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RAIN STOPS PLAY IN JUNE

Would you believe at the end of May I was praying for rain?

Well my prayer was pretty much answered. After an exceptionally dry month in May, June has seen its fair share of heavy showers, with hail and a cracking good thunderstorm thrown in.

The garden's enjoyed endless soakings, and the water-butts are full.

Pretty yellow Lysamachia above (my Dad calls it Bombsite 'cos as a kid he remembers it growing on unused and neglected spaces).



A beautiful bronze Comma butterfly perching on Euphorbia seed-heads.

With a list of to-do jobs as long as your arm, this kind of weather can seriously hold you up.

With much to do and limited time, you begin to wonder whether you're ever going to get anything done?

Panic!

It's only by having time off work, and a spell of fine weather, I've been able to make some kind of headway.



There's been a lot of cutting back to do of early Summer perennials, to make room for annuals like Cosmos, Cerinthe and Calendula, which I've grown from seed.

Whatever size garden you have, there's never enough space!

I wouldn't say no to a few more day lilies, like the one above.



Here's that Comma again, this time on the seaside-loving shrub Escallonia.

I've also noticed a rather handsome pair of Red Admirals taking nectar from Giant Scabious, and big hairy caterpillars that I've yet to identify?

There's a rather cute pair of baby blackbirds around too, getting pretty tubby with their endless feasting on Amelanchier berries, and sultanas!

I love my garden, and all those who love it too.


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PAWS FOR THOUGHT

I found a dead female Blackbird in my garden today.

Mauled.

It's now in the dustbin, carefully wrapped up in newspaper.

It's upsetting.

It's just nature's way.

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LOOKING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE

I'd rather be out than in.

Being outside is where my heart and soul really belong.

Guessing my love of the outdoors stems from my childhood, and from my Dad who chose an outdoor occupation, as a farmer.

My Dad liked to work alone, just as I like to be alone in my garden.

This is a place where I feel calm and relaxed. To just be me. A place where I can fully escape from the mundane in life. A place I love to be.

Even a heart-shape has formed all by itself in the shrubbery, to remind me of this.



I have missed being outside.

It's not like me to be absent from the garden, or my blog for so long.

Truth is, over the past seven weeks I've been fighting a bout of Laryngitis, and all the symptoms that go with it, and what with everyday life getting in the way too, there'd be zero energy left for the garden, or this blog.

I've felt happy to be back in the garden this past week.

The winter bees are back out too, happy to be buzzing around scented winter clematis.



Bronze carex
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A garden at this time of year, brings with it hope.
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With the prospect of warmth, bulbs will burst into growth, plants will flower, and birds will nest.
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Spring brings with it, new beginnings.

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BLACKBIRD FLEDGELINGS

Newbies to the garden.

Two blackbird fledgelings have now left the nest.

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GARDEN WARBLER

It's not easily recognisable from this photo, but this is a Garden Warbler, and in my garden!

I'm really quite excited, as the birds who commonly frequent my patch, are well, more of the common variety!

For well over a week I've been hearing the most beautiful of birdsong, and not until I took time to investigate, by listening in to a snippet on the RSPB Birds by Name, did I discover which bird indeed it was coming from.

It sings up high from the very top of a neighbour's Conifer tree.

I was lucky enough to get a couple of photos when it flew lower down into one of our Hawthorns. It's the best out of the two, which I had to crop and lighten to get some sort of view. The other photo, shows a very black eye, which is a prominent feature of a Garden Warbler.

I hope it decides on a local site to use as its breeding ground? There's always plenty of insects and berries to eat in my garden.

I also heard my first Chiffchaff of the year whilst walking through woodland in Shermanbury over the Bank Holiday weekend. Even though I am rubbish at birdsong, I know this one, as my Dad does a wicked impersonation which is so like the real thing!

Move over Bill Oddie!

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TUESDAY GARDEN RAKE

I love my garden in April.

One of the plants which is looking its best right now is the yellow Primrose. The one above having the most perfect of flowers and foliage.



Thank goodness I've finally got around to moving those Raspberry canes!

Given to me by my Dad a few years back I ended up planting them in a spare patch which I had at the time. Enjoying the morning sun, they did well, too well infact and where growing high, were seriously restricting my view into the garden.

To restrict their spread underground, I'm experimenting by re-planting them in groups, in cheap small black storage containers, having drilled four drainage holes in each base.

They are now on a West facing fence, where they will get most sun late afternoon and evening.

I shall let you know how they do?



Another plant which I may have regrets in planting is Lysimachia ciliata, Firecracker. It's sure to spread like fury much the same as the two other varieties I have around the garden. I know I shall curse the day I ever saw it, but having a definite liking for dark foliage plants I couldn't resist it!

It's teamed up above with Forget me Not, another plant which once introduced to your patch, will self-seed and be with you forever onwards!



The birds in the garden are getting through food at a rate of knots! Stocks of bird food have been running perilously low.

My on-line order from Haiths arrived.

As much as I like to see Stock Doves and Woodpigeons around, I've bought Premium Wild Bird Food, a mix with no wheat, to deter them from using the birdtable.

Also, I've noticed an increase in finches around at the moment, so to attract more into my garden I've bought Native Finch, a mix containing oil rich seeds.



My garden with its ivy and high hedges provides lots of food, shelter and nesting sites for birds.

It sees many of the most common species ie House Sparrows, Dunnocks, Blackbirds, Starlings, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Robins and Wrens, so to spot something a little less ordinary and unusual to my garden, is always a treat.

Not having a long range zoom on my camera, with it taken through a window, and being cropped to the extreme, the photo above is not of the sharpest quality. The bird with its flitting movement, I'd say is some kind of Warbler?

On two occasions this week I've spotted a female Blackcap around the garden too.

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TUESDAY GARDEN RAKE

You really couldn't have asked for better weather over the past week for gardening.

It's been bloomin' gorgeous!

I've spotted my first Painted Lady of the year.

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If something does well, I use repetition, rather in the style of a Cottage Garden.

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At the end of flowering seedheads were left on Japanese Anemone plants, and they've rewarded me with lots of little plantlets.

I've potted up ten new plants, and will leave their roots to establish. They will be planted out either this Autumn or next Spring.

This variety has a lovely pale pink flower.

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This spider's not backward in coming forward in making the most of this lovely sunshine. Behind the rock is Sedum.

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Big hedges surround most of the garden, ideal for nesting sites.

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Having spent a lot more time outside this week I've noticed a fair amount of Blackbird activity, with male and female both busy in and out of the nest.

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This saucer of sultanas will help build up their energy. That's if the starlings don't get to them first!

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Simone from Linden Grove came up with the idea of a Tuesday Garden Rake. Pop over to her blog to find out how to join in.

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BLUE WITH A HINT OF BLACK

Above, the peachy pink buds of the Amelanchier tree, against sunny blue sky.



The purply, pinky blue of the Pulmonaria, in dappled shade.



And a hint of black.

Mr Blackbird taking a rest from his duties in the nest, amongst branches of the Hazel tree.

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photo - The RSPB

MAGPIES AND THE WINNER OF MY GIVEAWAY

Sal from Sals Snippets, it's you!

Yes, you guessed it, the nuisance factor in my garden, is Magpies!

Like any clever thief, as soon as your backs turned, will come in and steal what's yours, or in this case the Robins!

Thanks to everyone who had a guess.

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photo - The RSPB

ROBINS AND A MYSTERY SOLVED

If you've popped over to Flighty's blog lately you would have met the friendly pair of Robins who share his plot. Flighty has taken some great photos of his two.

As like mine, most gardens will have a resident Robin, but however hard I try, he/she just keeps giving me the runaround. I only have to pick up the camera and it's off!

I decided to buy a tub of mealworms, to encourage him/her to come just that little bit closer. So much for my efforts with these tasty treats, it's not the Robin who is helping itself to my moreish mealworms?



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The thieves have been caught red-handed. The evidence, or lack of, is there to be seen, and Re it was no ferret!
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Just for fun, would you like to guess who/what has been treating itself to these wriggly wrigglers? Entries from overseas welcome too.

The first comment to guess whodunnit correctly, will receive a set of nine pretty floral notecards, which include the ones pictured above.

Lovely, creative images to give inspiration for the gardening year ahead.

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MEALWORMS

Something's taking the mealworms, and I'm not sure it's the Robin?

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KESTREL

I was so fortunate to have my camera at the ready for this shot of an adult male kestrel hovering for its prey, without success. It was loitering with intent overhead for a fair while.

A kestrel's head will remain still whilst hovering, to make detection of its prey much easier.

Please click on photo to enlarge.

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BLACKBIRD

A fledgling up to its tricks, enjoying the berries from an Amelanchier tree.

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RAMSTERS AND THE CALL OF A CUCKOO

Today I re-visited Ramsters, a beautiful mature woodland garden, south of Chiddingfold in Surrey.

Today I heard, what was for me, the first Cuckoo call of the year, which famously heralds the arrival of Summer here in the UK.



Cuckoo, cuckoo, what do you do?
In April I open my bill
In May I sing night and day
In June I change my tune
In July away I fly
In August go I must - Anonymous

I must say I felt honoured to hear the unmistakable two note call of the male Cuckoo, a sound rapidly disappearing from our countryside.

Have you heard a Cuckoo this year? Please leave a vote in my June poll on the sidebar. (Yes - 4, No - 10)

Do I like the Cuckoo? I'm in two minds.

Click here to watch a short clip of how this secretive bird behaves - and that of the Cuckoo Duck! - narrated by David Attenborough. I'd love to hear from you with your thoughts?

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Take a woodland walk through Ramsters, a peaceful and tranquil setting covering twenty acres, originally laid out in the early years of the century by Gauntlett Nurseries of Chiddingfold.

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Not only is this a garden of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and magnolias, it features many rare trees and shrubs, wildflower areas, ponds and a bog garden.

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photo - rspb website

SOWING SEED & A SWALLOW

I may have to sacrifice growing my own plants from seed this year. I had so many plans, but just haven't had nearly enough time to commit to the garden. I have yet to sow a single seed!

I had word from my Dad the other day. He has seen the first swallow of the summer, so this is the time he starts getting his seeds on the go.

Do you follow a set pattern for seed sowing?

Have you seen your first swallow of the summer?

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FOOD FOR BIRDS

Throughout the winter months there will be many resident blackbirds around the garden. Leave a few apples on the ground, they will soon be found, and enjoyed.

At this time of year with the breeding season ahead, each male blackbird will become highly territorial, and will be seen, and heard, vying for the attention of the female. The winner usually being the dominant one.

The apples, and the copious amounts of rain we have been having lately, will too attract slugs. Notice the tiny black one on the terracotta, a real menace to the gardener!

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FEEDING THE BIRDS

Over this weekend the RSPB are holding events all over the country to celebrate the wonderful birds around us, and all nature as a whole - Feed The Birds Day. Unfortunately I won't have the time to attend an event, but tomorrow I shall make sure to fill up the bird feeders around my garden and to replenish them regularly over the cold and wet winter months ahead.

Not all birds will feed from a feeder, so don't forget to leave some food on the ground too. Blackbirds love to come down for sultanas etc and robins love to feed on cake crumbs or if they are very lucky, enjoy a mealworm or two! Just watch out for the starlings, they have a habit of appearing from nowhere and eating everything in sight, and then leaving their deposits everywhere!

I would love to hear what you feed your birds, and which birds visit you in your garden or on your allotment?

A month or so back, Michelle at Veg Plotting opened up her virtual garden for charity to raise money for Water Aid. I left a donation and was lucky enough to be picked out at random to win the lovely birdbook, which I have photographed above. Thanks Michelle. There is still time to visit, the garden's opening times have been extended, quite unusual considering the clocks are going back this weekend! The fundraising target of £1,000 has been reached, but has been reset to £1,300, which could pay for a hand-dug well and handpump to serve 150-200 people in Ghana. If you haven't already done so, you may like to spend some time in VP's Open Garden.

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CHRISTIAN MOULLEC AND CRANES

The birdman of Brittany, Christian Moullec makes a welcome return this weekend to the airshow at Shoreham, accompanied on this occasion by giant cranes. Flying alongside him throughout the display these amazing birds would frequently change formation.

Please click on photo for more detail and see more photos of the airshow on my home blog.

GOLDFINCH

These chatty little birds have been down to the birdbath again this morning, the slightest movement from her indoors and they are off again!

I first noticed these small, bright and colourful birds around the garden a couple of years back, I can't say I had ever noticed them before. I first became aware of their song, almost a twinkle and very distinctive, and seemingly using our television aerial as a prominent perch.

These birds migrate to southern Europe, but many now stay due to our milder climate. I suspect my resident birds have nested in a neighbour's hawthorn tree, on numerous occasions seeing them flit in and out.

Their long thin beaks are perfect for extracting seed; thistle, teasel, dandelion and burdock, and in the summer months will also pick off small insects.

The goldfinches are loving the thistle seed, and have it all to themselves. For many months the feeder hung in a less manicured part of my garden, untouched, but is now two-thirds empty and will need a top-up soon.

A group of goldfinches is known as a charm and they certainly don't fail to live up to their collective noun.

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BLACKBIRD FLEDGLINGS

I was having a conversation with my dad yesterday of the fact that neither of us had seen any young blackbirds yet this year around in our gardens, my dad saying it was most unusual. Back home later in the day I was on the PC with the doors and windows flung wide open, and low and behold I realised I could hear a young blackbird. I very slowly moved outside and there they were, two fledglings along with the male. I quickly retreated back inside to grab the camera, my photos of birds usually blurred on 10 x optical zoom, but as it turned out I was quite pleased with these. Click on each one for a closer look at the speckly markings.



I have come to notice each year they do love feasting on these Amelanchier fruits along with the starlings.

A few days previously I had spotted a very scruffy looking male on our flat roof, maybe he had been doing all the work taking food in to the nest, which the female would have constructed out of grass and mud, usually low in a tree or bush, sometimes using a previous nest as a base. The young are fed for twelve to nineteen days and after leaving the nest they are split between the pair.