There is a very distinctive feel of autumn in the early morning and late evening air. Wild winds are scattering apples before they are ripe and blackberries are ready for collecting. Yesterday it was sandals and t-shirt, today trainers and fleece.
Last year I scattered a few teasel seeds in my impromptu wildflower border. Alarmingly they kept growing in height for a very long time but in the end they budded at about 6 feet. Amazingly they have turned out, next to St Johns Wort the most popular plant for numerous wild bee species. Despite being particularly difficult to access because of the numerous sharp spines, the bees have developed a strategy of pulling out the flower petals to give them more room to access the the pollen. It was only when I started to photograph them that I realized how many there are.
It is time to broaden the choice and collect some more wild seed varieties for next year.
Black/brown headed gulls are loosing their summer plumage and starting to turn snowy white. Other birds such as Swift, Swallow and House Martins are starting to collect together in small groups in preparation for their great migration. Just born and thrown into thousands of miles of non stop journeying is an amazing feat beyond imagination.
By the end of August the birds will start singing again, thank goodness. It has been such a lonely garden without.
Meadows are at their peak this month with a full variety of wild flowers. Butterflies, bees and other insects have done their job of pollination by now so are winding down and not so active. Many will die, some will migrate (Painted Lady) others will find safe protected places to hibernate over winter and re-emerge early March next year.(Peacock)
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| Painted Lady |
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| Willow Herb |
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| Evening Primrose |
