The way through the trees
I have written before of my love of the Lattersey Nature reserve in Whittlesey, I usually visit several times a week. Watching the changes in the vegetation and wildlife during the year is something I particularly enjoy.
A path in another part of the reserve
A path through Purple Loosestrife
We are now in high summer with autumn lurking just around the corner. Amongst the flowers in the meadow grounds and wooded areas butterflies accompanied by a few dragonflies go about their business but I am aware of the ripening of blackberries a few turning red and black among their still green fellows. The days are beginning to shorten not significantly yet but the change is coming.
An abundant crop of blackberries
Peacock butterfly
Time to make the most of the summer we have, to cherish the beauty of butterflies, dragonflies, wonder at the bees and flowers growing wild that nourish them, many considered weeds in other settings. My old gardening teacher defined a weed as merely a plant being in the wrong place. As far as the bees and butterflies are concerned these erstwhile weeds are certainly in the right place for them.
Peacock butterfly visiting a thistle a plant in the right place for him or her
Fenlandphil's Blog 
Posted by Cathy Cade on August 5, 2019 at 8:24 am
My garden is mostly filled with…. let’s call them random flowers, shall we? I just collect the seed cases from dead poppies, wallflowers, sweet peas and other things whose cycles have completed, and leave them around the garden where the green spots are. It’s more successful than trying to plant things where they don’t want to thrive. The only things I actively discourage are nettles and dandelions. Nettles sting and dandelions are like mice – if you have one, you get a family.
Posted by fenlandphil on August 6, 2019 at 4:54 am
Do you get much seeding from Oilseed Rape Cathy?
Posted by Cathy Cade on August 6, 2019 at 5:10 pm
Oh yes – for several years after the fields are growing it. We also have barley this year under the bird table, but not sure if that’s the fields or the bird seed. We never seem to get any seeds from the rare linseed crops, which are much more attractive.