Silene latifolia – This is one of my favourite wild flowers, and it is always a pleasure to see on my walks. According to fossil records it was introduced to Britain during the Bronze Age. It flowers between May and October across much of Britain, except the far north and west.
Copyright: Peter Hillman
Camera used: Nikon D7200
Date taken: 7th July 2019
Place: Local woodland ride, Staffordshire
This is a hardy Geranium after rain, one of the few remaining flowers left in the garden as autumn deepens. The flower is so delicate and refined with those shimmering raindrops it is like it is made from the finest glass.
This can be quite tricky to photograph. Besides the lighting conditions, it all depends on where you focus as the depth of field can go anywhere. I always use manual mode for full control, and take several photos, picking the one which I think works the best. I tried to keep it soft on the side edges, ensuring the background was completely blurred. This makes the flower and its details pop more, especially if you can tone down the back lighting, too.
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October 2019 © Pete Hillman.
Out of the glare of the sun you can see more details in the most delicate of blossoms. I isolated this fuschia bloom in a shady corner of the garden once the sun had moved around.
© Pete Hillman August 2019.
July 2019, local field, South Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
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June 2019, local field, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
June 2019, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
It is always a joy to see the Dog Rose Rosa canina on my walks through the local woods. It is a sign that summer is not too far away.
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June 2019, local woodland margin, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Greater Celandine Chelidonium majus, June 2019, local woodland margin, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
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Hardy geranium. June 2019, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
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Hardy geranium. June 2019, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
February 2019, local woodland path, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Common Field-speedwell Veronica persica, February 2019, local field, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Spring begins with Snowdrops.
February 2019, front garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
This is one of the best years for peonies I have known here. I do love the rain so long it doesn’t pour endlessly, and this morning it was but a brief spell. I love the freshness and invigoration it brings to the garden, so I couldn’t resist popping out with my camera when the rain had stopped.
The flowers were heavy with the raindrops, looking almost as if they were bowing. I have a special place for Peonies. My parents grew them back home, and they remind me of my younger years growing up, and so enjoying those warm sunny spring days.
May 2019, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Autmum fell to winter, and winter flew and we are already enjoying a wonderful spring here on this side of the pond. Finally I made it back after a fairly long hiatus, and I will look forward to catching up with you all!
This is one of my favourites which seemingly appeared out of nowhere in one of my flowerbeds. The Welsh Poppy Meconopsis cambrica has a the most beautiful sunny colours, so bright, cheery and vibrant the petals almost appear to capture the sun itself.
May 2019, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
PS: Has anybody used the new ‘Block’ editor yet, and what do you think about it?
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September 2018, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
I have three Lavender bushes in my small garden, and the bees and butterflies really enjoy visiting them. Next year I may consider planting a lavender hedge, if I can make room for one. This butterfly with the twin spots is called the Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus).
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July 2018, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
On a stroll around Derwentwater I saw drifts of this most beautiful flower Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria). It was even growing amongst the rocks on the shoreline. It is a member of the rose family Rosaceae, and it thrives in wet and damp places. It is commonly found in damp meadows and has a very sweet fragrance, hence its name.
July 2018, Derwentwater, Keswick, Cumbria, England. © Pete Hillman.
Last night was a very hot and close one, so sleep was quite restless. So up early to find this Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum) flower catching the first rays of sunlight.
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June 2018, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Every few years (actually quite a few numbers of years can pass) and one of these beautiful Opium Poppies (Papaver somniferum) will just appear out of nowhere in my back garden. This one is quite a monster in size and has many heads like the mythical Hydra.
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June 2018, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata) – on hardy geranium.
Rear garden, June 2018. Nikon D7200 © Peter Hillman.
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June 2018, local field, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
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June 2018, local field, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
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June 2018, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
This small, low-growing plant always catches my eye, and I just have to stop to admire it.
May 2018, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, England. © Pete Hillman
One of my very favourite wild flowers, this is such a small, low-growing flower it could quite easily be overlooked if it wasn’t for its bright red vivid colour. Definitely a hands and knees job in the dirt to get these shots in.
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June 2018, local field, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman.
One of the many delights to be found in a wild flower meadow.
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May 2018, local field, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman. Sigma 18-300mm lens.
May 2018, river bank, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman. Sigma 18-300mm lens.
Bellflower Campanula rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman Sigma 18-300mm with Sigma AML72-01 achromatic macro lens.
After 3 years since I built my small garden pond and planted this Yellow Flag Iris Iris pseudacorus it has flowered for the very first time to my joy. This is the first bloom, and it looks like there are many more to come.
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May 2018, garden pond, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman Sigma 18-300mm.
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This is such a lovely little plant and I always enjoy spotting it in the fields. It is one of the Speedwells, which one it is I don’t know.
May 2018, local field, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman. Sigma 18-300mm lens.
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Meadow Buttercup Ranunculus acris, May 2018, local field, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman. Sigma 18-300mm lens.
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Playing in the fields this afternoon with my new toy, Sigma 18mm-300mm macro lens. Down in the field on such a beautiful sunny day and no muddy knees for a change. Quite pleased with how versatile this lens is, and quite sharp with some nice bokeh when zoomed fully out and getting close in for macro.
One of my favourite wild flowers, Common Vetch (Vicia sativa). May 2018, local field, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman
Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum).
This was taken in the shade as the sun had moved around the garden this late afternoon. Trying out my new Sigma 18-300mm DC macro lens for the first time, and seeing what it can do. Will need to practice more to get the hang of it.
May 2018, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman
The bough of the Alder has fallen across the woodland path, sounding the death knell of this aged tree. Yet where death goes, life follows and flourishes, life moves on.
May 2018, local wood carpeted with Bluebells, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman
Out in the fields yesterday a small patch of Common Vetch Vicia sativa, which belongs to the pea family Fabaceae, caught my eye. The buds were just beginning to unfurl.
May 2018, local field, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman
Taken with the Nikon 70-300mm.
Bluebells, May 2018, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman
Coming home from work this afternoon I spotted this single Pencilled Cranes-bill Geranium versicolor, the first of the season, and just had to takes its picture.
May 2018, rear garden, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman
Green Alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens), is such a stand out plant with its vibrant blue flowers. I photographed this with my 70-300mm zoom lens as I did not have my macro lens with me at the time.
May 2018, Kinver, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman
This common garden weed, which can be a pain to pull out without leaving the roots in, can be quite a beautiful thing indeed, especially when seen in large numbers covering meadows or on roadsides.
April 2018, front verge, Staffordshire, England. © Pete Hillman
Nature Journeys 