Author: David

Along the driveway directly opposite the recently vandalised Lodge.

Most people would be surprised that this woodland glade is only a few minutes from Wolverhampton city centre. The hillocks of the wooded end of the park are a relic of the one-time mining in the area.

It was a couple of days after the Diamond Jubilee long weekend. A floral display on the terrace of the Black Swan (aka Dirty Duck) in Stratford on Avon had obviously been designed to have a colour theme to fit the festivities.

The weather was rainy and windy, more like autumn than early summer. The white petunias didn’t appear to like the conditions, and had closed up so they were hard to spot.

But the water drops remaining on the plants and the diffused lighting added drama to those flowers which were out. I like photo opportunities when I am sitting comfortably with a nice pint in front of me.

This bee was out early one morning a couple of weeks ago gathering nectar from chives flowering in one of the city’s allotments.

Some grains of pollen can already be seen sticking to it.

The flower usually looks somewhat like a small dandelion growing on stems which can reach a couple of feet. The white filaments for dispersing the seeds over the breeze are at first glance like a dandelion clock. Get nearer, and they appear finer and silkier than dandelion parachutes.

These plants, on the outskirts of Worfield, had outer petals which were a paler yellow colour. Normally the entire flower is the colour of the inner portion here.