August was much like July, some heat and some rain. A typical Welsh summer, really!
A bee on a dahlia – 1st August 2025.Dahlia ‘Totally Tangerine’ after the rain – 3rd August 2025.Bees on Allium – 3rd August 2025.Pink Dahlia – 5th August 2025.
The garden continued to flourish in July, and the dahlias fared better as the heat wasn’t so relentless.
A bee on Dahlia ‘Totally Tangerine’ – 6th August 2025.A bee on pink Echinacea – 7th August 2025.A bee on yellow Echinacea – 7th August 2025.A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly on a red dahlia – 10th August 2025.
Once again, the garden has been a hive of activity. The bees were very much claiming their territory, even dancing on my arm as I attempted to take photos or videos. Butterflies flitted here and there, often not stopping for long.
A bee on Dahlia ‘Rhubarb & Custard’ – 10th August 2025.A Small Tortoiseshell butterfly on Dahlia ‘Totally Tangerine’ – 10th August 2025.A bee on Dahlia ‘Edge of Joy’ – 10th August 2025.A bee on Verbena – 11th August 2025.
Talking of videos… During August, I started making slow-motion videos of the bees and butterflies (you can find them on Instagram). It turns out it takes a lot of time, patience, and luck to get just one decent slow-mo video!
Dahlia ‘Cafe au Lait Royal’ – 14th August 2025.
White butterfly on Dahlia ‘Honka Yellow’ 16th August 2025.White butterfly on Buddleia – 16th August 2025.
We had some new visitors to the garden. A tiny moth, which I think is a Mint moth, was enjoying the Black-eyed Susans one day, as were a handful of Small Copper butterflies.
A bee in flight by dahlias – 22nd August 2025.A Mint moth on Black-eyed Susans – 23rd August 2025.A Small Copper butterfly on Black-eyed Susans – 24th August 2025.Two wet bees and raindrops on Dahlia ‘Rhubarb & Custard’ – 26th August 2025.Common Blue Butterfly – 31st August 2025.
Another new visitor to the garden was a Common Blue butterfly. It might be common elsewhere, but it’s not in my garden! I haven’t spotted it since.
Small Tortoiseshell butterfly – 31st August 2025.
It’ll soon be time to see how the garden fared in September.
We had very little rain here in the south-west. I was sorry to see the wild flowers go over so quickly and leave so little for the nectaring insects. Your flowers are insects are as stunning as always – thank you, Nikki
I can’t get enough of your photos! They are absolutely stunning. I also enjoyed your pun (intentional or not) about your garden being a “hive of activity”.
I was happy to see a new slo-mo today on Instagram. Those are incredible! The end result is well worth your time and effort.
What a delightful “hive of activity” you have, Nikki. Incredible pictures again and the many visitors in your garden are so wonderful. It must be a constant joy to walk around and see that the bees and the butterflies are enjoying your gorgeous flowers. Thank you for sharing these fabulous pictures. Soon Autumn will arrive with its other beauty.
Have a wonderful day, Nikki.
Oh WOW, Nikki! Just WOW WOW WOW. I’m totally impressed with all your still-lifes but the slo-mo videos are incredible. BRAVA BRAVA BRAVA. And for me, the Common Blue butterfly is totally new!
What a terrific post, with wonderful clear pictures. Your garden has become a magnet for pollinators of various kinds, and that’s all to the good. Would that I saw such activity in everyone’s backyard. It is especially pleasing to see different bees and not only the ubiquitous and often invasive Western Honey Bee. Dahlias here seem to have done especially well this year and, just glancing around the neighbourhood, they are a popular plant. Probably trouble-free for the most part, I would imagine and not requiring much attention. All the best – David
Thank you! Dahlias require the usual amount of attention throughout the summer (deadheading etc), but it’s quite a lot of work at the beginning and end of the season as they are taken out of the ground for the winter.
Nikki, you and your camera are such a wonderful team! Every photo is precise and beautifully framed, the color is perfect and the subjects, of course, are divine. I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite!
This is such a wonderful post 🙂 I love your beautifully captured flower photos as they are so colourful! In Ireland, we had a pretty wet and cold summer, and my flowers didn’t bloom as much as in other years. I find that there’s something truly alluring about witnessing the daily activities of the plants and animals, from the sun rising over the garden to the dew on the leaves, making it a place for quiet observation. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
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33 Comments
lisl
We had very little rain here in the south-west. I was sorry to see the wild flowers go over so quickly and leave so little for the nectaring insects. Your flowers are insects are as stunning as always – thank you, Nikki
Nikki
Thank you!
Kelly
I can’t get enough of your photos! They are absolutely stunning. I also enjoyed your pun (intentional or not) about your garden being a “hive of activity”.
I was happy to see a new slo-mo today on Instagram. Those are incredible! The end result is well worth your time and effort.
Nikki
Thank you for your very kind words!
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
You have certainly captured a huge amount of activity! Beautiful photographs.
Nikki
It’s amazing how much activity you can see if you just stop for a few seconds.
Kris P
The flowers, bees and butterflies show each other off beautifully, Nikki. I love that Dahlia ‘Rhubarb & Custard’!
Nikki
I think it’s one of my favourites.
somewhereinireland
Stunning photos of the bees, butterflies and flowers.
Margaret
Just wonderful photos of life in your garden. Beautiful photos and a pleasure to see….thank you.
Astrid
What a delightful “hive of activity” you have, Nikki. Incredible pictures again and the many visitors in your garden are so wonderful. It must be a constant joy to walk around and see that the bees and the butterflies are enjoying your gorgeous flowers. Thank you for sharing these fabulous pictures. Soon Autumn will arrive with its other beauty.
Have a wonderful day, Nikki.
Nikki
It is. The garden certainly makes me happy in the summer months.
Ginnie Hart
Oh WOW, Nikki! Just WOW WOW WOW. I’m totally impressed with all your still-lifes but the slo-mo videos are incredible. BRAVA BRAVA BRAVA. And for me, the Common Blue butterfly is totally new!
Nikki
Thank you for your kind words!
Jo
Nice to see so many bees and butterflies enjoying the flowers. I’ve noticed more butterflies, and more varieties of butterflies, around this year.
Nikki
I’ve certainly notice more of a variety of butterflies this year.
Kim Carberry
Beautiful! I love watching the bees and the butterflies in the garden!
David M. Gascoigne
What a terrific post, with wonderful clear pictures. Your garden has become a magnet for pollinators of various kinds, and that’s all to the good. Would that I saw such activity in everyone’s backyard. It is especially pleasing to see different bees and not only the ubiquitous and often invasive Western Honey Bee. Dahlias here seem to have done especially well this year and, just glancing around the neighbourhood, they are a popular plant. Probably trouble-free for the most part, I would imagine and not requiring much attention. All the best – David
Nikki
Thank you! Dahlias require the usual amount of attention throughout the summer (deadheading etc), but it’s quite a lot of work at the beginning and end of the season as they are taken out of the ground for the winter.
Carol
I love, love, love your photos and the amazing details. Gardens are heaven to me, and all that lives there too.
Nikki
Thanks!
Eastside Cats
Lovely images of your blooms, with flittery insects enjoying the bounty.
Ann
Fantastic photos, Nikki. And how amazing is that Common Blue Butterfly, which looks very exotic in spite of its name! xxx
Nikki
Thank you. It’s quite the colour, isn’t it?
Soma @ InkTorrents.com
So wonderful to see all the pollinators. They really love your garden. Beautiful photos!
-Soma
jeanie
Nikki, you and your camera are such a wonderful team! Every photo is precise and beautifully framed, the color is perfect and the subjects, of course, are divine. I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite!
Nikki
Thank you!
CherryPie
Your photos are so beautiful 🙂
Aiva Vocisa
This is such a wonderful post 🙂 I love your beautifully captured flower photos as they are so colourful! In Ireland, we had a pretty wet and cold summer, and my flowers didn’t bloom as much as in other years. I find that there’s something truly alluring about witnessing the daily activities of the plants and animals, from the sun rising over the garden to the dew on the leaves, making it a place for quiet observation. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
Nikki
Thanks for your lovely comments 🙂
Peter B.
A stunning collection of photos. Well done!
Denise Bush
Beautiful! Nature is already looking ready for winter here so this was a nice, colorful viewing experience!
Tails+Around+the+Ranch
On a gloomy wet day, this post made me smile.