Gelert
Photography
ALL THE PRETTY THINGS . . . .
Blue Iris
From the Greek word for rainbow, irises are amongst the most elegant of flowers.
Clematis Montana 'Marjorie'
Introduced in 1980, 'Marjorie' was the first of the semi-double montana clematis. The flowers are a beautiful creamy pink, but, surprisingly, can turn green in cold weather.
Tortoiseshell Butterfly
The Small Tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae), is common in Britain and often seen feeding on Buddleja. Its larger counterpart, though officially extinct in the UK, does occur.
The Early Bumblebee
The Early Bumblebee (Bombus pratorum), or Early Nesting Bumblebee. This female is feeding on Cotoneaster. They also love to forage on daisies, white clover and lavender.
Honeybee Pollinating Cornflower
Apis mellifera, the honeybee, pollinating a perennial cornflower (Centaurea montana), or Bachelor's Button. The flower, though not native to Britain, can be found in the wild.
The Beautiful Butterfly
The Small Tortoiseshell butterfly is in decline in parts of Britain. A parasitic fly, Sturmia bella, lays its eggs on its favourite food plants and they are then eaten by this beauty.
Land of The Giants
Horsetail (Equisetum sp.), is related to large plants that grew 270 million years ago.
Campsis In Bloom
The beautiful blossom of Campsis, or Trumpet Creeper, a woody perennial climber that can climb to 40 feet. Here, it is seen flowering in the sunshine of Southern France.
Sitting Pretty
Normally seen from the end of March, but even December UK sightings do occur.
Montana Marjorie In Bloom
Clematis are considered by many as difficult to cultivate. But given plenty of sunlight, a sheltered location, good support and moist, shaded rooting, they reward handsomly.
Borth's Hidden Gems
Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima), growing on the rocks near the pretty little Welsh seaside town of Borth. Also known as Sea Pink, this lovely flower thrives in salty environments.
Himalayan Blue
The beautiful poppy, Meconopsis baileyi, originates in the cold mountains of SE Tibet.
Elegant Campsis
Insects, but also birds such as orioles and humming birds, feed on the flower's nectar.
The Beautiful Forest
Sea Pink, or Thrift, is the 'county flower' of the Isles of Scilly and thrives in salty, windswept environments. It's perfect for gravel and rock gardens and insects love it !
Button Hole Beauty
A pretty old fashioned perennial, with its pink flowers and silvery leaves, Dianthus 'Pink', is a favourite amongst those wanting to create the quintessential English cottage garden.
Bluebell And Fern
A close-up glimpse of our Welsh woodland habitat. Beauty comes in small packages.
A Golden Summer
France has five climactic zones. The long hot summers of Dordogne and its microclimate, on average seven degrees warmer than UK, are ideal for stunning climbers like Campsis.
The Path
Sometimes, in some places, some 'things' are best NOT left to the vivid imagination.
Forgotten Ways
Two Roads. I took the one less traveled by. . . . And that has made all the difference.
A Very English Bluebell
The spectacular carpeted displays of English bluebells of British woodlands are only seen in northern Europe. Th UK hosts more than half of the world's population of bluebells.
Handel
Some scented and some not, roses are often used as cut flowers and in the making of perfume. The petals are distilled to make oil, or attar. Rose water is also made in this way.
The Dandelion
All parts of the dandelion are useful and In the 1800s people would replace grass in their plots to make room for dandelions. The name dandelion is from the French, “dent-de-lion”.
Bellflower Blue
Campanulas (here C. persicifolia), are delicate, pretty perennials, often favoured by keen cottage gardeners. Also known as Harebell or Bellflower, its name is from Latin, 'little bell'.
Teasel Cottage
Teasel seeds are a valuable winter food resource for Goldfinch and many other birds.
Hanging On For Life
Male bumblebees are adept at clinging to flowers. Even upside down. To help facilitate this, tibia of its hind legs are convex, whereas those of female bumblebees are concave.
Bluebell Wood
A rich carpet of English bluebells brings back memories of spring ... and woodland walks.
The Boathouse
Located near the village of Lamberhurst in the valley of the river Bewl in Kent, England, the old, decaying, lakeside boathouse of the Scotney Castle estate, has seen better days.
Campanula White
Campanulas vary in size, shape, and plant form, but are usually various shades of blue, lavender, and white. They bloom from late spring into throughout summer.
Campanula Blue
Campanulas thrive in moist, well-drained, soils and dead-heading extends the flowering period. It's said beekeepers use Canterbury Bells for making potently sweet honey.
Lotus Seed Head
Lotus seeds are valued for their nutritional and healing properties in Chinese medicine.
Scents Of Summer
Beyond this French cottage garden, a pebble stone courtyard, an old stone country home, crochet laced windows, blue watering cans, provence cloth, pressed glass, wire baskets.
Honeysuckle Rose
The sweet scent of honeysuckle attracts moths which feed on the flowers at night.
Blue
The common name of harebell alludes to folk beliefs that it grew in places frequented by hares, or that witches used juices squeezed from the flower to turn themselves into hares.
White
Plant Campanula if you'd like to attract bees, butterflies and birds to your garden. Its self-fertile hermaphrodite flowers are pollinated by bees, flies, beetles, moths and butterflies.
St Cyprien
Concours des villes et villages fleuris began in 1959, rewarding town 'green space' creation.
Sea Pink
A pretty old fashioned perennial, with its pink flowers and silvery leaves, Dianthus 'Pink', is a favourite amongst those wanting to create the quintessential English cottage garden.
Forget-Me-Not
Known scientifically as Myosotis, their name comes from the Greek word 'mus', for mouse and 'otis', for ears, the latter referring to the leaves that are shaped like little mouse ears.
Edge Of Bluebell Wood
Deer are not known to forage for bluebells, but, with the native English bluebell now under severe threat from its invasive Spanish relative, it pays to enclose precious habitats.
La Petite Maison Française
In France, the beautiful, informal rambling gardens that we normally refer to as 'cottage gardens', are usually called 'jardin de cure' (priests garden) or the 'grandmothers garden.
Bellissimi
Native bluebells thrive in woodland shade, in moist substrates, rich in organic matter.
Red Clover
In the middle ages red clover was worn as a charm to ward off evil spirits and witches.
Hunter's Moon
Fields have been reaped and deer are fat and ready for eating. So called because hunters can ride easily over the fields' stubble, where foxes and other animals are easily spotted.
The Woods
Swarthes of bluebell haze in a dappled shade wood. Typical of early summer in Britain.
Signs Of Springtime
In springtime, swathes of bluebells carpet the ground beneath awakening beech trees. Such woodlands are ideal for walkers wishing to stroll beneath the sun dappled canopies.
JOIN ME ON :
The Gatehouse
Corn Marigold
Golden Flower
Arrows and Stars
Love-In-A-Mist Macro Beauty
Love-In-A-Mist in Macro
Love-In-A-Mist 'Serpents'
Love And Lavender
The Bee
Rare Purple Orchid
Through A Gateway
A Secret Garden
Walk With Me
Beeches Of Bronze
A Balance Of Nature
Just Berries
Harvest Time
Nature's Little Miracles
The Insect
Bowed
Illusions
Covered In Chocolate
Purple And Gold
Aquilegia Pink
Dusty Blues
Crossing Over
Gold
Fragile
The Kiss
Autumn Leaf
Dark Anemone
Ivy
Orange Dazzle
Bee On Globe Thistle
Pink Anemone
Alligator Or Plant ?
Scarlet Runner
A Purple Bouquet
The Broken Heart
Pink Carnation
Umbrellas For Fairies
A Fairy's Grotto
A Table For Elves
Bishop Of Llandaff
Bishop Of Llandaff is a dahlia, which is short-in height and looks stunning in displays.
Now You See Me
The Little Parasol
The Web
Lightning Oak
PLEASE click on images to ENLARGE
Red Poppies
Blue Geraniums
Moonlit Poppies
A Splash Of Purple
Bluebell Path
All The Pinks
Chives
Bluebell Island, Skomer
Wild Poppies
Welsh Poppy
Poppy Breeze 1
Poppy Breeze 2
Dancing Daisies
