Yesterday in the rain (Coombe Wood)

Armed with a large umbrella and regretting the fact that I still haven't found any suitable waterproof shoes or boots I headed for Coombe Wood on a dull rainy morning.

Raindrop ripples and reflections on the pond.

Berries - I tried using a little torch for these because my close ups when it was dull the other day were so blurred. 

I was so absorbed with looking at the dripping leaves, yew berries, rosehips etc. each side of the path and up the steps that once again the lovely lily-of-the-valley-like scent of the mahonia reached me before I came to the plant around the corner. I stood and breathed deeply for a moment. I always forget that at least one of the plants flower in November - I expect them all to be flowering in the spring.

Looking up - the magnolia tree is producing some furry buds.

Soft fluffy seed heads in the prairie beds.

Pastel green petals like slender forked-tongues (torch lit)

Looking really close at a torch lit Michaelmas daisy centre - what an array of different shapes. I don't think I've ever noticed the tiny deep pink double headed structures around the edge before.

Little yellow and white flowers that remind me of fried eggs - with a fluff of dots smaller than pin heads on stalks around each one.

The photo of the banana flower in my last blog was the last one! The banana plant has been cut down now ready for its winter protection. I felt a little sad that I wouldn't see any more of the banana flower's development - but it's all part of the journey through the seasons and spring will bring new growth.

Autumn colours.

Shiny dripping leaves.

From the underneath - what a wonderful red. 

 The walnut tree has lost most of its leaves. 

Raindrops hung on branches - turning the world upside down in their reflections.

Rain-washed berries glistened and stood out against bare branches.

The red acer that I photographed a couple of days ago has lost a lot more leaves in all the rain and wind.

A few clusters are still hanging on. 

More red berries.

Looking closer at an ivy flower - not sure what stage of development this is. It looks like seeds forming after the flowers.

Wrinkled narrow leaved orange acer leaves hanging from green mossy branches and dripping with rain.

These leaves have lovely patterns on them as they turn to their autumn colours

Beech leaves wet all over but the water sits like clear gemstones on the back of the different leaf in the middle.

Turning leaves.

More rain-washed berries.

I could hear the thud of wood against wood coming from the area where the cut down banana tree is and discovered the gardener knocking in posts for the winter protection.

Dripping orange leaves.

Droplets on bowed down pampas grass. 

Apples.

This really stood out against the dark background.

More wet leaves. I find it interesting that the water covers some surfaces but collects in droplets on others. 

There are still some bright pops of colour in the flower beds near the entrance.

A carpet of tiny plants (possibly something in the saxifraga family?)

Rain was collecting in the dish-like nasturtium leaves and every now and again they tilted, tipped and emptied themselves causing the leaves below to bob and sway suddenly - and the leaves below to tilt and empty - like a domino effect.

A nearby dark leaved plant looked as if there were some paler leaves forming but when I looked closer they were little yellow flowers.

I popped in the cafe because the gardener had told me that there might be a petition in there about the council's proposal for a traveller site in the next door nurseries. The lady in the cafe said there wasn't a petition but showed me the details on a notice which was stuck to one of their cabinets.

Of course travellers need to live somewhere but I'm not convinced that this is a suitable place for them. It is bound to have a big effect on Coombe Wood. Earlier in the year some travellers set up their caravans and mobile homes in the car park. Their children used Coombe Wood as their own back garden, cycling, roller skating, skateboarding - and chasing each other through the flower beds, making quite a nuisance of themselves and causing damage, without any adult supervision. (Not to mention the dumping of rubbish in the car park.)

I went back to see how the banana protection was getting on. Hessian had been attached to the posts and the base of the stumps had been covered with straw.

I liked the shadowy posts and straw visible through the hessian.

This hole in a tree reminds me of an ancient reptile's eye.

There are still a few flowers on the heather. 

Tiny berries dripping with rain.

More dripping leaves - lovely deep dark colour.

This ferny plant by the pond has gone through some lovely colour changes.

The rain hadn't stopped for the whole of my walk. My boots had leaked and my feet were very wet and cold but it had been worth it! I did say at the beginning of the year that I wanted to continue my all weather photography at Coombe Wood.

Thank you very much for joining me.