A single leaf of Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) clings to a twig in the garden
Today is the last day of November and tomorrow we start the three cold months of winter. Throughout these last few weeks the colour has gradually been draining from the garden, as viewed from my desk window. Here are some highlights… Continue Reading »
Posted in Gardening, Nature, Trees, Uncategorized | Tagged autumn, Gardening, Nature, Trees | 2 Comments »
Painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) on Mahonia this week
I felt a bit depressed as I sat at my desk on Friday morning, overwhelmed by working full-time from home, an unwell husband and all the housework. But blue skies and a couple of “exciting” nature observations brightened my mood no end…
We pruned our huge Mahonia brutally last year but it has come back better than ever, its yellow flowers attracting so much wildlife with their pollen – and later the berries. It was the subject of one of my very early blog posts in November 2009 – see here.
I picked up my camera and zoomed in on a butterfly I didn’t quite recognise and it turned out to be a painted lady (Vanessa cardui) – we see many speckled wood (Pararge aegeria) and holly blue (Celastrina argiolus) butterflies in our garden but I don’t think I have ever seen a painted lady before. Continue Reading »
Posted in Nature, Snapshots of the day, Uncategorized | Tagged birds, Nature | 5 Comments »
Autumn leaves of the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park this week
I am glad I visited the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park a bit earlier this time as I might otherwise have missed its autumn colour.
We have had so much rain and wind in recent weeks that most of the loosening leaves have been blown from the branches and now lie in mush on the grass.
Here are the photos from my latest visit, on a rare dry day… Continue Reading »
Posted in Nature, Trees, Uncategorized | Tagged Nature, Trees, tulip tree, Victoria Park | 9 Comments »
Colourful maple leaves in Victoria Park, Cardiff, this week
Welcome to the November tree-following gathering. I look forward to seeing everyone’s news and pictures once again. And newcomers are also always welcome.
I was keen not to miss the autumn tints of the tall tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) I am following in Cardiff’s Victoria Park so made my visit a week early this time, on a rare fine day – I will report on that later.
We have had a great deal of rain here in South Wales after a parched summer but I wonder what the weather has been like where you are? Is it autumn / fall yet? Many trees here are still green and some seem to have leaves that are more damaged than glorious this time around. The strong winds recently have probably not helped.
I’m sure you regular tree followers will have something new to report. Point to any tree-related post you would like to share, using the link box below. And please don’t forget to leave a comment.
The link box is now open for contributions and will stay open until 7pm GMT on November 14.
If you are new to tree following, read all about the idea here, although, as I have been saying for months, I must update that page when I have the chance! Sorry I am being so neglectful at the moment.
Posted in Nature, Trees, Uncategorized | Tagged Nature, Trees | 14 Comments »
I saw this moth on my kitchen window and it stayed there all day, just moving an inch or two down the pane…
I went outside and took this picture of its top side, which i hadn’t expected to be grey-brown
It turns out there was no need for excitement – this is simply the “dark” version of Cydalima perspectalis, the box-tree moth, which I had previously spotted in its paler form here.
This is an invasive species and I have seen far too many examples of this moth lately. At least I no longer have any box trees myself and this particular specimen looks rather worn and missing a few legs. Apparently they are around from late July until mid September, so as this is late October it is probably on the way out…
Posted in Nature, Photography, Uncategorized | Tagged Nature, Snapshots | Leave a Comment »
The characteristic leaves of the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park
Autumn has reached South Wales but not all the trees change colour at once. I fear I will have to visit the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park again before next month or I might miss its full orange glory.
This week, with the weather still changeable, I went to see it on a pleasant blue-sky morning – and there was already a need to wear a warm jacket.
Here are the photos from my visit… Continue Reading »
Posted in Nature, Trees, Uncategorized | Tagged autumn, Nature, Trees, tulip tree | 6 Comments »
Various fall colours of the Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) in my garden – which I followed in 2020
Welcome to the October tree-following get-together. I look forward to seeing everyone’s news and pictures once again. And newcomers are also always gratefully received.
As the daylight hours grow shorter the trees are starting to show their autumn colours and they are not doing too badly bearing in mind that we were expecting to be disappointed after such a dry summer followed by rains.
Weather permitting I hope I can make my monthly visit to the tall tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park this week.
I wonder what all you regular tree followers are up to? I’m sure you will have something new to report. Point to any tree-related post you would like to share, using the link box below. And please don’t forget to leave a comment.
The link box is now open for contributions and will stay open until 7pm GMT on October 14.
If you are new to tree following, read all about the idea here, although, as I haver been saying for months, I must update that page when I have the chance!
Posted in Nature, Trees | Tagged Nature, Trees | 10 Comments »
I don’t get out much these days but noticed this mackerel sky over the New Theatre in the centre of Cardiff recently
The weather has been very changeable for several weeks, so there has been no shortage of this kind of sky in the area of Canton where I live…
…and another one – sorry they are just phone snapshots, nothing particularly composed about them
Posted in Photography, Uncategorized | Tagged Snapshots | 2 Comments »
A raindrop-splattered leaf fallen from the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park
As the days get shorter and cooler, there is what my Yorkshire mother-in-law would call a “back-endish” feel to the crisp air.
Since last month the parched weather has been relieved by a considerable amount of rain here in South Wales, but I fear it will not be a good year for autumn colour, with many tree leaves falling prematurely, brown and shrivelled.
After a wet week I managed to visit the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park today, on what turned out to be a glorious blue-sky day with quite warm temperatures.
There was a stubborn band of rain farther to the south of Britain, which soaked London during these sad times of national mourning after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Here are the photos from my visit this morning… Continue Reading »
Posted in Nature, Trees | Tagged Nature, tulip tree, Victoria Park | 6 Comments »
A group of trees in the graveyard of St John’s Church in Cardiff city centre
Welcome to the September tree-following get-together. I look forward to seeing everyone’s news and pictures once again. And newcomers are also always gratefully received.
August has at last brought some much-needed rain to South Wales – although unfortunately it prevents our enjoyment of lovely summer days sitting in the backyard.
Weather permitting I hope I can make my monthly visit to the tall tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park this week.
I wonder what all you regular tree followers are up to? I’m sure you will have something new to report. Point to any tree-related post you would like to share, using the link box below. And please don’t forget to leave a comment.
The link box is now open for contributions and will stay open until 7pm GMT on September 14.
If you are new to tree following, read all about the idea here, although I must update that page when I have the chance!
Posted in Nature, Trees | Tagged Nature, Trees | 9 Comments »
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