Saturday 16 July 2016

Hedges were festooned with wreathes of black bryony and honeysuckle

In her entry for June the 26th, Edith described a long country walk in which ...

We picnicked under the hedge with pink and white Clover bloom and tall grasses nodding round our heads, while a pair of excited Robins chattered and fluttered in the bushes round us.

My break with others was a little less bucolic, on Wednesday the 29th we spent some time at the Arden hotel playing board games and pool, followed by a meal. I stepped out for a moment and checked the House Martin nests. I saw an adult bird coming away from one nest and heard the young within. 

June 29 - Family of Coots near Crowne Plaza.
The next morning, I saw a little family of coots just outside the Crowne Plaza hotel and saw House Martins swooping over Pendigo lake. I also saw both types of clover.
June 29 - Red Clover.

June 29 - White Clover.
In her entry for July the 7th, Edith says:

In many places the hedges were festooned with wreathes of black bryony and honeysuckle.

29 June - White Bryony near the Crowne Plaza
It took some doing but I managed to find both White Bryony and Honeysuckle in the wooded areas on the edge of Pendigo lake.  Edith goes on to say:

The pale pink Blackberry blossom and the large white masses of white Elderflower blossom are everywhere conspicuous. Climbing up the banks to meet them are tall purple foxgloves and nodding heads of grass heavy with pollen, mingled with yellow and purple vetch and clover blossom.

June 29 - Birds-Foot Trefoil.
June 29 - Ox-eye daisies.
June 29 - Elderflower.
June 29 - Foxgloves and Resort World.
I found several of these flowers around the edge of Pendigo lake. While I was photographing the foxgloves, I saw two Common Terns flying over the water.

Later in her July 7th entry, Edith says:

In a corn field of growing wheat, I saw a number of blossoms of the Opium Poppy; their large red blossoms made fine patches of colour among the green blades. 

June 29 - Opium Poppy.
Near Pendigo lake, I found Opium Poppies and other garden flowers.

In her July 11th entry, Edith tells us that she "Went by train to Knowle and walked across the fields to Packwood." and goes on to describe the flowers that she sees.

My journey from Birmingham International to Euston wasn't so picturesque but, on my way to the station, I saw some flowers on shingle heaped up beside a car park and in nearby grass.
June 30 - Common Cudweed.
June 30 - Sea Mayweed
June 30 - Self Heal.
June 30 - Scarlet pimpernel.

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