Hole-in-the-hedge view today. We spot a fox and cubs under the oak tree. Suddenly, the wind carries our scent to the vixen. She melts into the undergrowth, the cubs scampering after her.
The view further along the hedgerow. It’s peak cow parsley time. Fields of oil seed are fading and losing their brash yellow. Soon they will be turning brown as the oil seed desiccates.
Hawthorn flowers range from pure white through to red and pale pink. On a warm evening, the scent is so strong. It reminds me of vanilla. Moths are drawn to the flowers as dusk arrives.
We start and end each day in the summerhouse. This is the view today. There’s an overgrown path to the pond.
I love the light at this time of the day. All the newly-unfurled tree leaves are a bright lime green. They will soon change to a dull dark green. But for now, they are just fabulous.
It must be our lucky day. As we sit in the summerhouse, a barn owl flies past. So silent. The owl sees us and changes course. It’s a slow, unconcerned change of direction. It heads off towards the huge straw mounds at the end of the paddock. Suddenly it drops down into the long grass. It’s probably found a mouse or some other small mammal. We often hear the owl screech in the night. There might be a nest of chicks somewhere nearby. I hope we see the fledglings this year. We usually do get a glimpse of them.
Links : Six on Saturday : https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2019/05/25/six-on-saturday-25-05-2019/
Bramble Garden 
Beautiful views! Amelia
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Thank you Amelia. X
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Cracking view through the hedge Karen, framed beautifully by the flowers.
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This must be why hawthorn is so respected in other regions. It is very uncommon here. Most of the rare specimens that I know of are at old homes that were landscaped with classic material. They are not as happy here as in other regions. There happens to be a pink flowering one here in the neighborhood. It is not very pretty, but I think it would be if neatened up a bit.
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That must have been a magical moment, seeing the owl flying. Your little garden house looks so idyllic too! 🙂
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Great pictures. Especially the hole in the hedge one.
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Thank you 😊
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Your garden seems calm & peaceful in these photos, belying the undoubted work that goes w/it. It’s wonderful having a fox family nearby, but the regular sighting of a barn owl, that’s just very wow. You’ve created a great place for yourselves & the wildlife as well.
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Thank you Lora. The owl was a special treat at the end of a lovely day in the garden.
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Oh what a fabulous peep hole Karen and an excellent photo too. Your garden sounds such a peaceful spot and a haven for wildlife. I love the way that your words and photos take us with you around and into your treasured spot.
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Karen the first photo of the hedge in bloom with a hole where the field is seen in the background is so sublime that it looks like a magnificent picture: I love it, I love it and I love it, and more knowing that Mommy slut and her puppies are so close . The cow parsley peak seems to me what we call here Yarrow: it’s cute. The flowers of the Hawthorn are beautifully beautiful. The Summer House I love, a place to be and enjoy the views like the lovely path to the pond. What a spectacular photo of the owl in mid-flight with the background sunset, I love it. I want you to see your chicks growing full of health and strength. Karen thank you very much for the walk through your garden, I enjoyed it very much. Your garden is beautiful and fabulous and full of such wonderful and charming things, and, of course, magnificent flowers. Thanks for the link, I like it a lot. Karen love, health, strength and happiness for your family and for you. Take care and rest. Caress Meg and Grace. 🙂 Very loving greetings from Margarita.
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Thank you Margarita. I am very happy to have your company on my walks. Loving greetings in return. Karen xx
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I love your view and all the lovely blossom and cow parsley. Magical.
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Thank you 😊 x
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Beautiful garden Karen – the view through the blossom is just wonderful
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Thank you Phao. Nature made that little port hole and I love to spy on the changing seasons through it. Enjoy your weekend x
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Such wonderful views…and a great wedge of sky to admire the cloud formations. The English Countryside in Spring/Early Summer is a real delight. Your summerhouse a haven to enjoy. Have a good week.
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I wish you could hear the skylarks over head. Last year we only had one. A lonely skylark is very sad indeed. This year we have at least a dozen. Thanks for reading. Have a lovely week too x
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I do envy your summer house, beautiful photos!
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Thank you. At this time of year, we turn the summerhouse to the cow parsley and pond. Next month, we will swing it round to face the roses. Enjoy your bank holiday weekend x
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Such intriguing images
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Thank you Derrick. Enjoy your weekend
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A lovely time of year in your garden. I can picture you in the summerhouse. Must.experience it for myself again! xx
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You are welcome any time Mary. 7pm is best to spot the owl. She must have a nest nearby as she was hunting all night along the ridgeway, ghost white against the dark hedges. xx
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A good day for wildlife foxes and owls. I rarely see foxes since moving to more rural location. In Hull I saw them pretty much daily as the urban foxes were a bit brazen.
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Country foxes are more timid. They looked in good condition . We saw some with mange while we were away in holiday. A sad sight indeed. The owl was busy until dawn. We could hear the screech all night.
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Lovely views, how lucky that you had your camera with you when the barn owl few by!
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Thank you Pauline. It’s an i-phone so I always have it in my pocket. The owl flew down the far hedge and across the field directly towards the summerhouse, so I got a good view. She didn’t panic when she saw us, just slightly changed course and flew all along our tree line before catching a mouse. We have a colony of short-tail voles here. So that’s what she was after.
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Beautiful! So serene and peacful the scene was.
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Thank you. My in-laws visited yesterday and my mother in law who has dementia was much improved by the peace and quiet and being amongst trees and nature. Her highlight of the day was a black bird sitting in the hedge right by us. She could hear it without her hearing aids (which she had lost).
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Oh, I just loved the hole in the hedge photo.
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Thank you Mala. It’s a favourite view of mine. I try to find time to look each day.
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Your garden is beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a hawthorn hedge. If I had, I wouldn’t have known what it was. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could share the scent with us here?
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Oh Anne, I wish you could smell the hawthorn. It’s a cross between honey and vanilla. It’s especially scented in the evening, probably to attract the moths. Honeysuckle is just getting into its stride and will take over the task of perfuming the hedgerow walk. Then wild roses will follow. Enjoy your weekend x
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We have honeysuckle blooming right now, and I love it. Our wild roses are blooming, too, but they have no scent. I went right up to one and sniffed it.
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