2021 tree following 9: A Lombardy poplar character

A tiny face looking out from the bark of the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Victoria Park, Cardiff

The weather continues to be changeable in South Wales in early September. For a few days it was so dry with an easterly wind that I thought I would have to water the garden. Then the weather broke – luckily with no thunderstorms here but heavy rain.

This was just at the time I needed to visit the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park, so I delayed going until it cleared up on Sunday, a day I normally stay at home.

The poplar still looks very fresh, with none of the tiredness you might expect towards the end of summer.

Here are my pictures…

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2021 tree following 8: Lombardy poplar in August

Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Victoria Park, Cardiff, in August

I’m sure we were expecting a mini heatwave in South Wales this month but instead August has been cool and mainly wet.

The light rain did ease off enough for me to visit the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park this week.

Nothing much changes in mid summer but I was able to take some general views and found some details to photograph.

Here are my pictures…

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Tree following link box for August 2021

Ripening cherries on a neighbour’s tree – although at this stage they look like small apples

It’s that time again for the monthly tree-following link box, which will stay open for your tree-related links until 7pm GMT on August 14.

The year is absolutely flying by and the summer has been very changeable. We had a mini heatwave but then about 10 days ago we had the tail end of Atlantic Storm Evert and it has been cool ever since with frequent showers and strong winds.

Next week I hope to visit the Lombardy poplar tree I am monitoring in Victoria Park, not too far from home, but I wonder what the rest of you tree followers are up to?

I’m sure you will have something new to report. Any tree-related post is acceptable from contributors old and new.

Point to the post you would like to share, using the link box below. And please don’t forget to leave a comment.

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

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Victoria Park in July – and in bloom

Everywhere in Victoria Park this month were daisy-type flowers – this was in the narrow bed near the ice-cream shack and I think it is a beautiful Rudbeckia

Another month, another view of Victoria Park in Cardiff. In June all the flower beds were bare with brown earth ready to be planted. Just a month later they are full of colour. Here are my latest snaps…

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2021 tree following 7: Lombardy poplar in July

Young leaves growing from the trunk of the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Victoria Park, Cardiff, in July

For a moment there I thought I was going to miss my own deadline. There has been so much rain over the last couple of weeks that I didn’t make it to visit the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park until yesterday.

It was the first dry day for ages and heralded what we are told will be a mini heatwave here in South Wales.

On this visit the poplar hadn’t changed very much from the previous month – such is the way of things once we reach summer. So I was left scrabbling around to find details to photograph.

Here are my pictures…

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Tree following link box for July 2021

Sturdy leaves of a wild cherry tree I treated as a weed for years before planting it up as a reasonably attractive feature in a pot

It’s that time again for the monthly tree-following link box, which will stay open for your tree-related links until 7pm GMT on July 14.

Here in South Wales the last month had a dry spell when I feared I would have to water the garden, followed by torrential rain and strong winds this last week.

If the weather eases off I hope to visit the Lombardy poplar tree I am monitoring in Victoria Park, not too far from home, but I wonder what the rest of you tree followers are up to?

I’m sure you will have something new to report. Any tree-related post is acceptable from contributors old and new.

Point to the post you would like to share, using the link box below. And please don’t forget to leave a comment.

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

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Snapshots of Victoria Park in June

The bandstand in Victoria park, Cardiff, in June 2021

Once again I took some general views of Victoria Park when I went this month to visit the Lombardy poplar I am following.

April in Cardiff was dry, May was wet and June has been changeable. But it’s good for the garden. What is also good is that our council Parks department staff have been in everyday non-emergency action again. Since last month they have cleared out all the dead tulips and fancy daisies (Bellis perennis ‘Bellissima’?) and the flower beds are ready for summer bedding plants. They will probably be a bit late but everyone here thinks summer is late this year anyway, because of a cold and wet May.

Here are my pictures…

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2021 tree following 6: Wind damage

Green leaves and dead leaves of the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Victoria Park, Cardiff, in June

The first half of June has been changeable here in Cardiff. We have had cool days and warm days, damp days and sunny. All this has been good for nature and gardens.

There was a strong breeze as I set out to visit the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park this week, but the clouds were clearing.

On this visit the poplar was looking green but I did spot some small damage from gales towards the end of May. Here are my pictures…

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Tree following link box for June 2021

Leaves at the top of the Liquidambar tree in my garden, seen from an upstairs window

It’s that time again for the monthly tree-following link box, which will stay open for your tree-related links until 7pm GMT on June 14.

It’s hard to believe we are nearly at midsummer already. Dawn is earlier every day and I am not looking forward to the long slide into winter that begins after the solstice.

While April was very dry, May in South Wales has given us plenty of rain – while still rewarding us – and the plants – with quite a bit of sunshine, too.

For the first time in years my husband is enjoying the garden again, having been housebound for a long time before he had his hip replacement – which is now six months old.

Later in the week I hope to visit the Lombardy poplar tree I am monitoring in Victoria Park, not too far from home, but I wonder what the rest of you tree followers are up to?

I’m sure you will have something new to report. Any tree-related post is acceptable from contributors old and new.

Point to the post you would like to share, using the link box below. And please don’t forget to leave a comment.

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

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Squirrels are just NOT funny any more…

Grey squirrel eating mahonia berries in my garden

We have three grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) in our back garden – occasionally four. I tolerate them. I even let them eat the slab of bird fat I dangle from the bird table, knowing they won’t attack the squirrel-proof tube of small fat pellets nearby – for birds only.

I don’t mind them eating the mahonia berries, although I am surprised they are brave enough to climb the very prickly leaves. There are enough berries for all.

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