These two fence posts have clearly seen better days but while they may be past their best with regard to their original purpose to me they stand out. I love the textures of the rotting wood, the moss and the worn colours.
I also like the way the shape of the screw in the first post has been preserved while all of the wood surrounding it has rotted away
Here are two views of Llyn Vyrnwy a reservoir owned by Severn Trent Water, in Powys, Wales. The stone built dam was constructed in 1880 and was the first of its kind in the world.
It was built to supply Liverpool and the surrounding area with fresh water and so over the years I will have drunk my fair share of this water.
The area is a national nature reserve and area of special scientific interest.
I think it is a particularly beautiful spot and a great place for a day out.
The other day I popped into my garden after the rain and took a few shots of the raindrops on some of the plants. The first three are on the leaves of crocosmia, I particularly like the first shot.
In the third picture it is possible to see a reflection of the house and sky.
The final picture is of a droplet on a rose petal. The rose was really fragrant. I like the unusual shape of the bubble, it is almost as if it has feet at one end like a little mite.
The first two of today's pictures were taken in Blean Woods in Kent, the the third was taken near Lake Vyrnwy, near Oswestry in Powys, North Wales.
Just one picture for today. This picture was taken at Blean Woods nature reserve just outside of Canterbury. I haven't actually seen any ladybirds this year yet so I had to dig through my archives for this one.
This is my last selection from my recent visit to Bodnant. I had started off my visit with some pictures of these Alium and as I was walking towards the exit I decided to get a few final shots. I like the way the long seemingly fragile stem supports what is effectively a colony of small flowers at the top. I like the different shades of purple and the contrast against the green of the hedge and of the lawn.
I have really enjoyed posting these pictures over the past couple of weeks and hopefully you have been inspired by some of the images that I have shared.
Now I will move onto another theme or selection so if you like what you have seen come back tomorrow to see what I choose.
Today's shots follow on from yesterday with a couple more photos of the Pin Mill, this time with more of the terracing and the ornamental gardens in front of the mill itself. These were taken at the end of the day when most of the garden's visitors had left so it was possible to get these pictures without anybody wandering into the shot. I really like the second of today's pictures, the lighting was just right and although taken only moments after the first of these pictures I was able to take advantage of a break in the clouds as the sun shone through lighting everything up.
The third picture shows some of the steps leading up to the house which was the home of the garden's owners and the final shot shows the view from the upper terrace across Snowdonia. Although the cloud was building up it had been a brilliant day and I am sure you will agree it provided some fantastic photo opportunities.
Today I have a few more pictures of the terraced gardens at Bodnant with a couple of views of the 17th Century Pin Mill (I will have a couple more tomorrow).
These are really beautiful gardens, everywhere you look there is so much colour with such a huge variety of trees, shrubs and flowers. I absolutely love it.
Today's blog is a selection of shots from around the gardens at Bodnant. The first picture has a Mediterranean feel with the Cypress trees and the river (Afon Hiraethlyn) flowing beneath the bridge.
I really like the second picture with all the different accents of green and the occasional pink highlights.
There is a lovely terraced area with pergola and stone steps which I really like and I am sure you will too.
A break from the flowers today. Here are a few shots of an ornamental pond, also part of Bodnant Gardens. This pond was used as a skating pond for the family which originally owned the estate before it was taken over by the National trust. It really is a peaceful spot and I can imagine fun on the ice in days gone by.
Again from Bodnant Gardens here are a couple of shots of an Arum Lily. I had to surreptitiously step into the border to get close enough for these shots (taking great care not to disturb any other plants, I am after all a responsible photographer) and they were handheld so I am quite pleased with how clear they have turned out. At first glance the stamen of the flower appears smooth but when you look at the crop it has a blotting paper like texture and the pollen at the base appears like sugar crystals,
So here are three pictures of a yellow Iris. I really like the vivid colour. My favourite image is the first one of the plants stamen which appears almost animal like. I also really like the second shot which shows the shape and structure of the plant.
Originally I wasn't going to use the third image or I was going to use a tighter crop but then I saw the heart in the centre and so I couldn't resist sharing it.
So having spent the last half an hour scrolling through pictures of flowers to identify the flower in these pictures I give up. These flowers with several blooms on each stem were growing near the edge of the meadow (see yesterdays blog) and were the tallest plant there. It took ages getting these pictures due to the wind which as I've said before is a major challenge when taking pictures of plants outside. Fortunately the light was just right bringing out the vivid colours.
I hope you enjoy these pictures and if you know what they are please leave a comment below...
I was going to say here are some shots of an English wildflower meadow but as it happens it's in North Wales, but that's just a detail. What really matters is that this is a beautiful place with such a variety of wild grasses and flowers.
Today we are back in Bodnant and I have picked some abstract images of a couple of plants with a very green theme. There's not a lot more I can say really other than I am always impressed by the hosters at Bodnant because they never seem to be affected by slugs or pests which means the leaves are always perfectly formed.
A mixture of shots today. The first one is a bit abstract and you may well wonder why I have chosen this. Apart from the fact that I like this picture the wooden post has a particular purpose as it is there as a perch to attract Kingfishers although I have not actually seen it being used.
The second shot is of a Great Crested Grebe chick and the third shows an adult grebe, possibly a parent of this chick.
The final shot shows a view across the mere which was beautifully calm and a really nice place to spend a Saturday morning. I will definitely be back.
