Fishink in the Garden

Yesterday, was a gloriously sunny day.  I wanted to work outside but not to draw, so I decided that our postage stamp of a garden needed a little TLC. It was also looking quite green (but nothing else), so I went to a local garden centre to buy us a box of instant colour.

It’s funny but spending some time in the garden and being so close to what you are doing, crouched over the flowerbed, you soon get to notice things in minute detail. For instance I first noticed a Ladybird so I took it’s photo. Then I noticed why the Ladybird was there, the plant was teeming with Black fly (lunchtime for Ladybird). Then I noticed just how many Ladybirds had discovered the same plant. Nice to see some Bees in the garden too.

I didn’t realise that we have so many different Ladybirds living in Britain: 46 species. Not all of them are brightly coloured and spotty; some are really quite dull looking and are not recognisable as Ladybirds. There are 27 species from the Ladybird family (scientifically called the Coccinellidae) that actually look like ladybirds. The 7 spotted variety can munch it’s way through 5000 Aphids in it’s lifetime !

They’re welcome to come and lunch in my garden anytime, the Ladybirds that it, not the Aphids.

I planted some different Lavenders to help attract Bees and Butterflies.

I also noticed this tiny fellow, which took me about 10 shots to finally get it in focus ! It looks like it’s been embroidered.

Aren’t the variety of shapes, textures and colours in nature, simply amazing ?

Today it’s raining and wet, yesterday was a day well spent I feel. Now I can sit and look at it from indoors !