Photos of flowers month by month
This lens is about my garden, month by month, starting with April 2009.
Now, I'm no great gardener. I don't 'do' Latin names for flowers and plants. In fact there are many plants in my garden where I have no idea what they are actually called. But this doesn't bother me because I can enjoy them whether I know what they are or not.
So don't expect accurate, expert horticultural hints. This is simply about the pleasure I get from my garden - and that surely is what life is all about. I remember that someone or other once said something about being 'nearer to God in a garden than anywhere else'. Not sure about this but I can understand what the person was getting at.
There is something very special about looking at flowers, it can almost be a meditation. Anyway, let's get on with it starting, as I said, with April 2009.
The photos were all snapped by me and are, of course, all in my gardens.
NOTE: Was updated on October 22nd with October flowers. More to come! Scroll down page to view.
What's On This Lens
- April Garden Flowers - Yellow and Mauve
- Garden Wild Life And Great Tits
- Azaleas
- Garden Memories Including Toby's Bush
- Not Everything In The Garden Is Perfect
- My Wife Is a Garden Thief
- May Bluebells
- May Flowers In My Cornish Garden
- Everything Bursts To Life In May
- The May Flower
- June Mrs. Perry Poppies
- The Flowers All Mingle In Together
- More June Flowers
- July Garden Photo
- Photos of July Flowers
- Sorbaria, Campanula and Another Flower
- Photos Of August Flowers
- September Flowers
- More September Flower Photos
- October Cornish Flowers and Plants
- Honesty / Lunaria Used As Decoration.
- Gardening Books and Information
- Cornwall Garden Attractions
- Madeira Flowers
- Garden Or Other Comments Most Welcome
- Flowers For Friends And Family
April Garden Flowers - Yellow and Mauve
Daffodils, Primroses, Primulas and Mauve Flowers
It's Spring In April here in Cornwall - that's the south west tip of England - the bottom left hand corner. This time of year makes me think of daffodils (above) and primroses (below) and it's been a good year for them.
The primroses especially have been in abundance and have all been big clusters full of flowers. I read that it's also going to be a good year for bluebells in Cornwall, the conditions seemingly have been just right for them.
Plenty of primulas as well and also the mauve flowers below. I don't know what these are called. They are in my front garden and people are always asking me what they are as they look so nice. I suppose I really ought to find out!
FLOWERS ON AMAZON
Garden Wild Life And Great Tits
April
Besides flowers gardens all have some sort of wild life. In mine it's mainly birds and squirrels.This month, April, we've seen Robins on a regular basis. They usually nest low down in one of our compact fir trees. Last year the nest was blown to the ground in a storm and the little ones were all lost.
This year all seems to be going well. Besides the Robins we've had Great Tits in abundance, Blackbirds, Sparrows, Magpies, Crows, Ring Neck Pigeons and a few others besides. I'm mostly to slow at getting the camera. It's easier with flowers as they just wait for you!
We regularly get a squirrel in the garden. I think it's mostly the same one. In the winter we put out some hazel nuts and he buried them all round the garden two at a time - and yes, my camcorder battery was flat at the time.
Azaleas
April
The azaleas shown were all given to my wife for various Mother's Days over the years. The best one is the one above. It must be about eight years old and every year it is completely covered in flowers.
The others aren't so prolific. Perhaps I've planted them in the wrong places or the soil is wrong or maybe it's just because they are different varieties.
Garden Memories Including Toby's Bush
April
The Camellia flower is from what we always call Toby's Bush. Toby was a wonderful border collie dog we had in the family for 15 years. When he died we buried him and bought the Camellia to plant over his grave. Though he's been gone for several years he's still sort of with us.
The Japanese Cherry Tree (above) loses it's bark each year and we got this to mark the new millenium in 2000.
Below are some succulent thingies that we brought back from the Scilly Isles. They are everywhere on the islands and grow quite tall. They aren't too good in frosts and bad weather so we have to bring them inside in winter.
Not Everything In The Garden Is Perfect
April
I'm not obsessive in my garden. Okay so up pops a dandelion or two but so what, I quite like the colour.
I remember not liking them as a young child though as my mother told me that if I picked them I would wet the bed! I was, however, allowed to pick the seed heads - to tell the time. The number of puffs it takes to get rid of all of the seeds is the time (supposedly). Parents tell their kids some daft stuff at times.
My Wife Is a Garden Thief
April
My wife is a bit of a garden thief. Well not really, but she is forever asking others for cuttings or picking up wild seeds. This is one of the reasons why I don't know what a lot of our plants are called. She pops her cuttings in the ground near our water butt and then moves them if they take or grow, Trouble is she never labels them.As you can see she has grown some Honesty (Lunaria - just looked it up). These were wild seeds she collected on a walk last year.
Honesty is mostly grown for their silvery seed pods which can be used in winter bouquets or decorations. That's why we have some - I'm told.
May Bluebells
May
I wrote in April that it was going to be a good year for bluebells and sure enough it has. The photos I have taken aren't from my garden but are at Kings Wood a couple of miles from where I live in Cornwall.Kings Wood is under the juristiction of the Woodland Trust and Ancient Tree Forum. This is what they write about this lovely wooded area:
"King's Wood (SX0049) is near London Apprentice (yes, this is a real place name!) and located on the steep hillside of the Pentewan Valley. This woodland is registered as being semi-natural ancient woodland and dates back more than 400 years, though today some areas replanted in the 1960s with conifers are quite noticeable. Otherwise oak, ash, sweet chestnut and beech dominate the broad-leaved areas. Bluebells cover the slopes in spring, and a good variety of butterflies including the holly blue are common in the summer."
May Flowers In My Cornish Garden
May flowers burst into life
It's now May and new flowers are beginning to show in my Cornish gaerden. Like the first geranium to flower, photo above. It's 'just' a common or garden (well it would be!) variety but I love the vivid red colour. It contrasts to the more delicate pink clematis climber trundling up and over the fence in the picture below.
I like to see a mass of flowers, even simple ones, like those below which smother a stone wall I built.
Everything Bursts To Life In May
Green trees, a river and dahlias
I live in a valley and opposite my house is a bank of trees with a small river. This time of year it's amazing how one minute the trees seem to be without their leaves and the next it's a mass of green.I look on the 'other side of the road' as being like an extension to my garden. It's full of birds and squirrels and an owl toots at night when we are heading off to bed.
Other plants are also making themselves known. Like the dahlia for instance.The one in the photo below is poking through nicely. I've left this dahlia in the same position for about five years, it seems to be able to withstand the winter cold. Every year it grows tall with big pink blooms.
We have put some coffee grouts around the shoots as we read that this keeps away the slugs and snails. Not sure if it's is true, as we haven't tried this before, but time will tell.
The May Flower
Cast not a clout till May is out
Some say though that the saying refers to the May flower as opposed to the month of May - which means you can usually wear less earlier!
June Mrs. Perry Poppies
Poppies: white, red and pink
I like poppies, they remind me of sunshine. Though Mrs. Perry is white I also like the big orange variety. Not sure what they are called - probably poppies!
I am little concerned though as mixed in with all of the white Mrs. Perry poppies is one pink one. Does this mean she's been unfaithful with those flashy orange ones? I can see how she could have easily been tempted and led astray.
The Flowers All Mingle In Together
June flowers
I tend to let plants and flowers all mingle in together, sometimes much to my wife's annoyance. She prefers distinction between plants and is very handy with the clippers if I give her half a chance!
I thought we'd lost the geranium below as we left if out all winter and it looked very sorry for itself at the beginning of the year. It seems to have recovered - my wife reckons this is because it's got a bit of space to grow - huh!
More June Flowers
June is busting out all over
We are over half way through June and there's been two problems: it's rained for most of the month so far (what's this about global warming!) and my wife has said I neglect one part of our garden.I can't do much about the weather and as for the wife, well these are some of the colourful flowers in the area I neglect. Fortunately sometimes nature just takes care of things for me!
As for the tree on the right, that's a yew (I think/hope!). They are what Robin Hood made his longbows out of, as did the Celtic and Teutonic warriors. There's lots of twang in them. Seemingly a yew spear was found in England dating back 50,000 years. My tree is only about 15 years old.
July Garden Photo
A quiet July corner
Photos of July Flowers
Stocks, Lavender, Roses, Dahlia
The July flowers were going well and then came a torrential downpour followed by quite a wet spell here in Cornwall.So some of the flowers were spoilt. The pink stocks lost many of their petals but lets look on the bright side. I took a photo of the stocks before the rain and that is followed by the red roses, lavender and the fist pink dahlia.
In May I showed a photo of the first dahilia shoots sprouting out of the soil and now they are coming into flower - as long as the rain goes away and doesn't ruin them.
Sorbaria, Campanula and Another Flower
July flowers galore
So we have Sorbaria followed by Campanula, the Dwarf Pink variety - but I guess you knew that. And then comes ... well another flower!
And I managed to take a photo of a blackbird, one of the bird visitors to our garden. Must see if I can catch a few more of the birds on camera.
Photos Of August Flowers
August fuchsia, gladioli, dahlia and so on.
They call this Global Warming?! July was a washout here in Cornwall and here we are in mid August nearly and it's still raining.
All of the rain has ruined many of the flowers. Lots of the dahlia have fallen, the stocks got blown down and so on. Such a shame but we can't control the weather.
Hopefully the sun will start to shine for the rest of August. Anyway, no good moaning so here are some more photos - this time August flowers.
The fuchsia below are a little wet from all of the rain I was grumbling about earlier.
So much for the fuchsia! I see that Suzie Shine has an amusing fuchsia lens worth a look.
The hydrangeas drooped a bit, with the constant rain, but haven't held up too badly.
And a couple of other flower photos. Caught a flying creature on the top one.
And some damp looking dahlia still flowering since mid July. The bigger first blooms have all gone now though.
September Flowers
I Love Daisy
I like to look at the positive side of life but I have to say that July and August was a washout here in Cornwall. It was just rain, rain, rain. Most disappointing.
September has been better, though I was away from home for the first two weeks so the garden got a little neglected.
The rain washed away many flowers but there's still some colour. The Michaelmas Daisies are lovely. I've got some short ones and tall ones.
More September Flower Photos
but with a camera bug
Sometimes odd things happen. I was about to click away with my camera when it decided not to co-operate with me any more. Must have been something I said! The strange thing was that it produced some colourful photos. The soil may have turned blue but I like the way the photo has turned out. Only problem is that I've had to invest in a new camera. Such is life.
October Cornish Flowers and Plants
Photos of flowers and shrubs for October
The leaves are falling and there is a dfinite chill in the air as the days tick by in October. One of the strange things is that I have a few Spring flowers, like those on the right, flowering. Even a few primroses. It's certainly been an unusual year weatherwise.The hydrangea flowers are now turning in colour to a rich maroon and a fuchsia bush is the best it's been all year with small delicate flowers.
As the flowers begin to fade it's good to see some of the shrubs and bushes showing off their leaves, which they will keep throughout Autumn and Winter.
Honesty / Lunaria Used As Decoration.
Honesty looks good even if stolen!
I mentioned in April about how my wife had planted some Honesty / Lunaria seeds so that she could use the dried pods for decoration. Here's what they look like once dried.
Gardening Books and Information
All New Square Foot Gardening: Grow More in Less Space!
Amazon Price: $13.59 (as of 11/07/2009) 
Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series)
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 11/07/2009)
The Vegetable Gardener's Bible: Discover Ed's High-Yield W-O-R-D System for All North American Gardening Regions
Amazon Price: $15.72 (as of 11/07/2009)
Lasagna Gardening: A New Layering System for Bountiful Gardens: No Digging, No Tilling, No Weeding, No Kidding!
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 11/07/2009)
Cornwall Garden Attractions
In Cornwall there are several gardens for visitors to view the best known being the Eden Project and Lost Gardens Of Heligan.Both are very worthwhile visiting, if you are ever in Cornwall.
They are quite near to where I live and my wife and I have a yearly pass for the Eden Project, which we visit regularly. I believe it is something special with flowers and plants from various climate zomes in special biomes.
These biomes are immense with trees, high waterfalls and it is if you have been transported to another world.
Anyway, both recommended if you are in the area.
Madeira Flowers
If you like photos of flowers I also have a lot of flowers from Madeira on my lens Monumental Hotel Funchal And Madeira Reviews - Mike.
Garden Or Other Comments Most Welcome
Colin wrote
;-) Very nice photos.
Best wishes ... Colin (St. Ives, Cornwall).
http://www.celtic-cornwall.co.uk
Posted October 06, 2009
susannaduffy wrote...
Blessed by a Squid Angel today. (squidoo.com/september-blessings )
Posted September 15, 2009
tyhalia wrote
hello
Posted September 01, 2009
prosperity66 wrote...
What a wonderful garden you have! I wish mine would be a beautiful as yours!
I've ever thought Kent was the Gardens of England but you proved Cornwall are too and I'd really like to visit the Lost Gardens of Heligan; which I also read something about in a book.
Congrats and keep us update on how your garden's going!
Thanks a lot for such nice pictures.
5***** from Belgium!
Posted August 20, 2009
LizMac60 wrote...
Hi Mike. Thanks for visiting Woolly Doughnut. I'm on my way to being a Giant Squid now. You were one of the first to encourage me on Squidoo. your garden is super abundant, what a blessing, also keeps you very busy. Liz
Posted August 17, 2009
JaguarJulie wrote...
Absolutely lovely -- thanks for the floral tour -- nothing better than saying it with flowers after all. Oh, Great Tits!!!
Posted August 14, 2009
whitemoss wrote...
Loved your lens! I was in Cornwall early July- usually love seeing Agapanthus ( I can't grow it here really- Lake District too far North), but they were only just coming out.
Apparently stuff is 2 weeks later than recently due to cold winter!
Sue
Posted July 26, 2009
Natalia S. wrote
I love your approach, if it pleasant to the eye, who cares what it called. I am glad there are other people like me. Your flowers look great and happy. I would love to share my pictures with you.
You may like it.
here is my blog address, that i just created. Tell me what you think.
Thank you..
http://natagarden.blogspot.com/
Posted July 08, 2009
wyrm11268 wrote...
You have a fantasic looking garden - you and your wife are very luck indeed to be surrounded by such beauty.
5*
Posted July 08, 2009
Flowers For Friends And Family
by Snozzle
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