The Garden Diary 2010

May (part 2)

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16 May - The cold spell is over, but the south-westerly air flow became a westerly today and brought thick cloud as the day progressed, and then the heaviest rain showers that we have seen for a good few weeks.

A short entry today as I've been involved with other things for much of the weekend, but there are a few things than need recording -

First, yesterday I saw worker bees going in and out of the Carder Bumblebee nest in the big pond - just a few movements seen, but enough the confirm that all is well in there. I look forward to the moss dome growing in size over the next couple of months. I must record its size in the next day or so.

Comfrey in flower, 15 May

 

Very much linked to that development is the flowering of the Comfrey in front of the workshop shed. Its first flowers must have opened a couple of days ago, but somehow I missed them.

The link between the Comfrey and the Carder Bees is that they are the only bees that I have seen feeding at the Comfrey flowers during the weekend.

 

 

Down at the bottom of the garden the Robins are definitely feeding young deep in the Ivy tree, and I think the Blackbirds must be back in there too as I've seen both parents going in and out over the last couple of days.

 

20 May - It's certainly warmer now, but the weather continues to frustrate. Much of yesterday was enjoyed under blue skies, but today it was grey all day. This morning it was cool enough for a Carder Bumblebee spent some twenty minutes on the underside of our veranda canopy as it waited to warm up.

Ragged Robin comes into flower, 19 May 2010

 

 

Yesterday's sunshine persuaded two more plants to flower for the first time. A couple of Ragged Robins showed why they are so named,

 

 

A Field Buttercup comes into flower in the big pond, 19 May

 

 

 

and several Field Buttercups opened up their yellow flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

A frog looks out over the small pond, 20 MayThe ponds are completely covered by Duckweed canopies now, and these add to the fun when my granddaughter plays spot the frogs.

However, with daytime temperatures now consistently in the upper teens, the frogs are starting to spend much longer out of the water in sheltered spots exposed to any sunshine that is available. Even today there were numerous frogs to be found, usually with a duckweed cloak, and rarely less than a jump's distance from the safety of the water.

 

 

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