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Things to do on a dull morning

nariz

By nariz

9 comments


After storms during the night the garden is too wet to do anything in, so I popped out there to take a few photos of my Busy Lizzies (known as ‘Alegria’ – Spanish for ‘Cheerful’). Sorry to hear that BLs are failing in Britain – I hope whatever the cause is doesn’t reach here.


The next photo may look rather odd – but it’s my take on a birdbath. During the very hot spell we had in early July it suddenly struck me that the birds may be having a hard time of it, so I filled a flowerpot saucer with water, weighted it down with a couple of rocks and waited for the queue to form.


Didn’t have to wait long – a Black Redstart soon came to investigate and had what seemed to be a very welcome bath! Since his ‘Official Opening’ it’s been visited by several more Black Redstarts, Blackbirds – who fight with each other over the right to be first in – Sparrows, White Wagtails, thirsty Great Tits, a nervy Serin and many wasps and bees.

Unfortunately I can’t take photos of the birds that visit the bath/watering hole as I’d need to hide amongst the rose bushes with my camera to get near enough. Ouch!

More blog posts by nariz

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Comments

 

Really nice pics! great idea for the birdbath too! :)

2 Aug, 2011

 

Nice pics of your busy lizzies Nariz and I love the stone wall with the inset. Glad to see you thought of the wildlife they arn`t choosy as to whether its a saucer or a roll top bath as long as there is water.lol.

2 Aug, 2011

 

I have a similar dish on the ground ... hilarious to see the Blackbirds bathing in it ... then flying over to the garden fence to spread their wings out to dry! Here's hoping many more birds visit your dish . .. . . . .

2 Aug, 2011

 

What have you heard about the "Alegrias" here in the UK, Nariz? I've heard nothing & my Busy Lizzies are growing very well indeed on my balcony! I have dozens of plants, grown from plugs bought from Tesco's.

I have 5 or 6 hanging baskets full of them plus a couple of wall pouches that each have at least 10 plants in each! I also have a variegated one with double pink flowers in the kitchen.

I also have 4 or 5 on the two big square pots where I have my Golden Conifers. As I can no longer plant anything into the soil of these pots, like I used to, I have them in 5" pots sitting in saucers on top of the soil of the 2 pots. They are covered in masses of flowers! :-)) I must have near a 100 Busy Lizzies plants on our balcony!

See my garden photos for more "Alegria!"

2 Aug, 2011

 

Do you read "Questions" on here, Balcony? Every day there's at least two saying "What's eating or happening to my BLs?" usually with a photo of sad-looking leafless and flowerless stems. There seems to be an airborne disease attacking BLs - viticillum wilt? Not sure of the spelling. Anyway, glad yours are healthy.

3 Aug, 2011

 

I used to read the questions & even answer on occasions. I've also posted a few of my own! I've not looked at them in along time as now I don't spend as much time on the computer as before. (The allotment is the principal cause!)
Therefore I haven't seen the posts you mention.

3 Aug, 2011

 

hi nextdoor lady
lovely BL pics Nariz, i only have one and strictly in heavy shade, but i love their exuberance
you got the same birthbath is i have, get hedgehocks using it too, acc to the pooh i find round it, not seen the beasties themselves around there yet and the lizards drink from it, and the frogs...and the dog
black redstarts have just started to come in again too, i was hopingthey and the swallows wld nest under the terrace eaves but so far the proffered acc hasnt been good enough for them yet!! maybe next year

4 Aug, 2011

 

Hi Next-door Resi! We often have Martins building their little mud nests under our south-facing eaves, but this year I think a young couple with no experience were attempting to build - and their very shallow and ricketty-looking nest fell off TWICE! I think they've given up now - hopefully gone to Bird College for a course in nest building. :o)

4 Aug, 2011

 

:-))

4 Aug, 2011

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