Grey Squirrel

One of my birthday books was 'The Mammals of Cheshire'. For the last couple of weeks a Grey Squirrel has turned up for its peanuts to keep us amused though it is not recorded in this 2km square – I must send a record in.

Wood Pigeon

Plump enough for a pie. (Only kidding!)

Some October Flowers and Foliage

Virginia Creeper and Ivy


Fremontodendron


Clematis


St Lucie Cherry


Primroses and Primulas


Beech leaves


Fuchsia


Geranium (or Pelargonium - I never know the difference!)


Pansy


Rhus


Pampas Grass

Late September

We have had some lovely Sweet Peas this year.


Herb Robert is a weed and a bit of a nuisance but there is no denying it is pretty.


An unidentified shrub.



Rudbeckia in flower.




Visits from a young Greenfinch.

The Front Hedge

The front hedge looked lovely but had got totally out of hand. At 12 to 14 feet tall it was completely unmanageable.


So we have had it cut back to 8 feet tall. Still a major task to keep it in order but any lower and the birds might have deserted it. Lets just hope all the bare bits grow back out again.

11th September - some flowers

Some of the flowers still blooming in the garden:-


Solanum


Rudbeckia


Miniature Rose


Mullein.


Michaelmas Daisies.


And the Snowberry is is berry.

Kaffir Lilies

A few years ago we bought a tiny pot of Kaffir Lily (Schizostylis coccinea) bulbs from a charity stall in Royden Park. Now we have them in three parts of the garden and, I think, their ‘children’ have travelled to Exeter as well. These are a few of today’s photos of these beautiful plants.

A Catch-up

This is a catch-up posting on some of the things in the garden earlier in August. Sensibly, most of the insects have stayed hidden from the cold, damp breezy yuck that is our British August.


Lily


Freesia



Lilies




Chinese Balloon Flower



One exception to the insect dearth has been the large number of wasps and honey bees. The former is nothing unusual as we do have years of plenty every now and then. But Honey Bees have become so rare around here now as to be noticeable. This year they have flocked to the Buddleia and the Marjoram; I wonder if someone locally has a hive?



This is the hoverfly Volucella pellucens. The second photo shows it hovering.


“Look out! There’s a cat about.


Goldfinches on the niger seed feeder. (Taken through the window – hence the haziness.)


Sorry Helen, haven’t had time to check which grass this is. Perhaps you know off hand but if not I’ll probably post a comment with its name at some stage.


A frog in one of the ponds.

I took a lot more flower photos later in the month so I’ll post them another day.