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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Tree following link box for September 2021

The magnificent hybrid wingnut tree (Pterocarya × rehderiana) in Cardiff’s Bute Park

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 September 14.

The world’s weather is crazy at the moment and we are even feeling it in a small way in South Wales. The second half of August was not at all summery, with a chill easterly wind and overcast skies. At least now September is bringing some warmer days.

During the 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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Bute’s herbaceous borders run wild

The Rudbeckias are among the stars of the herbaceous borders in Bute Park at the moment

I had not visited the usually wonderful herbaceous borders at the city end of Bute Park in Cardiff since well before the Covid-19 lockdown. I was working far away down in Cardiff Bay for a couple of years and then when I was forced to base myself at home the park seemed too far to walk. I have become lazy and until recently buses seemed too much of an infection risk.

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Victoria Park in August – fading fast

Raindrops on “daisies” in Victoria Park

It’s time for another monthly visit to Victoria Park in Cardiff. In June all the flower beds were bare, in July they were full of colour, but in August the flowers are already fading. Here are my latest snaps…

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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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2021 Summer Photography Scavenger Hunt – July

Something from the 2000s: A Cylon Centurion model from my Battlestar Galactica boxed set

It’s the second month for the Summer Photography Scavenger Hunt hosted by Mary-Lou at Patio Postcards – the next link-up will be on August 9.

I am still struggling to find many of these scavenger subjects but here are my latest efforts…

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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.

Read Full Post »