A Walk Round a Botanical Garden

I was on family chauffeuring "duties" on Tuesday afternoon and had a spare couple of hours so to while away time I decided to visit Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Edgbaston. I haven't been since we took D and E when they were small. The site covers 15 acres and was founded in 1829.

There were lots of Spring flowers blooming in the gardens - daffodils, crocuses, primulas, camelias and rhodendron.

There is a part of the Gardens designed, I believe, mainly for children called The Kingdom of the Green Man. The area contains a playground and the Green Man's House Teulon Cottage surrounded by a lovely cottage and herb garden.

Nearby are the Historic Gardens featuring a Roman, Medieval and Tudor Garden. Unfortunately, the area was very shady so the only photo that really turned out was this one of a statue.

More colourful flowers as I wandered around.

The Rock Garden and Pool were very picturesque and the quietest part of the gardens.

The Growing Schools Garden formed part of the "Story of Horticulture" section

Aviaries

There are four glasshouses - Tropical, Sub-tropical, Mediterranean and Arid

There was an excellent collection of colourful foliage plants in the Mediterranean Glasshouse

The Sub-tropical house including a section on carnivorous plants

You can see the Japanese Garden through this window.

A small courtyard houses some trees from the National Bonsai Collection

There was a good selection of sculptures scattered throughout the gardens

I mentioned a few posts ago that I was determined to buy some Echinops plants for the garden this year to encourage pollinators and I was really pleased to find them on sale in the shop. I bought two :)

Garden Moths and Flowers

I've had quite a few moth trapping sessions recently and this year has got off to a much better start than last :)


Garden Moth Scheme Week 1 Friday 28th February

Min Temperature -0.9 degrees centigrade

and no moths!



Monday 3rd March produced a White-shouldered House Moth in the garage



Garden Moth Scheme Week 2 Friday, 7th March

Min Temperature 2.8 degrees centigrade


Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) x 1 (NFY)


Common Quaker

Saturday, 8th March

Min Temperature 7.1 degrees centigrade


Oak Beauty (Biston strataria) x 1 (NFY)

Emmelina monodactyla x 2 (NFY)



Oak Beauty is one of the most beautiful moths

Here's a photo of its rather cute and cuddly face :)

Sunday, 9th March

Minimum Temperature 4.6 degrees centigrade


Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria) x 1 (NFY)
Dotted Border (dark form) F. fuscata x 1

Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) x 3

Emmelina monodacytla x 1



Dotted Border - another beautiful moth (the females are wingless)

I am pretty sure this is the dark form of Dotted Border but please let me know if I'm wrong

Emmelina monodactyla looking like a little biplane and yes it was ready to take off hence the photo in the pot!

A photo of my 15w Actinic Skinner Trap - looking a bit worn now. Note the perspex has broken in places!

The garden really seemed to come to life yesterday in the warm sunshine. I saw my first garden butterflies of the year - two Small Tortoiseshells plus a few dark coloured flutters unfortunately too far away to identify although I think probably Peacock or Red Admiral. Several Bumble Bees were seen again at distance but there was a Queen Tree Bumble Bee nectaring on the patio. Frogs and Common Newts can now be seen seen moving around in the pond.

A few photos of Spring flowers

Cowslip

Primrose

Daffodils are starting to flower

I had an afternoon out with a friend last week and we popped to her local nurseries where I bought a few plants

I finally treated myself to a Hellebore although I bought this on the way home from the supermarket. It was only £5 and half the price of similar sized plants at the nurseries.

Bellis Perennis and Thyme bought for the rockery

and I think I'll put this Snakeshead Fritillary in the wildflower "meadow"


There were lots of feathers scattered round on the upper lawn - it looks as though the local Sparrowhawk has been busy.

I treated myself to a new garden Gnome today. I'm reading "The Little Grey Men" by "BB" at the moment - a tale of the last four gnomes in Britain who live in a Warwickshire Brook. I think I might name the new gnome after one of the gnomes in the book - Dodder, Baldmoney, Sneezewort or Cloudberry?