A message from my good friend Pat,could she release the newly emerged Painted Lady butterflies this evening in my garden as she felt they would fair much better here with a wider range of plants to feed from.
After weeks of her tending them ,from caterpillars through to their final stage ,it was a lovely moment to see them open their wings to the early evening sunshine and take their first tentative flight into the world around them. I was able to catch these photos before they were off.
It really has been wonderful to watch them grow and witness a process that many people never see up so close and as nature lovers we both felt really happy and sad to see them on their way.
I have found out what the very tall and strange plant is that is growing in the garden, it is now well over 6 ft tall..... a teasel. So mystery solved and I can now look forward to it attracting goldfinches and bees and then when the seed heads`dry they can be striking to add to flower arrangements. Did I plant it, I simply cannot remember as it is a takes 2 years to get to the flowering stage but I am glad its there! That's the wonderful mystery of gardening!
Ollie wanted me to play out in the front garden with his pampas grass leaf tonight and while there I tried to take his picture but he has an annoying habit of looking away...ah!
After weeks of her tending them ,from caterpillars through to their final stage ,it was a lovely moment to see them open their wings to the early evening sunshine and take their first tentative flight into the world around them. I was able to catch these photos before they were off.
It really has been wonderful to watch them grow and witness a process that many people never see up so close and as nature lovers we both felt really happy and sad to see them on their way.
I have found out what the very tall and strange plant is that is growing in the garden, it is now well over 6 ft tall..... a teasel. So mystery solved and I can now look forward to it attracting goldfinches and bees and then when the seed heads`dry they can be striking to add to flower arrangements. Did I plant it, I simply cannot remember as it is a takes 2 years to get to the flowering stage but I am glad its there! That's the wonderful mystery of gardening!
Ollie wanted me to play out in the front garden with his pampas grass leaf tonight and while there I tried to take his picture but he has an annoying habit of looking away...ah!
Oh boy did we have a 4pm downpour yesterday after a really good day up to then and it just happened to coincide with my bike ride home from the shops..I was WET but you know what it was great , warm summer rain, nature doing what it does best and hey it was good to be alive!
