178E - Where are the butterflies and swallows?

Every time I enter my garden, I notice it slowly evolving. Obviously I had a plan, and that lay-out is there, but my plants have developed a mind of their own now that they have lived there for three years! But what is very 'different', is the emptiness of the garden and the sky. And that emptiness scares the sh** out of me!

Rudbeckia

   Some plants spread themselves about and wander, others slowly disappear, like my Rudbeckia. I had large clumps three years ago...now there's one left and this is puny. When I see Monty stand proudly in his hot border,  I think ☆¿#€!**! Why will mine not work?

   Fortunately  other things do work, phew.

   For example my Victoria rose: after three years of struggling, pining, sulking and not wanting to flower, she appears to have embraced her fate, fi-nal-ly! Not only has she suddenly grown 30cm, but she has produced gorgeous flowers, hurray!

This is more like it!

Another plant that makes me very happy, is the huge clump of Tansy that grows in my insect wilderness next to the compost heaps. When it suddenly appeared in 2021, I hesitated for a while, should I dig it up? Serious gardeners at my allotments classify it as 'a weed'. But I don't belong to that group, I belong to the 'oh, look, such fun, and if it gets too large I'll dig it up anyway' group.

In Dutch we call it Boerenwormkruid; the name alone is fantastic. (Boeren = farmers, worm = worm, kruid = herb). In the olden days it was used as an anti- gutparasite treatment, now they use pills.

My insect wilderness with Tansy

   Tansy smells lovely (to me), I picked a large bunch and now my entire apartment is scented. Btw, it is poisonous, so wash your hands after handling it.

   After I had trimmed the grass, scooped out the green snot from the frog pool, and watered my raised beds at 08.00, and was having a sip of water, a Red Admiral landed on my arm. We looked eachother deeply in the eye. Together with a Cabbage White, they were the only two butterflies in my garden. And it dawned on me that I have not seen the swallows this year! They usually swoop over my shed in family groups. Not one! It really scares me.

Where are all the butterflies and swallows?

On Dutch TV they make a fuss about a wolf that is probably kicking itself by now for having had the idea to emigrate to our too built up and overpopulated country, but where is the public outcry about the farmers still able to use Glyfosaat?!

And if it is your opinion that insects are a pain in the bum, and who cares about a few birds, then do remember that us folks get frightfully ill of that poison too. 'Scientists are emphasising the link between Parkinson's and the use of pesticides by farmer's (link to an article in Dutch newspaper De Gelderlander not available, sorry).

A friend of mine suffers from Parkinson's, and believe me, it is far better to have some spots on your veg, you can cut those right off.

I always try to keep politics out of this blog. The purpose of it is to write chatty plant stuff. But when I stood staring at that sweet blue, but scarily empty sky, I suddenly became extremely angry! As always this is about economic gain above human- and animal welfare, and I think it is a Disgrace. With a capital D, yeah! Terribly Shortsighted, as well. Research the effect on plants not being pollinated by insects: the plants will die. You cannot eat economic gain, duh! A bunch of Morons, those politicians.

At least this bumble bee is still alive. Oh well, my anger solves nothing. Next week I'll write my usual chatty blog, promise.

Have a good weekend!

Renée