Each week the Rampant Scotland Newsletter includes a number of photographs which illustrate the weather and the seasons, plus the flora and fauna of the current week around Scotland. This separate "colour supplement" displays some more pictures, in a larger format. Here is this week's crop of Scottish views!
By the end of October it is often too cold for butterflies and those that will overwinter are often tucked away in a sheltered corner. But this Red Admiral was basking on a pure white Marguerite daisy (botanical name is Argyranthemum and it's also known as a Paris daisy). This Red Admiral was one of only two butterflies seen that day in the walled garden of Culzean Castle and Country Park.
Osteospermum flowers are about two inches across and come in a wide variety of colours. Given the right conditions, it will flower all through the summer with a succession of blooms - there was a white osteospermum illustrated in this Colour Supplement back in April.
The stag in this herd of red deer at Culzean Castle and Country Park looks very contented. And well he might, having fathered a large number of offspring earlier in the year. His white colouring has come through in many of them - including some that are all white instead of the more usual brownish red colour.
Since the end of March this year I have visited Culzean Castle and Country Park 16 times - and many of the pictures taken on these visits have appeared in the Colour Supplement. A favourable weather forecast has often prompted yet another trip to Culzean and the warm, sunny weather has resulted in many ice creams being consumed! Even so, I was surprised to still be buying a raspberry ripple ice-cream cone at the end of October!
Gazania (also known as "Treasure Flower") are natives of South Africa and the blooms only open out when there is sun or at least very bright conditions. Like the osteospermum above, they have a long flowering season, from mid summer to autumn. Their bright colours are often enhanced by grey or silvery foliage.
This busy bee was taking advantage of the spell of mild weather and some sunshine as it gathered nectar from a patch of tall Verbena flowers.If you want to look back at earlier editions of this Colour Supplement, there is an Index Page
