May Nature Notes

Nature Notes from

The Walled Garden

by Julia Monro

May

2020

Aquilegias have been popping up all over the garden and are such a welcome delight! I was also delighted to see the Weigela back in full bloom, Zara the Cat used to love sitting under it so much.

The sweet scented Rose in the Herb Garden is spectacular this year, as are all the roses which are now making their appearance.

The Peony's of course are so graceful and so full of joy!

They are complemented so beautifully by these gorgeous Iris’s which I believe Lana planted last year and just look like a Watercolour Painting waiting to happen.

The Cistus, again planted by Lana I believe, has been soaking up the sunshine!

The Field Maple planted by Roger has come out of its protective covering now and is growing on very well.

Ankie and Bob last summer did amazing job of tidying up the perennial bed in the herb garden and the Acer they planted is looking wonderful with its feathery leaves. The Oak and Beech are now in full leaf and also finding little acorns around the garden starting to grow!

We have so much fabulous fruit of course in the garden, I loved the blossom on one of the Raspberry's, which I think Jennie said was a special variety? The bees are loving them! Carol’s been propagating Strawberry's and there cheerful flowers look so lovely with the purple chive flower heads.

Pear

Redcurrants

The Vegetable plots are really starting to come to life now.

The sweet peas have recovered themselves and growing more vigorously now up the fabulous hazel poles that Roger has been coppicing. I was quite surprised at how beautiful Broad Bean flowers are, the look almost Orchid like to me.

Tomatoes are in the green house are doing well too.

Gooseberry

Encouraged by Paul’s Wagtales, I’ve built a bug hotel created by recycling old wood, bricks and tiles. One room is fully of stones which hopefully frogs may like for overwintering. I spotted this frog in the bird bath one night along with a party of slugs! And I think this is a painted lady butterfly also spotted in the garden.

Edwin was exercising in the garden when he noticed this upside down rainbow on the 21st May. We were fascinated, by it and discovered it is in fact a Circumzenithal Arc which is actually a halo apposed to a rainbow and caused by the refraction of sunlight through the ice crystals in cirrus or cirrostratus clouds. It’s the first time I’ve seen one, nature is so amazing!

I do hope you all continue to be well and safe, thank you for the lovely comments and feedback from the other Nature Notes. I hope the photos continue to help bring connection in these strange times.

Best wishes Julia