Apples

It's been a while since I had the big lens out, but today I had an idea after watching the blackbirds in the garden. My friend the Robin  obliged and although I didn't get the background right I was quite pleased with the result.

All the leaves are brown.

All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey. - California Dreaming. These well-known lyrics just about sums up the weather today. So I thought I would post a picture from last week when all the Acer trees still had their leaves.

Holly Berries

We spent years trying to find Holly Berries to photograph when all we needed to do was wait for this self-seeded tree to grow in the stone wall of our path. Also that the berries are at their best in October, not late December.

Red on Black

The Acer Leaves are already starting to fall, this one fell on one of our clumps of Black Mondo Grass - Ophiopogon Nigrescens

Hanging On

Autumn seems to have arrived suddenly this year. My Acer trees seemed to have turned colour overnight.

Missing Casper

A short garden birds shoot with the big lens, it's not the same now with the new cats on the block. It's on days like this that I really miss Mr Casper.

Three Years Ago

A through back picture from before the conservatory was built and we had a vegetable patch and even a sunflower in it.

Dew on Hydrangea

It's already that time of year when the flowers are starting to fade and die back just the Hydrangea's giving a splash of colour to the garden.

Pretty in Pink

I always think Spirea are a little underrated in the Garden, in fact, I think this is the first picture I have taken of this particular flower despite having it for years.

Poor old Sidalcea

Our Sidalcea flowered well initially but sadly they fell pray to our flower eating Roe Deer who nibbled a lot more flowers than just the Roses this year. 

Sidalcea or Prarie Mallows are heavy blooming, somewhat rare perennial mallows which produce bright, saucer-shaped flowers (which resemble hollyhocks) on long, slender stems. They attract butterflies and are excellent cut flowers. Sidalcea plants are true perennials that grow to 3 feet tall. Winter hardy to zone 5.

Trusty Robin

                 You can always trust a Robin to turn up for the camera.

Look whose back.

Normally I would have been taking lots of photo's of the flowers in the garden but a combination of weather, new cats on the block and Rosie the Roe Deer the garden hasn't been very good this year. I have to admit Rosie has caused the most damage finishing off the Roses, the Sidalcea and all Cranesbill before moving on to one of the Acers and half the Smoke bush.

Phlox

My mum always did love Phlox flowers, whether annual or perennials. These perennial Phlox have flowered well for the last few years but with all the rain we have had it was difficult to get a picture of one without water damage on the petals.

Pretty in Pink

Sidalcea is a genus of the botanical family Malvaceae. It contains several species of flower known generally as checkerblooms or checkermallows.

Fleabane.

Fleabane, I always think what a strange name for a flower and wonder how did it get that name. It is one of the Erigeron family and Its English name, fleabane appears to be derived from a belief that the dried plants repelled fleas  or that the plants were poisonous to fleas. The generic name Erigeron is derived from the Greek (eri = early; geron = old man), a reference to the appearance of the white hairs of the fruit soon after flowering.

Our House

I was struggling to find a new picture to post when I spotted a pair Wrens nesting in the Blue Tit's nest box. The Blue Tits fledged successfully a couple of weeks ago so it looks like it belongs to the Wrens now

Astrantia Major

Astrantia Major or Masterwort one used in medical times as a "cure all" now is a common perennial in cottage gardens.

The root, to quote Culpepper,
'is the hottest and sharpest part of the plant, hotter than pepper, and (in his opinion) very available in cold griefs and diseases both of the stomach and body.'
He tells us that it was also used 'in a decoction with wine against all cold rheums, distillations upon the lungs or shortness of breath,' and also states that it was considered effectual in dropsy, cramp, falling sickness, kidney and uterine troubles and gout. Also that 'it is of a rare quality against all sorts of cold poison, to be taken as there is a cause; it provoketh sweat.'

'But,' he advises, 'lest the taste hereof or of the seed, should be too offensive, the best way is to take the water distilled both from the herb and root.'

Look who's been eating the roses.

This pretty lady was busy munching the roses when I looked out of the window this week, by the time I had got my camera she was heading down the bottom garden.

A Tale of Three Robins

Last week I posted a picture of the Robin I named Pretty Pretty, this week we have the not so glamorously named Baldy and One Leg. Between them, however, they have successfully reared some very healthy young Robins which made their appearance this week. Hopefully, Baldy will regain her feathers and One Leg has actually got two legs but favours his left leg for standing still, a bit like me.

Jump

I think the noise of the camera shutter caught one of my robins by surprise.

Summer Arrives

Summer sunshine and everything is coming into flower in Gizzies Garden.

Comfrey

I always associate Comfrey will childhood falls and a fowl smelling jar of leaves which was liberally applied to my legs and elbows and then bandage up and left on as long as possible. Today it is recognised both for it's powers of bone regeneration and other healing properties.

Honesty

Lunaria, or Honesty flowers, are also commonly called "Money Plants", because their prolific seed pods resemble coins. 

Nesting

It looks like it's nesting time already, this Robin looked like she had a few mouths to feed. Her plumage is already starting to look tatty.

Bailey Helps Out

Bailey likes to help out when he can, this Blue Tit was making use of his fur to line it's nest.

Beautiful Blossom

I do not think there is anything more beautiful than cherry blossom in spring. These flowers had managed to escape the frost and high winds we had over the the last few days.

No chance of mowing the lawn today then !

Yes, it's snow time again this time in the garden and at the very end of April at that. It was all gone by dinner time but mowing the lawn was put off for another day.

A Snowy March Morning

We awoke to a sunny day then look what happened at nine o clock, it was all gone again by twelve.

March Snow

A surprise fall of snow this week caught us by surprise.

A very good present.

This week I have been trying out a Canon EF 1.4x II Convertor than my Vic brought back from Photoshow in Birmingham. I have never been a big fan of convertors but I have had it on the big lens and it is actually very good, I just need to the DOF right now.

Such beautiful little birds, if you look closely you can see they have an orange/red eye ring above the eye that almost looks like make-up

Time to get the pots out.

Time to get the pots to do some seed sowing.

Spring is in the air.

Spring is in the air, the Robins and the other birds have been busy singing in the garden this week.

Handsome Mr B

I know I probably completely mad giving names to some of my feathered friends, but this is handsome Mr B who is one of our resident Blackbirds. He is so named not just for his beautiful feathers but for his intense orange beak which is more vibrant than the other male blackbirds in Gizzies garden.

After the Rain

This is a view of the Poplar trees in the bottom garden viewed from the cottage, the evening light after the rain was simply amazing.

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

Just finished the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, no Redpolls or Goldfinches this year but the Long-tailed tits made up for it.

Winter Arrives

Winter has finally arrived, so I tried to make the most of the snow that fell over night. Coal Tit on Teasel.

Winter Visiter

This female Siskin appeared one afternoon last week when we actually saw the sun ! I am hoping she might bring along some friends now it's getting colder.