Canterbury Bells

(Campanula medium)

Taking a very short break from writing my book.

Canterbury Bells have fascinated me for years. How beautiful they are. A flower that looks like a bell in purple, white, blue and pink. The photo above was taken at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. I had an appointment nearby and stopped there before going home. I was so glad I did! There's nothing like relaxing in a beautiful garden.

Canterbury Bells are from southern Europe where they grow in the mountains. In the Victorian Age, people were fascinated by them because of their beauty. So it was in the 19th century that they were first seen growing.
They began growing in Britain in 1597.

Their Italian name (Campanula) means little bells. It is also said that their name is due to the fact that they grow abundance in Canterbury.

This flower blooms for two years. Actually, the first year is when the plant itself will grow and get ready for the heavy blossoms. Some say that, before flowering, the plant looks like a weed. The second and final  year of the flower is when the beautiful blossoms open. So, when you plant this flower, understand that it won't be until the second year when you will see the flower in its glory.

When out walking in gardens or down a sidewalk, I always keep my eyes out for what is growing. There have been many beautiful home gardens I have seen on my walks as well as, of course, the beautiful botanical gardens we have here. Canterbury Bells have a way of brightening up the garden with their unique shape and vibrant colors. Do you enjoy them?

If you grow a garden and want to add a unique flower to your garden, this is a beauty to consider. The flower adds not only color but it adds a shape that you probably do not have in your garden. This flower also does well in flower pots (as you see here).

Enjoy the Canterbury Bells and think back to where they started growing.

Thank you for visiting!

Judy


References:
https://www.uaex.edu/yard-garden/resource-library
https://harvesting-history.com/canterbury-bells/
https://home.howstuffworks.com/canterbury-bells.htm

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Happy Holidays!

May the holiday season bring you joy.

May 2020 bring you more.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm back!

 

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you enjoy the topics. Feel free to contact me to talk about other things in nature you would like to learn more about.

 

Enjoy!

  Palm Warbler

(Dendroica palmarum)

The above photo was my first sighting of a Palm Warbler. This was taken at Stricker Pond. My husband and were walking around the pond when my eyes caught sight of this beauty. It wasn't nervous. In fact, it stayed there for awhile so that I could take its picture. Have you seen a Palm Warbler?

I watched this warbler as it walked down the paved path and then flew onto a cattail. It also flew from one branch to another, as you see below left. Turns out that they do this a lot. They eat mostly bugs (including a large amount of mosquitoes) but also eat a variety of seeds as well as tree/bush fruits. Like some other birds, the Palm Warbler is able to catch its food while in flight and can even hover.

Have you ever seen a bird that wobbles its tail on a regular basis? If not, this is the bird to watch out for. It is well known for bobbing its tail.

Their name comes from a palm tree in the Caribbean where palm trees grow.

The Palm Warbler is approximately 5 inches long and, when its wings are extended, they are approximately 8 inches big. They live approximately 6 years.

It was so much fun watching this Palm Warbler. The wind whipped some of its feathers as it looked to the side. I guess the air felt good.

Each time I visit the pond, I see something new. It's a wonderful place to visit.

Coming next week: learn about dragonflies.

Thank you for visiting and have a great day!

Judy

References:

Kaufman, K. (1996). Lives of North American Birds.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Palm_Warbler/lifehistory

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/palm-warbler

https://identify.whatbird.com/obj/335/identification/Palm_Warbler.aspx