Walk round the lake and visit to the Old English Garden in Battersea Park - 3rd September 2026

I began my walk by the lake where I came across these two grey/white pigeons - I don't normally take photographs of pigeons, but I had not seen any in this colourway before

There were not many ducks on the lake, apart from the usual Mallards and Coots, but this female Common Pochard was amongst them

There were some lovely berries on this shrub at the edge of the lake

A Jay was perching on a tree branch - unfortunately in a dark area so I had to lighten the picture

Pampas Grass in the sunlight near the lake

I saw a Willow Emerald damselfly perching on a stem

and a Speckled Wood butterfly on a leaf

and also a Common Darter dragonfly resting on railings

There were still some beautiful pink Roses in the Rose Garden

and some purple Verbena

Huge Cardoon plant with lots of seed heads in the Old English Garden

Waterlilies in the pond in the Old English Garden

I sat on a bench under the Wisteria and relaxed for a while looking at the pond and fountain

There were still a few flowers on the Wisteria

There was a fringed curtain of green algae hanging all round the fountain bowl

Huge seed head in the Old English Garden

Lemon Hollyhock flower

Another pretty Waterlily

and another view of the pond and fountain with the Cardoon plant in the background

Beautiful dark pink Hollyhock flower

Back in the main part of the park, I came across flowering Yucca plants

and some lovely orange berries

Back at the lake, there were two female Mallards - one blonde and one in normal colouring

A dog had entered the lake and disturbed the water birds - the Mute Swan hissed loudly at it!

 

Irises, Peonies and other lovely flowers in Alnwick Castle Gardens on 12th June 2025

It was much too windy for a trip to the coast on Thursday, 12th June, so I went to Alnwick instead

View of Alnwick Castle as I tried to find the entrance to the gardens.  I had gone to the wrong place and had to walk along the road on the outside of the castle until I came to the garden entrance.

Green archway at the side of the famous central fountains with steps up to the flower garden at the top of the hill.  This photo was taken from the top of the steps.

Pretty white and mauve planting near the entrance to the flower garden

The flower garden was full of dramatic colourful plants:

Bright blue Delphinium

Coral frilly Poppies

Beautiful white Iris

Magnificent blowsy cerise Peonies

Impressive clipped hedges forming the entrances to the steps on each side of the fountains

Delicate Allium head in the wild flower planting area in the Cherry orchard

Sloping Cherry tree orchard with plenty of wooden swings for tired garden viewers!

I then came across a wedding group posing for photographs in front of the central fountains

View of the fountain in between showers

The fountains go through a series of water displays - this was one of them

Large urn in the rose garden, decorated with monkeys round the lower edge and a fox on the top

I went back up to the flower garden on the top of the hill in order to admire some wonderful Irises again

plus a pretty mauve Lupin

and I found a male Blackbird under a Strawberry plant

Close-up of the white/mauve planting at the top of the hill, near the entrance to the flower garden - with a rogue blue Iris in the centre!

and I couldn't resist another photograph of the impressive green entrance at the top of the leafy tunnel containing steps along the side of the grand fountain cascade