Mid August Visit to Herefordshire

 

In between the medical appointments we managed to escape to Herefordshire just for two nights last weekend.  The main purpose of the visit was to water the plants! The journey there was a nightmare as the M42 was closed that weekend between several junctions due to perishing HS2 work :(  It took us 50 minutes to get to Solihull to join the motorway there (it normally takes 20 minutes!). Annoyingly, I think the M42 is going to be closed for several more weekends which will make journeys to and from Herefordshire far more lengthy.

It was noticeable on the journey how many trees were losing leaves or changing their leaf colour.  I think this is due to all the hot dry weather we have been having as the trees get stressed and  shut down early to try and conserve moisture.

This is the  lovely view from the kitchen table where I sit and read or use my laptop.

Interestingly the leaves on the Herefordshire trees were not changing colour.

Herefordshire Oak

Octopus Tree

Constable Tree(s)

It was a relief to see that most of the plants in the garden, borders and pots had survived our absence again!

The rose in the pot is looking particularly lovely at the moment.

I am so glad I bought this geranium as it is flowering profusely again.

Mini alliums have finally more or less come into flower.

Just one chilli and  one tomato on the plants

Apologies that so many of my photos are similar to other recent Herefordshire posts. I keep hoping D will come with us and motivate me to go out somewhere!

This is the lovely rose we inherited in the garden.

Timothy sat by the little jug I bought on the Isle of Wight. I will probably use it as a vase.

We returned home last Monday when the M42 had re-opened! Hopefully, soon we can return and stay for longer.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or my son's I would appreciate an email first - thanks).

End of July Visit to Herefordshire - Part 1

 

We managed to go to Herefordshire last week for four nights. Thankfully, most of the plants seem to have survived although a few looked a bit sorry for themselves. Sadly, the new lavender bought earlier this year seems to be suffering now.

Timothy glad to be back.

No change in the Herefordshire Trees

Herefordshire Oak

Octopus Tree in the centre of the photo below

Constable Tree(s)

Something has been pecking at one of the bee hotels trying to pull the bamboo out. Someone at the site told us they had seen a magpie doing this in their bee hotel.

Since having a slight prune and a good water the rose in a pot is putting out lots of new growth and when we left it had 19 rose buds on it.

Succulents are doing well still

Mini alliums almost in flower

D's chilli plant has two chilli peppers forming and the tomato plant has flowers.

Rose and hydrangea in the garden.

Sadly the nasturtium has been decimated by black fly although another seed seems to have germinated.

We arrived on the Wednesday and did a food shop at  Tesco on the Thursday.  Friday we visited Berrington Hall and I will do a separate post on that.  Saturday we just stayed at the caravan trying to keep cool and Sunday we came home after watering the plants and doing some housework.

I was picking up bats on the bat detector again in the evening - they are now emerging around ten past ten in the evening.  We had lovely views of the nearly full moon. We didn't see any Red Kites this visit but did see several Buzzards and there was a family of Pied Wagtails on the grass by the caravan one day.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or my son's I would appreciate an email first - thanks.

Mid July Visit to Herefordshire

 

Inbetween medical appointments, family birthdays, car service and mot, gas boiler service etc., we managed to get away to Herefordshire the week before last for four nights.

We arrived on the Tuesday afternoon. First task was to water the pots and garden!  The plants had suffered yet again from the dry hot weather.  I've now lost the oldest lavender plant I had there but the rose in a pot, geranium, new lavender, houseleeks, herbs, tomato and chilli plants had managed to survive.  Most of the plants in the garden and border are still more or less ok.  If we continue to have hot dry summers I may have to have a re-think as to whether it is worth bothering having pots.

Cattle sheltering from the sun under the Herefordshire Oak

The Octopus Tree in the centre of the photo.

The Constable Tree(s)

As you can see there has not been much change in the Herefordshire Trees since the last visit.

Teasel in the garden

D's chilli plant has two flowers :)

On the Wednesday we went into Leominster to do a food shop at Morrisons. 

Thursday and Friday we just stayed at the caravan and yet again I spent a lot of time reading. If I am honest it really was too hot to go out visiting places and walking although I was tempted by the thought of a church visit as they are usually so cool inside.

On the Friday I went outside and counted butterflies for Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count.

I just counted the maximum number of butterflies seen at any one time in the 15 minutes of the count.

Meadow Brown x 1

Small White x 4

Gatekeeper x 4

Large White x 2

Holly Blue x 1

Sorry no photos - the butterflies were far too active!  No sign of the Red Admirals, Peacocks or Speckled Woods we had seen on other days!

Timothy was not enjoying the heat any more than me.

Early on the Friday morning before I had woken up B saw three Green Woodpeckers on the grass in front of the caravan. One of them was a juvenile being fed by the adults.  Later in the day we saw a Linnet feeding on seeds in the grass.  I was really pleased with this sighting as I haven't seen a Linnet for years and it was a new species for the caravan site.

Linnet

I used the bat detector most nights and it is good to know the bats are still around the caravan. They weren't appearing until about 10.30 pm so it wasn't easy to see them unless they were flying against the sky.

We left early Saturday afternoon. Hopefully, it won't be too long before we return and I hope it will be a bit cooler next time! Static caravans cool down quickly at night but they heat up in the sun very quickly in the daytime :(  I am very pleased we thought to buy a tower fan last year!

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).

Brief Trip to Herefordshire - end of June and beginning of July

 

I thought I'd take a short break from writing about the Isle of Wight (the post on Godshill will now be the one after this!)  as we had a short visit of three nights last week to Herefordshire.  For one reason and another (heatwaves, Isle of Wight holiday, family birthday and medical appointments) we haven't been able to go for 5 weeks and I was really really worried about the plants there. I have really missed Herefordshire too!

We didn't do a lot to be honest apart from some gardening and a trip to Morrisons Leominster to stock up on food.  D didn't come this time and I do miss his company as he always motivates me to go out although I had also developed yet another bout of cellulitis so it wasn't easy walking very far. I spent a lot of time watching the birds and butterflies and reading a very good book published by Logaston Press on the Ludlow Castle Heraldic Roll

Timothy at the front of the caravan.

There hasn't really been any change in the Herefordshire Trees

Herefordshire Oak

Constable Tree

Octopus Tree

Unbelievably most of the plants in the border and garden had survived.  The main casualties were those planted in pots even though we leave an upside down wine bottle filled with water with a small hole in the lid in them.  It does somewhat ruin the photos but usually if we are only away from Hatfield for a few weeks it keeps the plants watered.

I lost my orange dahlia bought earlier this year which I was upset about as D had repotted it for me.  The rosemary looks less than healthy but hopefully will recover.  The thyme has died although to be honest the plants needed replacing anyway.

The rose has suffered but at least it is still alive and perked up when it was watered well and deadheaded after this photo was taken!

The pink geranium I also bought earlier this year and also repotted by D had survived  and was full of flowers.

The succulents are doing well but to be honest they don't need much water. In fact, they probably prefer it to be dryer!

The mini alliums, mint, new lavender and a chilli plant D took there last visit were all fine.

Only one nasturtium came up from the nasturtium and pot marigold seeds planted which is a shame.

Unfortunately the apple tree in the garden which had a lot of fruit this year has lost a lot of apples.  I am not sure if this is due to the dry weather, or the fact that I think they do sometimes shed apples or a combination of both!

B wasn't happy that two teasels had regrown in the garden.  When we first planted them they took over the small garden and self seeded everywhere even in the gravel! They are great for pollinators when they flower though and goldfinches love the seeds.

The perennial wall flower is still flowering and my favourite hollyhock in the border is now in flower.

Red (or rather yellow) hot cross pokers.

Timothy relaxing on the sofa.

We arrived on the Tuesday and came back Friday evening for a family birthday.  We thought travelling in the evening would mean less traffic but as it happened it took over an hour longer to get home than usual.  The M5 was closed between Droitwich and the M42 juction which created havoc!!!

Next post I will return to the Isle of Wight holiday and Godshill!

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone wishes to use one of mine or my son's I would be grateful for an email first - thanks).