|
Rosemary Staples on Levin Down
(Deep breath) - and over all of this, drawn by the irresistible colour and perfume of the flowers are the flutterers: Meadow Browns, Ringlets, Gatekeepers (see picture), Small Tortoiseshells, Red Admirals, Brimstones, Large, Small, Green Veined and Marble Whites; Large and Small Skippers; Small Heaths. No blues at the moment, but there are Painted Ladies and Commas.Whew! Now I don't know about you, but I count myself extremely lucky to have all this on my doorstep. I have mentioned thistles. You may or may not like them, but personally, as long as they stay out of the garden. I think they are beautiful. There are lots of those tall ones on Levin that look like Tryffids, marching up the slopes, and on the grazing part, outside the reserve. There are the Scottish thistles (musn’t say Scotch or I will have Mr. Bazal writing to me again). Some of these ones have gone a bit odd this year; there are doubles and trebles, all joined up into one thick stalk with a huge flower head - most peculiar. When the weather is not so good, and there is not much to look at up there, I go along with my head down looking at the ground. I am a bit of a junk collector, you know, and often find lumps of Iron Pyrites. I like to think they are pieces of meteorite, but probably not. Anyway, I pick them up and take them home. I used to keep them indoors, but have now removed them to the garden. I have a large stone tray filled with them: after all, if they did come from outer space they might one day explode, and an Alien could leap out and take over the world. Oooer! The other things
that we find now and again are Shepherds Crowns. The
rabbits dig them up, you know. I don’t mind having those
indoors, as I know where they came from. Must go. Lots of
dead-heading to do. |
Well,
here I am sitting in the garden, writing to you nice
people. It is lovely out here, the sun is shining, the
birds are singing, the lawnmowers are moaning, the
strimmers are screaming, the helicopters are clattering
overhead. It is just a perfect summer Sunday morning, in
fact! Levin Down is really putting on its summer dress
now: the Marjoram is coming out, making a perfect
background for all the other flowers to blend in with.
Scabious, mauvy/blue; Knapweed and thistle, purple;
bedstraws, white and yellow; Hypericum, gold; Yellow
rattle, speaks for itself; Eyebright, white with purple
stripes; Blackberry, dark pink and white; Dew berry,
white; Honeysuckle, creamy/pinky/yellow; Hawkbit, gold
;Basil, pink; Moon daisies, white and yellow; Self heal,
deep blue; Poppies, scarlet; Foxgloves, pink; Clover,
white and pink; Herb Robert, pink; Vetch, Rockrose,
Birdsfoot Trefoil, Buttercup, Jack-go-to-Bed-at Noon,
all shades of yellow; Hearts-ease, creamy white and
blue; Valerian, palest pink; Bellflowers, blue; Vervain,
lilac pink.