Posted in Nature, Trees, Uncategorized, tagged Lombardy poplar, Nature, Trees, Victoria Park on January 14, 2022| 2 Comments »
The Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Victoria Park, Cardiff, a year ago
It’s a new year and time to draw a line under the tree I followed last year – a Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Victoria Park, Cardiff – and to move on to a new subject for observation, which will be a tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipifera‘ also in Victoria Park.
You can find all my Lombardy poplar posts here but these are some of my pictures showing how the tree changed through the seasons. (more…)
Posted in Nature, Trees, Uncategorized, tagged Lombardy poplar, Nature, Trees, Victoria Park on December 14, 2021| 4 Comments »
Afternoon shadow of the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Victoria Park, Cardiff
I was up against it this time in trying to find an opportunity to visit the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) I am following in Victoria Park, Cardiff. It has been quite wet and windy in the last month but when the sun shines it is glorious.
I managed to grab a moment with the tree on Friday afternoon as the sun was already low in the sky and the shadows were stretching out across the grass. It seemed sad and appropriate as it was the last time I would focus on this particular tree.
My abiding memory of this occasion was a grey squirrel that gazed down at me from a low branch on the tree throughout my whole visit.
Here are my pictures: (more…)
Posted in Nature, Trees, Uncategorized, tagged autumn, Nature, Trees, Victoria Park on November 30, 2021| 6 Comments »
Looking up at the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Victoria Park
On my November visit to Cardiff’s Victoria Park two trees particularly caught my attention for their autumn colour, so I thought I would give them a blog post of their own. (more…)
Posted in Garden visits, Gardening, Nature, Trees, Uncategorized, tagged autumn, Nature, Trees, Victoria Park on November 21, 2021| 2 Comments »
Fallen maple leaves in Victoria Park
As usual I took some general photos of Victoria Park when I visited for the monthly tree-following inspection of my Lombardy poplar. I have not seen such excellent autumn colour for years. For the last couple of months we have had mostly mild weather and a mixture of sunshine and rain, with no early frosts. This must have been favourable for the display.
Here are my latest pictures – although I have also saved a couple of particularly good trees for a separate blog post… (more…)
Posted in Nature, Trees, Uncategorized, tagged Lombardy poplar, Nature, Trees, Victoria Park on November 14, 2021| 8 Comments »
Leaves on the pavement from the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Victoria Park, Cardiff
The days are growing short here in South Wales and the ground is sodden with recent weeks of rain.
But the weather brightened enough on my day off this week to visit the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) I am following in Victoria Park, Cardiff.
There are still small yellow leaves attached to the branches and even one or two still green.
Here are my pictures: (more…)
Posted in Garden visits, Gardening, Nature, Trees, Uncategorized, tagged autumn, Nature, Trees, Victoria Park on October 28, 2021| 4 Comments »
A grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) among fallen chestnut leaves in Victoria Park, Cardiff
Autumn is well under way in Cardiff’s Victoria Park and the trees have come into their own. Meanwhile the parks staff have cleared out all of the flower beds to prepare them for next spring. What a difference from the colourful displays of September (see my previous post here). These are my October images… (more…)
Posted in Nature, Trees, tagged Lombardy poplar, Nature, Trees, Victoria Park on October 14, 2021| 2 Comments »
A few golden leaves on the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) in Victoria Park, Cardiff
It’s definitely autumn in South Wales now, with changeable weather and lower temperatures. Some trees, such as lime/linden and chestnut are well into their fall finery, but the Lombardy poplar (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) I am following in Victoria Park, Cardiff, is still mainly green.
Perhaps this is because the small yellow leaves do not hang around very long on the tree but leave a slightly thinned-out effect, letting more daylight through the branches. (more…)
Posted in Gardening, Nature, Uncategorized, tagged Gardening, Nature, thompson's park, Victoria Park on October 3, 2021| 2 Comments »
Sunflower in Thompson’s Park
There was still plenty of colour on offer in my local Cardiff parks – Victoria Park and Thompson’s Park – as September ushered out a meteorologically disappointing summer. Here are some of my pictures… (more…)
Posted in Nature, Trees, Uncategorized, tagged Lombardy poplar, Nature, Trees, Victoria Park on September 14, 2021| 10 Comments »
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… (more…)
Posted in Garden visits, Gardening, Uncategorized, tagged Gardening, Nature, Summer, Victoria Park on August 22, 2021| Leave a Comment »
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… (more…)
The Squirrelbasket 