Random or Structured?

Random Poppies

I am struggling to find things of interest on my walk in today! Lots of dogs and a couple of bikes, but nothing to write home about, or to LSA about! The canal water was churned up and muddy and the weir was strong after all the rain and the puddles were numerous, so I fell to thinking that I usually see birds and insects, but no small mammals. I was wondering whether there were any Water Voles or suchlike along the canal or river. I expect as it is usually so busy that they will be frightened away by the general traffic if there are any. I have seen the occasional intrepid rodent dash across from the undergrowth and bushes to steal the fallen bread that the ducks have rejected, but mostly they are hidden from view.

Streetwise Poppies

I found myself at the Puffin Crossing to cross from the Riverside Walk into Victoria Park and was struck by the huge scattering of poppies flowering by the roadside, under the railway bridge. The feet of the signposts were standing in the flurry of flowers and the splash of bright red cheered up a rather untidy, scruffy and unloved area of the town. I love an opportunist!

Rosebay Willowherb

I was pondering on the wild nature of the opportunistic poppies and the randomness of the Convolvulous, thistles, stinging nettles, Rosebay Willowherb and brambles as I continued my walk when I found myself at another Puffin Crossing and over the road to Jephson Gardens. The contrast was amazing! The most beautiful flower beds all regimented and perfectly coordinated were proudly displaying their amazing colours. The design of the beds using a yellow and purple colour palette is striking. The formal garden design exhibits a completely different way of using nature by cajoling and coercing it into strict formal patterns, with a towering profusion of blooms cascading to perfectly manicured vibrant green lawns. They really are magnificent and worth a visit to see the fantastic handiwork of the team of gardeners at Jephson Gardens. I learned later that yesterday was the judging for Britain in Bloom, well… I award them first prize!

Jephson Gardens

Towering profusion of yellow and purple

So approaching East Lodge I see a squirrel stuff his mouth with cobnuts and run up a tree to eat them reminding me of my small mammal quest, so I took out my phone to photograph him eating his breakfast, but no he was not having it and leaped over to another tree! Arriving at East Lodge James Callaghan’s photos are looking wonderful and Helen arrived with labels! Hooray! Meurig is putting them up now as I write my Lodge Log!

Tomorrow, Thursday 13th July, is the AGM for Leamington Studio Artists, please come and support your organisation and hear what the trustees have been doing and plan to do in the future. We need your thoughts and input and look forward to seeing you. It is at East Lodge, so you can see the exhibition at the same time, so join us at 7pm.

Next week is the coffee morning at 10.30am, Wednesday 19th July, wondering what sort of cake to make…!

By the way a big thank you to Andy Parker for sorting out the East Lodge kitchen electrics! We have a worktop free of extension lead now! So easier to cope with all the coffee making and we can now turn the light on to the cellar without stumbling in the dark to reach the switch! Little things can make great changes!

Karen