The Lane and Meadow in July

A picture-heavy post from a sunny day last week.

Green is the word that first comes to mind when standing on the road looking up the lane. Shades of green all the way up the lane.

 The bramble/blackberry flowers are late appearing in the shady part of the lane

 Here is the land on the ditch side of the lane opposite next-door-but-one, all levelled and cleared. I wonder what will appear and grow. The old pump base in the foreground.

 This is where next-door neighbour has planted all sorts of native plants on the ditch side opposite their house

 There will be Elderberries but who will get them first....me or the pigeons?

 I think this rough prickly thing below is Bristley Oxtongue. Not something to grab and pull up by hand. It's popped up en-masse where the caravan was stood until last December.

 Among the hogweed, cow-parsley, grasses and other weeds wild growth on my meadow I spotted just a few Yarrow. These were so common on the grass verges near the smallholding and noticeable too in the dry coastal area because they are very drought resistant.........staying green when everything else turns brown.
I was watching the coverage of the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show where they were talking to someone breeding the garden version of Yarrow - Achillia - so many colours in the garden version. I had one pink plant in the quarter circle flower garden but this year it has vanished - too many Aquilegia I think.

 This is the Ash down the bottom of the meadow that I thought looked very sad - almost dead - earlier in the year. Now looking much better although rather sparse in places.

Some of the new trees in Colin's Birthday wood are looking sad but there is new growth on this Pine

 Looking North from the meadow, through the poplar trees onto the neighbouring farmland.

At the end of the meadow the footpath carries on across the field - Wheat this year. The farmer has sprayed the pathway earlier in the year - not all farmers are helpful with keeping the footpaths clear across their land, even though it's something they are supposed to do. Look how dry the soil is - like concrete.

  And from the same spot, turning round and looking back onto my meadow. I like to keep the grass path short............it's easy with the ride-on mower..........so people can see exactly where the footpath is.

 I then spent half an hour trying to get a photo of the dozens of brown butterflies on the meadow..........they wouldn't cooperate,  facing the wrong way or moving just as I focused or not waiting for me to focus!

 and not opening their wings when I asked them to............




Although I got enough of a photo to work out they are Ringlets.

Photo from website of Ringlet  underwing

Later I saw a Meadow brown and managed to just about get a photo of it on the house wall, it has a torn wing.

Photo from website of Meadow Brown Underwing

I've noticed a Red Admiral and Large Whites in the garden but I couldn't get near them at all.

Thanks for comments yesterday - I'm still doing as little as possible.

Back Tomorrow
Sue