Stockwood Discovery Centre Clears for the Next Season

On my visit to the gardens at Stockwood it was apparent how much work has been put in to clear the beds and tidy the hedges in preparation for the next growing season. Many of the beds were clear of all plants and the hedges were trim and all the lines were clean and clear cut.
Every so often some lone flowers were clinging to life and displaying their last blooms before autumn arrived and gave way to winter. Some of the leaves were now vivid red, others had every shade from green to gold. I found one bush that had become home to a dozen or more ladybirds, with one of our non-native ones flying from one leaf to another frequently, and very adeptly – I was amazed that he could land on the underside of another leaf without a moment’s hesitation.

I also spotted a lone dragonfly at the entrance to the long greenhouse that led to the grapevines. I was lucky to spot a couple of squirrels scampering on the lawns and by the trees. Leaves have always fascinated me, and one tree here had three very different colourways of leaves, but were consistent at a particular branch level. I was surprised to still find Morning Glory in several places within the greenhouses.

As it had rained the previous night several flower heads and leaves had raindrops and this always adds to the charm as does sunlight shining through to reveal the veins and make the leaves glow. Another aspect that appeals are the abstract shapes and repetitions found in nature, so leaves that emanate from a central core or clusters of similar shapes hold an interest, and this can be seen noticeably in this gallery of images.