British Wildlife Touring Exhibition – Stockwood Discovery Centre

I arranged to meet up with a fellow photographer, Colin Bowles to take a look at the photographs on display at the Stockwood Discovery Centre in Luton from this year's awards, but I purposely made a point of arriving earlier so that I might take a few photographs of some of the plants within the gardens or in the long greenhouse, if I could manage to get in touch with one of the gardeners, Jan Tysoe.

She was not too sure I might find anything much of interest at this early stage of the season, though she knew it would not be a lack of trying on my part. I was dressed in layers for the outdoors, and away from the bitter cold inside the greenhouse, I was way over-dressed so hastily shed my coat in order to take a look the length of the interior in search of early signs of the coming season's growth.

It was not extensive, but the signs were there, and I spotted a minuscule snail on a leaf at the far end that was barely half a millimetre wide and at most one long, so had to move very close and up the speed, so that the shutter could cope with my unstable, shaky hands, but there was no way to convey an appreciation of it's scale.

I managed only a few images here before the call came through that Colin had arrived, so I gathered my gear and headed for the exhibition. Colin made an inherently sensible suggestion as to how we might proceed from the outside in, in order not to lose track of those images we had already seen by jumping from the outer walls to the inner display panels and back. It was interesting to note how many of the pictures elicited memories for Colin from his various travels around the world and his encounters with some of the animals or scenes, or how some stirred other memories from the past.

Whilst we were there a member of staff came around with a duster, and her duties must definitely have involved outside work as she was similarly clothed for the great outdoors, as she methodically ensured every one of the pictures were maintained at their best for the visitors.

Once again Colin and I both found the variety kept us interested throughout our visit, it is an exhibition we both recommend to be well worth finding the time to visit as it should be rewarding to all ages and this week is likely to be well-attended by children during their half-term break.

Stockwood Season End Colour

Before all the sunshine goes and the autumn winds bring the branches down, and flatten the blooms, I just had to get away from the computer screens for a break, especially as bright sunshine was casting strong shadows on my blinds.

My destination was Stockwood Discovery Centre Gardens and having sent some images of bugs to Jan, one of the gardeners, I thought I'd check she was able to download them safely, so I hastened to the far end where I spotted her. I asked was there anything of particular interest, and learned that there was indeed; it was a form of red lily, that had been brought in and planted somewhat in the shade of a climbing Morning Glory, and the gentleman who had originally brought it in had been somewhat pessimistic of it flowering – well I can report his pessimism is unfounded, for it has flowered strongly. Jan hopes it will last till the weekend for his visit.

I met an apprentice whom Jan is mentoring, who plans to learn enough to start up his own business, well, he has a good and generous tutor, so he is well-placed to benefit from his time here.

There was a dearth of visitors, so it was easy to get around and spend time sometimes for the wind to die down, at others for the sun to come from behind the clouds, but there was a surprising amount of colour, and numerous water droplets which always adds interest to closeups of flowers.

Whilst in the green house surrounded by scout wasps and apparently a single hornet, two calls came in, one that dashed my hopes of flying into Goodwood for the Revival Meeting, the other from Apple to help get to the bottom of problems besetting my iMac and Lion operating system – despite mentioning I was out photographing some five miles from home, I was asked was I close to my computer!