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A Suffolk Lane

~ A diary of my life in rural north Suffolk.

A Suffolk Lane

Tag Archives: silver birch

Autumn in a Suffolk Lane – Part 2

11 Sun Oct 2015

Posted by Clare Pooley in churches, Days out, Gardening, music, plants, Rural Diary, trees

≈ 42 Comments

Tags

Acorn, ash keys, Astrantia, autumn, Bantam Cock, beach, chickens, Chrysanthemum, conker, dogwood, Dunwich Heath, dwarf gorse, eating apples, Elderberries, fungi, gardening, GERANIUM, Grove snail, Hibiscus, Jake Thackray, Knopper gall, leaf colour, Linstead Magna, Linstead Parva, liverwort, Michaelmas Daisy, moorhen, Pyracantha, rough sea, Salvia, silver birch, Suffolk, sunset, Tansy, viola

IMG_5766Beach at Dunwich Heath

The beach at Dunwich Heath.

We visited yet another of our local beaches on a very windy, cool afternoon recently.  We only stayed on the beach for a short while because the wind was so biting; Elinor and I both got earache.

IMG_5767Beach at Dunwich heath

The mist in the distance is sea-spray.

IMG_5768Beach at Dunwich Heath

The waves were quite rough but the tide was going out.

IMG_5769Beach at Dunwich Heath

Foam was left on the sand and was blowing about.

IMG_5770Dead fish

This little fish must have come too close to the shore.

IMG_5771Snail on bracken

This Grove Snail (Cepaea nemoralis) attached to its bit of bracken was swinging about in the wind.

My ID guide suggests that the Grove Snail “is used to demonstrate the survival of the fittest in evolution, because Thrushes eat the snails which are least well camouflaged against their environment.”

IMG_5772Gorse

The Heather (Calluna vulgaris) was past its best but the Dwarf Gorse (Ulex minor) was looking wonderful

IMG_5776Sunset

Another sunset.

In a post I wrote a couple of weeks ago I mentioned that the bright yellow of the Perennial Sow-thistle was not common at this time of year.  I will have to eat my words because most of the flowers I have seen since then have been yellow!

IMG_5778Tansy

Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) seen on the roadside between Linstead Magna and the village of Linstead Parva *(see below)

IMG_5779Tansy

The Tansy has very aromatic leaves and the little button flowerheads are made up of disc florets only.

IMG_5780Tansy

The genus name ‘Tanecetum’ and the name Tansy are both derived from the Greek word for immortality. The plant was believed to give  eternal life to the drinker of an infusion made from it.

Tansy used to be used as a flavouring in food until fairly recently.  Egg dishes especially, were enhanced by the use of finely chopped tansy leaves.  Tansy was also used as an alternative to expensive imported spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon and Tansy Cake at Easter was very popular.  Because of the strength of its scent, Tansy was also used as a repellent, keeping mice from corn and flies from meat.

IMG_5781Dogwood

Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea)

Close to where I photographed the Tansy I found this hedge of Dogwood.  It was covered in large black berries – the largest I have ever seen on a Dogwood – and most of  the leaves had turned a beautiful red.  Dogwood leaves are usually a much darker, duller maroon in Autumn.

IMG_5782Dogwood

What also surprised me about these Dogwood bushes was seeing flowers in bloom at the same time as the berries and the red leaves.

It isn’t easy to see them in this photo so I cropped it.

IMG_5782Dogwood - Copy

One of the flower-heads is in the centre of this picture.  The couple of weeks of warm and sunny weather we have had recently had fooled the bush into thinking it was spring again.

Richard and I have been working in the garden, getting it ready for winter.  I only seem able to get out there a couple of days a week but I have managed to get quite a lot done.  One of my jobs has been tidying behind the garden shed and round the back of the greenhouse.  Behind the shed was rank with weeds, mainly stinging nettles, which I was able to pull out fairly easily as the soil is quite damp there.  I had stored lots of pots and tubs full of spring bulbs behind the greenhouse so these have come back out to be smartened up and got ready for next spring.  I discovered other flowerpots that should have been emptied and cleaned ages ago.

IMG_5783Marchantia polymorpha liverwort with snail

This pot was covered with liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. It has little green cups on the leaf-like structures (thallus). Do you see the baby snail?

IMG_5818Fungus

We have a lot of fungus all over the grass in our garden. Nothing exciting or colourful, just brown and cream-coloured toadstools. These had been nibbled by something.

IMG_5814Fungus
IMG_5816Fungus

Two other unidentified types of fungi.

IMG_5786Hibiscus

I have had this Hibiscus for about 26 years. It was a gift from my ex-mother-in-law who brought this with her when she came to see us when Alice was a tiny girl.

I love these double flowers – the peach petals have dark crimson bases.

IMG_5788Chrysanthemum

Richard has a new Chrysanthemum flower

IMG_5789Geranium

My Geraniums are still flowering

IMG_5792Viola

I like this pretty Viola

IMG_5799Michaelmas Daisy
IMG_5800Michaelmas Daisy
IMG_5807Michaelmas Daisy

Three different Michaelmas Daisies

IMG_5808Salvia

Salvia

IMG_5811Astrantia

The three ages of Astrantia

IMG_5793Elderberries

Elderberries from the bush at the end of the drive.

IMG_5805Acorn

Acorn  This is the first time in years that these acorns aren’t affected by Knopper galls.

018Acorns with galls (640x458)

This is a photo I took last year of Knopper gall damage on acorns

IMG_5806Conker

‘Conker’

IMG_5815Ash keys

Ash ‘keys’

IMG_5795Autumn colour

The trees in our lane

IMG_5812Silver birch

Our Silver Birch is changing colour

IMG_5813Birch leaves

Birch leaves

IMG_5797Pyracantha

I pruned our Pyracantha recently

IMG_5821Apple tree damage

We not only had a lot of aphid damage to our apple trees in the spring and early summer but the apples on this tree are now being eaten by Moorhens!  It is odd seeing water birds wobbling about in the trees gulping down our apples as fast as they can.

We are getting a little tired of next-door’s free-range chickens in our garden all day.  They kick about in the flower beds and damage seedlings; they peck off flowers and generally make a mess of the paths, beds and compost heaps in the garden.  We have spoken to our neighbours about it a few times but they don’t appear to have any intention of keeping their chickens on their own land.  They have a constant supply of chicks too.

Linstead Magna (large/greater Linstead) is now a small collection of houses and farm buildings.  The church no longer exists but I spoke to someone some years ago who remembered the church and used to attend it.  For more information about this church see here.

Linstead Parva (small/lesser Linstead) is a pleasant little village with a pretty church.  In spring the churchyard is covered in snowdrops and other spring flowers.

Thanks for visiting!

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A Few More Things.

24 Fri Apr 2015

Posted by Clare Pooley in Gardening, plants, Rural Diary, trees, wild animals, wild birds

≈ 45 Comments

Tags

aubretia, bluetit, daffodils, daisy, dandelion, Elder, greylags, Hawthorn, heartsease, Muntjac deer, near-species rose, nests, pussy willow, rhubarb, silver birch, snail-trail, spear thistle, spring, Suffolk, willow

In between racing about in my car to Norwich and Mum’s house, the doctor’s surgery and the hospital, shopping trips to Harleston, Halesworth, Bungay and Diss, I have been able to take my camera with me as I walk round the garden, filling all the bird feeders.  I haven’t had time for any gardening for about ten days and I miss it!  The weather here has continued bright and dry with frosty, misty mornings and warmish days (as long as you are out of the chilly NE wind).  Today has been much warmer with a change of wind direction but according to the forecast, this will not last.  Rain and cold are set to return by the end of the weekend.

IMG_2026Hawthorn (640x427)

Hawthorn leaves. We have two types of Hawthorn in our garden hedges, Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and Midland Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata). This is probably Midland Hawthorn or maybe a hybrid between the two.

IMG_2027Daisy (640x427)

A Daisy (Bellis perennis). I love its simplicity.

IMG_2029Elder (640x427)

The Elder leaves (Sambucus nigra) are now almost fully out and have lost the pink tinge they had. They are matte mid-green leaves.  Last year we had the best elder blossom I’d seen for many years.

IMG_2035Pussy Willow (640x482)

Goat Willow or Sallow catkins (Salix caprea). Male and female catkins are on separate trees and appear before the leaves. Sallows are a food plant for many different types of moth. The catkins are known as ‘Pussy Willow’ when they first appear as they look and feel like silky cats paws.

IMG_2038Heartsease (640x427)

I found a Heartsease or Wild Pansy (Viola tricolor) plant on the path round the big pond. Next to it there is also the first rosette of Spear Thistle leaves (Cirsium vulgare).

IMG_2044Birch (640x427)

Silver Birch leaves (Betula pendula)

IMG_2046 (640x427)

I love standing underneath our tree and looking up. Silver Birches eventually grow to be about 26 metres tall. I don’t think ours has quite got there yet.

IMG_2048Bluetit (640x427)

This Bluetit (Parus caeruleus) sitting in the Birch tree looks a little strange. It has a black sunflower seed in its beak.

IMG_2049Bluetit (640x427)

It spent some time taking the seedcase off…

IMG_2050Bluetit (640x427)

…and eating the seed within.

IMG_2055Geese (640x427)

The Greylags (Anser anser) have been amusing me a lot lately. The geese are much calmer than the ganders. The goose here is up close eating some food I put out for it. The gander is further away and hissing at me.

IMG_4468Greylag (640x480)

This one I found the other morning standing on top of the hedge.

IMG_2043Goose (640x427)

The original goose on her nest on the island…

IMG_4469Greylags nesting (640x480)

…was joined last weekend by another goose (nearest to us).

IMG_4472Goose nest (640x480)

A third goose has made her nest on the edge of the pond. I surprised her and she surprised me when I walked round the pond yesterday. I am not sure how successful this nest will be as it is quite vulnerable to fox predation.

IMG_4474Dandelion (640x480)

A Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

IMG_4477Daffodils (480x640)

Daffodils along the ditch at the front of the house

IMG_2051Daffodil (640x427)

Daffodils at the top of the ditch between us and the old School House.

IMG_2052Rhubarb (640x427)

Our Rhubarb (Rheum x hybridum ‘Timperley Early’) looking majestic.

IMG_2067Shrub rose (640x427)

A very early flowering near-species rose has buds on it. (Rosa xanthina  ‘Canary Bird’)

IMG_2065Aubretia (640x427)

Aubretia

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

IMG_4403Snail trail (480x640)

Richard pointed out this snail trail up the side of the house!

IMG_4404Deer (640x513)

I saw this Muntjac deer doe very early the other morning. It was eating the crabapple tree! The leaf shapes on the window are meant to stop birds crashing into the glass but aren’t very successful. I usually have to pull the window-blind down to stop them!

IMG_4405Deer (640x480)

Very blurred photo! You can see how stocky/thickset these deer are and also the white in their ears.

IMG_4406Deer (640x480)

The does don’t have antlers but have a dark triangular patch on their foreheads.

IMG_4408Deer (640x480)

I think I see her tongue sticking out as she chews a mouthful of leafy twig.

IMG_4409Deer (640x480)

I had great trouble trying to focus on the deer. The camera wanted to focus on the window glass of the double-glazing or the daffodils behind the deer.

IMG_4416The new mower (640x480)

Richard on his new tractor-mower. The old one wasn’t working too well so we part-exchanged it for a newer, better model. It has a mulching facility which will be good to use in the summer.

I must share some good news I heard today.  My daughter Alice has been told she has her PhD.  She is now Doctor Alice!  I  am so proud of her.

Thank-you for visiting!

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In My Garden

14 Sat Feb 2015

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

≈ 31 Comments

Tags

Ash, birds, blackthorn, catkins, Christmas box, crocus, flying mallards, garden plants, goldfinch, hazel, hazel gall, horse chestnut, ice, iris reticulata, lichen, Mahonia, moon, pond, reflections, silver birch, song thrush, Suffolk, trees, winter-flowering honeysuckle, witch-hazel

This is a post featuring a few of the things I have noticed in our garden recently.  A large part of the garden is exposed to the prevailing south-westerly wind and we find plants here are slower to grow and flower than those in other gardens near us.  I have seen large carpets of Winter Aconites in other peoples gardens but there is no sign of them here at all.   The beds around the house and near the hedge are more sheltered and this is where we see the first signs of spring.

IMG_1868Ash buds (640x427)

Buds on the Ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior)

I like the Ash’s black, conical buds – they look a little like deer hooves.  So far, we haven’t found any sign of ‘Ash die-back’ in our garden yet.  This is caused by the Hymenoscyphus fraxineus fungus.  East Anglia is badly affected and has lost many of its Ash trees already.

IMG_1849Horse Chestnut leaf buds (640x427)

Horse-chestnut sticky buds (Aesculus hippocastanum)

IMG_1854Buds on Blackthorn in hedge (640x427)

Little red buds on the Blackthorn in the hedge (Prunus spinosa)

While I was photographing these I looked up and found a Barn Owl was flying straight towards me.  I don’t know who was more surprised, the owl or me!  I tried to photograph it before it veered away from me but I couldn’t focus in time.

IMG_1855Lichen in the hedge (640x427)

Lichen in the hedge

IMG_1847Hazel catkins (640x427)

 Hazel male catkins (Corylus avellana)

 

IMG_1848Female flowers of Hazel (640x427)

Hazel female catkins with their tiny red petals

IMG_1865Catkin 'bud' (640x427)

Hazel bud

 

 

IMG_1864Catkin starting to emerge (640x427)

Hazel buds.

I wondered what these were on our hazel trees as I had never noticed them before.  None of my books mentioned buds looking like this so I googled for information and discovered a photograph that looked like mine on ramblingsofanaturalist.blogspot.com.  The author says that these are bud galls made by the mite Phytoptus avellanae.  He also talks about unopened brown catkins which have been attacked by either the mite Phyllocoptes coryli or the Cedidomyid midge Contarinia coryli.   I had also seen distorted brown catkins and had wondered about them too but had been unable to get a clear photo of them.

IMG_1861Reflection in pond (640x427)

Reflection of sky and cloud in our big pond

IMG_1862Flying ducks (640x440)

Flying ducks

IMG_1853Birch catkins (640x427)

Our Silver Birch tree (Betula pendula) is also growing its catkins.

IMG_3948Ice on the pond (640x480)

Thin ice on the pond. Hail has got frozen onto the ice that was already there.

IMG_3947Icy pond (640x480)

The icy pond

IMG_3953Witch Hazel (640x480)
IMG_3954Witch-hazel (640x480)

The Witch-hazel (Hamamelis) is flowering in its large pot next to the front door and on mild days fills the porch with scent.

IMG_3955Christmas Box (640x480)

The Christmas Box (Sarcococca) is also scenting the garden.

IMG_3956Winter-flowering Honeysuckle (640x480)

Another scented shrub – the Winter-flowering Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima)

This shrub Honeysuckle is a real favourite of mine.  Its small flowers are powerfully scented and it flowers from mid-winter until well into spring hardly stopping except in the harshest of weathers.  It is virtually evergreen and the flowers are followed by bright red heart-shaped berries loved by Blackbirds.

IMG_3958Mahonia (640x480)

The Mahonia (Mahonia x media ‘Charity’) with its Lily-of-the-Valley scent has been flowering since the end of October.

IMG_4027Miniature iris (640x480)

The first of my miniature Iris Reticulata bloomed today

IMG_1858Crocus (640x427)

A tiny crocus has appeared in the rough grass under one of the crabapple trees.

IMG_1859Crocuses (640x427)

I found some more – paler ones this time. I hope the birds don’t rip them up and the mole doesn’t dig them up.

 

 

IMG_1842Goldfinch (640x424)

Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

IMG_1843Song Thrush (640x427)

Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)

Finally, here is the setting full moon seen on the morning of 4th February.

IMG_3967Setting moon (640x480)
IMG_3971Setting moon (640x480)
IMG_3973Setting moon (640x480)
IMG_3975Setting moon (640x480)
IMG_3976Setting moon (640x480)

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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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