Friday, June 08, 2012

Birds.Blooms,and Rain Again

  I finished working my night shifts and got up yesterday to enjoy the garden.It was raining all day, cloudy,windy,and wet.More like November than June.The good thing about the rain is that the plants in the garden are looking lush and green.The Rose Lady Emma Hamilton was overhanging my Classical statue.The free Rose Queen Elizabeth is slowly starting to grow from the buds.I hope it grows some leaves so it can start growing strong roots ready for next year.It arrived a little late for this years flowers I think.
 The mystery rose from Anne's garden.It has a beautiful old rose cup and is strongly scented.It has flowered at the top of long arching green stems.This plant needs a nice big pot or to be planted into the ground so it can grow freely.The colour is more pale lilac than pink.
 The Lady Emma Hamilton looks amazing with its burnished small leaves,and the flame like apricot coloured flowers.They smell divine too.A fresh citrus smell,very fresh on the nose.This Rose is large now but flopping all over.It needs pruning back in the winter to regain its shape.This is the oldest Rose i have in the garden.
 The other star Rose performer this year is Darcey Bussell.She has grown quicker than the other Roses but also flowered beautifully.These have a delicate tea rose scent.She is the prima ballerina of the garden!
The torrential rain yesterday sent masses of birds into the garden.the House Sparrows are like ever present garden spirits chattering away,flying into the garden and landing on any branch that moves.They may be brown but their feathers are quite ornate when you spend time looking at them.
  I also had a surprise visitor yesterday on the feeding station by the window.A large bird landed heavily on it causing the pole to shake.I thought its a pigeon.When i looked up i saw some beautiful yellow eyes,and a sharp beak.It was a large male Sparrow Hawk looking through the window at me.By the time i got the camera he had flown off.For those few seconds we were observing each other through the window.Amazing!
 I have found evidence of Sparrow Hawk in plucked feathers of baby birds in the garden.I saw one on the shed roof plucking its prey,but never as close as that to see its eyes.They are magnificent birds.
  The bunting is still up on the garden fence,but i think i will keep it as a decoration for 2012.The London Olympics are a month away now.I hope it drys up so i can get to the allotment on my days off.

2 comments:

Ioana said...

The lilac coloured rose is so charming!
I found a similar one near the town-hall of my village and I was considering asking someone in there about its name, so maybe I find it at some garden center.
You're lucky to have gotten it the way you did

Lucy said...

Your roses are beautiful, especially the lilac one. Our first rose has started to bloom but it seems somehow wasted when we are stuck indoors because of the awful weather. Fingers crossed summer starts soon!