Monday 14 June 2010

Around the Garden - Part 78

As I sit here typing this, I am watching  a pair of blackbirds through the window, both in the very small bird bath outside, trying to have a bath.  Maybe I should get something a bit bigger! Meanwhile the sky is grey and it is raining, so why do they want to bath? All they have to do is stand next to the bath and flap their wings around!  There are many house sparrows, and a chaffinch at the feeder in the smaller of the two cherry trees. A collared dove is underneath catching the remains, and I have just seen my first greenfinch of the year eating the cherries. In past years, there have been many greenfinches, great tits and blue tits at the feeder, but I suspect this very long and cold winter has taken its toll.  I saw one great tit yesterday, but there have been no sign of any blue tits at all.  The great spotted woodpecker has been heard daily, tapping around in the trees in the garden, looking for insects.  I have seen it occasionally, but generally I only hear it around.
Last night's sunset with the storm clouds moving in.
The few small apples are slowly getting bigger.  I have checked the many apple trees in the orchard behind our property, and they look to be about the same size.  Our trees are very young and quite small; I only hope that we at least get a couple to ripen so that we get one each, at least, this year.
The cornflowers are particularly pretty at the moment so I hope that they survive all the rain we are having.
The potatoes are flowering now,  but I see the rain is knocking them over. We really need some sun and hope that they stand back up again.
Even the courgettes (Zucchini) are on a go slow; the forecast predicts sun all next week, so I hope they are right, but then I will  be wishing we could have some rain.  Farmers are seldom happy with the weather and I am beginning to understand why!.
I have never really taken much notice of the tomato flower before, but it is really quite attractive.
Two different kinds of succulent. The rosette shaped one I suspect is from the genus Echeveria, the yellow one I think is called Biting Stonecrop (Sedum Acre). If any one is sure of the identification I would be more than happy to know
I see there is a small insect on one of the flowers here.

26 comments:

  1. The produce is looking good. I love squash stir-fryed with onion and bell pepper over rice. Yummy Love the blooms. Becca

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  2. OMG!! You're garden it BEAUTIFUL!!! I want to come and visit!!! I LOVE corn flowers!!!! I also LOVE that sunset--- and ALL that YELLOWWWW

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  3. Our garden is slow to sprout. We have not had many warm days this year; I fear a repeat of last year, when we never had a "real" summer. But your plants are ahead of mine.

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  4. All your photos are wonderful but that first one is stunning. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  5. Hi Becca, That stir-fry over rice sounds good to me. I become vegetarian pretty much at this time of the year. No point in buying food when there is so much in the garden. Diane

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  6. Hi Leesa, I f you come in this direction let me know. The garden is not very big but I get a lot out of it. Diane

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  7. Marjie our garden is also much slower than previous years. It was a much longer winter than normal and at the moment to rain just does not want to break. For all that I have enough in the garden not to starve. Just a lot of black and green fly to contend with, in this weather they seem to thrive! Diane

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  8. Hi Mary, yes I was quite pleased with that stormy sunset. Have a good day. Diane

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  9. Diane, I am so pleased you found me, because now I found you. Isn't blogging wonderful!!! I will be back soon. Susan

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  10. Hi Susan, Glad you came visiting, looking forward to your return. Diane

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  11. Diane, you asked about flatiron steak. In my post you will find the word "here" in bolder type than its neighbors. If you click on the word you find out about the steaks. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  12. Thanks Mary on my way there now. Diane

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  13. Lovely photos, Diane. How do you manage to get such a clear focus of those flowers? Or perhaps I should re-read the instructions which came with my own camera! And the rain? Love it. Means we don't have to water!

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  14. Hi Vera, I don't know how the pictures come out the way they do. I am not a photographer and I don't understand speed and apertures etc. As I have said before I have a cheap samsung digital L201 which was so cheap that my husband and I bought one each. I mostly use it on auto simply because I don't know what I am doing!!! Diane

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  15. Diane, the problem was mine not yours. The link at my end was broken. I've repaired it. Sorry...Mary

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  16. Thanks Mary, I now have the information I was after. Have a good day. Diane

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  17. I love that stormy sunset Diane!

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  18. LindyLouMac, Yep I was quite pleased with that, just happened to notice the sky at the right moment! Diane

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  19. Love the garden, and love how the photos really capture its beauty!

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  20. Awesome garden photos. I can trade you some very warm sunshine, if you will send me some much needed rain :-)

    I have enjoyed disovering your blog.

    btw, I am on my way to enjoy a biking trip in the Loire Valley. I am so excited.

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  21. What an amazing sunset photo! You have so many beautiful plants growing in your yard.

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  22. Lauren, Thanks for visiting and your comments. Diane

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  23. Velva I will happily swop you rain for sun. You must bring the sun with you for your cycling holiday. Thanks for the kind comments. Diane

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  24. Hi Pam, The clouds looked quite fearsome as they were rolling in, it has not stopped raining since!! Diane

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  25. The succulent pot looks absolutely amazing! I think I also keep the one that's not blooming but they are so many species that I can't be sure. I believe it's a sempervivum.

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  26. Thanks JM, I have looked up sempervivum and it looks like you are right. I have never seen a flower on mine but...... Diane

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