Yesterday, I went for another stroll but I couldn't really double the hours then. It's freaking cold outside and though I was clothe in layers - my hands were really cold and feeling like they were frozen when I got back. I brought my phone because it was a bit sunny and decided to take pics of what's it like outside.
When I got back home I noticed these Firethorn fruits. They are normally just bright golden or dark orangy but yesterday they had dark spots on them so I took a closer look to check if they caught mildew and found out - it's ashes from our fireplace - my guess.
They are the same kind - it's just that the other has already turned darker red earlier since it also bloomed earlier. They normally turn dark during the winter.
This is what their flower look like and I took this pic in 2014.
No, I didn't plant them - they were already taller than our garage when I got here. The nature authorities here planted them there and I actually wish they also planted them in front of our garden fence. I do like their milky scented flower like the hoverflies and bees do. Here's a common scene beside my garage when these Firethorns are flowering. I took the pictures in these gifs two years ago using my Samsung Galaxy Note 1 and I don't remember sharing the pictures on my Social Media but the gifs ~~ I just made in makeagif - tonight.
I love them because aside from the bees, ladybugs and dragonflies tend to flock in them. I found so many ladybug larvae and adults on them which I would transfer in my backyard to fight aphids. Aphids thrive there, too but since it's outside the garden, I don't mind. They attract so many dragonflies I get to enjoy taking pics of and having in my garden.
The best part about having them is - being able to wake up at 5 am during Spring in the singing of a blackbird nesting in it. Have you ever heard a blackbird sing early in the morning? It sings a very beautiful song. I would sometimes find two nests in there - from that of a blackbird or a house sparrow. The thorns of these plants keep magpies and humans off their nests. Oh yes, I have tried peeking on the babies to no avail. No, I didn't want to touch the nest - the mommy bird would eventually leave them if I do. Something about that human scent and disturbing them while nesting that they must not like and no it's not a myth.
This is what the song of a Blackbird sounds like.
There are many other videos that would show Blackbirds singing but I chose to share this one since this is exactly what I hear at dawn during Spring. If you click on the blued words above - that's the source.
I would also like to ask a question to the ones in charge of the #photography and #gardening posts. How should I tag this first? It's been tagged but for next time - which is more proper? I want to feature my photography mainly but I also want to present information for gardening. I'm also confused and I hope someone could help me on this one. Hopefully, separate folders do come soon, one for the re-steemed posts and per category that we post about.
sources
Pyracantha Jelly and Santa’s Belly
Pyrachanta Fiery Cascade
Planting Firethorn: Growing Tips And Care Of Firethorn Bush
disclaimer : This article is purposed to help fruit and flower identification and not to recommend food source.
I would like to thank everyone who upvoted my past posts and this post. Thank you all very much for your supports. I will have to recharge again as my voting influence has been dragged back to 36% as per the last time I have seen them.
I took the old flower pictures with my Samsung Galaxy Note 1 and the fruit pictures with my Samsung Galaxy A3 2016 edition.
I usually blog about cooking, gardening and photography and if you happen to be interested in all of those, too .
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Excellent visit, congratulations on the find, beautiful photos, thanks for sharing.
I wonder are these edible? What do they taste like. BTW I think your tags are fine. Maybe change 1 and 2 to be gardening followed by photography and then have the others but I don't think it matters that much.
@thecryptofiend, thank you Sir, yes they are but I haven't tried those because I am not sure that they are organic - though we never sprayed it . I haven't really tried but a friend of mine has made a jam out of them - she used plenty of white sugar though - so I have also not tried.
OK:)
That fruit in the 1st and 2nd pics where is that grown?
@elumni - they are the same fruit in the 3rd picture, I wrote it up there but okay - it's beside our garage - I live in the Netherlands but these thrive almost everywhere in Europe and can also be found in some zones in the US.
I just followed you - great photos!
@jlufer, @sponge-bob I love that name
thank you :)
We don't get the blackbirds here....crows yes and they are not pretty singers - squawkers, loud squawkers!! I do however enjoy the morning doves...and cardinals. Beautiful colors on those berries.
@countrygirl, thank you :)
we also have crows - huge ones haha
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Upvoted by @gardening-trail
Thank you for following and upvoting @gardening-trail
The gardening-trail does not require a gardening tag to be the first tag. It's hard enough to limit some posts to five categories and only one can be first. But if a post is more about photography and there isn't much gardening content besides images of plants, then it might not be curated for the gardening-trail. Authentic gardening content is key.
Thanks for posting about your Firethorn and other garden activities!
@gardening-trail thank you all very much for your support!
And thank you for clearing that up for me - okay roger - all of that :)
It's all an evolving experiment, so flexibility and adaptability on the part of everyone will be helpful. Like some successful plants. Happy gardening!