Category Archives: Lockdown Diary

This year has been, for me, my most botanical. I’ve always liked flowers and had a vague interest in everything wild from growing up with a dad who knew the names of all the trees, shrubs and wildflowers… from his … Continue reading →

It’s a red letter day for our tiny urban garden. Our butterfly visitor today was only the second of its kind we have ever seen here in over twenty years… and the first that stayed long enough for a photo … Continue reading →

We get very few moths in the garden although of late I’ve seen more micros about and what I assume is an Orange Underwing from the orange moth I saw flying off. I also disturbed a Plume I think, but … Continue reading →

Because of the special nature of this year and much more time spent in the garden I have done what is always recommended… deadheaded. This not only involves snipping off individual blooms that have died but also cutting back whole … Continue reading →

My visit to the Grove a couple of days ago gave me a chance to compare some of the flowers growing wild there with some I’ve lately acquired for the garden. Needless to say, they look better in vast banks … Continue reading →

Yesterdays pleasant stroll to the ramp at Grove Ferry may not have turned up many birds, but it was full of wildflowers and insects. There were very few butterflies about, apart from Large Whites, Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns… exactly what … Continue reading →

So the birding was very slow at ‘the Grove’… what do you expect in August – there is never much about in ‘high summer’. The only ‘year tick’ was a tucked-up Garganey. Its hard to distinguish any birds when most … Continue reading →

A useful low-growing perennial that tolerates shade, Lilyturf is a useful addition to the garden, although I can’t vouch for its attractiveness to invertebrates. I remember buying and planting it… but had to use a plant ID website to identify … Continue reading →

No much to say today… having spent Sunday in our minuscule front garden tackling very overgrown bushes we suffered for the effort with aching bones and livid scratches. Consequently, not a lot of time was spent in the garden since. … Continue reading →

This thistle plant was in fine fettle a couple of days ago… when I looked yesterday two leaves were mere skeletons, today even more leaves got eaten… but a thorough search did not reveal the culprit? Scotch Thistle Onopordum acanthium I … Continue reading →