Bramble in Whitehorse Meadow

At the bottom of my rood there is a wonderful meadow where you can see a wide variety of wild flowers, plants and insects. I captured this shot last Sunday as I strolled through it.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Grow your own - Courgettes

My courgettes have just started to flower which is the first indicator that the vegatble or is it fruit will start to grow shortly afterwards! More pictures when the courgettes appear!

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Yellow Mellow - Yellow Flowers

St James Park has a wonderful range of flowers that change throught the year. As London is enjoying a wonderful spell of great summer weather, it great to see be able to enjoy the spendore of this floral display in my lunch time.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

A door way of flowers - Welcome to Sotherby's London

The world famous aution house Sotherby's and is gorgeous flora doorway.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Horse Guards Parade Seen from St James Park

A view that probably has not changed much in the last one hundred years. Horse Guard Parade seen from the far end of St James Park. A really lovely view in a busy, modern city and yet views like this remind you of the long history of my home city. London.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something!

Black tulips in St James Park

The beauty of black tulips

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something

Red flowers In St James Park - London

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Gorgeous Tulips - Pall Mall - London

St James Park (London) is now in full bloom with flowers of every shade. The picture above is at the top end of the Mall and opposite Buckingham Palace. More pictures to follow in the coming days.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws.Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Friday Flower - Whitehorse Meadow

A simple white flower in Whitehorse Meadow

Growing Your Vegetables

Have you ever considered growing your own vegetables?

Well I did and here are the so called fruits of my labour! I have some pictures to show you.

Above is my first pumpkin, its currently growing in my garden tree and below is my cherry tomatoes of which I picked last night and used for my dinner.

Growing your own vegetable is really easy.

I am currently growing carrots garlic, ginger, sweet chilli peppers, Scotch bonnet peppers and very soon potatoes.

You can grow all of the above vegetables in flower pots and they don't require much space.

The peppers can even be grown on your kitchen window sill or patio.

Go on and give it a try, its really fun, helps reduces the food miles, saves money and is great for the environment.

Purple Rain - My English Garden

I never meant 2 cause u any sorrow

I never meant 2 cause u any pain

I only wanted 2 one time see u laughing

I only wanted 2 see u laughing in the purple rain

Lyrics by 

Prince : Purple Rain

My English Garden - Flowers in Macro.

My garden is not the greatest example of the great English garden,

but I have some flowers that look great in macro.

New Covent Garden Market- Flower Market - London

New Covent Garden Market is a wholesale fruit, vegetable and flower market, known as 'London's Larder', located in Nine Elms between Vauxhall and Battersea, south west London. It contains approximately 250 fruit, vegetable and flower companies.

The Market opened for the first time on 11 November 1974, construction having started in 1971 on the site of the former Nine Elms Locomotive Works. The Market is so called because it transferred directly from its previous location at Covent Garden in central London.

Flowers In St James Park - With A Flower Poem by Emily Dickinson

I hide myself within my flower,
That wearing on your breast,
You, unsuspecting, wear me too --
And angels know the rest.

I hide myself within my flower,
That, fading from your vase,
You, unsuspecting, feel for me
Almost a loneliness.



- Emily Dickinson
From: Poems by Emily Dickinson Series One
Edited by two of her friends
Mabel Loomis Todd and T.W. Higginson

St Paul's Cathedral - London

Here are a couple of pictures I took of St Paul's Cathedral being obscured by nature. St Paul's Cathedral is a truly beautiful building. I went there last Sunday and lit a candle, One for my grand father and the other for my nephew Aaron. Although they are gone from this world, they are not forgotten. I hope you like the pictures more are coming soon.

Whitehorse Meadow - South Norwood - London

On the bottom of my road is a meadow. The area was cultivated as allotments for many years, when contaminants were found in the soil, the allotments closed and area laid out to a wildflower meadow. Its a beautiful space in the middle of a city, where wild flowers are allowed to grow.

On Easter Monday, along with my mum we took a walk down there to get a little closer to nature and for me to take a few pictures for your viewing pleasure.

All pictures taken by Trojan Gayle

Grangewood Park - South Norwood - Flowers

Today it's Friday and I am so thankful the weekend is just hours away. The signs of spring is becoming more and more apprent, with flowers and trees bursting into colour. Below are a few examples of the emergence of Spring in my local neighbourhood.

Enjoy your weekend wherever you may be.

Daffodils in March

Spring is here and the daffodils are everywhere.

These pictures were taken from my local park called Grangewood park.

The Narcissus flower is perceived quite differently in the east than in the west. Whereas in the west, the Narcissus flower is seen as a symbol of vanity, in China, the same flower is seen as a symbol of wealth and good fortune. The ancient Greeks believed this plant originated from the vain youth, Narcissus. He died after becoming so obsessed with his reflection in a pool he could not leave. The Greeks say that the gods turned his remains into the Narcissus flower.

In ancient China, there is a legend about a poor but good man, who was brought many cups of gold and wealth by this flower. Since the flower blooms around this time of year, it has also become a symbol of Chinese New Year. Narcissus bulb carving and cultivation is even an art akin to Japanese Bonsai. And if your Narcissus blooms on Chinese New Years, it is said to bring you extra wealth and good fortune throughout the year. On top of that, it has one of the sweetest fragrances of any flower. So it is highly revered in Chinese culture.

The daffodil is the national flower of Wales. One species, Narcissus obvallaris, grows only in a small area around Tenby. In Wales it is traditional to wear a daffodil or a leek on Saint David's Day (March 1). This has led to suggestions that the word "daffodil" may have been influenced by the name "Dafydd," a Welsh form of "David" (see Etymology).In some countries the yellow variation is associated with Easter.

All pictures taken by Trojan Gayle

Spain - Pictures of the Spanish countryside and its flora

Last year I visited Spain three times and loved my time there. The Spanish people are warm, friendly and you feel a real sense of community.

Spain has some of the most beautiful countryside that I have ever seen.

Being from London, I don’t get to see big open spaces often so when I go to Spain I get my big dose in one go!

Below are a collection of pictures of the Spanish countryside and its flora.

I will be back in Spain later this month and I hope that I will have the opportunity to taken some more pictures and capture the beauty of Spain and its rural community.

I welcome your views of my pictures, both good and not so good!

Thanks

One bud in focus while rest fade in the background

Poppy's in a field

Pine woodland in fog

Pine woodland

Looking straight up!

A field of yellow flowers in fog

a pile of rocks

yellow mellow!

Pine woodland

Morning dew of this gorgeous purple flower

Córdoba Province

Córdoba (Arabic: قرطبة Qurṭuba), traditionally named Cordova in English, is a province of southern Spain, in the north-central part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is bordered by the provinces of Málaga, Sevilla, Badajoz, Ciudad Real, Jaén, and Granada. Its area is 13,769 km².

Its population is 771,131 (2002),of whom more than 40% live in the capital, Córdoba, and its population density is 56.00/km². The province of Córdoba contains 75 municipalities.

Córdoba is divided into two large areas of similar size but with totally different, often opposing, characteristics: the Sierra Morena in the north and the Campiña (farmlands) in the south, separated by the River Guadalquivir. To the right of the river, the landscape of the Sierra Morena is rugged and many hills are covered with holm oaks and pine forests.

The countryside of Cordoba Province is tremendously speckled. You will view rolling plains, mountain ranges, overpowered villages with baroque churches, Moorish citadels, and flower-rich courtyards. The expanse is famed for its arid white wines.