Wednesday 17 June 2009

Barleycorn Meditation In June

Papaver Rhoeas, Cornfield Poppy
When I was born, God blessed me with the gift of wonder, which nurtured my passion for life in general, and the world of Nature in particular. I seem to observe the flora and fauna around me as if wearing the rose-tinted spectacles of a young child exploring everything in the environment for the first time. That's why, for me, the appearance of the first cornfield poppy in our garden in June causes my heart to skip a beat.

Swallows At Barleycorn

Along with this gift came the blessing of optimism, which helps me to look at the broader picture in life, and, in times of adversity, helps to sustain me. I believe that we are the stewards of the earth and that we are meant to live in harmony with Nature in all its glory. When I contemplate the difficulties facing a pair of swallows returning all the way from Africa in order to rebuild their nest in the same place in our barn, year upon year...well, that blows my mind!

Mixed Aquilegia, Columbine

How do they do it? Each Spring I await their arrival with bated breath, and my spirits soar when I hear their excited twittering overhead. Our barn doors have a space at the top where they swoop in and out to their nest, like trapeze artists, with perfect ease, never missing the mark. Taz and Cookie, the barn cats, are well-used to sharing their quarters over the Summer months with two messy broods of chicks.

Mecanopsis Cambria, Welsh Poppies

Even though the path behind our barn is 70 foot long, it is a mere metre in width. When we came here, almost eighteen years ago, it seemed appropriate to sow wild flowers along the length of it. Some years biennial foxgloves grow in profusion, their long tapering spires offering tunnels of delight to foraging bees. This year, it's the turn of the Welsh poppies to hum with droning bumblies.

Cepaea Hortensis, Banded Snail

And what about the place of the humble snail in my garden? Loving all God's creatures as I do, I could not possibly imagine that my duty should be one of extermination for the entire population, for how else would the beautiful song thrush, which serenades me each morning, thrive? Or, for that matter, the colony of frogs which breed in the two ponds? And what would our resident hedgehogs feed on?


Christophii Alliums, Ornamental Onions

Wildlife will only thrive in a nurturing environment and form part of the magical web of life in our gardens with our help. That does not mean to say I skip for joy when I discover a row of seeds has disappeared overnight. Instead, I grow some of my salad crops in pots and in long containers, as well as in the earth. That way, there's always some to spare. I find eggshells and coffee grinds helpful deterrants, as well as a border of Scotch marigolds or alliums.


Painted Lady Butterfly On Polygonum Superbum, Bistort


Another exciting visitor to arrive in our garden from Africa each year is the Painted Lady butterfly. This year there seems to be a mass migration, here in the UK. This one is feeding on the bistort, Polygonum Superbum, which I grow as an early nectar border plant beside the pond at the front of the house. Some people find the bistort a noxious weed, and, on first appearances, it does not seem to have the wow factor, but my feelings positively warm to it when I observe so many butterflies, bees and insects foraging on its flowers.


Papaver Orientalis, Double-Petalled Oriental Poppy


The colour palette in the garden consists mainly of shades of pink, blue, mauve, lavender, violet and purple, with some yellow and white, here and there. But, all that subtlety changes dramatically in the month of June, when the Hallelujah Chorus of the garden - the Oriental poppies - punctuate the otherwise muted tones. I am not alone in feeling attracted by the enormous vibrant redheads, with their striking inky-black anthers, for the bees pay them frequent visits too.

Lychnis-Flos-Cuculi, Ragged Robin
The wild lychnis, otherwise known as Ragged Robin, has a special place in my heart as it transports me back in time to childhood walks with my family, when we were allowed to gather and press a collection of wildflowers in a scrapbook in order to identify them. When my own children were growing up we took pocket guides with us for identification. Back home, we would draw sketches of the plants and the wildlife we had seen. I grow my Ragged Robins at the edge of the pond as they prefer their feet in damp places.

Papaver Orientalis, Dusky Dawn, Oriental Pink Poppy
The flamboyant Oriental poppies need not clash with the quieter tones in the garden as they come in gentle shades of pink, such as the one above, and Patty's Plum is a lovely shade of blackcurrant-purple. I also make room for a lovely classic white one called Perry's White.

Bombus, Bumble Bee On Lupin
My favourite sounds in the garden are the birdsong and the humming of the bees. For me, nothing exudes that magical quality of June in the garden more than bees' humming. Nothing makes me happier than to potter away the afternoon, thinking of nothing in particular, with the birds and bees for company.

Papaver Orientalis, Double-Petalled Oriental Poppy
Raindrops on poppies is also a common sight in the Barleycorn garden, for without the much-needed rain, my garden would not look as vibrant and lush as it does, and, never more so, than in the month of June. Even in their 'going over' period, I find beauty in the crumpled, frilly, translucent petals, and the discarded black anthers lying on the ground.

Rosa Zepherine Drouhin, Bourbon Rose
As far as I'm concerned the garden has to be a complete sensory experience, with smell coming to the fore in the Summer months. With that idea in mind, I grow a climbing Bourbon rose, called Rosa Zepherine Drouhin, outside one of the bedroom windows, so that its heady perfume fills the air on warm June days in particular. This year we have been blessed with a profusion of blooms. For me, this is a huge bonus as it is so difficult to grow roses in these parts as we are 225 metres above sea-level, with frequent winds blowing across the landscape.

Papaver Orientalis, Red Oriental Poppy
'Red and green should never be seen', goes the old adage. But, I love the combination. Green goes with everything as it is a perfect foil. With flowers as big as dinner plates, translucent petals for light to dance upon, ephemeral poppies add a touch of sophistication and glamour to the garden in Summer. I love the finely-cut, fern-like, hairy green foliage and the silky-textured, crepe paper petals of the ballgown flowers. You could be forgiven for thinking that the stunning blooms they produce would be difficult to grow, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Zygoptera, Red Damselfly
Red, blue and green damselflies flit around the ponds in June, adding a magical touch to the garden. With their two pairs of translucent, gossamer wings folded along their abdomen, they measure about 30mm in length. The adults feed on small insects and their larvae live on aquatic insects before emerging, after one year, as adults. I regard them as the fairies of the garden and find them very attractive to watch on sunny afternoons. Is anything more redolent of Summer?

Pots Of Salad Crops
It's amazing how many pots of plants can be grown from one bag of potting compost and a few packets of seeds. I also grow a few raspberry canes in pots, though I grow my strawberries in beds. Is there anything more exciting than eating one's home-grown produce, whether it be for a few weeks or a few months of the Summer?

Papaver Orientalis Turkenlouis, Oriental Poppy Curlylocks
Turkenlouis has to be the loudest Oriental poppy I grow. I love its serrated edges, the double-frilled petals and how they always hold their heads open to reveal the enormous seedbox and the black anthers. I grow it beside a yellow hemerocalis for contrast.

Hosta Sieboldiana
Hosta Sieboldiana has large, deeply-ridged, heart-shaped leaves of glaucus blue, and, when it rains, it holds enormous droplets of water. I find that most attractive. In all eighteen years here, the slugs and snails have never attacked my hostas...and I have many varieties of them. It is a dramatic plant in any border.

Papaver Orientalis, Oriental Poppies By The Front Pond
Over the years, I have filled my cottage garden with so many plants, there is little room for weeds to grow. A few years ago, in Springtime, while the plants were still small, I covered the areas between the flowers with bark, as a weed suppressant. It also helps as a mulch in dry weather.

Taz, The Barn Cat, In The Back Garden
Along the back wall bordering the adjacent farmer's field, I grow a nectar border for insects and butterflies, which, in turn, feed the birds. Taz, one of the barn cats, likes to lie in wait for voles and shrews. Over the years, I have been chasing my tail trying to combat the fierce winds blowing down my taller flowers, such as delphiniums and aconites, that I decided upon a plan of action for the whole garden.

Geranium Psilostemon
For two days in the month of June, I go around the whole garden with canes of varying sizes and thin green wire and insert them as a defence barrier. It looks a bit like invisible mending, for only the sharpest eyes could detect where I have been. It has been most successful over the past few years, as everything is held upright till the end of the season and the paths are kept clear. Best of all, on wet days, it is possible to walk around the entire garden without wet plants brushing against one's legs. This tall psilostemon geranium would be flattened by our strong winds in a day if it were not held upright. I love its magenta-coloured flowers as well as its attractive foliage.

Housemartins At Barleycorn
This year our housemartins did not arrive till the first day of June. But, we are lucky to have them. Normally we have three pairs building in the three apexes of the house, sometimes with triple nests in each...this year, only one pair. They have friends who join them in the evenings when they wheel overhead, and, to our delight, swoop and dive across the ponds catching insects on the wing, along with their other friends, the swallows.

Chaerophyllum Hirsutum Roseum, Cow Parsley
Cow parsley is usually a plant of the wayside, but I like its habit and grow some in my nectar borders. I also have the garden cultivar - chaerophyllum hirsutum roseum - which has pale pink blossom. It needs to be in a mixed bed as it can easily take over if left in too big a space, but it pays its weight in gold as far as the bees and insects are concerned.

Ranunculus, Meadow Buttercup
Do you like butter? Again, because of happy childhood days spent making daisy and buttercup chains, I grow ranunculus beside my wild cornfield poppies. A garden, for me, has to contain dreams and evoke memories, making room for the wildflowers as well as the cultivars in order to create a sense of soul and romance. It must tell its own story.

Nectar Borders In The Back Garden
This photograph shows a section of the garden made up of nectar borders. But, without them, I would not have so many varieties of visiting bees, insects and birds, which, in turn, bring visiting mammals. I have often been asked which flowers are my favourites. If I must choose it is a toss-up between wild poppies and foxgloves. But, each flower in season is a favourite...so many hues, so much individuality, such a variety of perfumes, each with their own story.

Borage Officinalis, Borage
Another of my favourites is the borage. The wonderful blue, (though sometimes white or pink) five-petalled, star-shaped flowers hanging in profusion, the tall graceful way it grows, the hairy leaves...all are attractive to me, and so nectar-rich for the bees that beekeepers often grow this plant.

Cirsium Rivulare Atropurpureum, Ornamental Thistle
My cirsium grows between six and seven foot tall. It is a very elegant plant, very stately with amazingly large leaves, considering the thistle heads are relatively tiny. Again, the bees adore it, as you will see in the little video I have taken.

Papaver Orientalis, Oriental Poppies At The Stane Dyke Wall
Although we have fierce winds blowing across our open landscape, I love to stand at the fence and watch the wildlife across the field. Sometimes there are buzzards mewing overhead, or larks making my heart soar with their amazing songs. Perhaps that's why I love Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending so much. Barley is the main crop grown in the adjacent field...and I love to hear the wind through the barley and watch it making waves while the barley is still young enough to bend.

Lupins, Geraniums, Aquilegia
The lupins in this photo have the most exquisite perfume. I wish I could bottle its scent and open it on cold Winter days to remind me of summery June. Over the years I have grown so many varieties of aquilegias....and they seed all over the place, which is a bonus to me. They are so enduring and add their own magic to our cottage garden. I love their 'Granny's bonnets', as we call them hereabouts, and their form and foliage, which can vary between acid green and purple-green.

Yellow Flag Irises In Back Pond
Yellow flag irises, also known as Jacob's sword, are stately plants of wild ponds...and of our ponds too. Again, so reminiscent of my childhood days at my Granny's cottage, I couldn't bear to be without them, for, though they used to be a common sight in the wild, with so many of the farmers' ponds being drained for intensive farming methods, they are growing scarcer each year. One school of thought says they are the origin of the fleur-de-lis in heraldry.

Mixed Nectar Borders In Front Garden
These borders are in the front garden. One whole bed contains varieties of geraniums, which flower for months on end, and if cut back, return with a final flush in September. I find the geranium a 'must' as they are easy to look after being disease-free, and bloom for long periods of the Summer.

Rosa Glauca, Rose
Lastly, I have chosen to show you my rosa glauca, the foliage of which is a wonderful shade of grey-purple with purplish-red stems. I am always told they do not do well in exposed windy sites, but, for some reason, they do well for me. Apart from the attractive cerise-pink flowers, in Autumn they have unusual wine-red fruits which feed the birds. The photo is well worth enlarging to see all the amazing tones in the foliage....and to spy the sweet little insect on the flower. The birds eat the fruit and leave me many seedlings scattered around the garden. I pot them up and grow some for myself, some to sell at garden fayres and some to share with friends and fellow gardeners.
xxxxxxx
The little film below was taken over a few days in June, and is made up of many little videos. If you turn up the volume you will hear the wonderful birdsong and the buzzing of the bees, the winds blowing and cars passing by, as people go about their daily business. It lasts for nine and a half minutes, so, if it sticks a bit, please be patient. The music, which plays through twice, is Thais' Meditation by Massenet. Enjoy!
xxxxxxx
If you click to enlarge each photo, you will find when the photo was taken, and the botanical name as well as the common name of each plant.


37 comments:

Cheryl said...

Dear Wildlife Gardener....surely we travel the same path. While reading your post I was so aware that are thoughts are connected.

Ragged robin will always have a place in my heart....it was my great grandmother's favourite wildflower. I have it in my garden and it has reseeded here and there. Whenever I see it I am with her again....standing beside her, a little girl holding her hand.

I to love the fragrance of lupins...it is just divine, is it not??

Your garden and wildlife are a pure and utter joy. For me such a pleasure to see your swallow and house martins......you are truly blessed my friend.

I must tell you before I leave....I have tadpoles in my pond. I am so thrilled, so very thrilled. I also have great diving beetles and water boatman. Isn't that just great.....

A beautiful post and I must say one that brought a tear to my eye....I was so connected to it.....

A wildlife gardener said...

A warm welcome, dear Cheryl :)

I, too, feel we share a love of all the wild things in Nature as well as the garden cultivars.

Cheryl, I really do feel blessed to have swallows and housemartins here at Barleycorn, as they often do not make it back across Europe.

Congratulations on your taddies...now everything will follow. So, you have exciting days ahead, and lots to share with your beloved grandchildren.

I feel sure we will meet one day :)

Shirley said...

Happy June Wildlife Gardener, what a absolutely captivating update of your garden this month :-D

What beautiful photos and words once again but your video made this posting for me. I sat watching feeling I was walking in your garden with you. I loved seeing your swallows! For people in towns or indeed other countries you have really shown the wealth of wildlife possible in a Scottish garden and what plants to grow to encourage it too.

Your love for nature positively shines through every image and word of this posting. Thank-you for sharing it all… truly inspiring!

A wildlife gardener said...

How lovely to have your company, dear Shirl :)

Thank you for all your lovely comments...especially the one about the video, as I am such a great admirer of yours, and feel I'm still very much an amateur. I have been playing around with WMM, however, and more by a process of elimination, rather than knowledge, I have managed to add music this time, have learned how to edit and how to link up each video to the next.

I wondered if I had written too much, but I so wanted to share the photos and the video with everyone who follows my blog, as the garden is at its peak in June...even though there is much to see all year round. June just weaves a magic spell on everything.

I must try to capture a little video of my hedgehogs in the future.

Looking forward to catching up with your posts soon :)

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Wilidie, Hello! Always exciting when you post! I too have a sense of wonder (people have called me "childlike" and I don't always think it was meant as a compliment, but it is a trait I'm grateful to have). Love everything blooming and growing in your garden. Somehow the photo with the rows of pots is my favorite; I dunno why! :) I also have always thought snails were cute. I observed them once for about an hour during an assignment where we had to sit in ONE spot in nature for an hour and record what we saw. It was really awesome!

Chandramouli S said...

I love your blog especially because you're a true Nature person. I sometimes kill some creatures to save my plants (I'm ashamed of that all the same and I'm trying not to do so in future) and I admire how you see that all creatures should live in harmony. No wonder your love for Nature reflects in your garden. Love all the vibrant poppies and other wildflowers in your part of the world! I'm sure to come back again to read your post, as I always do to your posts.

Sorrow said...

Dear wildlife garden~
truly a wonderful steward of this paradise we call home. Your generosity of spirit and your lovingly tended gardens are a testament to your beautiful heart.
Thank you,
for not only sharing your dream, and your garden, but for everything that you do to make this place a heaven here on earth.
May you be blessed.

Tira said...

What a beautiful post. I too try to co-exist with nature,and don't use any pesticides nor do I eradicate garden critters-but let nature do the balance. Hence the snails are eaten by the feral chickens. I certainly don't kill the caterpillars which may eat my leafy greens. And the odd mouse that comes into the house is taken outside if I can catch him, lest he is easy prey for the cats-outside he has a fair chance.
The pics of the wildflowers and poppies are beautiful.

A wildlife gardener said...

A warm welcome to our little corner of paradise, Everyone :)

* It's so lovely to see you again, Dear Monica :)

We have a lot in common, I think, because it's that sense of wonder which keeps us alert to the intrinsic beauty of Nature...that 'never taking it for granted' idea.

The pots are the easiest way for me to grow salads nowadays as my garden is so busy, and the snails don't bother to crawl up them when they are raised, as opposed to eating plants in the ground. Tonight we had half of the lollo rosso lettuce, and when it's finished I'll sow some more.

Thank you for all your encouraging comments :)

* Great to have your company, Chandramouli S :)

Don't feel bad...I think it's only natural to want to protect ones' plants, but we can try hard to find ways around the nuisance of garden pests...because we will never manage to exterminate them entirely... and they are meant to be here as part of the magical web of life.

I appreciate your honesty and your thoughtful comments :)

* I am happy to see you again, Dear Sorrow :)

Your generous words overwhelm me. Thank you so much. I was trying to explain my raison d'etre for creating a wildlife garden. It feeds the soul. Life would be so boring with only concrete. The wild places sustain our minds and spirits.

I send blessings across the pond to you and yours :)

* Great to have you visit me again, Dear Nicole :)

It's great having hens to eat pests...such a natural way to deal with them, as opposed to resorting to poison.

I, too, have a mouse-trap from which I can release the mouse into the field to let him live another day.

You are very gracious in your comments...thank you so much :)

martin said...

Wonderful as ever. We are still coming to terms with our garden. I must say that it has surprised us a lot, every morning there is something else that has popped up overnight !. I am sure that some of them are weeds.
Hope you are both well.x

Anonymous said...

I must never have been here before... I will have to look and see if I am a follower or a subscriber and will do it if you are not.

I was 'stunned' to see the profusion of flowers, and read through your depth of knowledge: A plantswoman or a kind of walking dictionary of plants. Some I recognize as seeing on this side of the pond but some I never heard of before.

I also like, very much, the devotion to the wildlife garden and absolutely no emphasis on lawn grass. I want to eventually, if I live long enough, do away with all lawn grasses and have nothing but perennials coming up amid bushes and plants and trees. I want my place to be both a wildlife sanctuary and habitat. I have been here 47 years and got started late.

I began thinking of a Japanese garden, having just returned from 4 years over there. And the curved bridge over the pond of water and the island in the pond were dreams that I made come true but then looked and thought this is crap. I need to do something to pay back Nature, not my senses. And that is what I have been working on.

Abraham Lincoln

linda may said...

This is so beautiful. I am pleased you share with us all.
I loved seeing your flowers. I adore those poppies. We don't easily get those here in the nurseries. I tried some seeds once but they failed. Last week I planted some artist poppies in pots and some Flanders poppies around but they are much smaller than the ones you have there.
Poppies, Lupins, grannies bonnets, buttercups, roses, iris, geraniums, birdies and music, what a feast for my winter bound senses!!!!It must be my english/scots blood coming to the fore to be so entranced by that type of garden.

Jeanne said...

Lovely indeed my fabulous friend
Sending love and hugs and smiles across the miles
Love Jeanne♥

All is so beautiful that you share with us.

A wildlife gardener said...

A warm welcome to our little corner of paradise, Everyone :)

* Hey, Martin, great to see you again :)

I'm sure your garden will go from strength to strength. thanks for stopping by :)

* It's wonderful to have your company, Dear Abe. :)

You are quite right, you have not been here of late...mainly you come to my photo blog or my other blogs, but I haven't been in them for months now.

I find it hard enough managing to write in this main blog once a month...

Thank you for all your gracious comments about the garden. I have no grass because it stops my hayfever, and I prefer beds of plants instead anyway.

The garden for me is nothing if it brings little wildlife...hence the desire to create a garden for wildlife :)

Come back soon. We can swap ideas :)

* I'm so glad of your company too, Dear Linda May :)

I do think we are drawn to things belonging to our ancestry..it speaks to us from the distant past...

All the plants you like are typical of a cottage garden...and I like to mix as many of the wild plants amongst the cultivars, for there's nothing to beat Nature in all its glory...a field of poppies, mustard seed among the wheat, the smell of red or whiteclover, bogs with irises, mountainsides with heather, woodlands with bluebells, forests with foxgloves...these are all of my land, Scotland, and very beautiful it is...to me :)

Marie said...

Your garden is gorgeous!
I would love to walk there with you :)

Kathleen said...

Good morning Wildlife Gardener! Great to read your new post as always. You do such a thorough job sharing your garden with us and there's so, SO much to comment on. That ornamental thistle is really standing out to me ~ never thought I'd say that about a thistle ~ but it's beautiful. I too am in awe of nature ~ I don't think anyone could not be if they thought about it for a second. All the intricacies that have to play together for each to work is truly a marvel. I do need a reminder tho when those assassin bugs get the butterflies! June is the best month and it goes by all too quickly ~ I love all the new life everywhere. It gives me hope.

Z said...

A couple of weeks ago, when I saw blackfly on my globe artichokes, I said I'd look out for some ladybirds to put there - but a couple of days later they found them themselves. If you leave it to nature, she'll find the balance (although I must say, I net against birds and rabbits!

Lovely pictures and beautiful writing - thank you.

Sheila said...

I found this post so theraputic WG!
The video was excellent and so relaxing, as I walked around your garden with you .
Cow Parsley is also a favourite of mine, and I recall it swaying in the breeze along the country lanes where I lived as a child.
Your garden is a sanctuary for the birds, bees, butterflies et al, (and the cats), but I sense it is also a memory garden. It brings back fond thoughts of your Grandmother, and I think you probably recall where you got each plant and when you planted it.
As I write this I am looking out over my garden, and listening to a robin sing, and although I am thousands of miles away, I feel a connection with you. Thank you for sharing this beauty, and bounty with us..
hugs
xx

SandyCarlson said...

This is a very beautiful meditation to be sure. Your gifts of wonder and optimism come through in your words.

I too marvel at those swallows--and all creatures who seem to know what to do with every moment.

Anonymous said...

i always love to visit your place via the blog.
it is so lovely there.
so nice you have swallows. i do love birds too.

A wildlife gardener said...

Good morning and welcome to you all on this beautiful mid-summer's day, here at Barleycorn :)

* And I would love to have you walking beside me, Marie :)

Thanks for stopping by :)

* Lovely to have your company, Kathleen :)

The thistle is a big hit with all the Scottish visitors to the garden, as it's our national flower and a great emblem of Scotland.

It's not always possible to like all the bugs...I am not keen on earwigs, though I don't harm them as the birds eat them.

I agree with you about all the new life giving us hope :)

* A warm welcome to you, Z. It's a wee whilie since we've been in touch with each other :)

If I grew veggies in as serious way as you do, as opposed to playing around with a handful as I do, then I'd also put nets around fruit and veggies to protect my food from unwanted visitors, such as pigeons and ravenous rabbits :)

* Grea to have your company, dear Sheila :)

I'm glad you enjoyed walking with me around the garden in June. I'm also glad it evoked some childhood memories for you, too :)

You are right about each plant in my garden having its own history and reason for being here. Some were given to me as cuttings by old friends, long gone...but not forgotten. In my garden, they live on in my memory :)

* Dear Sandy, great to have your company :)

Everything in Nature seems perfect
to me...here for a purpose...and, if we observe, admire and respect...we will learn much :)

* How wonderful to see you again, dear Becky :)

I hope all is well with you :)

I love the birds too...and swallows are magical birds :)

Anonymous said...

Such a beautiful garden, and it's obvious that much hard work and love are poured into it - thanks for sharing! A lovely set of photos too, especially that damselfly - they usually never sit still long enough for me to hone in on them :)

Sadly the garden at home is quite bare - the wind has been playing havoc with fences and flowers. But I've just come back from a weekend on the Burren, hunting for Bee orchids. Didn't find any, but saw a lot of other great wildlife instead. Some evening this week we'll be heading to Strangford lough (there are definitely some there!) so hopefully there'll be some rarities on my blog soon!

Lovely to hear from you again

Kitty

rita said...

Beautiful photos!

A wildlife gardener said...

A warm welcome on this beautiful sunny day, here at Barleycorn :)

* Wonderful to have your company, Kitty :)

I love the damsels too and they seem to rest for ages, sunning themselves.

The winds are always playing havoc in the garden, Kitty, and I'm often busy, tying up plants here and there.

I will pop over to see what your have captured with your camera :)

* Lovely to meet you, Rita :)

Thank you for the gracious comment :)

Duxbury Ramblers said...

Hi WG,

Lovely to walk among your beautiful flowers - nothing nicer, especially the ones that fill the air with memories as well as scent. I love to look at the wild among the cultivated.

The Ramblers.

Bimbimbie said...

Hello WG, kindred spirit of wonder.
Without insects the birds wouldn't be around visiting and breeding. The flowers wouldn't be pollinated and gardens like yours wouldn't exist ...
not forgetting your green fingers*!*

A wildlife gardener said...

Wonderful to have so many visitors to our little corner of paradise :)

* Hi there, Duxbury Ramblers :) Great to see you...and I bet you are both out and about enjoying this fantastic spell of weather :)

I agree...a garden has a touch of romance when the wild flowers are juxtaposed with the cultivated ones.

Scent is so important too. On these balmy continental evenings, when I'm out hedgehog-hunting, our garden is filled with so much perfume...lilies, honeysuckle, philadelphia blossom...and so much more.

Happy rambling :)

* Great to have your company, Bimbimbie :)

You have said it all...we need to attract insects to begin the first steps in creating the magical web of life in our gardens :)

kari and kijsa said...

Absolutely beautiful! Kari has just started gardening and your garden is a true inspiration!

blessings, kari & kijsa

A wildlife gardener said...

* Thank you both so much, dear Kari and Kijsa :)

It's always a pleasure to see you both and to share the garden and all its delights with you :)

A wildlife gardener said...

* Thank you both so much, dear Kari and Kijsa :)

It's always a pleasure to see you both and to share the garden and all its delights with you :)

Barbara said...

What a wonderful post, showing the whole wealth of what June offers in the garden. I loved the mixed borders and the video with the little swallows! Actually I try to get a r.glauca from cuttings. I saw it in a course about wild roses and immediately felt in love with it. Hopefully my plant gets roots.
Have a wonderful summer in your beautiful garden!
Barbara

Q said...

Thank you for the garden tour. I enjoyed being so close to your flowers and bugs! I enjoyed being connected.
I do love the wild places and understand the need for cultivation. It is too hot for me out in my gardens. The wild is taking over...
ALways it is delightful.
Sherry

Catherine said...

All so beautiful and beautifully captured! Love the shot of the damselfly~fantastic!! :)
Hope you are enjoying this magical month we call "Summer", your pictures are a sure sign you are!
Cat

CONEFLOWER said...

I am new to your blog. What a joy to find it and to walk through your garden with you. I live in Ohio in the States but all (except the special Scottish thistle) are familiar to me (I think). My husband and I have been lucky enough to visit Scotland twice and the gardens always astound me. It seems everything grows well there without the struggle they face in our climate.

Your video was a delight and your choice of music was perfect.

I'll be back to see you again, but thanks so much for sharing your beautiful gardens.

A wildlife gardener said...

A warm welcome to you all :)

* Always lovely to see you, dear Barbara :)

I love sharing the garden with you. Rosa Glauca is a 'find' and once you have it you will not be without it, for though it can be short-lived, the birds spread its seed around the garden from the hips and you can easily bring on the seedlings :)

* We have been enjoying glorious sunshine this summer too, Sherry :)

It is good to feel connected to Nature :)

* I, too, love damselflies and dragonflies, Catherine. I hope we see more of them this summer :)

* A warm welcome to you, coneflower :)

It is lovely to meet you. It's interesting to see the flowers we have in common and those which are new to us.

My garden is in an open windy landscape with severe winter winds...so, we have lost a few plants over the years, and learned to grow things which thrive in our climate.

Thank you for the lovely compliments :)

Anonymous said...

there is a picture that you identified as papaver rhoes. However,the flower is actually papaver nucaule. The papaver rhoes has black stamens, not white.

Anonymous said...

sorry, I made a spelling error. it's actually papaver nudicaule, not nucaule.