2022 tree following 5: A blustery day

New flower buds and last year’s husks on the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park

As we pass from late spring into summer here in Cardiff the weather is warming up, although we still have an occasional wet day for the benefit of the garden.

It was sunny but surprisingly blustery when I visited Victoria Park to visit the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) this week.

The statuesque tree is now full of leaves at that lovely, fresh light green stage of growth.

Here are the pictures from my latest visit…

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2022 tree following 3: Tulip tree in March

The tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park

It has been a wet week here in South Wales but one morning I managed to find a weather window to visit the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park.

There has not been much visible development since my last visit but Spring has sprung all around, with a patch of crocuses in the grass beneath the tree.

Here are the pictures from my latest visit…

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2022 tree following 2: Tulip tree in February

The husk of last year’s fruit on the tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park

Last week I made my first 2022 visit to the tree I have chosen to follow this year, a tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Cardiff’s Victoria Park.

I was a tiny bit concerned I wouldn’t recognise it in winter but I needn’t have worried.

It is the tallest tree in this part of the park and I remembered it was near the bandstand.

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2022 tree following 1: The year of the Lombardy poplar

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.

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2021 tree following 12: Casting a long shadow

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:

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Two magnificent golden trees of autumn

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.

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Victoria Park: A very colourful autumn

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…

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2021 tree following 11: Fading away

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:

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Victoria Park in October – autumn trees

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…

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2021 tree following 10: A few pieces of gold

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.

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