Wednesday 19 February 2014

Rowallane Garden - Birds, Trees, & Flowers

This is my final post from Rowallane Garden from my visit there last week.  As the café was not open, I fortunately had bring some food with me and I went back to the car to eat it.  Unfortunately it began to rain however I found all the following birds on the lawn and looking for food under the Rhododendrons.  I have a short video at the end of this post.


Blackbird - male


There were  about half a dozen Blackbirds all looking for food


Blackbird - female



Coal Tit in the front and Great Tit behind it


I was amazed to see about a dozen Tits in this grass area and only flew off momentary when a car passed.


Coal Tit


The other things that impressed me about the garden was the wonderful shapes of the trees and they often reminded me of different things!  I will fill in 'captions' for the first two and perhaps you might have thoughts about the other tree shots.


'Man, I am tired holding my arms up!'   
Magnolia campbelli


 'Oh!  I am in such a muddle, I don't  know whether I am coming or going!'
Pine Tree

 OK, it's over to you now.  What are these next series of trees saying to you?
Rhododendrons


Betula papyrifera


Rhododendron


Rhododendron


Galanthus - Snowdrops


Rhododendron stump


Actinidia deliciosa Kiwi

 Hugh Armytage Moore (see 2 posts ago) was a member of the Rhododendron Society. Membership was by invitation only, apparently because of their wild-source collections and expertise in the field of breeding.  

His expertise in Rhododendrons evolved over many years during which he wrote articles for the Gardeners Chronicle, Gardening Illustrated and the Rhododendron Society. He was notable as a selector of Rhododendron species rather than a hybridiser.



The contract of the rustic brown on one side of the leaf and
 solid green on the upper part is very striking in this Rhododendron.



There were a surprising number of Rhododendron blooming.








It was raining so heavy that I sheltered in the walled garden.  I had brought bird seed with me so I had the company of Mr Robin who eventually sat beside me on the bench.






More seed Mam!


I have enjoyed seeing Rowallane in February and I certainly will be back to see the magnificent display of Rhododendrons and Azaela’s later on.

I will leave you with this short video which can be accessed at

http://youtu.be/1mGe4JSj3yg

If there is a black space below, click it and the video will appear.



I hope you have enjoyed this visit as much as me.


Thank you for visiting my post and also to those who left comments on any of my blogs.

I am linking this  post with WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY

22 comments:

  1. What a fantastic place you have been to visit. The trees are my favourites.

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  2. HI Bob Yes I agree, a wonderful place to visit. Many thanks for your comment and I am glad you liked the trees. It is a good time of the year to see their bark in all its beauty.

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  3. Wonderful series of photos. The birds and trees are all beautiful. The Robin is one of my favorites. Happy Birding!

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  4. I love the coal-tits Margaret and the Magic Faraway Tree is a beauty

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  5. J'adore...ils sont superbes et tes photos magnifiques, j'adore!
    Superbes prises de vue Margaret!
    Have a nice day!

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  6. What a lovely tour. The birds, of course, a favorite subject of mine.

    As for the first photo of the trees...that was my initial thought...'tired of holding my arms up'...but then, I also thought "I'm innocent I tell you...didn't do it"!!!

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    1. HI Anni I like those that you sent me and many thanks for entering into the spirit of guessing.

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  7. Birds and trees, all wonderful!! Those tiny little Tits are just adorable and I love the Robin, quite different than our American Robin and just as lovely!!

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  8. What lovely photos you have shared from your visit.

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  9. My caption for the first tree is, "I give up! You are driving me nuts!" Love your tree shots.

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  10. Hi Gere Many thanks for the comments on my blog and I I glad you like the tree shots.

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  11. I am still having problems with my computer and so most of your lovely tree pictures were blocked out ... not sure anymore what to do. Have contacted Google and they done't seem to know what to do. Anyway the first tree picture after your last comment made me thing of "Bad Hair Day" ... because that is what my hair does when it is too humid. All of the Rhododendron pictures are spectacular and I am impressed that they are not hybrids. And, of course, the birds ... all of them wonderful. I loved the little Robin gradually gaining the nerve to sit next to you. Wonderful post, Margaret.

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  12. HI Andrea I am so sorry you are experiences problems up loading some of my photographs. I hope it resolved itself soon. However I am very glad you were able to see some and liked the Robin and Rhodo's. That is a good title for that shot, Many thanks for commenting.

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  13. Another delightful series of photos to delight the senses Margaret. Thanks for visiting and have a great day.

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  14. so funny to see everyone scattered about on the ground!! pretty, mossy trees!!

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  15. Have you visited a wonderful place.
    There delights all the birds, trees and rodendrony.
    I admire your beautiful pictures.
    Greetings.

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  16. What an amazing place. Beauty everywhere. Absolutely everywhere.

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  17. You certainly visited a gorgeous place, Margaret... The little Coal Tit looks a little like our Carolina Chickadee.

    I love Rhododendrons and Mountain Laurels. We have many of them around here --and I have 3 in my yard.... Can't wait til they bloom here in May....

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  18. What a fantastic garden -- even in the car park while having lunch you saw more birds than I do when I go birding on purpose! I love the flowers too as well as your birds ... and those amazing trees. We have some kinda' like that around here and what the tangled roots say to me is "you better watch where you're stepping lady or you'll trip over me and go flat on your face". (Sometimes I don't listen to them hard enough and that is exactly what happens!)

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  19. HI Sallie Oh you did make me laugh out loud with your suggestion for the caption of one of the shots. I hope that this does not happen to you too often!! I am so glad you enjoyed this garden I dread to think how many photographs I will have when it is in full bloom!! Very many thanks for your comments.

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  20. Even on a rainy day the sights were wonderful! You always manage to find wonderful birds but today I LOVE,LOVE, LOVE the tree branches! It is one thing about winter I do enjoy and that's seeing bare trees and their artful forms. The rhododendrons are lovely. We have to put up a small fence like structure so the deer don't eat the buds. :)

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  21. What a wonderful place! And such gorgeous shots of all these birds and blossoms and trees! Fantastic!

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