Flowers 2016.

I have a "flower garden" post to follow, it is so long I have put these individual flower photos into a post of their own!

This Water lily came from the pond in Angus's fathers garden. October 27th.

This Fuschia I grew from a cutting, in 1997, from a plant growing in Angus's mothers garden.
November 12th.

A multi-headed sunflower grown from seed this spring, November 12th.

Yellow day lily, Hemerocallis, with Dahlia in the background, November 1st. Many Dahlia's here simply have a label saying "Newcastle market" from the North Wicklow Country Market.

Aster, grown from seed this spring, November 1st.

Rosa Wisley, November 1st.

 

Self-seeded Teasels, October 12th.

Frosty Teasels, December 1st.

Flower dying beautifully, December 1st

Abutilon Ashford Red October 9th.

Nerines, October 13th. 

Plectranthus argentatus 'Silver Shield', October 31st.

Nerines, October15th.

Rudbeckia cherry brandy, October 9th.

Crinum September 3rd.

Crinum September 15th. These have been growing in the garden for a dozen years flowering on despite neglect. They really need dividing!

Sidalcea malviflora with Bombus Pascorum July 24th.

Malope Vulcans, Poppies, Asters and Campanula, July 24th.

Rose June 22nd.

Papaver orientale, Oriental poppy, June 3rd.

Oriental poppy, June 3rd.

Oriental poppies, May 24th.

Oriental poppy, June 3rd.

 Iris May 28th.

  I was happy to see Magnolia Daphne unfazed after the wet winter as she is in a bit of a damp spot, May 22nd.

 Hairy Tare, Vicia hirsuta, growing in long grass along the fruit walk. Tiny wildlings bring equal joy to other flowers, June 4th.

Fritillaria meleagris, snake's head fritillary in the Meadow April 10th.

Woodland edge and ponds 2016.

The big pond, March 26th.

The big pond, April 27th.

The big pond in a dry summer, August 11th.

 The big pond in a dry autumn, October 27th.

Over the last Several weeks we have been coppicing willow branches at the big pond, followed by days of shredding and spreading the chippings on the paths in the vegetable patch. November 29th.

A Sika deer buck has been frequenting the garden, October 9th.

View from the table in the house, The (non-native) deer is eating the seeds from the native yellow flag iris, October 9th.

He likes the garden! November 9th.

Woodland edge May 22nd.

Woodland edge, May 24th.

 

Woodland edge, Rose in foreground, July 12th.

Woodland edge, Mallow in foreground, July 12th.

Alfie now likes to take flower photos too, down at the big pond, August 11th.

Rheum Palmatum at the small pond May 22nd, by July it was looking decidedly dog-eared, but to everything a season.

 Meadow sweet naturalized  in the meadow, July 12th.

Viburnum. Yew, Oak, at the big pond, May 22nd.

 Liquidambar at the big pond. December 12th.

 Over the bridge at the stream are rough steps that go over an earth bank, December 12th. 

The heron is often at the pond but here he/she is perched on the roof of the house! October 6th.

Blackbird feasting on crab apple, Malus Golden Hornet, December 4th.

Crab apple December 12th.

Fruit growing in 2016.

Kiwis December 21st.

Kiwis December 21st.
Yes, they are a tangle, but I love them anyway!

Picked Kiwis December 22nd!
 They go into the fridge for a few weeks to ripen.

Kiwis, November 12th

 

Mespilus germanica, Medlars, December 12th.

Conference Pears, October 25th.

December 8th.

"Ellisons orange" apple, October 7th.

 
The Spartan apple tree, August 11th.

Spartan apples, October 12th.

Spartan apples October 27th. Dozens of different apple trees grow here but spartan is the most photogenic!

Blueberries were very good this year, a few bags full in the freezer.
They were all the better for being netted. Made them hard to photograph though!

Strawberries too.


The Orchard door, July 12th, surrounded by Japanese wineberries. This is a fenced area where the hens go to keep safe when the fox is about.

July12th, It was a great year for redcurrants.

 Redcurrants June 23rd.

Alfie loves frozen redcurrants so we have bag fulls in the freezer, along with other fruit!

There were also peaches, figs, blackcurrants, gooseberries, raspberries, jostaberries, grapes and more... So many fantastic fruit trees and bushes are available now, they are often easily propagated or are very reasonably priced, especially when bought bare root in the winter.

The birds are happy with all the fruit we grow too and I love not just the fruit but the plants in their entirety ...  their flowers, their scent, their form... and the part they play within the garden.