Category: photography

Leaves

Just for a change we have no words just photographs to enjoy. A few sneak in near the end though!

If only you could smell the leaves below! They are from the tree called Cercidyphilum and they smell so sweet. I think they smell of toffee apples, Jude thinks they smell of candyfloss while others think the scents reminiscent of brittle toffee, burnt sugar, in fact anything sweet and sticky!

The most underrated plants for autum leaf colour must be the grasses. They very rarely get a mention in relation to autumn colour, so let’s put it right.

Tags autumn, autumn colours, autumn leaves, colours, foliage, foliage plants, garden photography, gardening, leaves, ornamental trees, trees

autumn garden design garden photography gardening hardy perennials ornamental grasses ornamental trees and shrubs photography roses Shropshire

A Wander around our Garden in October

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date October 28, 2012
6 Comments on A Wander around our Garden in October

The tenth post in this series of wanders around our garden already! Just two to go! What shall I do for a monthly garden post instead next year? Any ideas for me?

October started off with days of endless heavy rain but after a fortnight it changed to steady drizzle. A bit of sun would be welcome right now.

The first frosts have visited us forcing us to bring the Aeoniums, Echeverias and our other tender plants under cover. We shall have to keep them safe in the “bubble wrapped” greenhouse, by giving them virtually no water and removing any dry or damaged foliage and when the temperatures drops below -15 C give them additional snug coverings of fleece and bubble-wrap. Another sign of autumn is the log delivery which was tipped off the back of a truck onto our drive mid-month. We sorted them and stacked them around the front door. The wonderfully evocative woody aroma of oak and birch trees mixes with the sweet scents of the woodland floor. The scents of the season.

We visited the gardens at our favourite nursery yesterday, The Dingle at Welshpool, a superb autumn garden on a sloping hillside leading down to lakes. (Look out for my post in the next week or so) As usual we returned with a few acquisitions – a tiny orange Kniphofia, Cornus canadensis and Clerondendron bungeii.

We have planted the Kniphofia with a trio of bronze-leaved grasses and near to our darkest blue Agapanthus. As the “poker” is flowering now, its head of tubular orange flowers glows alongside the Agapanthus’ developing seed heads of blue and pewter.

Sometimes autumn hues aren’t just provided by deciduous trees changing the colours of their leaves but by foliage on perennials, grasses and shrubs. Euphorbias are a fine example, as are grasses which have the added bonus of seed heads. Look out for the pic of our Pentstemon Huskers Red which always surprises with its deep red autumn explosions.

But amongst all this red hot foliage we mustn’t lose sight of the flowers that continue to add colour to the garden. There are now fewer so each one is a precious jewel.

I shall finish off with a few pics of autumn coloured leaves, just what you expect in October! And then take a look at one border and take a walk down just one of our many grass paths.

Tags autumn, autumn colours, colour, crocosmias, foliage, foliage plants, garden photography, grasses, October, ornamental trees, pentstemon, roses, shrubs

photography the sea the seaside the South

Go South 6 – Old Hastings

We all have favourite seaside venues, our favourite sandy beach, favourite, fish and chip cafes, favourite harbour etc. If we were asked we would go for the quietest beaches or the oldest, most interesting harbours. A secret beach on Anglesey, Bamborough or Dungeness would satisfy the first, but there would be a few contenders for the second such as Whitby, Mousehole and the feature of this post – Old Hastings.

Think of Old Hastings and a picture forms in the mind of a busy beach cluttered with fishing boats and their gear and friendly fishermen who enjoy and even invite visitors to wander around taking photographs. This shingle beach area with its fishing boats and net shops is known as “The Stade”.

We arrived to see and hear a violent noisy sea crashing in waves against the shingle beach and the walls of the harbour. But the sun appeared and this made the occasional shower less bothersome. We began by exploring the “Stades”, wandering in between the “net shops” the tall, black-painted clapper boarded sheds built to dry fishing nets. They have a special beauty and a character all of their own.

Across the road an imaginative architect and builder had created an apartment block that reflected the Stades’s net shops but looked modern. Most impressive!

But what is a fishing village without its boats?

As usual my camera and I were attracted to little details.

Tags coast, Old Hastings, South coast, the stades

autumn nature reserves photography Shropshire wildlife woodland

Brown Moss – a Shropshire Wildlife Gem

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date October 22, 2012

Brown Moss is an area of wet land, shallow pools, reedbeds and marsh surrounded by woodland, part of which contains old coppiced wood. We parked hidden in trees and emerged into the open to see the “moss” in front us. There was less open water than we remember.

Where the woods meet the marshes occasional Silver Birch grow with their white stems glowing in the sunshine now that most of the yellow leaves of autumn have fallen to colour the ground beneath in shades of primrose.

We skirted the marshy area and wandered into the woodland in search of fungi. The woodland here is mixed, some tall specimens with patches of coppiced smaller trees, some deciduous and some evergreen conifers. Jays foraged in the oaks for acorns which they buried in the soft ground between the woods and the pools, hoping to find them in times os severe weather. They were so busy they took little notice of us so we got close enough to enjoy the blues and pinks of their plumage and smile at their strange hopping gait in the long grass.

A pair of slim birches presented a natural portal into the woods, but Jude the Undergardener decided to consult the map – just in case it was Mother Nature playing a trick on us!

There were fewer fungi to see than expected and we were particularly disappointed not to see any Fly Agaric, but there were bracket fungi and earth ball fungi to find. The brackets are found on the trunks and the balls on the ground below.

We stopped deep in the woodland for a coffee just where we found a fallen birch conveniently providing us with a wooden bench. With the long zoom on my Nikon I scanned the trees above to see what could be seen from this different viewpoint. A tiny white ball of fungus stuck like a table tennis ball high on a tree trunk.

On the edges of the wood the skeletons of the summer’s flowers attracted spiders to make webs and the low light lit them up.

The low lighting continued spotlighting foliage along the edge of the marshlands. We skirted the marshland on soggy paths and occasional boardwalks.

At times the wet areas joined with the woodlands and mystery pools hung in the shadows. The water in the pools was clear but tinted with the russet colours of the underlying soils.

Two finds kept us mystified for a while. The first was these strange black and white colour washes on the sawn end of a felled tree trunk. It appeared to be some sort of fine fungal growth but we remained unsure.

The second mystery was solved after a bit of tracking Sherlock Holmes style with noses to the ground and eyes peeled. The trail began with the spotting of a small pile of outer leaves of maize cobs. We followed them until we found a whole pile around a tree stump. Two clues lead us to the answer. A badgers’ sett in the deeper shade of the trees and on the edge of the wood a field of maize.

Yes! the resident badgers had found themselves a fast food outlet!

Tags Brown Moss, fungi, marshes, North Shropshire, wildlife, woods

fruit and veg garden design garden photography gardening gardens open to the public grow your own outdoor sculpture photography

The Other Hampton Court – Part 2

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date October 20, 2012
9 Comments on The Other Hampton Court – Part 2

Back to the Hampton Court Garden – not the one in London but the one in north Herefordshire.

The structure designed into the gardens here entices us to move on, to follow paths, to enter gateways, to sit and rest and to look at views.

Within the design plants sit comfortable and happy in their surroundings.

This wonderful garden is also about fun, that essential element that acts as the vehicle for children to become involved with gardens and gardening.

Not just children though – adults need fun in the garden too, especially Jude, the Undergardener.

Sculpture is an important feature of Hampton Court and is enjoyed by all ages. This piece features stained glass within a wooden obelisk,

Within the orchard this sculpture of a hare in its rusty finish attracts everyone for its beauty and charm.

We shall leave Hampton Court in the orchard a collection of heritage fruit trees and meadows, and with a wander around the potager.

And a piece of unintentional outdoor sculpture.

Tags fruit and veg, fruit and vegetable growing, garden photography, gardening, grown your own, Hampton Court, Herefordshire, Herefordshire gardens

garden design gardening photography the sea the seaside the South

Go South 5 – Dungeness Mystery and Magic

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date October 17, 2012
6 Comments on Go South 5 – Dungeness Mystery and Magic

We eventually got to walk along the expanse of shingle at Dungeness. When we tried for the second time the wind had abated but as the evening was approaching the temperature was dropping.

We still appreciated its mystery and magic. Most people who visit Dungeness are fascinated and captured by its unique atmosphere but find it hard to describe or explain. It is not beautiful but it has an attraction.

Old huts once used by fishermen remain scattered thinly along the banks of shingle, as do their sad unused boats.

Silvery blue foliage of sea-kale softens the flinty shingle flatness.

Many fishermen’s homes are still in use but now instead of nets and pots around their doors, cars are parked. The homesteaders no longer tackle the dangers of the seas in search of fish and shellfish but instead tackle morning and evening commuter traffic. Some interesting fishing artifacts however have been salvaged and now grace the homes as decorative features or are integrated with plants and shingle in the sea-shore gardens.

One of the highlights of all our visits to Dungeness, and in fact the main reason for our first visit when we fell for its charms, is to visit the atmospheric and unique garden of the late film director and writer, Derek Jarman. We drove up in anticipation again this year, parked a little way away out of respect for the current owners and I walked across with my trusty Nikon only to be disappointed. It now seems less cared for and lacking in atmosphere but nevertheless loaded with memories. The first time we saw the garden when Jarman was still living there, we just could not believe that any garden could evoke such deep emotions and emerge you in its own unique character. Jarman was a one-off when it came to garden design. The garden was a perfect reflection of its environment, the sea, the shingle, its fishing history and its plant life. This was the only garden capable of sending a shiver up the spine!

Sometimes the strange beauty of Dungeness lies in its emptiness and simplicity.

Tags Derek Jarman, Dungeness, landscapes, photography, sea side, the coast, the sea

bird watching birds photography RSPB the sea the seaside the South trees wildlife

Go South 4. Dungeness RSPB Reserve.

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date October 14, 2012
6 Comments on Go South 4. Dungeness RSPB Reserve.

Our plans to explore the shingle slopes of Dungeness soon came somewhat adrift. The wind increased to gale force. We decided to defy it and take the walk along the fisherman’s boardwalk across to the water’s edge. This was a stupid idea to say the least – the strongest gusts blew us off the boardwalk. We understood what it was like to be the “tumbleweed” of Dungeness, the dried Sea Kale plants.

We eventually struggled to the end by holding onto each other and making slow progress and tried to walk along the water’s edge. We couldn’t move as every step we moved forward the wind blew us straight back.

We gave up, went back to the car and drove along the coast a little to the RSPB Dungeness Reserve, situated in a more sheltered area. We vowed to return to Dungeness itself when the wind had calmed down.

The reserve was worth a visit so in the end we didn’t mind the diversion. Here was a strange watery landscape where unusual plants grow and unusual birds live and visit.

We particularly loved seeing the Vipers Bugloss in flower with its bright blue petals and strange structure. The dramatic seed heads of the Teasels and Mulleins looked so architectural and strongly structural, and would feed the finches as the cold weather set in.

The harsh environment created distorted trees and bushes twisted and stunted like bonsai creations.

I am forgetting what the RSPB is all about – the birds. Dungeness did not disappoint for despite the extreme winds which kept birds down on the ground we did manage to see a first ever bird, the Great Egret. We are getting used to seeing Little Egrets in the UK wherever there is a large expanse of water but we had never seen its much larger cousin. This was a red-letter day as we saw pairs of both species on the same lagoon.

After an hour walking around the reserve the wind appeared to be calming down so we bravely decided to give Dungeness another try.That will be the theme of the post “Go South 5. The Magic and Mystery of Dungeness”.

Tags birds, bonsai, conservation, Dungeness, egrets, RSPB, wildlife

fruit and veg garden design garden photography gardening gardens open to the public grow your own outdoor sculpture photography

The other Hampton Court – Part 1

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date October 11, 2012
1 Comment on The other Hampton Court – Part 1

Just a hour’s drive away, following the A49 south into north Herefordshire, is the “other” Hampton Court. It is much smaller and less well-known than its London namesake, but we love it. It is a garden of many moods from a formal Dutch style canal garden, a potager, herbaceous borders, sweeping expanses of lawn with towering Cypress trees, a riverside walk to a dingle with grotto and pool. Who could ask for more?

We went down for a visit in September taking friends Tony and Jean with us and their granddaughter, Lucy. They are our daughter’s in-laws and niece. Jean has loved gardens for ages, Tony is excited about recently discovering them and Lucy, just 2 years old, simply loves being outside and looking at everything around her.

Naturally we arranged to meet up with them in the coffee shop situated in the beautiful orangery. The lawns outside were decorated with sculptures for all tastes.

DSC_0007-11 — The saxophone playing sculpture serenading visitors enjoying coffee and cakes in the Orangery.

The Tree of Wishes provided insight into children’s thoughts and imagination.

One unusual piece of sculpture was “The Tree of Wishes” upon which children hung their wishes written on cards. They made inspirational reading, some sad, some happy and some that just made us think. “I wish my Mum was Happy”. “I want to play for Man United when I grow up.” “I wish I had a sister.”

DSC_0009-8 — Jude takes Lucy for a walk around the pool in the canal garden.

DSC_0010-9 — And on that pool lived a dragon!

Throughout the garden interesting bespoke buildings delight and surprise.

DSC_0017-6 — This beautiful building is one of a pair in the Dutch Garden

DSC_0012-13 — The beauty is in the detail.

Down by the pool at the bottom of the Dingle hides this thatched beauty.

And again the detail is worthy of a pic or two.

The best garden buildings of course are those with enticing seats.

Tags fruit and veg, fruit and vegetable growing, garden photography, gardening, grown your own, Hampton Court Gardens, Herefordshire, Herefordshire gardens, organic gardening

photography the sea the seaside the South

Go South 3. Beach huts and boats.

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date October 7, 2012

Beach huts and boats. Now that is my kind of seaside village! Driving towards Dungeness we stopped off at Littlestone-on-sea where we spotted these favourite features. It was spitting with rain and heavily overcast as we set out on our wander along the shingle beach, camera in hand.

When we reached the patch where the beach huts and boats lived we were saddened to realise that what we saw was in fact the remnants of a fishing industry now largely gone. The boats were full of fishing debris and what looked like beach huts from a distance were the old storage sheds for fishing gear. They had been spruced up with colourful paint but at least they were still used for storage.

In the gloomy light, the brightly painted huts glowed and invited a closer look. The decorators had been enjoying themselves letting their imaginations flow. Once again I moved in close in search of patterns and textures in addition to the more obvious blazes of colour.

Some hut owners had added words of wisdom, fancy numbers and names.

Our slow exploration of the huts and fishing debris came to a sudden end as the rain turned heavy and the wind speeded up uncomfortably. But a few things did tempt me to stop and shoot off a few more photos.

We arrived back at the car somewhat sodden and extremely windswept, hoping that we could dry out using the car heater. We drove on down the coast road towards one of our favourite places anywhere, Dungeness. We have visited the mysterious world of Dungeness with its wild and exposed expanses of shingle several times before but its special magical atmosphere still entices us back.

So, Go South 4 should be all about Dungeness but it didn’t quite work out like that.

Tags beach huts, Dungeness, Sussex, the coast, the sea, the seaside

community gardening garden design garden photography gardening outdoor sculpture photography the sea the seaside the South town gardens

Bexhill-on-Sea – a cold walk by the sea. Go South 2.

Post author By greenbenchramblings
Post date October 4, 2012
6 Comments on Bexhill-on-Sea – a cold walk by the sea. Go South 2.

After not visiting the seaside all year we have now done so twice in a week. A few days ago we went up to the north Wales coast and enjoyed a walk along the sea front on a bright warm day. Then we visited the south coast of England and walked along the front at Bexhill-on-Sea. It was cold with icy winds and periodic bouts of heavy rain. How can our weather be so different just days apart? It is a good job we like variety where our weather is concerned and it is a good reason to live in the UK.

Bexhill looked good even under grey clouds and viewed through downpours. There was such an obvious sense of pride about the place. The seafront has obviously had a facelift recently so it now boasts interesting garden designs where even the seating is interesting. I would imagine a garden designer was involved, resulting in interesting materials being used. Even the “Healthy Heart” fitness trail featured exercise equipment that had almost sculptural qualities and actually enhanced the overall look of the walk along the sea front.

It was good to see new architecture sitting alongside the old, mirroring it or picking up on some of its detailing. There must be strict planning controls here but not so strict that they squash innovative new architecture. The only strange decision of the planners seems to be making sure that all the beach huts, traditionally a medium for lavish colour schemes, are painted white. Strange and somehow disappointing to see them lined up in a row all looking the same.

Bexhill is a town reflecting so many periods and styles of “seaside” architecture. There are fascinating features to be found on buildings all along the front.

As we had approached Bexhill I suddenly remembered that the little town had a place in motor racing history and after racking my brains and wearing out a few cogs and cells in the process, I came up with the thought that the first motor race had taken place here on the sands. Later I was informed by Son-in-Law, Rob that it was the first in Britain and not a world’s first. This old postcard illustrates one of the early race meetings.