Daisy

 I cant be sure of the exact variety but this is a species of daisy. The bright white petals enable pollinators to home in on the flower. The central part of the flower head is a collection of lots of tiny flowers that open in sequence providing a lasting source of pollen and nectar over time.

Sunny Side Up!

 Even on a wet and grey Monday these beautiful daisies were guaranteed to brighten things up. 

These are Oxeye daisies, or marguerite and there was a mass of them along the edge of a meadow creating a colourful border marking the edge of the path. Close up there is so much detail in the centre of these flowers so take a closer look if you can. 

Weeds or Wildflowers

 

I love daisies and dandelions, even though they are very often regarded as weeds I think they bring so much joy. 

I know that if you have a pristine lawn the last thing you may want is a carpet of these flowers but I would rather look at these and other wildflowers any time.

They are really worth a closer look too as there is so much beauty in the detail.

Golden Marguerite

In the centre of the walled garden there is a small area that is like a wild flower meadow and one of the standout flowers is the yellow daisy. It was like a carpet of tiny suns lighting up the garden; really beautiful. Of course it helps because it is my favourite colour.

And then when you get close in and look at the detail the surface is like another world...

Beauty and the Beast

I know that it is not very pretty but a close up look at the fly on this flower reveals some really good details (if you can bear to look) such as the speckled grey body and its spiky hairs. 

It also reveals details in the centre of the flower, for example who knew that the yellow segments at the heart of a daisy actually have black tips?

Having shown the beast I had to balance that with the beauty of the daisy which seems to shine in the sunlight. Often thought of as weed, like Dandelions, Daisies are really beautiful and deserve some recognition.

Remember there is a chance to win a limited edition print by visiting my facebook page just like and share the page to be in with a chance to win. The draw will be at the end of this week.

Summer.

In contrast to yesterday's rather chilly pictures I have chosen something summery and warming for today.  

In July I took my mum to visit Belsay Hall in Northumberland, its definitely worth a visit although the hall itself is a bit of an oddity.  The gardens however are really pleasant, in particular the quarry gardens which meander through the old quarry which provided the stone for the hall and castle.  The path seems to flow through the garden enclosed in places by the high rock walls which as you pass through reveals little treasures.  The first picture is just one example of this.

The second picture is of the simple daisy which I think is a quintessential English summer flower.

I hope that in sharing these two pictures I have brought a little warmth to your day wherever you are...