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  • Writer's pictureJanice Gill

Nature Highways in Urban Centres

Ultimate Blog Challenge Day 6



clover flower following rain growing in a canal verge.
Clover flowering in October - by Janice Gill

Today, the weather was not great for photography. The area near home was in the low, dark clouds. There was a constant drizzle that greyed out everything, and it was dark enough for street lights to come on in the middle of the afternoon.


On such days, I keep an eye out for small things to photograph. Preferably ones that don't move. The soft colours of the clover flower above make ideal subjects. My camera phone has done a reasonable job here, but I prefer a completely blurred background.


I spotted a few of these blooms flowering alongside the Mongomery canal. They shone like small beacons despite the damp squib of a day.


Restored canals are superhighways for Nature, especially where they run through towns, helping join up populations on either side of an urban district. Most of the Montgmery Canal is a conservation area with Sites of Special Scientific Interest.


Today, I was walking through the Mid Wales town of Welshpool utilising the canal towpath. Plenty of varieties of flowers were visible, from the subtle green of the ivy (which was still attracting Red Admiral butterflies) to the bright yellow of Hawkbit standing out like Belisha Beacons.


The trees in this area seemed unwilling to progress towards losing their leaves, with many still clothed in deep green. Autumn in the British Isles is often a slow burn, with each tree species taking its own sweet time to let go. A cold snap with frosty mornings usually hurries things along a bit, but we're about to have a few days of heat well above the norm.



Seed heads of clematis are bedraggled in the rain
Bedraggled - Seed heads of Clematis by Janice Gill

Access to this natural resource is improved with a hard surface path and stopping points to rest and appreciate the surroundings such as picnic sites and mini gardens with benches. Information signs, sculptures and artwork add to the experience.



Rainbow bench in a minigarden with lawn. shrubs and a bug hotel.
Public Garden with Rainbow benches - by Janice Gill







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2 Comments


kebba
Oct 06, 2023

Janice, the Montgomery Canal sounds like a work of wonder! In Manhattan, New York City, there is an abandoned elevated train line that has been made into a very popular nature trail. I want to recall its name. How brilliant amid such a predominance of hardscaping. Thanks for a great post and beautiful images.

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Guest
Oct 06, 2023

Love the rainbow bench and how they match with the flowers... have a great weekend!

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