Short walk

A shorter walk this morning as we had chores to do at home before we set out. So, just over 3 miles today as we set out to stroll around Straw's Bridge ponds.  Here's a map of today's route....

Another beautiful day - although we really do need some rain now. We were promised some rain yesterday, but in the event, about four drops fell and immediately evaporated. Thankfully, the meadows around Straw's Bridge are still green and beautiful. The Meadowsweet is in full bloom and adding it's scent to all the other smells of summer.

Among the hedgerows as we walked along were these pale, pink flowers. They belong to the Musk Mallow (Malva moschata).

By far the most common butterfly to be found around this area this year, is the Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus). Last year, the predominant butterfly of the hedgerows was the Speckled Wood, they are very scarce this year for some reason. This Ringlet was being very photogenic by sitting still while I photographed him (or her?)

The most surprising thing we saw this morning was this little Toad (Bufo bufo), it was almost brick-red in colour.

We see many toads in this area, especially at this time of year, but we have never seen one this colour before. Normally they are more of an 'olive' colour, or brownish at best, but this little chap was quite something!
On the theme of toads, one of the most spectacular sights in the hedgerows has to be the Toadflax (Linaria repens). Related to Snapdragons, it's easy to see why when you look carefully at the beautiful flowers.

Haymaking

It's that time of year again. The local farmers are busy cutting, turning and baling the hay ready for the leaner, winter months. As we walked around the Reservoir at Mapperley the other day, evidence for this industry was evident in the surrounding fields. Last year, the hay bales were wrapped in white plastic, this year, the farmer obviously preferred black.

among the flora of the area are the straggling stems of the Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). The candy-striped pattern on the flowers of this plant always remind me of seaside rock and sweets in general.

Another scrambling plant in bloom at this time - although you would hardly know it - is the Black Bryony (Dioscorea communis). The large, heart-shaped, glossy green leaves are rather beautiful and certainly outshine the minute, pale-green flowers which hide among the foliage.

Climbing plants seem to be the theme today. Here's another, the Bittersweet or Woody Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara). Of the same family as the potato and tomato, the fruits of this plant are poisonous to humans, although birds find them good to eat and disperse the seeds in their droppings. The flowers, though small, are rather pretty.

Soon after we arrived home yesterday, we were alerted to the noise of a plane flying overhead on it's way to landing at East Midlands Airport. We rushed outside, grabbing the camera en route, just in time to see the worlds largest, full-production plane. The Russian-built Antonov 124 nicknamed 'Ruslan'. You may remember my excitement last October at the sight of the Antonov 225 at East Midlands, that particular plane actually holds the record as the biggest plane in the world, but never went into full production. The 124 has been produced in significant numbers however and here it is...disappearing into the clouds!

It is capable of taking 122 tons of cargo, nearly 3,000 miles and has a wingspan of 240ft - 16ft more than the biggest 'Jumbo' jets.

More Flowers!

Another beautiful day for a walk, so Malcolm and I set out for a slightly longer trek than we had yesterday, about 5 and a quarter miles in total. Starting around Shipley park, out towards the village of West Hallam, through Mapperley village, up and round Shipley Hill, before returning home. Here is our route...

Once again, the floral decoration was a beautiful accompaniment to our walk. Some seemed to be intent upon destroying it bit-by-bit. This caterpillar of the Cinnabar Moth (Tyria jacobaeae).

There are many small plants of the Common Centaury (Centaurium erythraea) dotted around the place at the moment. Their delicate, little, pink flowers are held above the leaves, ever pointing sky-ward and looking delightful.

Almost carpeting the ground along the pathways, are the flowers of the Creeping Cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans). These bright yellow blooms almost glow like little suns against the ground, especially as the sun shines on them.

Just as bright yellow, but much taller, are the Evening Primroses (Oenothera biennis). These plants were standing about 3ft tall, but they can reach 4ft or more and the flowers are so showy.

Lastly, another yellow flower, but one which has been fertilized and is now in seed. Looking like a huge Dandelion clock, this is, in fact, the seed head of the Goat's-beard (Tragopogon pratensis). Easily overlooked, it rewards closer inspection as the lattice-work of filaments which make up the seed head appears just like a spider's web.

Prickles

This morning, Malcolm and I took a walk around Mapperley Reservoir, up through the village of Mapperley and back toward home. The sun shone through the clouds as they scudded quickly across the sky in the blustery wind. Here is an interactive map of our route.....

The plants belonging to the thistle family are all flowering magnificently at the moment. The first of these is the Spear Thistle (Cirsium vulgare). This is a common thistle throughout the British Isles, especially in rural areas. The large flower heads contain many individual flowers, which are self fertilizing and very important to many species of insect.

Secondly, the Marsh Thistle (Cirsium palustre). A tall, spindly plant topped with numerous flower heads and covered all over with some pretty fearsome spines.

These particular Marsh Thistles were about 4ft tall and attracting large numbers of bees as they waved in the strong breeze.

The last pictures for today are from another member of the same family which contains the thistle, namely the compositae. This time the flowers belong to the Greater Burdock (Arctium lappa). This is a truly statuesque plant with it's basal leaves reaching at least two feet long and the whole plant being more than 6ft tall. The flowers are of particular note. They are borne in a globular structure called a capitulum. The many bracts of the flowers are tipped with tiny hooks - just visible in this picture - which help the dispersal of seed when ripe, by attaching to passing animals and people. This ensures maximum possible dispersal of it's seeds.

Pewit Carr

The small, local nature reserve known as Pewit Carr, is a little gem within the larger environs of Shipley Park. The wet meadows are home to many wonderful plant species, not least of which are the Common Spotted Orchids (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) which proliferate here.

Right now, the Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense) plants are beginning to come into flower and the insects all love them. The flower heads are made up of many smaller flowers, followed by numerous seeds which are a great favourite with Goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis).

One of the most numerous plants around the area and one of the most striking, is the Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium). Of the same family as the Cow Parsley, Fennel, Carrot, etc, Hogweed is a robust plant. The stem and young shoots - raw or cooked are used as a green vegetable, when harvested just as they are sprouting from the ground they are somewhat like asparagus in flavour. Much care must be taken though, as an incorrect identification, could lead to you eating the highly poisonous Hemlock - not a good idea!

Related to the Creeping Thistle mentioned above, are the Black Knapweed (Centaurea nigra) plants which are also in bloom at the moment. Black Knapweed is an extremely important plant for other wildlife including Gatekeeper butterfly, Goldfinch, Honey bee, Large skipper, Lime-speck Pug moth, Meadow Brown, Painted Lady, Peacock, Red Admiral, Small Copper and Small Skipper, most of which can be found around Pewit Carr.

Lastly today is a delicate, white-flowered plant with a sweet smell. The Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) has masses of frothy white flowers and masses of alternate names including Queen of the Meadow, Pride of the Meadow, Meadow-Wort, Meadow Queen, Lady of the Meadow, Dollof, and Bridewort. The flowers, if picked, dried and brewed as a tea, is beneficial to influenza sufferers as they contain - among other things - salicylic acid, the basis of Aspirin.

Commonplace

Today, we take a break from the exotic to focus on the commonplace. Some flowers are so common and everyday to us, that we overlook them or ignore them completely. It's time the balance was redressed. So, to that end, we start with two plants which are so common, they are often trodden on, dug up and sprayed with weed killer. The first is the Daisy (Bellis perennis). I have always thought that a lawn is never complete without a few Daisies and if you take a look at their flowers close up, it becomes clear why they should be more appreciated.

What most people think of as the flower, is in fact, a collection of tiny flowers. The White 'petals' belong to individual flowers - called ray florets - and all of the tiny, yellow dots in the centre, are also individual flowers all coming together to make one larger inflorescence. With such simplicity and beauty, what more could you wish for?
The second of today's offerings is another common lawn 'weed'. This time it's the White Clover (Trifolium repens). Who would have thought that there could be such beauty in the commonplace?

A close look at the flower head of the Clover reveals, as with the daisy, a multitude of tiny, individual flowers forming the larger whole. Yet another member of the pea family, Whit Clovers are grown almost all over the Northern hemisphere as an important fodder crop as they are full of proteins. Humans too have eaten clover for a long time. The leaves have been used in salads and the roots can also be eaten - but usually cooked first. But, to look at the flower in detail, is to see a wonderful, beautiful, perfect little miracle of nature.

Scent

While we were in Newquay, one scent kept invading our olfactory lobes. a sweet, flowery scent wafted in the breeze, making us look around to try to locate the source of this pleasant odour. It turned out to be the millions of flowers belonging to the Cabbage Trees (Cordyline australis), otherwise known as Cabbage Palms or Torquay Palms. We have one in our own garden, which has flowered for the first time this year.

Native to New Zealand, this has become a popular addition to many gardens in Britain, especially those in the milder climate of the south. Their popularity stems from the fact that they look like true Palm trees and therefore add a little 'exotica' to our shores. They are hardy and produce between 5000 and 10000 flowers on each inflorescence. The flowers are quite long lasting and attract birds and insects to pollinate them. These are followed by fruits which are eaten in huge numbers by birds. The fruits, of course, contain the seeds - between 3 and 6 in each fruit. A large tree can produce up to a million seeds in a good year. Lets hope our tree produces plenty of seeds, so we can grow some more and have more wonderfully scented flowers in the Summer.

Any gardener will tell you that Mignonette also has a wonderful fragrance which can pervade your garden on warm, still Summer evenings. The wild form of this garden plant however, has no such rich scent. The Wild Mignonette (Reseda lutea) which are flowering around Shipley Park right now, have a slight fragrance if you get close enough, but is, frankly, not in the same league as the garden cultivar. Still good to look at though!