Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Orchard Day, Oxlip, Cowslip or False Oxlip




The Orchard

The above is a joiner photo I took from the top of the orchard. Jim had just cut the grass and it looked particularly good.


This is the very top of the orchard, which I cleared a short while ago. It was where the turkey shed was and was covered in wire, wood, nettles and brambles. Jim will grass seed it.


This is a joiner of the wood at the bottom of the orchard. Jim just mows a path around it. Do click on it if you would like to enlarge it.


The horse chestnut leave had just come out. I wonder whether we'll have any conkers this year?


A carpet of celandine


They are such sunny flowers.


This rather worn swing hangs from one of the old apple trees. I wouldn't sit on it anymore though.

The soft fruit bushes are once again covered in tiny berries - they will get bigger!

Blackcurrants


White currants - there area always thousands of them - but they're very small and a pain to pick.


These rather beautiful daffodils have just come out in the orchard. Jim has to mow round them.

A last joiner taken from the wood up towards the top of the orchard. The darker green under the trees is wild garlic.

The Oxlip puzzle.


Cowslip. These are in the garden to the left of our gate and we also have a hybrid, shown below.



This is known as a False Oxlip. The true Oxlip is apparently confined to just a few areas in the UK and so far there hasn't been any in Ireland. The False Oxlip is in fact a cross between a cowslip and primrose.


This is a photo taken from the Internet of a True Oxlip. So now you know!

ATCs

We have reached P in our Artist Trading Card group and I received this rather cute ATC from soulbrush. P is for Painting:


Now I thought they were singing into a microphone first but they are paint brushes! I think I'm the one on the right!


Soul also enclosed all these great goodies. Lots of cute cats and wonderful sayings all about chocolate - how well you know me Joss!

I don't think I've shown you my 'O'. I ended up doing O for Orbiting Owl!



This has headed off to Florida to Cat.

My P is for Puffin, a stitched one that has stuffing behind it:


Today Jim and I finished digging over the vegetable bed. Phew, it was a bigger job than we thought.

On Wednesday, we are off to the UK by ferry this time so we can bring back any remaining things from the house in Worthing. If all goes well, we will make a super fast trip up to Suffolk to see Jason, Sam, Jack and Kitty for the afternoon on Sunday. Then it's car packing on Monday and back to Ireland Tuesday. Poor Buster will not be happy.

17 comments:

steven said...

bt the magical flowers and scenes of the outdoors are astonishing!!! thanks for sharing them here. steven

DK said...

super post momma, lovely to see. Have a grand time in the UK, your book was posted today so hope you get it! :D

Love you xxx

Rachel Green said...

I love the photos of your orchard!
I miss the cowslips I used to see in Darley Dale, and the scent of wild garlic.

Jason said...

Ohh the orhard and freshly cut grass looks good.

Look forwrad to seeing you on Sunday. PS. Don't forget your going to Norfolk! lol xx

KathyB. said...

Your place reminds me very much of ours, and the false oxslip looks very much like the primroses we have planted here.It is a wonderful time of the year for new blooms and dreams of the "gardens to be"!Looks like there are so many possibilities for your garden this year, and lots of work~

Heather said...

You and Jim have worked so hard in your beautiful garden. I love the way you allow wild plants to colonise and add to the charm. It all looks wonderful. How lovely to have all those currants to look forward to, even if they are a pain to pick. Love your ATCs and have a great trip to UK. Love to Buster.

BT said...

Thank you for the lovely comments everyone. I've emailed you all individually for a change. xxxx

Bea said...

Such a pretty area that orchard is. Makes me want to grab my paints and sketchbook and park myself out there. Wild garlic is the bane of our existence here. It's not native so it takes over so that means we have to root it out when it comes up. It seems like an endless process but it smells good. :)Bea

marianne said...

haha so cool to see you have that real oxlip in your garden!
I picked it because it was said to be a real Irish flower.......

All the other pictures are great as well! I love it how you make these panoramic pictures! I just wonder how and with which program you do that!


Have a nice day BT!

Lynn Cohen said...

Is that spider web for real? How beautiful I thought it was a painting at first. WoW!

Love all the flowers too and the ATCs are such fun.

Cate said...

oh this is a magical place you live BT, I see the magic in it every time I visit your blog!

I wanted to pop over and let you know that I visit often and though I may not always comment because the images leave me speechless, I am touched nonetheless...

My sweet Orbiting Owl arrived today along with all of the wonderful extra goodies! You are so sweet and so special for sending such magic through the mail all the way to me in Florida! Thanks for asking about the medication, yes, it's getting better and I'm starting to feel a little better! Yahoooooo!!!

Thank you so very, very much!! You gave me a very big smile today!

hugs to you!!
xoxo

aims said...

I love the Deenery. You must be so happy there!

We are under a severe winter storm watch. Expecting 20 cms by nightfall and most of it heavy. There goes my tulips that are 'trying' to get up enough steam to produce a flower.

DJ Kirkby said...

I just love these photos of your gardens. So gorgeous.

Deborah said...

Looks like a lovely place to live! I also enjoyed your photos of the spider webs.

DJ Kirkby said...

I just popped back to say that swing photo would make an amazing book cover. I'll email you. xo

PAK ART said...

Just catching up a bit. I love the rock wall and old swing. You live in a beautiful place. Looked back a few posts and love the pictures of spider webs too. So intricate and yet so strong. Beautiful!

BT said...

Thanks again for the lovely comments. I've emailed everyone. Will wait to hear from you Denyse.