Another images from our recent visit to Rye.
This is a detail from the garden at Prospect Cottage, the late Derek Jarman‘s home at Dungeness. The stone circle is probably just under 3 feet across and is built on the natural gravel surface.
Category Archives: natural history
Pavement Liverwort
Liverwort, originally uploaded by kcm76.I was in Pinner today to see my hypnotherapist. When I left I was surprised to spot this this roughly 150mm across patch of liverwort growing among the the paving slabs and general detritus. I’m no expert on liverworts although I think this is a common one, but still a nice surprise find.
Quote: Flowers
Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them.
[Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh]
Chillies
Chillies in a Row, originally uploaded by kcm76.
The first chillies of the season, variety Habanero Tasmanian. Grown from seed (sown a bit late though) on the study inside windowsill in a couple of plastic window-boxes. I’m also growing Bulgarian Carrot (they look like their name suggests) and Hot Lemon (long yellow fruit with a fresh lemony flavour). These are all hot varieties. Unfortunately none of them seem to be very prolific for me so the crop will be small, but judging by the one Habanero I used tonight the quality is good.
Something for the Weekend
Flowers 4, originally uploaded by kcm76.
Stand of flowers outside the supermarket in Bushey Heath.
Yeuch of the Day
Noreen was off early(ish) today on a work outing. On her way she phoned me to say she had found an embryo lying on our front garden path and had moved it into the shrubbery nearby so no-one trod on it. (Handily we keep a trowel by the front door for burying the cats’ prey.)
Of course being interested in natural history I had to go and look. And yes, there was a roughly 4 inch long fresh foetus, complete with placenta still attached. Nice! And of course I just had to photograph it.
But what is it? Well it isn’t human as it clearly has a tail. Phew! It is too big for domestic cat – it is bigger than a new-born kitten. Being London this immediately says it is going to be either fox or dog. I would guess it’s too late in the year for fox, and maybe a little large.
Hmm. Interesting, if slightly yeuchy – but not as yeuchy as I’d expected.
If anyone really wants to see the photo you can find it here. I bet you all say “yeeuuuwwww”, but still go and look anyway!
Quote: Belief
Isn’t it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?
[Douglas Adams]
Something for a Summer Weekend
Rose, Buff Beauty from our garden. This old rose is supposed to be a bush, but it wasn’t doing very well so we moved it to under the silver birch tree — and it is now rambling up through the tree like there’s no tomorrow. The bloom was actually at least 2 feet above my head!
Rosa rugosa
This old species rose, Rosa rugosa, is growing in our garden hedge. It is such a stunning colour.
Moth of the Week
Found this wonderful specimen of a male White Ermine Moth, Spilosoma lubricipeda, resting on our bathroom windowsill this morning. It really was absolutely beautiful.