Winkworth Arboretum

It's been a funny season this autumn. Too warm for the leaves to turn to a vibrant colour.  The normal peak of colours just hasn't happened, but we took a trip today to Winkworth Arboretum, Nr Godalming, which has the benefit of a lake hoping for some good reflections. We drove in thick fog as we approached, and thought that we were wasting our time. The fog thankfully lifted just as we arrived. The sun made a brief appearance to provide enough light even if the conditions were not ideal.

The first view of the lake, with a bit of mist still lingering in the trees

And the first glimpse of the front of the "Boat House".

Continuing around the lake, and a view now back to the Boat House

The bank of trees which rises above the lake, and at last some blue sky.

The Acers were the stars of the show today

Gorgeous crimson Acer, with  purple leaves of Liquidamber beyond.

This bench is NOT level! Man surrounded by Acers

Stems of a Snakebark Maple

The borrowed view beyond the gardens.

Stowe Landscape Gardens October 2014

Following an enjoyable visit to Stowe in the summer, we had great hopes of autumnal colour. Beyond the first avenue of trees, it was however a bit disappointing...... not the fault of Stowe, just the "wrong" weather this year to get the best out of the deciduous trees. A few nice areas though. It was very quiet, and only saw about a dozen people during our visit, so used them where possible, to add a bit of life to the landscapes.

Co-incidentally, it was also my "Blip birthday" as I was to
publish my 365 consecutive photograph on Blipfoto.com today.

This tree bark was also very colourful.  Hubby in the distance wit his tripod.

This large Beech tree was the star of the day. At least whilst the sun was shining. Later, we lost the sun
and the colour was gone.

The large Beech also provided lovely shadows beneath.

Good day for reflections too.

Just 2 of only a dozen or so that we saw the whole time!

The sun came and went and at times the light went completely flat, but at this
point, great reflections and I liked the bit of grasses as foreground. 

Set my tripod up here for 20 mins whilst we ate lunch. Kept hoping
that the sun might return to light up the carpet of leaves..... it never did.

Wildlife in the garden today

I got in the garden today with my camera in an attempt to capture some wildlife. It turned out to be an interesting day starting with a frog. He sat still for  along time. Long enough for me to swap lenses and put on the macro lens! He is looking a bit thin. Perhaps his days are numbered?

Next up the ongoing battle to try to capture a decent shot of a bee........ and still failing! At least he is healthy. Never stopped still for a second as usual.

Then I was on the look out for a butterfly.  Not many around today, or most did not stay long enough to photograph them.  Then what I would describe as a Red Admiral flew in and landed on our pond. I thought this was a more unusual shot for a butterfly, rather than one on a plant,  so took a few shots. 

Then I noticed the Waterboatmen moving in on the butterfly! 3 are closing in!!

And here one is actually on the edge of the butterfly. This called for desperate action!

I reached for our pond net and managed to gently pull the butterfly towards the edge of the pond. 

It sat here for ages....... long enough for me to get a couple of shots. Then it folded it's wings tight. After a few minutes, I give it a gentle prod with my finger, and it opened and closed it wings, but still did  not move.   I had to go out for an hour , so set up my GoPro camera out of interest, so that I would know it had safely flown off once it had dried out. I came back to find it still there. I gave it another gentle prod and it fell back in the pond! At that point I lost it. As I write this blog, I have just popped back into the garden out of curiosity and the butterfly was floating on the pond. I pulled it in with the net, but this time, no sign of life.  I decided the Waterboatmen need their food too, so returned my butterfly to the pond.

A very emotional day!

The Food Chain

Life.  How do we survive? We need food and water, to exist and to multiply. This lovely bee was enjoying the rich nectar from this wonderful late flowering shrub call Caryopteris. I was trying to photograph the bee with my macro lens, and once more not happy with the results. They just NEVER stay still. It buzzed around from flower to flower along with several other bees, but it was the biggest the most attractive.

 Bzzzzzzz....

Bzzzzzzzz......

Bzzzzzz.

..... And then suddenly silence. Where had it gone?

OH NO!

Luckily the spider seemed to be busy with an earlier casualty, 

now cocooned.

Then it turned around, heading straight for MY bee!!

HELP, what to do?

Then MY bee broke free!! Phew. A happy ending.

August Macro

The Asteracea or Daisy family are the starts of the garden at this time of year, and the yellow Rudbekia Goldsturm positively sing in the garden. Their central almost black cones make a fabulous contrast to the yellow petals. The bees and flies love them too.

Rudbekia Goldsturm

 Aster Frikartii Monch with it's yellow centre  is the perfect partner for the Rudbekia

Small or possibly Large White Butterfly enjoying the nectar from Verbena Bonariensis. Not the Asteracea group, but a fabulous plant
which has been in flower since June and still going strong. 

Astrantia Major back in flower after being cut down mid July.

Stowe Landscape Gardens

As a plantaholic I am often disappointed when visiting large landscaped gardens, offering no colour other than green.  Stowe is no different and yet has plenty of interest thanks to the beautiful buildings, lakes and follies on every turn. On a day when temperatures rose once more to 30degrees, there was also plenty of shade on the pathways through the wooded areas.

A little of Stowe's History

The gardens at Stowe were created by Lord Cobham , an 18th century aristocrat and politician. It is claimed that he was richer than the King, and created the gardens to demonstrate his wealth.

The approach down the long drive to the Archway and the entrance to Stowe. A hazy day with featureless sky at this point.

We enjoyed our picnic lunch on a bench under the shade of this building called West Lake Pavillion

The view from our lunch stop. Our walk would follow the left hand side of the lake,  then across the front of the main house, now a school.

Looking back to our lunch stop as we walk around the lakeside

The path unexpectedly crosses a golf course. Four!!! Or is five oversize golf balls mark the green

The Rotunda in the middle of the golf course!

Stow House, and these days a school.A corporate event here today, and some dodgems and games were being set out on the lawns

The master surveying his estate, from the Temple of Concord and Victory

This beautiful fence full of character, offering the first glimpse of the Gothic Temple

The Temple of Ancient Virtue, and another choice of routes

Fabulous reflections of The Temple of British Worthies

Definitely a day for sunhats

Grazing sheep in the field surrounding The Gothic Temple

Some visitors enjoying a shady seat, thinking they were out of view of photographers!