Wednesday 25 April 2012

wild flowers

a drawing of a violet in sepia ink

On Sunday afternoon we took advantage of the fine day and went for a walk through the fields and visited the wood.  It was very very black sky over the hills but in the opposite direction we were lucky to have a blue sky and sunshine. The field was full of new lambs with their mothers. As we walked along the edge of the field we stopped to look at the primroses and little clusters of blue violets.  I found the Lords and Ladies at different stages, and made a note to come back and watch them grow as I really like this plant which grows into a stem with red glossy berries.
primroses
 I picked a few different kinds of flowers along the way, a specimen of each to draw.
Lords and Lady  
I saw a ladybird sitting in the warm sunshine on a green leaf and in the distance we could see such a tiny little lamb playing by the hedgerow. A worried mother watched as we walked nearby and then this beautiful  lamb made her way back to her mother and bigger sister.




 We passed the old slate stile and through the fields with the deep holes and the hills of waste slate, this land shaped from the days when the quarry was in this area.  It is now overground with grass and trees and plants as nature has taken over.  We found  a beautiful cluster of violets and ferns growing  in a crack in a stone slab.
an old  stone stile once used  along the  footpaths through the fields 

ferns and violets growing on the stone

  The hills are a high vantage point,  views of the shore and the estuary can be seen from the slate "rubbish hills".
walking on top of the old slate hills and the estuary behind. 

views of the seashore 
Our walk took us through the lanes and we saw lots of different wild flowers all growing along side the road in the verges, bankings and hedgerows.  We left the road and followed the little track to the wood to see the bluebells and marsh marigolds growing there. The strong scent of the white onion plant, or wild garlic,  was  everywhere.  I have visited this wood in the village since I was a little girl.  I remember gathering the bluebells and  getting stuck in the deep mud as I once tried to pick the marsh marigold from the wet boggy area.


Some of the flowers in the wood,  I wish you could smell the bluebells and the wild garlic.
 We saw a birds nest tucked away amongst the stones in a wall.  The photographs were taken by my husband, these are just a few,  lots more I can share in another post.
a primrose in pencil
studies of a violet

a little cup  of a primroses and violets.

And I will leave you with our lovely English bluebells.  Hope you enjoyed the walk. 
Thank you for your lovely comments..............Millyx 



14 comments:

RH Carpenter said...

What a beautiful set of photos and drawings. Thanks so much for the spring lamb photos - love them :)

RH Carpenter said...

Thanks for sharing these lovely photos and drawings :) I especially smiled at the little lambs and your artwork always makes me smile.

Debbie Nolan said...

Oh Milly - your drawing is truly lovely - just want you to know your pics and writing just took me along side of you. I truly could smell the garlic and see the bluebells and the little lambs. Just a great post - thank you for sharing.

martinealison said...

J'ai plus qu'apprécié la promenade, je me suis aussi régalée avec vos merveilleux dessins... Ils sont tous d'une grande délicatesse.
La nature nous offre les choses simples et à la fois si détaillées que je ne peux que la féliciter...
Gros bisous à vous et merci pour cette excellente balade.

Jarnie Godwin said...

Thank you, I enjoyed that one very much. Lovely photos, with all the dreadful weather we have been having it is so nice to see some brightness. I love working in pencil, your sketches are delightful.

Carol Creech said...

Oh, Millie, I nearly swooned when I saw the violet in sepia! So delicate. I just love wildflowers and really enjoyed your post. I especially love pencil and pen studies. Great stuff.
Carol

Anonymous said...

Beautiful drawings and photos as usual, makes me want to go for a walk in the countryside!

Melody said...

Ahhhh yes, another delightful walk... thank you for sharing! The lambs are adorable!!! I think your violet in sepia would make a nice pattern for a set of dishes; I can imagine digging a little hole thru the peas on my dinner dish, so i could better admire the violets! :))

Frances said...

Oh Milly, I truly enjoyed being along on this walk with you and your husband.

All the little flowers are beautifully fragile, and it's grand that you've been able to capture their beauty in your drawing.

The fresh young lamb is so, so sweet.

I really love the photo of you walking down that green edged pathway. Glad that you survived this springtime excursion.

I could just about catch the scent of the wild garlic and bluebells!

xo

Anonymous said...

Wonderful photographs and drawings. Thank you for sharing :)

Lyn said...

Such a beautiful walk, a spring walk in the woods is always uplifting and you found lots of lovely things to study.
xxx

Pondside said...

I don't know what I enjoy more - the photos of the flowers, the description of the walk or the drawings. I am more than a little envious of your memories of walking in this wood since childhood. That is precious.

Diana said...

Milly so very beautiful. thank you. Your walks take me with you and your drawings exquisite! sorry I haven't been visiting as I should. My heart is still..well anyway. love to you,Diana

Aqeela said...

Beautiful as always. I saw my first 'Lords and Ladies' plant a couple of years ago, it stands all alone right next to the pavement just up the road from us. I loved it instantly (it had its bright red berries) and researched it at home in my books. Then, with great joy, i found several of them in my own garden which i hadnt noticed before as they were under our jungle area rubbish dump! I cant wait to see the berries again this year hopefully, although they are poisonous so i have to be very careful with D around them.
Aqeela, xx