Freebies in the Garden

During Spring and summer many colourful little visitors favour us with their presence in the garden. 

I love the many Papaver somniferum - Opium poppies seen in the garden this year. They are stately, very robust, and have great structure. Their seeds are edible and can be used in cakes and sprinkled on homemade bread. 
I am not sure how they arrived - possibly they were carried here on the wind, but I think that it is most likely that they came courtesy of some birds.

More free colour is supplied by the Meadow Crane's-Bill which is a member of the Geranium family.

There seems to be a significant increase in the bee population this year which is very pleasing.

These Common Spotted Orchids grow as individual flowers in the grasslands that surround our home, but here they have formed a clump and found themselves a home in the middle of a large Phormium tenax - New Zealand flax plant that I have growing in a huge pot.

There are lots of these Meconopsis cambrica - Welsh poppies, which have been in flower continuously since the early Spring.

Plenty of wild Aquilegia vulgaris - Columbine - they tend to hybridise with my cultivated ones and produce a variety of different colours.

At this time of year there is a bountiful show of pink and white Foxgloves gracing the bottom of our hedgerow which are also much loved and visited by the bees.

Not all of the wild plants that arrive are welcome, but all of these are.

Cyprus......

an eastern Mediterranean island of two nations - in the south live Greek Cypriots, in the north live Turkish Cypriots. Passport controls operate at what are known as 'the green line' crossing points from one side of the island to the other. We stayed in the Turkish northern half, a less visited area revealing it's very long history at each and every turn.

This is a snapshot of places seen and visited, wildflowers enjoyed, and a guessing game for all of those who love a quiz

Bellapais Monastery
It was in northern Cyprus, in the hills above Kyrenia in the village of Bellapais that Lawrence Durrel wrote his autobiographical book "Bitter Lemons".

Deserted beaches fringed with wild Asphodelus fistulosus

Sheep safely graze - can you imagine the solitary life of a Cypriot shepherd who spends everyday of the year wandering the countryside with his flock of sheep? In Cyprus as in many other eastern Mediterranean and Asian countries, there are no boundaries enclosing the land. Sheep roam freely along the marginal areas and it is the shepherds job to protect them from harm.

On one distant peninsular live herds of feral donkeys, but they seem to have a canny way of detecting apples or oranges hidden away in pockets! Here several of the them turned up at an isolated Monastery we were visiting but luckily they received some treats

The architecture reveals a history of occupation stretching back over thousands of years

In the beginning Stone Age man arrived in Cyprus crossing the seas on wooden rafts from Asia Minor. They co-existed with dwarf animal species such as very small elephants and pygmy hippos.

Cyprus has been occupied or lived in by Mycenaeans, Phoenicians, Egyptians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Richard the Lion Heart, Knights Templar's, Normans, Venetians, Ottomans, and the British

Anenome coronaria

Hyoscyamus aureus

Asphodelus fistulosus

Family Convolvulaceae

Tassel Hyacinth - Leopoldia comosa - apparently the bulbs were considered a delicacy by both the Romans and the Greeks. Today on Crete, and also in Puglia, Italy, the bulbs are still eaten. Initially they are soaked in water for several days to remove any bitterness, then cooked in white vinegar before finally being preserved in olive oil - they are then used as an antipasto.  

Cyclamen persicum

Yellow Oxalis pescaprae looks wonderful scattered  over the island, but it is not something that you would want in your garden. It spreads everywhere and is impossible to remove

 Family Portulacaceae 

Ferula communis, giant fennel grows in abundance all across the island but it is inedible

Anagalis arvensis - Pimpernel

 The Mimosa trees were just coming into blossom 

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Quiz - what is the purpose and function of 

the building below?

Trekking in the Stilluptal

It's early in the day, and we have already trekked down from the Grüne Wand mountain hütte at the head of this valley - the pathway travelled can be seen meandering off into the far distance. The Stilluptal is a beautiful 'U' shaped valley that was once home to a mighty glacier which has now split into three, two parts can still be seen on the mountain top, the third is hidden by crags. On the walk through the valley we counted 25 waterfalls cascading down its rocky sides, and our attention was continually captured by the abundance of alpine flowers

How lucky were we to have it all to ourselves apart from busy bees, butterflies, insects, and the inevitable cows. As well as enjoying the magnificient scenery I was in botany heaven. The Stillup Valley is privately owned by 15 local Mayrhofen families, and entry is allowed only with permission. 

The peace and silence only broken by the screech of a bird of prey patrolling the skies, distant waterfalls crashing down from on high, and in the meadows the pleasing dulcet tones of cow bells chiming in harmony

Years ago the farmers would travel up to these high alpine meadows with their cattle and stay from early summer until September. Today with the advent of their own power for milking the cows and 4WD vehicles it is not now necessary for them to remain in these high pastures for weeks on end.

This chalet is over 400 years old, and although no longer used as a residence it still provides shelter, and a place in which to work from and stay if necessary

It is these grazing traditions that have given the Alps their distinctive appearance of large flower strewn meadows that would originally have been covered in forest

Finally after several hours the end of the valley comes within sight terminating

 at a reservoir filled with turquoise glacial waters. This is the main source of hydro electric power for the whole of the Zillertal Valley. 

Time to enjoy our well earned ham and cheese rolls

and absorb our beautiful surroundings

Nostalgia

The slightest breeze whisks a host of Rosebay-willow-herb progeny to float off high above our heads

Schools are back, and we have had our first Fine Art Society lecture following the summer break - Edvard Munch: Mother, Mistresses and Models. The talk was by a brilliant speaker who has inspired me to learn more about him and his life. I have never really understood Munch's paintings which predominately seem to be about his preoccupation with the emotions of isolation, melancholy, and despair. 

via

National Gallery, Oslo, Norway

Munch's painting of 'The Scream' is a disturbing image, apparently his intention was to show an anxiety ridden vision of the soul. It is the second most universally recognised painting in the world - no prizes for guessing which is number one!

Making the most of these warm balmy September days

Savouring evening walks before the sun slips below the horizon - a little quicker each night

Like the turning hands on a clock the seasons roll on

The hedgerows and bushes are overflowing with seeds and fruits

There is still colour in the garden

folklore predicts and heralds a harsh winter

following a bountiful season of berries
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I am heading off in a few days to the land of my childhood 

My ballet teacher gave my poor mother the task of dying white towelling brown and then the job of making me this fox outfit. I recall my father spending time pulling bristles out of our yard brush for the whiskers, but sadly neither the whiskers nor my mother's embroidered black snout and green eyes are visible on this old photo.