A popular German legend tells that a medieval knight was walking with his beloved along the bank of a river. The lady, seeing the beauty of some small bright blue flowers, asked the gentleman to pick them for her. The knight, bending down next to the river to pick the flowers, fell into the water. The weight of the armor prevented him from floating, but before sinking, he shouts: “Don't forget me!”, and throws these flowers at his lover. #macrophotography#wildflowers#spring#legend#donotforgetme#nature
Is my small raised bed meadow a 'habitat'? Absolutely.
Ignoring the multitude of tiny flies, aphids and mites and looking just at the medium to large more ornate insects and spiders, the species count grows by at least five a week during the warmer months.
That despite my inattentiveness and their propensity to hide. Many are authentically meadow creatures, common there but not ordinarily in gardens.
The ability of insects to home in on a tiny patch is extraordinary. Though from their perspective it is a vast jungle with many different microclimates.
It acts as a hotel between larger wild patches and as home in its own right. Anyone with a garden can and should do this.
Headed up to Emsworthy Mire nature reserve (my happy place) on Dartmoor early this morning because cuckoos! I don’t think it’s possible to not see or hear them there at this time of year. My taking a decent photo of one is another matter though.
Common redstarts and willow warblers aplenty, also curlews and, heard but not seen, snipe and a nightjar!
I had never seen such a plant until I stumbled upon this cluster growing freely next to the sidewalk in an empty lot downtown off North Jefferson Street. Apparently called "Devil's Backbone"