Invader

Our walk this morning didn't get off to much of a start.  Having opted for a walk around Straw's Bridge lakes, we encountered battalions of small children dressed as pirates or in party dresses, accompanied by parents in even greater numbers and dressed (in some cases) even more ridiculously.  Given my misanthropic nature, it wasn't the best place for me to be, so we beat a hasty retreat along the road and cut in through the woodland of Peewit Carr before walking along the old colliery railway lines.  Peewit Carr is usually a lot more peaceful and today was no exception.

The wild flower meadow is beginning to look a little brown and dry now.  The orchids have all lost their flowers and the Yellow Rattle is busy setting seed.  Grasses are drying in the sun but the Red Clover is still looking good.

Further along our walk, we encountered a foreign invader.  Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is bad news in the countryside as it begins to take over with it's aggressive, explosive seed dispersal system.  But they are still nice to look at.

This particular plant seemed to have a darker pink flower than we are used to seeing.  I suppose we should have pulled the plants up and destroyed them before they get hold, but we didn't.

Chili

Malcolm and I have been having some success with our garden produce this year.  Despite the garden being very small, we are growing several things for the dining table.  We have started harvesting the tomatoes already and have started our second large pot of carrots - the first crop were delicious.  The basil is also going down well and the garlic is small, but powerful.  As well as all that, we have a trough full of Anaheim Chili-pepper plants which are starting to set fruit.  They have been rather decorative in flower too.  Small in size, but white and waxy, they are quite nice to look at.  Lets hope the chilies are nice too when we harvest them - should go well with the tomatoes, basil and garlic.

Our walk this morning took in the path around Shipley Lake - the old theme-park site - keen as we were to see how this year's crop of Blackberries are getting on (not quite ready yet).  Heading home again, the views from various bits of high ground are rather fine.  This one is from an old bank, once the site of several railway lines, looking towards town.

Willowherb

Trying to stay off the main footpaths this morning, we found ourselves walking along some little-used pathways.  The most colourful of which was the first.  Filled with the tall Rosebay Willowherb, diminutive Birdsfoot Trefoil, graceful Weld, Ox-eye Daisy, Broom, Red Clover and a thousand others.... Oh! And Malcolm of course!

The Willowherb has to be one of my favourites.  It's always a great favourite with the bees and butterflies too.

It has to be said that the Weld flowers were receiving a lot of attention from what few bees there are these days.  An insignificant looking flower, Weld makes up in numbers, what it loses in flower size.  It is not easy to see in the pictures above, but if you look just to the left of Malcolm in the top picture, you may be able to make out their pale, yellow-white flower spikes.  You can hardly take anything away from the pink magnificence of the Rosebay Willowherb.

Spike

There were some prickly customers to be seen on our walk this morning.  First were the Teasels (Dipsacus fullonum).  Reaching about 7ft tall at the moment, they are now in full bloom, opening their pale, pinkish-blue flowers.

Stately and imposing, they certainly dominate the borders.

The second, spiky plant in bloom and worthy of mention, is the Great Burdock (Arctium lappa).  The spikes in this case are tipped with small hooks which snare almost anything which comes within 'grabbing distance'.  The flowers in this case are rather more colourful and a deeper shade of purple-blue although the plants are tall, large-leaved and almost as imposing in the border.

Toad

For several weeks now, there have been lots of Common Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) plants in flower along the Nutbrook trail.  Most are beginning to fade now, but there are still some rather nice spikes of flower to be enjoyed.

This particular plant seemed to have very pale flowers lacking the darker, orange 'throat'.  A member of the Scrophulariaceae family which includes the Snapdragons which adorn so many of our gardens, the resemblance is obvious.

Our neighbours have been redesigning their back garden for a couple of weeks and during this time, their cat 'Oscar' has been finding some peace and quiet under our Pyracantha hedge.  Bless!

Loose

Only a short walk to Argos this morning, returning via town for a little retail therapy.  So, just one pic today of a gorgeous plant in full bloom at the moment and quite common round these parts.  The Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).

The family to which Loosestrife belongs, also contains Henna - well known for it's dying qualities - and the Pomegranate, neither of which you would find growing along the Nutbrook Canal as this Loosestrife was.  The bright, pinkish purple flowers are a great favourite with bees, butterflies and various other flying insects.

Spear & Shield

This morning's walk was not so long as yesterday's, but still very worth while.  Not least because we were greeted by the sight of a host of Spear Thistles (Cirsium vulgare) growing along the Nutbrook Canal.

The vivid pinkish-red of the flowers heads stands out against the rich green of the canal-side foliage.  It also stands out against the other pink flower in the above picture, that of the Hemp Agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum).  They are truly beautiful flowers, like small, pink shaving brushes, although he size and ferocity of the spines on stem, leaf and flower bud would lead to a particularly uncomfortable shave.

Back home and a mystery has been cleared up.  A few weeks ago, I noticed a small group of eggs had been laid on the underside of one of our tomato plant leaves.  Rather beautiful in themselves, small and pale green in colour, I was intrigued as to what they might be.

Well, this morning, they seem to have hatched and all has been revealed.  They turn out to be a couple of dozen Shield Bug nymphs - although the precise species is yet to be ascertained.  Delightful little creatures...  As long as they don't eat the tomatoes!