Love of Nature, Natural History, Nature Reserves Autumn (Apples) in Chiswick 18 October 2022 Ian Alexander Gunnersbury Triangle’s acid grassland fringed by silver birches on old railway track, in beautiful “Indian Summer” October sunshine. The railway clinker was of hard acidic rock, brought (obviously) by rail, from somewhere up north or out west. One day’s tomato harvest! Cox’s Orange Pippins from the garden
Love of Nature, Natural Patterns Fall Colours in Kew Gardens! 7 October 2022 Ian Alexander Yes, you couldn’t make it up or improve it with Photoshop, the colours came out like this straight from the camera. The tree is a Red Maple, Acer rubrum, in fact the one planted in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales. Get that for October! Scilla madeirensis in Kew’s Alpine House. Guess you could translate that as the Madeira Squill if you wanted to. The whole bush was this “absolutely fabulous” colour. Euonymus alatus ‘Compactus’ Sunny colours in the Alpine House: Eschscholzia californica The astounding copper-red of the Northern Pin Oak of New England, Quercus ellipsoidalis And for a warm smile to last through the winter, how about these?
Gardening, Love of Nature, Natural Patterns Glorious Vine leaf colours of Autumn Image 21 October 2021 Ian Alexander Autumn in the garden. The little old-fashioned grapes, complete with tough skin and pips, were delicious. The colours can speak for themselves.
Natural History Chiswick Colours! 4 November 2019 Ian Alexander Street Rowan. The colours are just how they came from the camera.
Natural History Wet Autumn Hawthorn Leaf 26 October 2019 Ian Alexander Hawthorn Leaf in Autumn Rain, Gunnersbury Triangle
Love of Nature, Natural Patterns Chiswick’s Autumn Colours (and a Sunset) 14 November 2018 Ian Alexander A fiery Aspen leaf in natural colour, exactly as it was Autumn Sunset, colours exactly as recorded by the camera Bramble Leaf in Sunbeams Rowan as a Street Tree, unprocessed colours Fallen Aspen Leaves. Again, these are the colours straight from the camera
Conservation, Natural History, Nature Reserves Expedition to Fray’s Farm … to collect logs 13 November 2018 Ian Alexander Unloading wheelbarrows from roof of Land-Rover at Fray’s Farm, one of London Wildlife Trust’s numerous reserves on the western edge of London. All we needed to do was to find the logs! We fanned out across the reserve looking for log-piles. On the way, I found this beautiful Oak in full autumnal splendour, as well as a buzzard, a red kite, and a common darter dragonfly (not bad for mid-November), and a brief glimpse of a roe deer. Jules found a handsome Carabid ground beetle. Anna and Netty loading the spoils. The logs were covered in lichens and the ones which had lain a year or two with elegant curtain crust fungi as well.
Natural History, Nature Reserves Willow Emerald Damselfly Eggs in Willow Twig 8 November 2018 Ian Alexander Willow Emerald Damselfly Eggs in Willow Twig. The female cuts a slit in the bark for each egg. The cuts have healed up (by now, November) leaving a bump around each egg. Willow Emerald Damselfly (photographed earlier this year). The species is very new to Britain, having arrived last year or not long before that; and this year is the first time we’ve seen them at Gunnersbury Triangle, so it’s very exciting to see the unique egg-laying traces! Netty with glorious autumnal Aspen twig. The colours are exactly as photographed.
Natural History Autumn Sycamore Leaf Colours 1 November 2018 Ian Alexander Autumn Sycamore Leaf Autumn Sycamore Leaf in Purple and Yellow Autumn Sycamore Leaf in Greens and Browns
Love of Nature, Natural Patterns Autumn’s End – Red Cotoneaster Foliage 3 December 2017 Ian Alexander Red Autumnal Cotoneaster Foliage