This is the first of the Fungi spotted so far this year it isYellow Fieldcap (Bolbitius titubans var. titubans)

Here is another Bumble bee Visiting the flower meadow This is the 3rd species I have identified so far. This is Common Carder-bee (Bombus pascuorum).

Roas Rugosa White

Rosa Rugosa Red

There are two hedges which are the bounderies of the meadow one is hundreds of years old and is mainly hawthorn Blackthorn and ivy. the other is only 5 years old and is Rosa Rugosa and runs the full legnth of the meadow .it is full of buds red pink and white .It is now about 3.5 feet should look fabulous  when it comes into full flower

Apple blossom

Russet

Worcester Pomain 

Cox orange Pipin

Crab Apple

 This last week we have had lovely sunny warm weather .In Fact in the month of April has been the driest for 70 years . The apple trees have responded with this beautiful display of blossom. there are 11 small trees in the meadow 5 apple trees 2 plums a quince 3 Rowen there should be 12 but the Bramley apple died and I have yet to replace it

Irish Beauty

evening of April 19th

 Hedgerow Crane's-bill (Geranium pyrenaicum)

 This lovely little Cranesbill has not flowered in my meadow before.Its the most beautifu shade of pink with park purple stripes and a dark purple centre 

Ground-ivy (Glechoma hederacea)

This beautiful Cock Pheasant

was at the bottom of the meadow this evening. He is sporting fine breeding plumage but alas he has no mate, his female companion was killed on the road 2 weeks ago and he has not found another as yet.

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meadow insects

Ground Beetle (Poecilus sp.)Add caption

Stomorhina lunata

Wild Life Around the House

 Although this is not strictly speaking part of the meadow it is the wildlife around the house.
 There are a pair of Jackdaws making a nest in the ventilation slot in the Old Granary wall  . 
The slot is is narrow you would never believe a Jackdaw could fit into it . but they squeeze into the largest part at the top and then drop down inside .They nested here last year and raised 4 chicks. Previous to that it was occupied by a pair of Pied Wagtails

 Just next door in the other slot we have House Sparrows nesting . the male is sitting on the gutter waiting for me to go before he slips into the nest. House Sparrows are supposed to be getting quite rare but we have dozens of the noisy little things 

Honesty

This beautiful patch of Honesty just shone out in the bright sunshine it gets larger every year

All the plants in the meadow are really growing away well .

As I walked up and down the meadow today as I do most days I couldn't help wondering what would it all look like this year. 
Every year is different . The first year it was mainly annuals that flowered. 
Now each year is different as the perennials grow and spread some plants such as the Field Scabious, Early Purple Orchids, Harebells and wild form of Cat Mint took 5 years before they flowered.

I will be removing will be Creeping Thistle and  Brambles .This afternoon I planted snowdrops that I was bought earlier in the year and some Allium bulbs that came as a free gift last year ..Also 3 Buddelia Bicolour for the  butterflies and 10 Apricot Foxgloves for the Bumble bees.I have sown Sweet


 Rocket . Leopards Bane and Pink and White Musk Mallow in plugs to add as soon as they are big enough.I'll be sowing a few annuals in the odd bare places where we had to move the hens to while we got on top of the rat problem higher up the garden .