Sitting in the Garden

At last, some days to sit out in the sun. In fact, it's been so hot, I have been staying indoors. I'm lucky because this flat is long and narrow with no windows in the side so it remains cool. But it's really nice to go out in the evening and enjoy the garden. 

The idea of this garden is to encourage the small flying things we've been losing.  I think I have got more small flying  things this year, but it's really difficult to photograph them, let alone identify them. I have more larger bees anyway, so that must be good. I'm getting lots of bees in the garden, from buff tailed bumble bees to honey bees and some small bees I haven't been able to identify.

Honey bee

Small bee for which I have no name

Buff-tailed bumble bee

Victoria plum

The plums are just beginning to ripen. I have  really a lot this year and I wonder what has happened to the squirrels. They used to enjoy them so much, but they have vanished. 

My seating is just by the pond, where I have had to put a line of netting to prevent the fox from catching the frogs. It doesn't look wonderful, but it does seem to save the frogs. 

The water iris has done really well. I thought it was over but it's appeared again. Lovely! 

Iris versicolor (blue flag iris)

I've been waiting to see any dragon flies this year, but it's  been so cold I only saw one once. Perhaps now the weather's got warmer...