Seed ball of (Platanus × hispanica or Platanus × acerifolia)
I seem to remember that last month, during a heatwave, I said “Please let it rain”. Be careful what you wish for!
In the last few weeks here in Cardiff we have had very changeable weather, with thundery and torrential rain, gale-force winds and sunny spells in between.
It all seems to have benefited the London plane (Platanus × hispanica or Platanus × acerifolia) I am following in Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay. The tree is looking lush and green in the height of so-called summer.
London plane from the north – iPhone picture
The weather has been so unpromising that I took some pictures with my iPhone in case I didn’t have a chance to take my camera and do the job properly. It’s a shame to waste them, so I include a couple here.
London plane from the north – Sony compact camera picture
Leaves – iPhone picture
London plane from the south – iPhone picture
London plane from the south – Sony compact camera picture
Seed ball
Young leaves keep coming
Going nowhere – and looking back on Google Street View this sign seems to have been blank for 10 years…
Herring gull (Larus argentatus) on the roof of the Greek fast food cabin
And finally…
Just along the street from the plane tree is this magnificent bull statue, outside La Cha Cha tapas and wine bar
You can find all my London plane posts here…
The Squirrelbasket 
I love “el toro”, feted with red roses. The plane tree is looking great, must give very welcome shade if ever the sun shines again. I guess Cardiff and West Cornwall often get the same weather systems passing over. And as for herring gulls – have yours been extra noisy lately? Penzance herring gulls can probably be heard in Scilly.
We seem to be using the same technology too – I also have a Sony compact camera, but it doesn’t like taking close-ups much, and flickers backwards and forwards between Macro and Landscape modes. So I have to resort to a phone instead.
Thanks for sharing your tree with us.
Yes the gulls have been noisy – I put it down to the weather.
My Sony’s macro is pretty good, actually, although I still have no idea how to make it switch modes at will. It’s all guesswork.
If you are interested, I did blog about it here when I first bought the camera…
All the best 🙂
When the gods want to punish you they answer your prayers.
from Out of Africa, it has stuck with me as it is so true,
The plane tree probably welcomed the long drink but not the winds. It is looking lush and green, a welcome bit of nature amongst all that concrete, brick and tarmac. Frances
Interesting quote. I’ll remember that one!
The one I recall from Shakespeare is “As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods” – but that’s rather a depressing thought…
Be happy 🙂
Healthy looking tree for sure! I like the young leaves, so fresh.
And they still seem to be coming, even as the older leaves are starting to go brown…
All the best 🙂