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A Suffolk Lane

~ A diary of my life in rural north Suffolk.

A Suffolk Lane

Tag Archives: primulas

A Winter Miscellany

06 Wed Jan 2016

Posted by Clare Pooley in churches, Days out, family, literature, plants, Rural Diary, trees, walking

≈ 38 Comments

Tags

bare trees, birch, corsican pine oak, Harleston, hedgehog, honeysuckle, pinks, primulas, Robert Louis Stevenson, Scots Pine, St Cross South Elmham, St Georges church, The Black Arrow, Tunstall Forest, viburnum bodnantense, walking, winter-flowering honeysuckle

I had a lot of difficulty trying to think of a title to this post as it is made up of a mishmash of lots of different photos taken from the beginning of December up to New Year’s Day and at a number of locations.

DSCN0029Hedgehog

A young hedgehog I saw wandering about the garden during the day at the beginning of December.

This little creature looked healthy enough, though still not quite full-grown.  It seemed unbothered by my presence and was trotting about looking for and finding things to eat in the garden.  The photo is a little blurred because it didn’t keep still long enough for me to take a good picture of it.  Hedgehogs are normally nocturnal mammals and only emerge during the daytime if disturbed or hungry.  They hibernate during the winter but emerge during mild spells of weather to feed.

DSCN0090Viburnum

The Viburnum bodnantense is in full flower and smells divine!

DSCN0093Winter-flowering Honeysuckle

The Winter-flowering Honeysuckle is also flowering and its scent is beautiful.

DSCN0101Pinks in bud

The Primulas in Richard’s border are in flower and his Pinks are covered in flower-buds.

Not only do we have all these flowers but also miniature Iris, Grape Hyacinths and Hyacinths are in flower.  On my travels I have seen Daffodils, Snowdrops and Winter Aconites.  My mother’s garden has Hardy Geraniums still in flower from the autumn and also the bright red flowers of Ornamental Quince.  We have had a lot of rain (though much less than in the north and north-west of the country) – the ditches are filling fast, the roads are thick with mud and have standing water on them and parts of our garden are like a quagmire.  The grass hasn’t stopped growing but it is too wet for it to be cut.  I spent some time a few days ago pulling out Stinging Nettle runners from under our Crabapple tree.

DSCN0088Possibly algae

This seaweed-like algae has started growing out from the edge of the grass onto our driveway.

DSCN0059St George's church St Cross

This is St George’s church at St Cross South Elmham – another of the churches in our benefice.

I had reason to call in to this church a couple of days before Christmas and while there I thought I’d take a few photos.  I didn’t have much time to spare so only took a few pictures – I hope to return there again soon and finish the job.

The church is large and seems very tall especially as one approaches it from the bottom of the valley.  I didn’t have time to walk round the outside of the church or visit the grave of the Canadian poet and writer, Elizabeth Smart.

DSCN0060St Cross

Inside the church

DSCN0061St Cross

Sunlight entering through the clear windows

DSCN0062St Cross

A very attractive pulpit and the tiny staircase that used to climb up to the rood loft

DSCN0063St Cross

I like the little bracket on the wall above the reading desk.

DSCN0064St Cross

The altar with its painted reredos. The picture on the left is of St George.

DSCN0066St Cross

The pretty pipe-organ.

DSCN0067St Cross

The heater – a venerable one!

DSCN0071St Cross

A watcher from up in the roof.

DSCN0072St Cross

In this photo you can see where the face is. There are others elsewhere in the church.

DSCN0073St Cross

This person with the jolly face, long auburn hair and white shirt is up in the roof too.

DSCN0074St Cross

This carving round the door is in the porch.

DSCN0075St Cross

This is part of the wooden ceiling to the porch.

DSCN0077The Beck

This is The Beck flowing through St Cross.

DSCN0076The Beck

The road crosses The Beck by a bridge which I looked over to watch the water racing through underneath.

DSCN0108The Magpie in Harleston

The Magpie (or as it’s now known, the JD Young Hotel – so boring!) in Harleston.

We stopped off in Harleston on our way back home after taking Alice to the station on New Year’s Eve.  Harleston is a town on the north side of the River Waveney and in Norfolk.  The Waveney is the border between Suffolk and Norfolk.

DSCN0109Harleston

This is another view of the town from the same spot – outside the bank where Richard was withdrawing some money. By the time I had taken this photo he had finished the transaction and had walked off, as you can see.

DSCN0110The Swan in Harleston

The Swan. Another of the inns in Harleston

DSCN0111Adnam's shop Harleston

The Adnam’s Shop, Harleston.

After we had finished our shopping we treated ourselves to a wander round this shop.  Adnam’s is a local brewery based in Southwold.  They brew many different types of beer and ale and recently have started to produce wines and spirits as well. They opened a very large store selling their beers and spirits and also cooking utensils, china and glassware in Southwold.  This shop in Harleston is a much smaller version of their main store.

DSCN0115Tunstall forest

Tunstall Forest

On New Year’s Day, Richard, Elinor and I went for a walk in Tunstall Forest.  The forest is managed by The Forestry Commission and is about 20 miles to the south of where we live.

One of my favourite books when I was a girl (and I still enjoy reading it now) was The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson.  I was overjoyed to find that I was living near the Tunstall Forest of the book when I moved to Suffolk in 1988.  Surprisingly, this walk was the first time I had visited the place.

The day was very dull and the ground was muddy from the quantities of rain we had had recently.  It was difficult getting decent photos of the walk and there wasn’t much to see of special interest.  However, the walk in the fresh air and in good company was good in itself.

DSCN0116Tunstall forest

The forest is predominantly Scots Pine and Corsican Pine used as a crop but since the Great Storm of 1987 when many of the trees were lost, it has been replanted with mixed woodland.

DSCN0121Tunstall forest

The rides through the forest are wide and sandy and I look forward to returning here in the spring and summer.

DSCN0123Tunstall forest

The Gorse was in flower and the bright yellow flowers were a welcome sight.

DSCN0149Tunstall forest

I noticed this toadstool at the edge of the path.

DSCN0117Tunstall forest

More fungi.

Moss
Moss
More moss
More moss
Even more moss
Even more moss
DSCN0125Tunstall forest

Another view from our walk

DSCN0131Tunstall forest

A fallen tree with its roots in the air.

DSCN0136Tunstall forest

I was surprised to see these new Oak leaves

DSCN0144Tunstall forest

New Honeysuckle leaves

DSCN0134Tunstall forest

A fine tree next to the ride.

DSCN0148Tunstall forest

Proof that I didn’t walk alone. Elinor in the foreground and Richard in the distance.

And now for my music choice.

Thanks for visiting!

 

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A Mild Weekend

10 Tue Mar 2015

Posted by Clare Pooley in Gardening, plants, Rural Diary, Uncategorized, weather, wild birds

≈ 33 Comments

Tags

chaffinches, Coffee morning, daffodils, euonymus, gardening, goldfinches, grass-cutting, green woodpecker, hedge-cutting, honey bees, honeysuckle, ladybird, primulas, Robin, rosemary, weather

IMG_1929Miniature daffodils (640x427)

These daffodils are only about 8″ tall – I like their delicate yellow colour.  The clay soil in the flowerbed had already formed a hard crust when I took this photo.

We had hardly any rain last week and as a strong breeze was blowing most of the time, the ground at last started to dry out and we weren’t sinking into the lawn at every step.  We had a few frosts that disappeared very quickly and the temperature rose progressively through the week until at the weekend we had temperatures in the mid teens (Centigrade).

IMG_1928Bee on honeysuckle (640x469)

A honey bee on honeysuckle. We have some new neighbours living near us who have bee hives. On Thursday I saw that their bees had ventured out and were enjoying our honeysuckle flowers.

Both Richard and I worked quite hard in the garden this weekend, trying to catch up with the tidying chores that should have been done in the autumn and make a start on the jobs that need to be done in the spring.

IMG_4078Rosemary in flower (640x480)

Rosemary in flower against the front wall of our house.

IMG_4079Rosemary flowers (640x480)

Rosemary flowers.  Whilst weeding on Sunday I found a number of rosemary seedlings.

The job that Richard was most pleased about was getting the grass cut at last.  He has cut it long to start with and next weekend (weather permitting) he will cut it shorter.  He had also not been able to finish cutting the Leylandii hedge last autumn and on Sunday he worked on that too.  There is only the top to cut now and if the ground continues to dry out he will be able to get on the stepladder without it sinking in a couple of feet and finish that next weekend as well.  Hopefully, before the birds start to nest in the hedge!  Richard wondered if gardening counts as exercise.  The nurse always looks at me in a sceptical way when I suggest that gardening should be classed as exercise.  I expect she imagines I wander about doing a little pruning and weeding – no raised heart-rate there, she thinks.  However, as most gardeners know, gardening can be very strenuous at times and I do my fair share of digging, raking and other heavy work.  Richard worked out that he had walked almost a mile and a half yesterday taking six barrow-loads of hedge clippings to the bonfire heap.  We have a large garden.

IMG_1924R mowing the grass (640x427)

Richard mowing the grass. The building on the far side of the hedge is the old school house. It is now a private dwelling.

IMG_1925Garden with fruit trees (640x427)

This is where we have planted our fruit trees at the front of the house. The school house beyond the hedge, the corner pond to the right and you can see our grey septic tank cover to the left. You can see from the tracks in the grass, Richard must have been practising his slalom driving.

Elinor didn’t have a good day on Friday and wasn’t able to get out of the car when I took her to college.  I brought her home again and she slept for a few hours and felt a little better when she woke.  She has had three out of four results for her mock GCSE exams so far.  Psychology A, English A and Maths E.  An E is only just a pass but we are pleased that she did as well as she did with only having attended half a dozen classes at college.  She is determined to do better and really wants to get at least a C grade.

IMG_4083Primula (640x496)
IMG_4084Primula (640x480)
IMG_4085Primula (640x480)

Richard and I went to the church coffee morning on Saturday which was held at the Rector’s house.  The Rector is still recovering from heart surgery and was pale and thin but gamely hosted the gathering.   We won a picture frame in the raffle and I bought a delicious sticky tea bread and some more of the Rector’s home-made marmalade.  We indulged in the usual chat and gossip.  There are a few events coming up soon.  Cordelia is holding her annual Daffodil Day (on Palm Sunday this year), when we admire her beautiful garden and buy food and goods from stalls in aid of church funds.  Our other friends, Pam and Ian are holding an Open Garden on Easter Monday also in aid of church funds and their garden is always a joy to visit too.

IMG_4076Ladybird on euonymus (640x480)

Ladybird on Euonymus

I had a migraine on Saturday so wasn’t able to take advantage of the fine weather.  Sunday started very fair but by the time we left church it was starting to cloud over and we had a little drizzle then rain showers during the afternoon.  The weather didn’t stop us working outside as it was so mild.

IMG_4075Flixton churchyard (640x480)

The churchyard at Flixton where we attended the service on Sunday.

IMG_1911Green Woodpecker (640x448)

Green Woodpecker

IMG_1912Green Woodpecker (640x445)

Green Woodpecker

IMG_1913Green Woodpecker (640x427)

Green Woodpecker. I am glad we have these visiting our garden because they enjoy ants eggs and our garden seems to be one enormous anthill!

I think the woodpecker is a female as the males have a crimson centre to their moustachial stripe.

IMG_1914Chaffinches and Goldfinches (640x460)

Chaffinches and Goldfinches feeding under the crabapple tree.

House Sparrows on fat feeder
House Sparrows on fat feeder
House Sparrows on fat feeder
House Sparrows on fat feeder
IMG_1919Chaffinches (640x427)

Chaffinches

IMG_1920Robin (640x460)

Robin

Just a few of the birds in our garden.

Thank-you for visiting!

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Monday’s Garden

31 Mon Mar 2014

Posted by Clare Pooley in amphibians, churches, cooking, Gardening, Insects, plants, Rural Diary, trees

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

blackthorn, bullace, cowslip, daffodils, Elmer Fudd, fritillaries, greengage, jonquils, ladybird, lathyrus, Mothering Sunday, pieris, primulas, rabbits, saxifrage, simnel cake, wild cherry

 

I must admit to having an Elmer Fudd moment this morning.  I went to have a look at the cowslip/primula plants I had transplanted last weekend and to my horror I saw that all the flowers and buds had been eaten on almost all the plants.  I suspect some wascally wabbit!  I will now not know until next spring which of the plants are normal cowslips to be planted at the top of the ditch and which are the different ones to be grown on elsewhere.

Image

Very strange weather today.  It was quite warm – in fact it got to 18 degrees centigrade but we only got a little sunshine at midday and then a few showers of rain during the afternoon.  Quite humid all day and extremely cloudy this afternoon.   I walked round the garden checking on the bird feeders and looking to see what plants had started to grow or flower since Saturday.  I hadn’t been able to get into the garden at all yesterday as I had been busy cooking lunch after coming home from church and then entertaining Mum all the afternoon.  We had had a good Mothering Sunday service at church and all the women had been presented with little posies of flowers.  The Rector looked wonderful in his rose coloured chasuble but sneakily removed it before I could photograph him!

My eldest daughter A had sent me a card which had arrived in the post on Saturday and she telephoned me when I got back from church.  E gave me a card and two stoneware pots for the garden.  Mum arrived bringing with her an apple pie and a simnel cake.  My mother will be 84 in a couple of weeks time and can hardly see but she still manages to bake and garden and run her house with no help at all.

Mum’s simnel cake.

001Simnel cake 2014 (640x480)

 

The goose is still sitting on her nest on the island.  She probably only has another week or so to go until her eggs hatch and then we’ll see how many goslings there are.  While I walked round the pond I heard not only frogs croaking but also what I assume to be toads as well.  We do get toads in the garden but I’ve never noticed them in the pond before.  I also saw flower buds on the marsh marigold in the big pond that has never flowered before as well.  I was really quite pleased about this as the pond has looked so awful since we had the work done to remove most of the willow scrub.  What willows we have left are full of pussy willow flowers and alive with so many bees.

The wild damson or bullace tree is in flower.

003Damson or bullace flowers (640x480)

037Damson or bullace flowers (480x640)

The wild or bird cherry is also just coming into flower too.

019Wild or bird cherry (640x480)

022Wild or bird cherry (640x480)

Our greengage tree has its first flowers.  We planted it the autumn before last and it didn’t flower at all last year but grew very well.  My mother-in-law had asked us if we would grow one as she likes greengages so we got it especially for her and we call it Joyce (her name).

031Greengage flower (640x480)

The blackthorn at the front of the house is now in full flower.  The tree at the back of the house has finished flowering and the tree by the front gate hasn’t started to flower yet.  The front of the house is colder than the back and the gate is coldest and shadiest of all.

027Blackthorn at front of house (640x480)

My pieris ‘Forest Flame’ has new leaves on it.

005Pieris 'Forest Flame' (480x640)

The saxifrage has started to flower.

008Saxifrage flower (640x480)

009Saxifrage flowers (640x480)

The new Frittilaries under the crabapple are flowering.  I am pleased to see that there is a white one.

023Frittilaries (640x480)

Primulas.

024Primulas (640x480)

Cowslip.

025Cowslip (480x640)

Daffodils at the front of the house at the edge of the ditch.

026Daffodils (640x480)

A seven-spot ladybird on a daffodil.  A lot of our daffodils suffered in the hail and rain we had last Wednesday and they also have to put up with all sorts of wild fowl trampling over them.

028Seven spot ladybird on daffodil (640x480)

An orange-red cowslip.

036Orange-red cowslip (640x480)

Jonquils.

039Jonquils (640x480)

Lathyrus vernus ‘Spring Beauty’.  This is an ornamental vetch – a member of the pea family.

040Lathyrus vernus 'Spring Beauty' (480x640)

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I talk about what it's like living in a quiet part of Suffolk. I am a wife, mother and daughter, a practising Christian and love the natural world that surrounds me. I enjoy my life - most of the time!

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