Through the garden

One of the bloggers I follow is B of Coastal Ripples from Jersey, the largest of the Channels Islands. At a rough guestimate, that's about 675 miles (over 1000km) south of Orkney, so from a seasonal perspective it is always interesting to see what's happening nearer the Equator. B's photos of the landscapes, architecture and wildlife around her are wonderful, not least when she and her husband go on holiday to other scenic places.

I don't know where B finds the time, but she partakes in several blog series each year, a skill requiring a great deal of dedication and stamina, especially where there's one post a day for a whole month. I could not possibly hope to emulate this, but am very much in awe of her perseverance and inventiveness.

B is also part of the monthly "Through The Garden Gate" series begun by S of Down By The Sea. Once a month, we are treated to what's happening in the garden, what's blooming and how vistas are changing. Now, I'm not much of a gardener, not being particularly confident at creating a cohesive floral masterpiece. I have been happy to leave that to others, whilst I contribute the occasional bit of heavy lifting, landscaping or general labouring. In return, I am able to wander about the garden, looking for insects, wilder flowers, birds and mammals. This is one of the reasons why I have never contemplated joining the "Through The Garden Gate" series. However, the main reason is that we do not have a gate, which can be a bit of a problem when dog walkers go by without their charges on a leash (so the cats tell me) or when the local sheep mount an escape bid from whichever field they are in this week.

But the weather has been lovely these last few days, the Dandelions have gone to seed, and I have felt compelled to do a bit of tidying up, nothing too structured or orderly, mind, it's a wildlife garden and humans come way down the priority list. Armed only with a stout pair of gloves, a trug and the vaguest of plans, I mooched through the borders, removing Dandelions, thistles and dochans. I should point out that I didn't remove every single one of these plants from the garden, they are part of the ecosystem, and are still present in other, wilder areas.

And... well... I guess I should invite you to wander "Through The Garden".

The Solomon's Seal is making a bid for the border opposite!

Feral Geranium and Aquilegias

Aquilegias

Close up of Blackcurrant (or possibly Redcurrant?)

Fruiting

Welsh Poppies, Meconopsis cambrica

A micromoth, Ancylis badiana

Oriental Poppy, Papaver orientale

A couple of hoverflies on a geranium, the one on the left is Rhingia campestris 

Close up of Kidney Vetch

This Yellow Iris is growing by the septic tank, so is technically a flag of convenience

Several micromoths of Glyphipterix simplicella, the Cocksfoot moth, on a Potentilla flower

A Scalloped Hazel moth

Kidney Vetch

Geranium

A Brimstone moth

What these images do not show are the fleeting chance encounters with wildlife which, for me, are the real treasures of this place: a Hedgehog ambling through the vegetation and across the lawn, despatching snails and slugs as it goes; a Pied Wagtail foraging for insects on the newly-mown lawn; a male Hen Harrier gliding over the top of the Willow hedge, hunting for small birds; or, whilst we were sat on camping chairs enjoying the late evening sun and drinking a G&T, the gulls in the bay having a feeding frenzy with a shoal of small fish.

Actually, via the telephoto lens on my wee point and shoot, I can share that last one...

My thanks to both S and B for the inspiration.

Links:

Coastal Ripples

B's Through The Garden Gate : May 2023

Down By The Sea

S's Through The Garden Gate May 2023