I would like to wish all my visitors a very Happy New Year. I wonder what this year will have in store for us all. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that having a garden enriches our lives in so many ways. I hope that as I and others write, photograph and video our plants, birds and wildlife we can all share in this especially those who have no garden at all.
Wildlife Photography in blogs is of an increasingly high standard which is absolutely fantastic for us as visitors. I feel it is the understanding and appreciation of the wildlife itself that makes these photographs special. I do take photographs from my garden as you will know but often they are as a result of glancing out of my window and noticing some activity so I am just taking advantage of the opportunity. However I have stood outside behind my camera on a day when the light was good on some plants etc and waited for the birds to come and it can be a long wait! So I take my hat off to all the photographers, especially Mike and Richard, as this does takes a great deal of patience as well as skill! It really is a bonus that we are all able to share in their excursions! Here’s hoping 2008 is a good year for wildlife photography.
Garden Photography in blogs is also of an increasingly high standard. I love to see the plants and planting schemes of other gardeners but again some blogs post on their garden visits too. Now this for me is such a treat especially when many of the blogs I regularly visit are not in Scotland. I have a number of favourite plantsmen and women and to be able to visit gardens designed by them through the eyes of another gardener is like walking through them with a friend! I would especially like to thank Pam and Yolanda for posting on the Dutch plantsman Piet Oudolf who is renowned for his natural plant schemes using ornamental grasses and perennials. Pam posted on her visit to The Lurie Garden in Chicago and Yolanda on her visit to Piet’s Private Garden and Nursery in the Netherlands. I am looking forward to enjoying many more Garden Tours and Botanical Garden visits from Pam and other bloggers in 2008 – perhaps I should consider showing some photos from the gardens I have visited here in the UK.
On collecting my links for the pages above I have just discovered a great collection of photos on The Lurie Garden by Gloria which she stores in photobucket – all 61 of them! Gosh you could lose hours browsing like this – I want to go back to see them all again! It is handy I have links here for myself too. Mmm sorry I’ve been distracted again and found another interesting page by the Garden Rant which has a link to a slideshow of Piet’s idea of Birth, Life and Death in the garden. Many of these photos I have in his books and I find them absolutely inspiring. Yes, I have a small garden with an even smaller space that gets full sun but you can recreate the ’feel’ of a design in any scale. I look forward to collecting more links to Piet’s plantings in 2008.
Wildlife videos definitely come into an area where I would like to see the quality improved in 2008. I understand it is difficult when files have to be compressed in the way they are for showing on the web but when you know how the original looks it is always disappointing to see how they change. Once again if anyone has any tips on this please do add a comment or email me – thank-you.
CCTV Cameras are also a popular way to capture wildlife in the garden especially during the hours of darkness. Some bloggers kindly share photos and video from their gardens in this way which allows us all to see what is going on in the garden during the twilight hours. Jane recently caught a robin having a bath on hers but it is the badgers and foxes that she is hoping to catch more glimpses of. Jan on the other hand has captured hedgehog photos with hers and generously shared these images live with me online which was quite a treat! I look forward to discovering more gardens with wildlife cameras in 2008.
Finally, for tonight, I have one final thing to add. To each and every visitor that strolls by this post I wish you good health and a very Happy New Year ….. Cheers!
Whisky is very popular as a toast to the New Year in Scotland a ‘wee dram’ it is known as here. However it is not my tipple so it is my husband that is extending this toast to you tonight!
Happy New Year to you as well, Shirl.
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
A.T.B. Happy new year Shirl to you and yours.
Shirl, thanks for your kind words about and links to my garden-tour and botanical-garden posts. I’m glad to know that you enjoy them, and I’ll be happy to continue the tradition in 2008. I always enjoy your wildlife photography, and I’d love to see your garden tours too.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you and your husband Shirl.
Hi again, Carol, st, Pam and Lisa 🙂
Carol – Thank-you! Wishing you another successful GBBD Year 😀
St – Thank-you – An a Guid New Year tae Ane an Aw!
Pam – You are most welcome – I am delighted you found my post. I had intended telling you I had made these links and you beat me to it! I look forward to seeing where you visit next! Thank-you I enjoy taking photos of the wildlife in my garden although I have much to learn when it comes to photography. Yes some my past garden tours would involve scanning photos so perhaps it is time to start afresh this year. Thank-you – and a very Happy New Year to you too 😀
Lisa – once again thank-you very much for your good wishes for 2008 for both myself and my husband. Wishing you and your family all the best in 2008 😀
A wonderful happy 2008 to you and your family too! I’m glad having met you Shirl through blogging….I got a lot of inspiring gardening and wildlife news from your beautiful country. I am fond of reading your posts.
What?! You don’t imbibe in a wee dram? Are you sure you’re Scottish? 😉
A very happy and healthy New Year to you and yours, Shirl, with loads of garden, wildlife and blogging fun.
Do you have any plans on visiting Piet’s garden and nursery in 2008? Wouldn’t that make for a great New Year resolution! 😉
And a very Happy New Year to you too Shirl! Cheers!
Cheers! I also leave the whiskey drinking to my DH. You should visit Chicago to see the Lurie Garden (and “The Bean”) in person. Of course I would wait until April or May. It’s such a great place from which to steal ideas. All of us here at Squirrelhaven, in the ‘burbs of Chicago, look forward to more photos & videos of the plants & critters in your Scottish garden.
Happy New Year Shirl. I’m so glad I found your online diary… it’s a pleasure to read. I haven’t found any more badgers yet, but I did film some bullfinches today, and some deer at Arne nature reserve yesterday. Just put them on my site. Hope you don’t get snowed in and talk to you again soon!
A good years wish to you as well Shirl.
I’m a big fan of Piet Oudolfs. Starting in January the Lurie cutback begins so another years photos of the garden will be begin. I am a volunteer through the extension service Master Gardener program.
I am enjoying getting to know your blog.Always glad to find another wildlife gardener.
Ooooh, I’m a bit partial to Uisghe beatha myself, (preferably Oban or Laphroaige) so I’ll just go have a wee dram myself and offer you the best of all new years too. Slainte Mhath!
Hi again, Barbara, Yolanda, Jayne, Mr McGregor’s Daughter, Jane, Gloria & Jodi 🙂
Barbara – Thank-you and my best wishes to you too. It has been great to meet up with you in Switzerland. We have many plants in common and I know you enjoyed your visit to Scotland last May so I will try to post photos of Branklyn Garden in 2008 so you can see it once again 😀
Yolanda – funnily enough I guessed I would get this comment from you – don’t know why! Yes, I am truly Scotish – I even have a hint of red in my hair! However, I cannot stand the ‘smell’ of whisky – but I still managed a toast don’t worry 😉 And a Good and Healthy New Year to you and yours too! Yes, here’s to a good blogging year in 2008 😀 Mmm Piet’s garden, perhaps not this year although it would make a good resolution though! He has designed some in the UK too so perhaps I should see them first. If we don’t see it before it will definitely go in 2012 when we visit the next Floriade 😀
Jayne – Thank-you and to you too! Cheers to 2008 and I very much look forward to following your blog this year 😀
Mr McGregor’s Daughter – Cheers once again! Yes Whisky is definitely an aquired taste. Yes, I really would like to see the Lurie Garden in person but it would need to be in April as May is my favourite month in my own garden 🙂 I really love your garden name of Squirrel haven and I hope they are not causing you too much damage now – I hope they still understand you are the boss of your garden! Thank-you so much for your comments and kind wishes. I am glad that your family has enjoyed watching the wildlife from my garden and it would be wonderful if I could share photos and video of hedgehog young in 2008! Oh yes and if it our nestbox had young surviving this year that too would be a treat for us all 😀
Jane – and a Happy New Year to you too! I too am glad we met in 2007 and I very much look forward to what you will post about in the year ahead. I have seen your videos of the bullfinches and the deer and what a treat they are. I would love to see bullfinches in my garden this winter as you know. Funnily enough the deer jumping rather reminded me of my daughters guinea pig’s when they are happy – perhaps the deer were happy too! We did get snow and fortunately we didn’t get snowed as we had plans. Looking forward to many chats in 2008 😀
Gloria – what a treat to find you too especially as you are a Piet fan too! How wonderful to be working in one of his gardens – I am looking forward to seeing your photos throughout the coming year. I hope in the coming year that I can show more wildlife from my garden and perhaps I might share some from around Scotland and the UK too. I am new to your blog too so I look forward to seeing what you will post on during 2008 😀
Jodi – Thank-you and Good Health to you too! Ah, my husband enjoys a good malt too but nope not me. However I can still raise a glass to you too – I’m sure a ncie wine would do. Cheers and ‘Aw ra best’ for 2008 😀
A very Happy New Year to you – will look forward to following this site this year and for more gorgeous birdy pics – not to forget the other wildlife too!
A bientot Miranda
Hi again, Miranda 🙂
And a very Happy New Year to you too 😀
Thank-you! After just discovering your site I too am looking forward to following your site in 2008. You have some great plant photos and interesting topics. I hope to get some more birdy pics this week as we have lots visiting at the moment 😀