Meadows on the fifth floor

The meadow boxes in front of my kitchen are finally really coming to life. This picture was taken this morning from the balcony.

Meadow boxes on May 29th

This one shows the boxes from the side.

Linaria maroccana “Licilia Peach” is currently dominating the “warm-coloured” meadow. Centaurea “Black Ball” will probably follow within the next week.

Linaria “Licilia Peach”

The cornflowers are mostly from a mix – I think it was “Frosted Queen” – plus some genuine wild ones from the Wendland. They are currently blooming together with self-sown Phacelia, a wild Camomille and a Silene noctiflora. The bushy stuff inbetween is Flax, which will flower in June. This picture also shows our courtyard, which is basically asphalt and usually not that interesting – except in May, when a Rhododendron, an Azalea and hawthorny trees (no idea what they are) bloom. They neatly hide ugly garbage containers and an old bike shed.

Cornflower meadow box with visitor

 

Centaurea, probably “Frosted Queen”

The night-flowering catchfly, Silene noctiflora, has a very sweet fragrance.

Silene noctiflora

I love the elegant uncurling of the pale lilac blossoms of Phacelia tanacetifolia. Bees and Hoverflies love them too! Besides, they are an excellent green manure and gently self-seed without becoming invasive.

Phacelia tanacetifolia

Self-sown Hordeum jubatum  – a kind of barley – with their silky, light-reflecting panicles give the box (and my kitchen) a sort of “out in the country” feeling, although we are on the fifth floor in Berlin Wedding.

Hordeum jubatum, a very decorative annual grass. The panicles will eventually get a pinkish tinge.

A bit over-exposed, sorry: Big Daddy (the father of our baby Great tits) feeding in front of the window.

“Big Daddy”, a very messy eater. His and “Muttis” competitors are the smaller Blue Tits.

 

Cyanistes caeruleus

I am really looking forward to June, when the meadows are at their best. Unfortunately, the poppies seemed to be overgrown by everything else. I sowed Papaver commutatum and Shirley poppies. So far, no sign of either.