There’s so much wildlife to see around Ilfracombe, North Devon.

At the moment the foxgloves are just coming into flower up Hillsborough . . .

While conkers are already forming on the horse chestnut trees near the swimming pool . . .

While nearby a starling hopped around on the grass . . .

Over at Bicclescombe Park, a collection of goldfish and other fish have mysteriously appeared in the boating lake. From what I have been told they are not supposed to be there and may be someone’s unwanted fish from a pond . . .

The bluebells on the north and east sides of Hillsborough, Ilfracombe, North Devon are astounding at the moment.

To see them:

• walk from the harbour round to Hillsborough
• go via the car park by the swimming pool
• climb the cliff steps from Hele Bay

After our first batch of runner bean seeds failed to germinate (we did use last year’s seeds), I bought new seeds and they are just now starting to raise their heads above the compost.

The way they lift their ‘heads’ suggests it is a great effort . . .

The broad beans are also germinating as are marigolds.
The sunflower seedlings look a bit happier than they did several days ago . . .

Out in the garden itself, the comfrey is just about to burst into flower. The bees love these . . .

. . . and a small holly seedling, that really looked quite bare in the winter, is really putting on new growth . . .

It’s a marvellous watching everything emerge, stretch and grow in the garden.

It’s been a glorious spring this year, but I don’t think anything provides as big a lift as the arrival of ducklings.

This morning, in Bicclescombe Park, Ilfracombe in North Devon, I heard ducks squabbling down in the East Wilder Brook as it passes under a small bridge. I looked over the fence and saw a mother duck and her fleet of ducklings. Unfortunately, there were three male ducks trying to mate with her, explaining the noise as she fought them off.

Some blurred photos, taken with zoom lens while hanging over a fence with two spaniels on leads . . .

One of the park-keepers said they were born on Sunday. I counted 12. Before I could take any more photos, they swam under the bridge.

Meanwhile, back on the duck pond, this pair were doing some serious courting and a bit more when they weren’t being interrupted by other jealous suitors . . .

Expect more ducklings!

Our blackcurrant bushes certainly seem to have set the ladybirds going . . .

They’re at it everywhere . . .

Fortunately, we don’t take a ‘not in my back yard’ approach . . .

. . . as we hope it’ll work up their appetite for eating aphids.

Meanwhile, a bee decided to ignore these goings-on by drinking . . .

. . . from the apple blossom . . .

. . . while a robin landed on the fence looking very pleased with itself . . .

He’d got a takeaway in his beak . . .

It looked like an insect, but I couldn’t tell exactly . . .

It was certainly eat, drink and be merry in our garden this lunchtime.

In the garden, our two apple trees change daily . . .

This morning the apple blossom opened up . . .

I hope the number of flowers means we will get lots of fruit this year!

I have to take my camera because there is something new every day.

This morning I saw bluebells flowering in Bicclescombe Park in Ilfracombe, North Devon . . .

The magnolias are also blooming too in a variety of colours . . .

It’s a wonderful spring for blossom. All the trees are heavy with petals . . .

All we need now are lots of ducklings on the pond!

It’s that time of the year when you have to look now or you’ll miss something.
The blossom on apple trees . . .

. . . and in the park . . .

The new shoots on a rather sorry-looking holly cutting . . .

I could say I haven’t got time to stop for this, but what I would really be saying is I haven’t got time to live.

It’s the best time of year.

The race is on . . .

. . . and six seedlings have germinated in our shed nursery.

Sunflowers are fun to grow and produce seed for birds or to eat.

So join in the competition and see who can grow the tallest sunflower.

Follow on twitter at @twunflowercomp and on facebook.

Well, on camera, anyway.

This pigeon landed in a tree in Bicclescombe Park in Ilfracombe, North Devon, looking very pleased with himself. He had a twig or something similar in his beak, possibly nesting material.

He seemed to think he could not be seen, but I had my camera . . .

I think he spotted me and didn’t look very pleased . . .

. . . but he was up in the tree and I was on the ground where no one could reach him.

I took his photo, thanked him, then walked on.

The primrose, Devon’s county flower, is in bloom across North Devon, in gardens, on lawns and in hedgerows.

It’s such a bright, delicate flower and so uplifting.

It makes a drive down the lanes even better than usual . . .

. . . and we’re lucky to have a few plants in our garden too.

Our first sunflower seedling has woken up on this glorious spring morning, although still has its hat on . . .

We also have too tiny tomato seedlings.

The accidental nectarine seedling is also now established in it pot and is growing fast . . .

Snowdrops are lasting well too . . .

Not a day goes by without some new development.

The daffodils are now in full bloom . . .

. . . a shy primrose peeps out from a heather . . .

. . . the camellias produce a superb display . . .

What more could you want?

What a bright, sunny morning and so clear!

The daffodils in Bicclescombe Park just get better each day and I couldn’t resist taking a few close-up photos.

There’s nothing more full of life to bring us cheer!

We also accidentally woke up this chap . . . .

. . . a peacock butterfly.He did not seem to happy to be woken up and ‘buzzed’ at us by rubbing his wings together.

What to do? We had removed his winter sleeping quarters.

Now you see him . . .

. . . now you don’t!

We moved him outside into the sun on to a honeysuckle box hedge . . .

. . . where he woke up and then flew away.

Hopefully, it’s mild enough here in Ilfracombe, North Devon for him to survive. Apparently, they live for up to a year.

Clearing out the tomato trough in the shed, I pulled up this weed . . .

. . . and found the root connected to a seed which had fallen out of a fruit stone. It’s either an apricot or nectarine stone which must have found its way into our compost heap and then got transferred to the trough for growing tomatoes. I hurriedly potted it.

If this seedling grows, will it need a second plant for pollination to produce fruit?

Following an invitation from @stu_art_ist and @TweetsBySkeet, I have joined the @TwunFlowerComp on twitter.

What is is this? A competition to encourage people to grow sunflowers for fun . . . nothing more.

I’ve planted some sunflower seeds outside and some inside. Following a gardening tip, rather than buying peat plant plugs I put some compost into half a toilet roll inner with some newspaper to stop it falling out the bottom.

Today the first sunflower inside raised its head, although still with its seed ‘hat’ on.

The fun is starting.

If you want to join in, all you need is a packet of sunflower seeds, which you can plant inside or out and a digital camera so that you post photos.

As well as twitter, there is also a facebook Twunflowercomp page.

Good luck!

Thinking of the residents of Cockermouth in Cumbria and hoping that they can return to normal life as soon as possible after the floods, it struck me how powerful water is.

Even the East Wilder Brook that runs through Bicclescombe Park in Ilfracombe is swollen.

It changes from still pool to torrent with no warning . . .

. . . and although not very deep has the power to drag along anything in its way.

It commands my respect.

Over the past few months, we’ve been lucky to have two fleets of ducklings hatch in Bicclescombe Park, Ilfracombe, North Devon. Five from the first twelve have survived the predatory seagulls and four from the second six have also grown to adulthood: a 50% survival rate overall.

I’ve taken hundreds of photos, but not had time to post any, so here is a short video clip . . . watching them has been delightful.

. . . admiring the daffodils up Hillsborough . . .

. . . followed by some gardening perhaps . . .

. . . maybe not in this hail and rain . . .

How many different types of weather can we have in one day?

Ah well, there’s plenty of other things to do inside.

The wind is howling outside as I write, tearing down the valley towards the sea and throwing rain against the sides of the house. It’s been a relatively mild autumn, no real storms so far, but the past couple of days have hinted at a definite change in season. On a drive down the Sterridge Valley this afternoon, the trees looked magnificent, still with many leaves. No doubt, the wind will soon blow these away.

In the garden, some plants are still flowering from summer and autumn.

Hydrangea in Ilfracombe flowering in November

 Hydrangeas and fuchsias are still flowering . . .

Fuchsias flowering in Ilfracombe in November

These are quite sheltered so are protected from the winds . . .

Devon Dumpling fuchsias flowering in November in Ilfracombe

Look at these vibrant berries . . . I don’t know what the shrub is . . .

Autumn berries

And the heather is just starting to come into flower . . .

Heather coming into flower in November in Ilfracombe

We don’t seem to have had a summer this year, but there’s still much to enjoy throughout the other seasons.

It’s been a funny old year. We waited in expectation for the summer and now look back to when it should have been. The temperatures never seemed to get very high, although looking back over photos we did have some beautifully sunny days in May, June and July.

But somehow it’s easy to feel cheated. We didn’t get those long, lingering sunny evenings when it seems to take forever to get dark.

And here we are, just having put the clocks back, and taking the dogs out earlier so that they can get a good run in the daylight.

I’m not getting depressed though: I love autumn and winter. They bring a different beauty to spring and summer, so here’s looking to the enjoyment of different seasons.

PS Looking back over my photos this year, here is one of my favourites of Exmoor ponies, taken in March 2008.

Exmoor ponies photographed by Robert Zarywacz in March 2008

 Two years ago I found this fellow on one of our fuchsias . . .

Adult elephant hawk moth on a fuchsia

This year we found this chap (or lady) on a different fuchisa bush . . .

Elephant hawk moth caterpillar eating fuchsia leaves

This bears out what the books say about elephant hawk moths liking fuchsias . . .

These fuchsia leaves are tasty!

He was still chomping away a few days later . . .

This elephant hawk moth caterpillar has a hearty appetite for fuchsia leaves

. . . so perhaps next summer we’ll see him as an adult?

It’s been a very wet and dull August here, which hasn’t helped our runner beans. We were late planting them out as we had to prepare our new vegetable plot.

Runner beans grown and eaten in Devon

But at long last our crop is ripening and picking has begun.

Runner beans growing in spite of a cold, wet August

Our first meal reminded us how delicious home-grown runner beans are: sweet, tender, not at all stringy. Where else can you find such wonderful vegetables?

Exquisite tasting beans

Only in your vegetable garden or plot.