What's buzzing or flying near you 2024 ?

Yes, he/she was abit dehydrated so we talked to a bat lady which told us what we should do and then he/she went back out to the wild

 

Good news @Jiffy .
It's always a worry when something like that happens, and when you want to do the right thing for them too.

 

Gosh aren’t you clever @fairygirl I just assumed you’d bought the toadstools, you’d pay a fortune for those!

 

We have some bottoms of fence posts tossed to one side and now overgrown. I shall have to see if they look like toadstools. They are quite large and heavy - not sure I could lift them.

 

I have one of those sack barrows @cactus_girl , which is good for moving anything awkward and heavy. That big one was from a temporary gate I put in before I could get my extension done. I also have a couple from the whirly [washing line]. When I moved in here, it was in the ground, but in a spot I wanted to plant into or put the lawn, so I took it out and put it in a bucket of concrete, sunk into the ground so that I could eventually move it. I still have that one, as the whirly failed after a couple of years, and also another which was from the new whirly I had to buy, which then rusted very quickly, so that had to come out a few years ago.
I've made a toadstool in the front garden with one of those, but it needs a bigger 'lid' which I haven't got round to doing yet. Another project....

I used things like clematis pots for the stalks of the small ones, and old bowls I had for the tops. I used an old wok for the bigger tops, and then it's a case of spreading some mortar to hide the gaps etc. The small one got knocked over, so the smallest bit came off. I should try and get that properly stuck back on too.
I just thought it was a better alternative to taking them all to the tip @CatDouch. I'm thinking of doing one for beside the pond.

 

You are very creative @fairygirl. My aunt had a large farmhouse in the cotswolds and she had two of those large toadstools/mushrooms made of stone possibly at the bottom of her garden. Not sure if you can buy them or they are something you just see in the countryside. You certainly don't see them around here. I will have to make do with fence posts bottoms and make some lids!

 

Yes - I know the ones you mean @cactus_girl , and I've seen those now and again when out and about. Mine are certainly quite rustic, but that's nearer to the real thing I suppose! No idea if you can buy those, but there's a 'bought' one in a garden near me. It probably cost a fair bit, especially if it came from the nearest GC. It's a bit too perfect looking for me anyway

It takes a wee bit of time to do them, especially the bigger ones because you have to try and match up the curves, but you can always do a bit of faffing with some mortar to smooth it all out. I find my hand is better for that, but it's probably a good idea to wear rubber gloves or similar.
I'm not very good at doing that, but I have a pair in the bag with all the bits and pieces

 

We've inherited some concrete rabbits. They had so much moss on them it looked like fur. Hubby stripped it off and they are still sitting in the garage awaiting more treatment. They are probably quite old.

Just realised what thread we're on! Could do with a garden ornament thread.

 

Captured yesterday.

 

Green Shield Bug 'epidemic' in the garden currently


A nymph on the Dahlias





A younger nymph on Echinacea





Adult & nymph together

 

Lovely pictures, @LunarSea . I have the impression it's a good year for the Green Shield Bug, because I have seen also far more in my garden than usual.

I saw on the remaining flowering plants like Verbena, Gaura, Scabiosa and Echinacea 2 white butterflies, a lot of hoverflies and bees once it got drier over the day.

 

Lovely pictures @LunarSea, last year we were inundated with green shield bugs inside and out, this year we have only seen a couple!
We have plenty of migrating birds in the garden at the moment. black caps, pied fly catchers and other assorted warblers some of which I can identify if they stay still long enough!

 

Stunning pictures @LunarSea !

 

Thankyou @simone_in_wiltshire, @floralies & @DiggersJo. I was experimenting with a new gadget called a Raynox 150 which extends the macro reach of any lens. Quite pleased with it so far.

 

Do these count? From the Airshow at the weekend