chestnuts are getting ripe.
Once again the choke berry leaves are putting on a wonderful autumn display.
Some lovely rosehips on the dog rose.
And will this be (sorry somewhat blurred) the final bumblebee this year?
Thanks to The Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday.
Finally some respite from the rain. Temperatures though remain exceptionally mild for October. Thank you to The Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday.
First this week a Hawthorn shieldbug – not that well camouflaged against the reddening leaves.
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.
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.
Some hazel nuts too.
There hasn’t been great germination of the winter 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.
The haws are showing great colour. Here an American hawthorn, who’s berries are not as plentifully this year as our native hawthorn trees.
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.
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.
This aster seems to have flowered late but is adding some well needed colour now.
Similarly, I had nearly given up hope that this sunflower would open but it had this morning, adding it’s own bit of sunshine.
Many thanks to The Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday.
There is a real feel of autumn in the air. So first this week in the garden is a lovely spider web – there were lots this morning.
In the wildflower meadow, the late summer – autumn flowers are out – first devil’s bit scabious. I love the colour of this flower.
Also in the meadow is knapweed. A great pollinator plant.
Autumn of course brings fruit. We don’t have much this year (cold, May with frost) and the brambly apples have got scab – for the first time ever.
Autumn also bring seeds heads – poppies being one of my favourite.
Thankfully there is still some colour – here from snapdragons.
Thank you to The Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday.
The weather here has turned autumnal, but sunny weather is to return next week or so the weather men tell us.
A quick Six on Saturday this week. First soapwort which has got somewhat battered by the thunder showers.
Next are runner beans – they are not thriving this year. I think it may be mainly the weather (often quite cold) that is not suiting them.
Onions are also disappointing. The one hot week of weather we had sent a lot to seed early and they never got very big.
Cucumbers on the other hand are doing pretty good.
While the wasps have some reason taken a fancy to the raspberries.
I was going to show you my caterpillar munched Brussel sprout plants but instead a carder bee picture to finish in a positive note!
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.
2. Yellow Loosestrife
3. 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.
5. Also in the meadow more ragged robin – it looks lovely against the white ox-eye daisies.
6. The bees are certainly enjoying all the wild flowers.
Thank you to The Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday.
Thanks to The Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday. Hard to believe it is July already. The delphiniums are now at their best.
This rose grews in our hedge……………..
Along with native honeysuckle which is flowering really well this year and being enjoyed by the bees.
I generally prefer pink foxgloves but I do like the markings on this white one.
The lavender is also being enjoyed by the bees in this case an early bumblebee male.
And finally this week – a newish arrival – little chick “Dream” with his mum “Miranda”.
Murtagh's Meadow 