Posted in Art & Design, Uncategorized, tagged art, Cardiff Bay, design on August 31, 2019| 4 Comments »
Lego dragon on Mermaid Quay
For the last few summer weeks there has been a group of fantasy characters gathered on Cardiff Bay’s Mermaid Quay. And these are all constructed from Lego, the famous Danish brand producing interlocking plastic bricks and other models. (more…)
Posted in Cardiff, Uncategorized, tagged Cardiff Bay on August 20, 2019| 10 Comments »
Close-up of a carousel horse in Cardiff Bay
This summer the “beach” and funfair has returned to Cardiff Bay’s Oval Basin – also known as Roald Dahl Plass. I looked in on it as I returned to the office from lunch one day last week. It seems to attract families and there is a small enclosed pool like a mini lido on the seaward side of the funfair. I’m not sure I saw a lot of sand, which would in any case have had to be shipped in for the event.
(more…)
Posted in Nature, Trees, Uncategorized, tagged Cardiff Bay, London plane, Nature, Trees on August 13, 2019| 6 Comments »
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. (more…)
Posted in Nature, Uncategorized, tagged Cardiff Bay, Nature, The Wharf on July 28, 2019| 8 Comments »
Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) on the Wharf in July
Last year I walked around the Wharf (former Bute East Dock) in Cardiff Bay almost every month, but in this my second year working at County Hall I am only an occasional visitor. This is partly because I am no longer following a tree beside the Wharf and also because I fear I will not find anything new this second time around.
I needn’t have worried. The view is constantly changing – although mainly because of construction work rather than the plants I see. Here are the images from my latest visit, in early July… (more…)
Posted in Cardiff, Uncategorized, tagged Cardiff Bay on July 20, 2019| 10 Comments »
Big wheel in Cardiff Bay at the moment
One of the features of Cardiff’s Mermaid Quay in the summer is this big wheel, giving views over Cardiff Bay. It’s not really that big, but I decided one lunchtime that I would take my camera and have a mini adventure. It was three rotations for £4 so didn’t take long.
View from the top of the big wheel – the Wales Millennium Centre and the Pierhead Building. At this time a couple of weeks ago the Oval Basin (Roald Dahl Plass) was being prepared with stalls for the Cardiff Bay Food Festival
Posted in Nature, Trees, Uncategorized, tagged Cardiff Bay, London plane, Nature, Trees on July 14, 2019| 4 Comments »
Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn’t it a pity
Doesn’t seem to be a shadow in the city
(The Lovin’ Spoonful – Summer in the City)
After cool and wet weather last month, we have had a heatwave for a few weeks here in Cardiff and one day, for the first time, I noticed the bright dappled shadow of the London plane (Platanus × hispanica or Platanus × acerifolia) I am following in Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay.
The tree itself has not changed much in the last month but I have noticed the new Greek street food cafe beneath it has been open during the day on a few occasions, particularly when we had a three-day food festival in the nearby Roald Dahl Plass. (more…)
Posted in Nature, Trees, Uncategorized, tagged Cardiff Bay, London plane, Nature, Trees on June 14, 2019| 8 Comments »
The street food cafe under the plane in Mermaid Quay has changed hands – here it is being repainted on May 20
Although the London plane (Platanus × hispanica or Platanus × acerifolia) I am following in Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay, has changed little in the last month, nearby there is a lot going on.
Around the corner on Roald Dahl Plass (which used to be called the Oval Basin), from May 27 to June 1, there was the Urdd National Eisteddfod, a Welsh language youth festival of words and music. (more…)
