Bonus little walk (Coombe Wood)

Yesterday afternoon I was meeting a friend at Coombe Wood so I went along earlier for a short walk - which had to be quite slow and careful because I was feeling somewhat dizzy. Taking photos helped to take my mind off the dizziness for a while

The green film on the surface of the pond was more streaky than the day before

Looking closer the surface looked marbled

A single great big lollipop-like allium stands out against the carpet of tiny bright green leaves that flow over the rocky walls of the raised beds

Raspberry ripple of pink and white

A close up middle (haven't had one for a while) - what an amazing structure!

Tiny bright pink petals on tall stems

These white flowers look as if they have twinkling sparklers going off in their centres

I photographed these buds the other day wondering what was going to come out of them - here's the answer - yellow daisy-like flowers

Trying to have a closer look at the tiny white flowers with delicate pink stripes

These lemony coloured flowers have purple veins which fade as they open

Eryngium beginning to open

No idea what these tiny flowers are - what hairy leaves and stems - tiny white buds - just two to the left

The other day I said these flowers look as if someone has dotted them on with a yellow highlighter pen. They've opened a bit more and look more like the light green highlighter pen has been at work

Tall grasses dancing in front of foxgloves

A few hydrangea buds have opened - so many more poised and ready

These are the white flowers that I said looked as if they had been pleated (on my last walk). I can see why - they open like little upside down umbrellas - with very strong folds. The red and yellow buds are so twisty before they unfold and become very white 

Aquilegias - pods forming 

Another flower with delicate pin stripes 

Profusion of Korean pine cones in the sunlight

I caught sight of a butterfly which kindly settled and posed for me . . .

. . . then fluttered about a bit and settled for another photo

Assorted leaf colours

Looking closer at the tiny hairy bell flowers

and a closer look at the buddleja globosa which is supposed to be sweet scented. I managed to get close enough to have a sniff and there was barely any scent at all on these

I can't resist standing under the large acer and looking up - specially when the sun is shining through the leaves and seeds

On my previous walk I photographed a similar flower - but it had silvery anthers - this one has purple anthers

I had heard the mower in the distance and as I headed back to the entrance to meet my friend I caught sight of the gardener mowing the grass

Two children were throwing bread into the pond for the fish. The movement of the fish created a clear patch in the green film on the surface of the pond for a short while

I met my friend and after a cuppa in the cafe courtyard we headed off for a walk but it started raining so we headed for the little shelter where we sat and nattered while the raindrops pattered on the roof

We left while it was still raining - the temperature had dropped considerably and I was keen to get back to the car to warm up so didn't take any more photos

Thank you very much for joining me

Sunny summer walk (Coombe Wood)

My walk was much needed after having dealt with several challenging things. It was lovely to see the sunshine.

The green coating on the pond had fragmented a little . . .

 . . . leaving patterns on the surface and the possibility of a glimpse of a fish now and again

Everywhere was so green - with a few little splashes of colour here and there

A party of school children passed by quite quickly, until their voices vanished in the distance.

I noticed a small bright patch of orange further up and made a mental note to have a closer look when I came round that way towards the end of my walk

Yellow buds above the leaves of the Alchemilla Mollis (Lady's Mantle) - as if someone had dotted them on with a yellow highlighter pen

Masses of tiny delicately striped pale pink flowers

In contrast - some huge leaves which have shot up recently

Extravagant display of stamens

Subtle tiny white flowers against small variegated leaves

 Love this blue (with a purple hint)

As bumble bees landed on these tiny pink flowers the weight of the bees flipped the flowers over and they had to cling on upside down

A tiny black and white stripy insect crawling around the pollen filled anthers.

. . . getting right in there

The blue flowers flowing down the rock like a waterfall have opened more

I don't usually like yellow flowers very much - no that's not quite right - I like them in other peole's gardens but don't particularly want them in my garden (apart from crocuses, daffodils etc.) - but I like these dainty things

These flowers almost look as if they've had pleats pressed into them - each pleat is tinged with very faint pink

Funny little pink curled flowers

The quaking grass flowers are open now with their tiny fluffy strands making them look like miniature charleston dresses with fringes swinging as they dance

I noticed some flower spikes with tiny buds on just before the palm tree. It was only when I photographed them that I noticed just how red the stems were

Here's the fern that was so rust coloured as it opened - now delicately two toned

This is probably a buddleja globosa and apparently they are fragrant although I don't think I can get near enough to find out (I think I called it a buddleia last time - I'm not sure if buddleja and buddleia are related - must look that up)

Now that almost all of the rhododendrons have completely gone it's all looking very green

Foxgloves brighten up shady places

and some of the new growth is tinged with orange or red

I do enjoy the details. Here the colour, the texture, the dark raised veins that remind me of butterflies wings, the star-shaped, chenille like stigma - delightful

When did these appear? The last time I passed this shrub it was just a mass of narrow curled leaves

Now it's a fluffy mass of white

As I walked round this part of the garden I was once again amazed at how many shades of white there are - creamy whites, whites that are so white they have a bluey tinge (Daz white?) and pinky whites - like these buds that start off pink but turn white as they open. I wondered at what stage are they still considered pink? When can you actually call them white?

Enough pondering about white for the moment - these pink flowers aren't very big but my goodness they are extravagant! Silver anthers like pearls spike up on long straight filaments above the bright pink petals. They're like glittery pom poms.

I stepped aside to allow a large stream of walkers to pass by. They obviously had a time schedule to keep to as they marched past briskly. A couple said good morning but they weren't stopping to admire any of the plants.

I noticed the tall narrow leafy plant had produced its peculiar flowers.

Stopping is definitely in my schedule - I went over for a closer look. They're like little tiny bananas with showers of different coloured stamens protruding from the tops

A solitary poppy's petals billowed in the breeze

Creamy white fluffy flowers 

Spindle berry flowers are opening now

Four little cushion like petals on each flower

What a wonderful structure these flower spikes have. I think I remember that the flowers will be blue when they come out (I wonder if I have remembered right)

What a lovely shade of blue these are - similar to the blue with a tint of purple I mentioned much nearer the beginning

These are like delicate little glass hemispheres 

Orange bells (Abutilon). I've just checked the name online and found out that these come in a whole range of colours - red. yellow. pink. purple as well as fancy two coloured varieties

At first I noticed the flower buds at the top of this plant and was taking a photo - it was only then that I saw all the little yellow flowers all the way up the stem

And  here I am at the orange patch that I wanted a closer look at - begonias - with red fuchsias and at the back yellow alliums (I wouldn't mind them in my garden)

I crouched down by the wall to take a photo of these little yellow rock plants forgetting that the wall tapers outwards - knee and rock collided hard. Ouch!

As I approached the gate I saw the gardener watering the pond with a watering can. He told me that someone from the council had been to check what the variety of algae is so that appropriate treatment could be given. The gardener was adding barley straw extract to regain the balance of the pond water - this will hopefully get rid of the algae in a couple of weeks.

I was very sad to hear that there had been a burglary in the Coach House Cafe and also at the Waddon Ponds Cafe. Fortunately both cafes leave very little money on the premises

Thank you very much for joining me