Exploring Wordsworth's garden through poetry and art

May is always a month and I have been unable to do much art work for myself - it's more a case of keeping up with things really! However, it is alsways a joy to be able to facilitate others, in this case as a follow up to a session that Susan Cartwright-Smith and I ran for the Wordsworth Trust at Dove Cottage click here where participants had asked for a follow up session to develop their ideas. It is great that people are beginning to have the confidence to combine both text and images to create finished pieces.

The first moth trap

The night of May 14th provided the first opportunity for a moth trap - we had 13 species with 19 moths in total. In addition to the species below, we had: Hebrew character, Esperia sulphurella, ochreous pug, and common pug.

Pale tussock.

Lunar thorn.

Lychnis.

Chinese character, small square spot, small magpie, least black arches,
garden carpet and common carpet.

Lamonby Verges

 The year's first visit didn't disappoint! 

Cowslips..........

The dandelions have been spectacular this year ...

Marsh marigold.

Globe flower.

Bird's-eye primrose.

Early purple orchids, butterwort, columbine and bugle.

Eycott Hill - Bog Bean

A quick visit to Eycott Hill, earlier in the week. The sun wasn't out, so not great for butterflies and it was breezy, so not great for photography either, but it was great to see the bogbean and a female emperor moth. 

Female emperor moth.

Wall brown and small copper.

Bog bean .....

Bog bean.

Germander speedwell and lousewort.

My favourite - mountain pansies.

A fruiting Cladonia.

Upper Teesdale

Another annual pilgrimage  - to see the spring gentians, bird's-eye primrose, mountain pansies, black grouse, ring ouzels and spectacular scenery. It wasn't the perfect weather forecast but there, sadly, aren't an infinite number of weekends! No spectacular gentian display as it was cloudy, but another cracking day! 

Heading down into the dale ... the marsh marigold was bob on! 

Two of nine black grouse.

Oysercatchers.

Look at thoseTeeswater ears!

Common sandpiper.

Alpine bartsia and bird's eye primrose.

Mountain pansies.....and more .....

Falcon Clints, Cauldron Snout and Cow Green Reservoir.

Almost fully out! 

Drummore to Maryport

Our final day - a walk along the coast from Drummore - nothing spectacular but nice enough...

Lots of gannets flying past...

White throat.

And a final stop off at Port Logan...

Drumtroddan Cup and Ring

A quick visit to this site on the way back to the tent....it's signed off the road and is 50p to park in the farm yard.