Plush
One of my favourite things about Schlumbergera flowers is the fact that the stigma looks as though it’s upholstered in plush fabric. You probably wouldn’t want to sit on it though because it’s sticky, so as to be able to … Continued
Seasonally confused
Our next-door neighbour gave me a couple of cerinthe plants a few years ago, joking that we’d never now be rid of them. In fact they reacted with disfavour to the (relatively) nice bit of soil I found for them, … Continued
Naughty bits
It being a number of years (46) since I took A-level Biology, I was checking on the interwebs to be sure that I understood the reproductive anatomy of this flower correctly, and found one page that was especially factual and … Continued
Love-hate relationship
I love Hummingbird Hawkmoths. I also hate them, because the little bast darlings are so difficult to photograph. Honestly, they make dragons look easy. We generally get a few visits from them each year, usually in late August or September, … Continued
Mellow whatever
If I let you into a secret, will you promise not to judge me? I don’t like blackberries. Confession, they say, is good for the soul, and I do feel better now that I’m not masquerading as something I’m not … Continued
Golden hour
I went over to Trench Wood early this afternoon, timing my arrival for the point at which I thought the morning crowd would have gone home for lunch. It certainly wasn’t crowded – though I only got a parking spot … Continued
Colletes hederae
I had thought of going to Trench Wood today, in search of hummingbird hawkmoths and dragons, but in the event the morning ran away from me, as it often seems to now that I don’t have very much to do. … Continued