Paul Vintin
@paulvintin.bsky.social
Ex-designer, apparently. Musician (amateur). Gardener. Enjoys nature. Reads books. Interested in things generally. Sheffield.
https://pvintin.bandcamp.com/
https://pvintin.bandcamp.com/
In case you needed some clarification.
October 1, 2025 at 9:06 AM
In case you needed some clarification.
Warning signs in Conwy Castle.
October 1, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Warning signs in Conwy Castle.
View from Stanage Edge towards Mam Tor. #peakdistrict
September 10, 2025 at 9:35 AM
View from Stanage Edge towards Mam Tor. #peakdistrict
Honey bee on Rudbeckia 'Goldstrum'.
Very nice plant with loads of flowers but it's the only one in the bed that's needed constant watering this year. ('Will cope with drought once established' says the RHS).
Very nice plant with loads of flowers but it's the only one in the bed that's needed constant watering this year. ('Will cope with drought once established' says the RHS).
August 10, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Honey bee on Rudbeckia 'Goldstrum'.
Very nice plant with loads of flowers but it's the only one in the bed that's needed constant watering this year. ('Will cope with drought once established' says the RHS).
Very nice plant with loads of flowers but it's the only one in the bed that's needed constant watering this year. ('Will cope with drought once established' says the RHS).
Rowans planted 2 1/2 years ago on the car park bank.
These were nothing more than metre long sticks when planted, Cost about £2.50 each. Planted 4. One was killed by careless strimming so I put cages on the rest. One was snapped by vandals (?) but I splinted it and it lives.
These were nothing more than metre long sticks when planted, Cost about £2.50 each. Planted 4. One was killed by careless strimming so I put cages on the rest. One was snapped by vandals (?) but I splinted it and it lives.
July 23, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Rowans planted 2 1/2 years ago on the car park bank.
These were nothing more than metre long sticks when planted, Cost about £2.50 each. Planted 4. One was killed by careless strimming so I put cages on the rest. One was snapped by vandals (?) but I splinted it and it lives.
These were nothing more than metre long sticks when planted, Cost about £2.50 each. Planted 4. One was killed by careless strimming so I put cages on the rest. One was snapped by vandals (?) but I splinted it and it lives.
Rudbeckia (and ladybird), echinacea (and bumble bee) on the car park flower bed.
July 23, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Rudbeckia (and ladybird), echinacea (and bumble bee) on the car park flower bed.
A month later.
Now looking more like it with verbena, gaura, echinacea, rudbeckia and calendula in flower. More bare bits than I would like but the none of the seeds I chucked on grew. Should have grown more calendula. Lots of bugs.
Now looking more like it with verbena, gaura, echinacea, rudbeckia and calendula in flower. More bare bits than I would like but the none of the seeds I chucked on grew. Should have grown more calendula. Lots of bugs.
July 23, 2025 at 9:54 AM
A month later.
Now looking more like it with verbena, gaura, echinacea, rudbeckia and calendula in flower. More bare bits than I would like but the none of the seeds I chucked on grew. Should have grown more calendula. Lots of bugs.
Now looking more like it with verbena, gaura, echinacea, rudbeckia and calendula in flower. More bare bits than I would like but the none of the seeds I chucked on grew. Should have grown more calendula. Lots of bugs.
Holly blue (I think) on echinacea in the car park flower bed.
July 10, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Holly blue (I think) on echinacea in the car park flower bed.
2 months later. Not exactly Chelsea but there are so many bugs buzzing around in there. The creeping thyme seems most popular. I think the drought has slowed the achillea and cosmos. The only thing that has visibly drooped though is rudbeckia, which I've had to revive a few times.
July 10, 2025 at 9:36 AM
2 months later. Not exactly Chelsea but there are so many bugs buzzing around in there. The creeping thyme seems most popular. I think the drought has slowed the achillea and cosmos. The only thing that has visibly drooped though is rudbeckia, which I've had to revive a few times.
A month later. The new bit is still bare looking, though there are small plants in there. The cosmos is yet to get going. I blame the drought. The flowers are also being ravaged by earwigs, which has not happened before.
July 10, 2025 at 9:29 AM
A month later. The new bit is still bare looking, though there are small plants in there. The cosmos is yet to get going. I blame the drought. The flowers are also being ravaged by earwigs, which has not happened before.
Spleenwort. Castle Pendragon nr Kirkby Stephen.
June 21, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Spleenwort. Castle Pendragon nr Kirkby Stephen.
On the balcony: Hosta (Patriot). Berberis (can't remember). Heuchera (Silver Scrolls). Wild strawberry.
June 10, 2025 at 11:35 AM
On the balcony: Hosta (Patriot). Berberis (can't remember). Heuchera (Silver Scrolls). Wild strawberry.
Changed a bit. Flowering: salvia, cosmos, poppy.
June 10, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Changed a bit. Flowering: salvia, cosmos, poppy.
Salvia nemorosa. Nice plant. Bees love it. Earliest one to flower after the bulbs. Does get big, sprawls and collapses very easily though, like this.
June 10, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Salvia nemorosa. Nice plant. Bees love it. Earliest one to flower after the bulbs. Does get big, sprawls and collapses very easily though, like this.
New today! Oriental poppy. Managed to grow 1 plant last year. Seed from that, scattered in the autumn, has produced loads this year. Who knows how it all works? Wasn't going to grow them again as the flowers don't last long but I'll probably let them do their thing.
June 10, 2025 at 11:09 AM
New today! Oriental poppy. Managed to grow 1 plant last year. Seed from that, scattered in the autumn, has produced loads this year. Who knows how it all works? Wasn't going to grow them again as the flowers don't last long but I'll probably let them do their thing.
Spiraea (bed #2). This was in a pot on the balcony and not very happy. Didn't want to chuck it so it became the first thing I planted in the verge. It sulked for 2 years but it's got going this year.
June 10, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Spiraea (bed #2). This was in a pot on the balcony and not very happy. Didn't want to chuck it so it became the first thing I planted in the verge. It sulked for 2 years but it's got going this year.
I’ve inadvertently created a ladybird hotspot. All seem to be 7-spots with no harlequins.
June 7, 2025 at 11:37 AM
I’ve inadvertently created a ladybird hotspot. All seem to be 7-spots with no harlequins.
Golden bloomed grey longhorn beetle (less Google friendly name) on a hollyhock in my mum's garden.
June 5, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Golden bloomed grey longhorn beetle (less Google friendly name) on a hollyhock in my mum's garden.
Seals off Ravenscar a couple of weeks ago (that's them, the dark dots in the middle of the rock). Never seen so many in one place.
June 5, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Seals off Ravenscar a couple of weeks ago (that's them, the dark dots in the middle of the rock). Never seen so many in one place.
Great tit pair and fledglings on the balcony this morning.
June 5, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Great tit pair and fledglings on the balcony this morning.
Black and yellow longhorn beetle (actual name as my Google search) in the park today. The brambles are covered in bees. Also saw baby wrens but they didn't want to be photographed.
June 5, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Black and yellow longhorn beetle (actual name as my Google search) in the park today. The brambles are covered in bees. Also saw baby wrens but they didn't want to be photographed.
Car park flower bed #3. Half of this reclaimed earlier this year. Flowering salvia and erigeron from last year. Planted in May: cosmos, cowslip, gaura and verbena bonariensis (from self-seeders in bed #1).
June 1, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Car park flower bed #3. Half of this reclaimed earlier this year. Flowering salvia and erigeron from last year. Planted in May: cosmos, cowslip, gaura and verbena bonariensis (from self-seeders in bed #1).
Car park flower bed #2. Not sure what I'm doing with this one. 1 1/2/ galliardia (of 5) survived the winter. Spirea (shrub) about to flower. Originally on a pot on the balcony where it wasn't happy. It's taken 2 years for it to get its mojo back. Geraniums also former balcony plant.
June 1, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Car park flower bed #2. Not sure what I'm doing with this one. 1 1/2/ galliardia (of 5) survived the winter. Spirea (shrub) about to flower. Originally on a pot on the balcony where it wasn't happy. It's taken 2 years for it to get its mojo back. Geraniums also former balcony plant.
Tulips done. Salvia (nemorosa) and cosmos in bloom. Many calendula and verbena b. self-seeded plants. Lots of oriental poppies from seed I chucked on last year. Ladybirds and larvae everywhere. Other plants: gaura, hyssop, rudbeckia, echinacea, achillea, campanula, cowslip (both very small).
June 1, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Tulips done. Salvia (nemorosa) and cosmos in bloom. Many calendula and verbena b. self-seeded plants. Lots of oriental poppies from seed I chucked on last year. Ladybirds and larvae everywhere. Other plants: gaura, hyssop, rudbeckia, echinacea, achillea, campanula, cowslip (both very small).
Verve multi-purpose peat free. Bellis seedlings (seeds the size of a full stop). I reckon 100% germination, or near enough.
June 1, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Verve multi-purpose peat free. Bellis seedlings (seeds the size of a full stop). I reckon 100% germination, or near enough.