Lavender, Berries and Poppies

What a strange year it has been so far.  Even at the height of summer there are distinct signs of Autumn  in the hedgerows.

Sun bleached grass paths, mown fields in the distance and the last of the wonderful rows of lavender at the Shropshire Lavender farm.  The lavender flowers were covered in bees and little blue butterflies.  Both hard to capture on camera but the scents and aromas were sending them into a frenzy in the heat of the early afternoon sun.

After coffee with a lavender scone and a piece of lemon and lavender cake - thank you for the recommendation Mrs Tiggywinkle, both were delicious - we wandered around the rest of the garden and orchard.

I love orchards, the warmth, the scent and the colour at this time of year. 

Apples and pears were falling to the floor as branches were weighed down by so many fruits.

 What did strike me though was the amount of berries on each of the bushes and trees around the garden

Above - Rowan Berries

Above - Red Currants

The next day we took an early morning walk at RSPB Coombes Valley

  Here I spotted ripening blackberries.

Crab Apples and below a Red Admiral butterfly more signs of late summer and the closeness of the changing of the seasons.

A few days later we walked along the canal from Westport Lake to Middleport Pottery.

The elder bushes were full of ripe berries, such a wonderful colour to guide us on our way.

As we passed by the pottery we could see the display of poppies which makes up 'The Weeping Window.'  Many of the ceramic poppies from the installation 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Blood' first shown at the Tower of London in 2014 were made in the city so it is nice for some of them to return home for a while.  The exhibition can be seen at Middleport Pottery until 16th September and we will probably visit in early September so I will write more about it then.

A Peaceful Walk on a Sunny Day

On Saturday we took a walk at Aqualate Mere Nature Reserve which is just over the county border into Shropshire and quite close to the town of Newport.

 

We followed the designated pathway towards the Mere passing through lovely woodlands and meadows where butterflies and dragonflies flitted around us. 

Eventually we arrived at the first of the two hides on this side of the Mere.

 The hides are the only way of getting close to the water and most of the birds were at the opposite end of the Mere.  We saw the usual Mallards, Coots and Moorhens, plus Canada Geese and a Golden Eye duck.  One of the photographers in the hide saw a Hobby up above and started clicking away with his very sophisticated camera.  Apparently it swooped down to take a dragon fly.

 He was teaching another photographer how to take both still and action wildlife shots. It all sounded very technical.

 With my bridge camera I concentrated on the little birds on the feeders.

Mostly blue tits and great tits. I did see a robin very briefly.

We saw lots of butterflies and dragonflies, plus some interesting plants too. 

There were lots of the butterflies  flitting around over the wildflower meadows.  Above Speckled Wood?

Red Admiral and elderberries

Perhaps a fritillary of some sort? Edit 29/8/17 - thanks to Ragged Robin who saw this was in fact a Small Copper butterfly:)

 The native orange balsam flowers have a soft, sweet scent.

 Sweet Chestnuts

Horse Tail growing in abundance under the trees

On the way home we called at Shropshire Lavender as it was the last weekend of opening for the season.

 

 Most of the lavender had been cut but I was able to purchase a few items, like lavender and goats milk soap and some quince jam that I wanted for birthday presents. 

 The cafe was open selling lavender scones and cake but we had brought a picnic with us so didn't indulge.

 I must say the little courtyard looked inviting in the afternoon sunshine.

 The orchard was quiet and peaceful and full of apples

 and also damsons.

There is something so special about the scent and the colour in an orchard at this time of year.