Summer Photography Scavenger Hunt – June

A favourite piece of jewellery: I probably haven’t worn this necklace and earrings for 30 years or more, but loved them when I was younger – they are pictured against a background of a plain pair of black trousers as I couldn’t find velvet…

Having enjoyed the Winter Photography Scavenger Hunt with Eileen at A Bracelet of Days, I have signed up for the Summer Photography Scavenger Hunt hosted by Mary-Lou at Patio Postcards – details here. The first monthly link-up is here.

This time there is an added challenge as during the coronavirus lockdown I have hardly strayed from the house and garden.

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The back garden in June

Persian bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana) in the garden in June

There are some splashes of colour in the garden this month as well as the ever-present green of the trees and shrubs, so I thought I would celebrate this. Here are some recent pictures…

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Garden birds in early summer

Young blackbird (Turdus merula) on the last day of May

I have had a chance to notice more garden birds than usual in recent weeks and it has been a good year for certain baby birds. I have seen very young nuthatches for the first time – two of them – although the parents have disappeared at the moment.

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2020 tree following 6: Mystery tree has a name

Developing seed-head of the mystery tree in my garden on the last day of May

Well, here we are in June and for me it’s the end of the 12th week of working from home in the Covid-19 lockdown here in South Wales.

You may recall I began the year following some lovely Turkish hazel trees in Cardiff Bay, but they are now a long way away so I am observing a tree in my own back garden, visible from my study window.

Actually it is becoming less and less visible as it is overhung by a rapidly growing self-seeded sycamore tree (Acer pseudoplatanus) and as it is on a difficult slippery slope I have not yet been able to cut back the sycamore branches.

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Tree following link box for June 2020

Leaves of field maple (Acer campestre) in dappled sunlight in my garden

The tree-following link box has closed for another month. And here we are passing from spring into summer.

It has been over two months now since the UK entered the lock-down as a result of the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, and in Wales there has been even less loosening of restrictions than in neighbouring England.

The hot spring sunshine lasted throughout May but in the last few days we have at last had some rain for the garden.

Any tree-related post is acceptable in these lock-down times and everyone has found something interesting to say, whether about their usual trees or others if they are unable to visit their first choice.

You will find everyone’s updates below, so enjoy exploring…

Crafty Green Poet – Juliet in Edinburgh, Scotland – horse chestnut

Alison at the Blackberry Garden – quince – watching the quincelets

Food For Thought – Sherrie in Indiana – maple

Elephant’s Eye on False Bay – Diana Studer in South Africa – a tiny urban forest

Erika Groth in Sweden – possibly Salix fragilis

Flighty’s Plot – Liz’s white oak in Lexington, Kentucky, and Mike’s plum tree

Lucy Corrander – Loose and Leafy in Halifax – sycamores, part 1

Lucy Corrander – Loose and Leafy in Halifax – sycamores, part 2

Frances at Island Threads, off the North West coast of Scotland – Populus tremula and Acer platinoides (Norway maple) in the garden

Pat – Squirrelbasket – Cardiff, Wales – mystery tree has a name

Hollis – In the Company of Plants and Rocks – Laramie, Wyoming – naming trees

JayP – Amblings around Penwith (Cornwall) – Cornus kousa

If you are new to tree following, read all about the idea here.

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed in June. Why not join us next time? Just point us to any tree-related post you would like to share, using the link box published on the 7th of each month and lasting for a week. Although we all try to publish our tree followings every month, we are very forgiving if you post less often.

See you in July…

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