Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Spring Reflections

The Sun actually shone yesterday onto the back of my garden. I photographed the still water of the birdbath with the Frog looking serene in the soft light. The water was like a mirror reflecting all above it. Water in a garden is good for calming you, even small bowls filled with water..

Back today after my first sighting yesterday, my Juvenile Goldfinch. A pair of birds visited yesterday after the wind and rain battered me at the allotment. After four hours I had dirty hands and giant blisters on my palms from digging over four beds.

My first Daffodil, brought back from Cheltenham last July. Who cannot love the bright yellow flower nodding in the wind. Its something deep in the English psyche ever since Wordsworth tapped into it with his Daffodil poems. I have lots more planted but they are so slow in coming up, that this one is the leader by miles.

Up at the allotment this was the first Daisy i saw in flower. My sister used to mow the lawn avoiding the daisys, so the lawn was crazily cut, but with all the Daisys still intact.They are a beautiful Wildflower though heralding April, along with the Daffodils and insects..

I photographed this Lady bird on Monday at the allotment.They are always welcomed back in my garden. A sign that spring is here, aphids beware!

Yesterday I saw this bumble bee foraging in the mystery plant.The sun was glinting in his eyes as he ignored my camera lens..

My Goldfinch attracting preparation involving buying thistle seed and a special seed feeder, making a bird feeder station from bits salvaged from the cellar, and hanging sunflower seeds up with inviting perches for little gold feet. I also hung up broken branches from the Fir trees with tasty pine cones still on.
After four months of seeing them high up in the trees a pair of Goldfinches came to the garden to feed yesterday for the first time. They came back today as well.
I took lots of photos, I could not believe they were there after all my dreams of them.The garden is a neutral ground where nature and the gardener meet halfway. We put out bird feeders and the birds come eventually, then help keep the pests down.
Its bird friendly the garden and I do love the frequent visits.They even come when im messing around the garden.They think its the crazy one poking at the dirt. Crazy but harmless :)

The first Bumblebee I managed to photograph climbing around the Heather flowers. They have been today visiting the Viburnum Tinus, the Polyanthus Blueshades, and the Heathers. Its April and the Bee's have started to return to gather nectar.

The last photo. So much to show, and so many photos. April has been good so far with wildflowers, Bee's, A Ladybird, and the Goldfinches.Work progresses on the Allotment, and in the Garden.

2 comments:

clairesgarden said...

lovely spring pictures! good bees!!

David (Snappy) said...

Thanks Claire,I love Bee pictures too :)