We managed to return to Herefordshire last week and stayed four nights arriving at Tuesday lunch time.
There was not much change in the Herefordshire Trees from when we visited the week before although leaves are now appearing on the Aspens at the site and Hawthorn is coming into leaf.
Herefordshire Oak
Octopus Tree
We used to have a lovely pink primula in the border under the hawthorn hedge which always seemed to be in flower when we visited. Sadly that seems to have disappeared but a tiny plant seems to have self seeded on the lawn!
Sorry about the blurred photo but we were so pleased to see that a pair of Blue Tits were investigating the nest box B had put up last year.
Garlic Mustard is nearly in flower.
My little bowl of succulents bought last year seems to be doing well.
It was good to watch birds while we were there especially the Buzzards and Red Kites. The bat detector was picking up bats every night and I could also see them swooping around the caravan.
On the Wednesday which was hot and sunny we went into Tenbury Wells to do some shopping. The verges of the country lanes were full of primroses, dandelions and lesser celandine. Blackthorn in the main is past its best flower wise but it won't be long before Hawthorn is flowering.
First we stocked up on bird food although I do realise that the latest advice from the RSPB and BTO is not to feed from May to September due to the risk of disease. I have certainly now stopped feeding birds at home.
We walked to Mr Thoms as I wanted to buy some more of their apple chutney which is delicious. Sadly, they were out of stock so I bought some pear, apple and ginger chutney to try.
Blossom by the River Teme
On the way back to Tesco. where we stocked up on food. I popped into the Tourist Information Centre to pick up the NGS booklets for Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire. I would like to visit more of the NGS gardens this year. I have already highlighted a few to visit if we are in Herefordshire when they are open. We saw our first Orange Tip butterfly of the year on the site when we returned.
On the Thursday I popped to St Leonards to look round the churchyard but I will write about that in the next post.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (If anyone wishes to use one of my photos or one of my sons I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).
14 comments:
Never been to Tenbury looks nice. I just did another tour of Wales and Herefordshire, I wanted to visit 8 churches and ended up with ten missing out Graway because I was tired and hungry from driving around.
Thanks Billy. We like going to Tenbury and Burford. Visit to Wales and Herefordshire you have just undertaken sounds good. Sorry you missed out on Garway. I must admit I haven't been yet but it looks good!
How lovely to return to your caravan for a longer time. Everything is looking so fresh and green. I hope the blue tits choose to next in your bird box. We saw our first Orange Tip of the season a few days ago too. I must pick up the Staffordshire and Derbyshire NGS leaflets to see what is available for this year:)
Thanks so much Rosie. Yes it was SO good to be back there again. Thanks also re blue tits. I've only discovered NGS gardens fairly recently and we have been to some super ones. It is such a lovely idea.
Garlic mustard well in flower here, which will please the orange tip butterflies
Thanks Simon. You are right the Orange Tips will be pleased :)
You have beaten me to seeing the first Orange Tip, although hopefully we will see some this afternoon, as going for a woodland walk where Lady's Smock grows and I usually see them.
Everything looks lovely in your photos although I am sad seeing the Old Post Office date having an end. Great news about the Blue Tits, cross fingers they will build a nest! Glad you got back to the caravan for a decent amount of time this time!
Thanks so much Mandy. I do hope you see Orange Tips this afternoon. I've seen them in the garden at home too now :)
It was good to go back for a longer period of time.
Thank you, RR, for your kind comment on my blog; yes, Sutton Hoo with the bluebells in full swing was a delight. I am so glad to find you back in Herefordshire for a while, and feel sure you will be looking forward to further outings there. What a long winter it seems to have been, though we are being rewarded now with the spectacle of fabulous cherry trees. I expect Timothy will enjoy some outings and will perhaps help you to spot more butterflies. I have just bought three Garlic Mustard plants as an experiment, probably too late for this year, but a start at least. I love the spring flowers, but I also love it when we can start putting Pelargoniums and bedding plants outside. I need to be patient a while longer on this front, especially over here in the cool east.
Thanks so much Caroline. Yes it does seem to have been a long winter - not helped by so much rain! I once planted some Garlic Mustard seeds and nothing appeared. Then a few years later the wooded area at the top of the garden near where I planted seeds was just full of the plants! I would like to grow Wild Garlic too. Son's geranium is still in the porch. Last year we grew sweet peas, calendula, nasturtiums and rudbeckia in pots on the patio.
I really enjoyed hearing about your return to Herefordshire.
The Blue Tits at the nest box sound delightful.
Love your beautiful photos.
Thank you so much Veronica for visiting my blog and leaving a comment.
Always nice to see familiar places 😊
Thanks so much Pete and yes it is :)
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