Sprautumn already and it's only January.

It is the end of January 2016 and the cherry plum blossom is out. I noticed this last weekend, the odd emergin flower, but then this week as I've cycled to work, more and more plum blossom has been emerging until whole trees are out. This can't bode well for a plum harvest this year can it? Fingers crossed for no frost/snow even though I like a good blizzard.

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Nasturtium leaf from behind and other macros.

I've had my 35 mm lens on so much recently that I felt it was time for a change. Out with the macro lens while the sun was shining at the weekend. Actually, the sun was a little too bright at times leaving me to resorting to sun effect shots through the leaves and petals.

nasturtium leaf from behind

yellow and blue

prickly echinacea

dahlia from front

dahlia from behind

a yellow what's it called

pompom dahlia

fly on cornflower

cornflower up close

my son eating the garden (nasturtiums are a favourite of his)

2015-09-06

I was mesmerised by this bamboo shooting through my sedum, a lovely colour combination.

bamboo with sedum

my favourite dahlia in deep near-electric pink to which the camera doesn't do justice

this years new cute rudbeckia 'Prairie Glow'

After the rain of last night this morning the garden smells utterly delicious.

It was hot outside this morning from the get-go. We are currently sleeping on my hand made bed in the second bedroom as Mr Sir has accidentally claimed our bedroom. One day we'll swap back, but I'm actually quite enjoying this as it's my first opportunity (other than with a migraine) to sleep in this bed. I designed it to be at the level of the windowsill meaning one can lie in bed and gaze out into the garden. This is rather lovely even if I do say so myself. It is also north facing, which should mean dark, but not in the summer up here at a latitude of 51 degrees as the sun rises over and smacks us full in the face, warming us awake if I've forgotten to put the blind down, which was the case this morning.

We ate breakfast inside as it was already hot and quite wet still in the garden. I stepped out to pick up the newspaper and the outside smelled of Scotland - that highlands fug you get in a secluded fern filled valley. It was a gorgeous scent. Now, a little later in the day I'm stilling out in the shade of the house gazing upon the garden (one of the few advantages of a north facing garden) and the smell has changed to develop a Mediterranean flavour. It could be the fennel, which is the tallest non-tree plant I've ever grown, or the mix of honeysuckles together with the moisture from earlier. But I'm transported to cliff top walks around the med or perhaps the south of France. Simply splendid and well worth savouring.
2015-07-04

In the garden recently - a blooming lovely combination of flowers and weeds

It has been a striking early spring in the garden and quite a surprise. Just before April the garden was only green with the odd daffodil and hyacinth but not much else. Then suddenly the forget-me-nots exploded into life simultaneously with the tulips and wall flowers. It was utterly tremendous and a wonderful welcome for Mr Sir's arrival. I was able to enjoy the garden with Nana on two separate occasions which was extra lovely. It's just about beginning to go over now, though the clematis is in full glory and the rowan tree is throwing out a lovely scent in the evenings (at least I think it's the rowan: I can't find anything else at ground level which is scented presently.)

the pink clematis offset with blue forget-me-nots

the drape of clematis on the fence

this is my favourite wallflower this year, a deep wine purple

the clematis is climbing the rowan

two brassicas, one for flower on for leaf

our patio area with chimenea

full on clematis magic
2015-05-09

Digging while I wait

Not wanting to let a glorious (exceedingly rare) Bank Holiday Monday go to waste, and while still waiting for Dr K to give me the call to come in (still not yet), I've dug over the vegetable patch in preparation for... for... well, perhaps for growing some vegetables. Quite how conducive having a baby is to vegetable growing I can't yet know. But here's hoping for some planning opportunities ahead and even some shared bonding - father and son in the garden. I guess for a year or so it will be mostly me doing all the work. I wonder if I can have him in the sling while I dig?

gardening in labour limbo
2015-04-06

I fear rocket will be our only greens this winter.

I tried to sow some winter greens a tad late in the autumn and it seems that only the rocket made it. I did find a couple of kale seedlings and had a few survive from the spring, but largely it's rocket that has won the winter greens race this year. Very sad I have no purple sprouting this year.

Clematis on a Pallet Fence

I found this image recently on my ramble through the archives. It was a clematis that I set loose on the pallet fence back in Kitchener. The last time I stopped by to visit it was still growing so one day I hope it will have become a lovely hedge.

clematis joy
2014-11-19

Dahlia, Cosmos and Kale

Until recently this was the lovely display of autumn flower power that came together rather unexpectedly this year. I'm especially pleased with the purple kale which works really well with the purple hues of the dahlias and cosmos. Plus we'll get to eat it all winter in (no so) green smoothies.

autumn display of defiant colour
2014-11-09

A Bright Orange Cosmos

I believe I collected this seed from Hanggang in Seoul last year.
2014-10-26

Well hello Mr or Mrs Frog or Toad

This little chap was lurking on top of last years leaf mould.

Stag Beetle

I came across this set of photos I'd taken of a stag beetle years ago (over nine in fact!). They are still quite pleasing and a nice change from flies.

Female stag beetle (I think)

clutching a blade of grass I'd given it (this image has deliberate motion blur)

close up of its leg
2014-09-18

Flower power

I was a bit late for the Chelsea Chop this year, but this was the result.

Looking Fabulous

a fabulous japanese anemone
2014-08-20

More Flys Macros

Sitting on my table in the sun this fly landed and started warming itself up on the ceramic surface. Out again with the camera and macro lens. At the other end of the garden I came across this bluebottle in the gravel. There my friendly neighbourhood Robin kept an interested eye on me from the fence.

black fly

fly face

compound eye

fly foot

bluebottle

bluebottle on takeoff

bluebottle on soil

in a little closer, the detail is glorious

this little chap kept a curious eye on me
2014-08-20

Why All The Flies Nick?

I was sorting through my catalogue of desktop backgrounds and found these three fly photos that I took back in 2005. Now with my new D7100 I thought it about time to try my hand again at some fly macros principally in search of the perfect compound eye shot. I've not made it yet, but I'm getting reasonably pleased with the preliminary results. More to come I'm sure, but to temper the files (which are otherwise getting a little too annoying in the house at the moment) there is a picture of a bee in flight (the focus is not particularly sharp I'll admit).

a rather cute blue bottle. I love the colours of the rock (2005)

sepia filter applied to this, but the eye is magnificent (2005)

the focus of this was well caught (2005)

this bee was visiting the morning courgette flowers (recent)

Nick's Pumpkin Parade

For the first time this year I've experimented with growing squashes. From the various squashes I ate last year I collected the seeds and germinated them. Only about 10% seemed viable and after and head start on my windowsill I transplanted them out into the vegetable patch. I wasn't quite prepared for the extent to which they would spread - the longest vine was about 5 meters and meant that the pumpkins ended up growing on my new lawn.

It's been exciting watching these things grow and I've still got a few left on the various vines. I've also recently found some baby butternut squashes have begun to develop. More to come...

My pumpkin fleet

The largest is quite a size and weight

Green pumpkins are turning orange

A gaggle of squashes

Barney our free range garden rabbit

gardening, pumpkins, orange