Rampant Scotland Directory - Colour Supplement Index Rampant Scotland Directory! Newsletter Colour Supplements The Rampant Scotland Newsletter is published every second Saturday and provides an insight into what has been happening in Scotland, snipped from the Scottish media, for Scots in Scotland and abroad, bringing you news, events and photographs plus a Scottish magazine section. Every week there is also a colour supplement containing large illustrations of flowers, birds, animals, butterflies and scenery which have been seen around Scotland in the preceding week. It thus forms a record of the changing seasons throughout the year.

The editions currently available on-line are: 2009 28 February 2009 Leucojum, also known as Summer Snowflake or Loddon Lily with their extra green and yellow markings distinguish them from snowdrops; a tram car in the Transport Museum in Glasgow (known locally as "Shooglies" from the way they swayed along the tracks); a horse-drawn Glasgow to London stagecoach; a "Coronation Tram" from the 1930s, which had the luxury of an enclosed cab for the driver who also had a seat for the first time; the first production Hillman Imp motor car, producedin the 1960s at a manufacturing plant in Linwood near Paisley, west of Glasgow; a mass of snowdrops photographed in the grounds of Braco Castle in Perthshire.

21 February 2009 A Canada Goose, with its distinctive white "chinstrap" looking quite at home standing in the recent snow fall; Waterbirds flying in all directions, panicked at the approach of an out of control dog; a rather disconsolate pigeon trudging through the snow, unable to find anything to eat; Polyanthus, part of the primula family, in a vibrant yellow and orange; A statue to James Clerk Maxell, who established the original theories of electromagnetism (Einstein put on record that Maxwell's work had resulted in the most profound change in the conception of reality in physics, since the time of Isaac Newton; Eranthis, more often known by its common name of winter flowering aconite, with its deeply dissected leaves forming an attractive ruff round the bright yellow cup-shaped flowers 14 February 2009 Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street Gardens in the snow; Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, beside Waverley Station, one of the most attractive buildings in the Capital; the crinkly strap-shaped petals of Hamamelis (also known as Witch Hazel) with the clusters appearing on leafless branches creating a vivid show; a snow scene in the woods beside Kilmardinny

 Loch, East Dunbartonshire, earlier this week; the 19th century, Tudor Gothic styled mansion house formerly known as Schaw Hospital, blanketed in snow; a St Valentine's Day display in a baker's window in central Glasgow.

7 February 2009 The "most bizarre building in Scotland" - a summer house built in 1761 in the shape of a realistic, prickly pineapple; the parish church, Airth, with the River Forth and the Ochill Hills beyond; the market cross at Airth, erected in 1697; with sun dials on two sides; the fine Town House or "Tolbooth" in Culross, Fife, dating from 1626; the Palace" in Culross built for Sir George Bruce, a wealthy merchant and industrialist, in the 17th century; 13th century Culross Abbey and east choir taken over in 1633 as a parish church; amusing models of a stylised owl and robin, with a fierce-looking blackbird behind.

31 January 2009 Special Royal Mail set of stamps to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns on 25 January; the City Chambers in Glasgow being used as the backdrop for a 15-minute "slide-show" illustrating the life of Burns; the City Chambers covered in musical notation as part of the presentation; "Auld Lang Syne" across the building at the end of the slide show; a substantial clump of snowdrops in bloom at the side of a country road, just north of Glasgow. 24 January 2009 Blackness Castle, surrounded on three sides by water and often referred to as "the ship which never sailed"; a large party of Oystercatcher birds, looking incongruous with their large orange-red bills; Torwood Castle, thought to have been built around 1566 for Sir Alexander Forrester of Garden and the seat of Clan Forrester; a Goldeneye duck which gets its name from its distinctive yellow eye - though the white patch below the eye of the male bird is even more prominent.

17 January 2009 Airth Castle near Falkirk, incorporating a 15th century tower, known as Wallace's Tower; "Prince of Ocean", a wood chip carrier of over 41,000 tonnes deadweight, passing Braehead shopping mall on the the river Clyde; tug "Warrior III" passing the Royal Navy's latest destroyers being fitted out at Whiteinch by BVT Surface Fleet; Gorse, which can continue flowering until October, with some plants producing flower spikes throughout the autumn and winter; sunlight glinting through the trees in Beecraigs Country Park near Linlithgow. 10 January 2009 Dumbarton Castle reflected in the river Clyde; Loch Fyne, Scotland's longest sea loch, looking like glass at Inveraray; another wintry scene in the hills near Oban; a Whooper Swan and a Mute Swan looking very ungainly walking on ice; a stag jumping a fence near Dunkeld in Perthshire; Sunset at Drumpellier Country Park, with birds standing on the frozen ice in the foreground.

3 January 2009 The gatehouse to Dunfermline Palace, once part of the monastic buildings of Dunfermline Abbey; the modest cottage in Dunfermline in which the American industrialist and entrepreneur Andrew Carnegie was born in 1835; replica of Andrew Carnegie's office; the "elaborate French Gothic concoction with Scottish overtones" of the City Chambers in Dunfermline; Pittencrieff House (dating from around 1635), now a museum of local life; a golden yellow abutilon flowering in the hot-house adjoining Pittencrieff House. 2008 20 December 2008 Views of Dunfermline Abbey in Fife, including inside the nave and the tower with "King Robert the Bruce" carved round the top; Abbot's House, the oldest dwelling in Dunfermline, now a Heritage Centre; a woollen Santa Claus and his wife in an old fireplace in Abbot's House.

13 December 2008 Countryside snow scene in the Torwood area, on the border between Stirling and Falkirk; mallards on the ice of frozen Tannoch Loch in Milngavie, north of Glasgow; a mass of swans struggling to grab a share of bread being thrown to them; a new 130 feet high "Ferris Wheel" lit up at night beside Braehaed Shopping Centre and the river Clyde near Renfrew; the elegant, purple flower of Hebe, a native of New Zealand and blooming in December here in Scotland. 29 November 2008 The 150 feet high Titan crane at Clydebank, built in 1907 and now a tourist attraction; McMonagles Fish Restaurant which claims to be the "world's first sail-through fish and chip (French fries) take-away"; a fine example of a red sandstone tenement (apartment block) in the West End of Glasgow; the well rounded-heads and ruffly foliage of colourful ornamental cabbage; a contrast between light and shade at sunset on a still day at Lochend Loch in Drumpellier Country Park, North Lanarkshire.

22 November 2008 The cenotaph war memorial in George Square, Glasgow, in front of the City Chambers, covered with wreaths of poppies; Christmas lights in George Square, Glasgow; The reindeer and Santa's sledge, the red lights running up the column supporting the statue of Sir Walter Scott and the other lights in George Square; The Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow lit up at night; the space between the Gallery of Modern Art and the surrounding buildings, covered over with a myriad of lights, creating a star-lit "Milky Way".

15 November 2008 A "treescape" on a dull, cloudy day in the countryside just north of Glasgow; the smooth lines of the new Clackmannanshire Bridge across the river Forth, so named after a vociferous campaign by the "wee county"; Kincardine Bridge, built between 1932 and 1936, the first road crossing of the River Forth downstream of Stirling (completed nearly thirty years before the more famous Forth Road Bridge); two recently born calves being "washed" by their mother's tongue; long spikes of small, bell-shaped yellow flowers of Mahonia which come into bloom in November.

8 November 2008 Impressive statue in Paisley of John Witherspoon (1723-1794), a descendant of John Knox, who became president of Princeton University and a signatory to the American Declaration of Independence; Paisley Abbey, burial place of six generations of Fitzalans, the High Stewards of Scotland and the antecedents of the Stewart monarchs; the ornate entrance to Cranstonhill Branch of the Savings Bank of Glasgow, described as "one of the finest and most delicately ornamented Glasgow-Style buildings in the city;" a Bullfinch with its large head, thick neck, plump body and rose pink chest; the war memorial in Paisley with its armoured crusader on a charger, flanked by four infantrymen, trudging through mud; a sunset near Loch Leven in Perth and Kinross.

1 November 2008 An orange dahlia, lit up by the rays of a low sun, with dark clouds behind; a magnificent tree in the gardens of Drummond Castle in Perthshire confirming that there are better than usual autumn colours this year; Acers, which grow in the formal gardens and parterres in front of Drummond Castle, creating a marvellous display; Whooper swans, with their distinctive yellow beaks and even more distinctive whooping calls; Rhododendrons sometimes try to produce a few flowers in the autumn too and here is one that has managed to produce a perfect pink bloom; Royal Navy Type 45 destroyers being fitted out on the river Clyde at Scotstoun, Glasgow.

25 October 2008 Mandarin Duck, unmistakable, with its red bill, large white crescent above the eye and reddish face and "whiskers"; the "Falkirk Wheel", the only rotating boat lift of its kind in the world, linking the Forth and Clyde Canal and the Union Canal; the russet colours of a Rowan tree (Mountain Ash) made even redder by an evening sun which lit up the glorious autumn colours; Motor Vessel "Balmoral" continuing a a long tradition in Glasgow of sailing "doon the watter" (down the water); Culzean Castle Country Park brought in a stag last year which was a very pale colour and its offspring come in a variety of shades - including this young reddish stag and the pale-coloured hind; a 1930s classic motor car built by Bentley Motors Limited, a manufacturer of luxury automobiles and Grand Tourers. 18 October 2008 The round straw bales of the harvested cereal crops, dotting the landscape in Fife; St.

Michael's Parish Church in Linlithgow, one of the largest burgh churches in the Church of Scotland, with its controversial aluminium crown added in 1964; Linlithgow Palace, begun by King James I in 1424 - the French wife of King James V compared it to the noblest châteaux of France; the crests of the four orders of chivalry to which King James V belonged - the Garter of England, the Thistle of Scotland, the Golden Fleece of Burgundy and St Michael of France; the "King's Fountain", created to impress visiting monarchs and dignitaries with the opulence of King James' court, is now Britain's oldest surviving fountain, dating from the late 1530s; the pink trumpets of Nerine creating a bright splash of colour in the late autumn; the initial brown feathers of a young cygnet, beginning to give way to the white of adult swans.

11 October 2008 The central garden area of St Andrew Square in Edinburgh, after a �2.6 million makeover; the grand mansion built by Sir Laurence Dundas on St Andrew Square, now owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland; Michaelmas Daisies, currently one of a diminishing number of flowers in bloom, providing useful source of nectar for Red Admiral butterflies; the attractive cocktail bar at the Uplawmoor Hotel in East Renfrewshire; a male peacock, famous for its iridescent blue-green or green coloured plumage and huge, elongated tail; the fruit of Cornus (Dogwood) looking like an experiment in genetically modifying a strawberry that went wrong.

4 October 2008 Newark Castle, on the south bank of the river Clyde at Greenock, began as a lofty tower house and was enlarged when a a splendid Renaissance three-storey mansion was built in the 1590s; Common Toadflax with clusters of pale yellow, snapdragon-like flowers, with long slender spurs which produce nectar; the ruins of Muthill church in Perthshire, built in the third quarter of the 12th century; Rosebay Willowherb's silky, hairy seed pods, looking like some ghostly apparition coming out of the gloomy hedgerows; Rudbeckia with brightly coloured, daisy like flowers creating a splash of colour and cone-shaped centres attracting bees and butterflies; Caldwell Tower, all that remains of Caldwell Castle, near Uplawmoor in East Renfrewshire.

27 September 2008 Ravenscraig Castle in Kirkcaldy, Fife, located on a promontory, 70 feet above the beach; Kirkcaldy Old Kirk Tower, probably constructed in the middle of the 15th century, though a church was consecrated there as early as 1244; the wine-glass shaped Colchicum flowers, also known as meadow saffron or autumn crocus; the papery orange fruit covering of Physallis alkekengi or "Chinese (or Japanese) Lantern" or even "Winter cherry"; one of two Comma Butterflies photographed in the walled garden of Cambo Estate in Fife; a real touch of autumn colour with the brilliant red of climbing ivy.

20 September 2008 Culzean Castle, built by the Earls of Cassillis, who engaged Robert Adam between 1777 and 1792 to design the splendid building; a Chiffchaf (so named because its repetitive song sounds exactly like "chiffchaff") which will shortly be flying off to southern Europe or North Africa for the winter; a demented-looking Chiffchaff, jumping up to grab some seeds growing at the top of the stem of a wild plant; a young Acer showing the sure signs of the advance of autumn/fall; Red Admiral Butterfly enjoying the Verbena flowers in the walled garden of Culzean Castle Country Park in Ayrshire; Large White butterfly shining out from the top of a tall Verbena flower, this time in Drumpellier Country Park in North Lanarkshire.

13 September 2008 The Cloch lighthouse on the shore of the Firth of Clyde, a well-known landmark for many who left Scotland by boat to emigrate to around the world; Comma Butterfly in Drumpellier Country Park in North Lanarkshire on white-flowering buddleja; Peacocks and a Small Tortoiseshell butterflies feeding together in the gardens of Drummond Castle in Perthshire; Skelmorlie Aisle, which was added to the local parish church in Largs in 1636 by a local landowner, Sir Robert Montgomerie of Skelmorlie; internal view of Skelmorlie Aisle with its richly carved Renaissance canopied tomb above the burial-vault entrance which reaches almost to the roof and the timber arched ceiling, which is richly painted; the formal gardens stretching below the terraces and steps of Drummond Castle in Perthshire.

6 September 2008 Scone Palace, rebuilt in 1808 with a castellated roof to make it look more imposing; The ornate tomb adjacent to Scone Palace of David Murray, the first Lord Scone, who saved King James VI from an attack by the Earl Gowrie in 1600; Leycesteria Formosa is also known Himalayan honeysuckle and Pheasant Berry with its small white petals at the end of the long, claret-coloured bracts; National Trust for Scotland mansionhouse at Hill of Tarvit, near Cupar in Fife, designed in 1906 by Hugh Lorimer; The European hoverfly whose scientific name is "helophilus pendulus" - meaning "dangling swamp-lover"; a larger than life-sized sculpture of Sir Jimmy Shand in the Fife town of Auchtermuchty where the "King of Scottish Dance Music" lived for much of his life; the markings on the upper and lower wings of the brilliant Red Admiral butterfly in the garden of Hill of Tarvit in Fife.

30 August 2008 Eucryphia, with its brilliant white flowers, each measuring about 2.5 inches which can cover the branches of this tall tree; Small Copper Butterfly with its bright orange with a dark outside edge border and with eight or nine black spots on the upperside forewings and dark hindwings with an orange border; Himalayan Balsam with helmet-shaped flowers which are attractive to pollinating insects - and seed pods which "explode" with a loud pop; Painted Lady butterfly, one of two species the Butterfly Conservation Society asked members of the public to report to them if they were seen; Chrysanthemum "Wendy Bronze" producing lots and lots of individual flowers; a decorative dahlia, with its regularly-spaced double petals.

23 August 2008 Five hungry swallow chick beaks pointing towards the parent with the next meal for the second brood of the year; a "Large White" butterfly feeding on the flower of Heliopsis; a rare Comma butterfly, with its ragged, scalloped wing edges and orange and brown markings; a fine Peacock butterfly, with its large red wings, black markings and distinctive eyespots on the tips of fore and hind wings; Kellie Castle in Fife with its kitchen garden, now owned by the National Trust for Scotland; a busy bee seeking out nectar from the globular flower cluster of a tall Echinops - the globe thistle; the beautiful Red Admiral butterfly, combining camouflage with a striking, colourful design.

16 August 2008 Red Admiral butterfly at Culzean Castle Country Park; Meadow Brown Butterfly in close up, with attractive subtle shades of brown and orange; Edinburgh Fringe Festival signage with St Giles Cathedral in High Street in the background; Edinburgh Fringe performers in the Royal Mile drumming up business for their shows; the giant thistle "Onopordum" which can grow to eight feet high, with its silver leaves and large purple flowers; close-up of the fiercesome "Common Darter" dragonfly, one of the most common dragonflies in Europe; a Cormorant with their wings spread, basking in the sunshine to dry out after diving for fish.

9 August 2008 Paddle steamer "Waverley", the last operational Clyde steamer and the last sea-going paddle steamer in the world; Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) with its mass of frothy creamy-white flowers, which have a sweetly scented, almost sickly, aroma; an entire border of tall, stately spires of Astilbe, beside one of the terraced walkways below Culzean Castle; Small Tortoiseshell butterfly enjoying a radiant Inula flower; flowers of Sweet Peas (Lathyrus), long known for their strong scent; Callistemon, often known as Bottlebrushes, because of their cylindrical, brush like flowers; Dierama (also known as Fairy's Fishing Rods or Fairy's Wand) with its graceful flower shoots, bearing bell-like flowers at the end of thin, wiry stems.

2 August 2008 Potentilla "Gloire de Nancy" with its double, reddish-orange flowers with gold tips; Lauriston Castle, a 13th century stronghold of the Napiers of Merchiston, west of Edinburgh which now belongs to the City of Edinburgh as a public park; "Turk's Cap" lily, with its distinctive orange flowers with purple spots; fluffy clusters of tiny flowers on the top of tall (over six feet) stems of Eupatorium; Yucca, with its long, sword-like leaves and exotic-looking flower stems which grow to 2½ feet long; a grey squirrel, imported last century from North America, which proved to be more successful than the native red variety.

26 July 2008 A large, tall Sunflower (Helianthus) which grows to over five feet high and with flowers up to a foot across; a Ringlet Butterfly, showing the circles on the upper wings which gave rise to its name; a close-up of the large mop head of a pink Hydrangea; Finlaystone House, with blue of Campanula and the fiery red of Spirea in the foreground; tall thistles in a large meadow of wild flowers; Lavatera (the Tree mallow), a large showy plant with large flowers similar to Hibiscus; Drummond Castle in Perthshire with a bed of white roses in the foreground.

19 July 2008 A golden yellow rose in close up; the fountain and lily pond at Kinross House overlooking Loch Leven and the castle on the island where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned; a flock of Oystercatchers on the well-kept lawns at Kinross House and in flight; a Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) with yellow flower trumpet and distinctive long spur at the rear; Siskin with its characteristic forked tail and streaky yellow-green body; Coreopsis (also known as Tickseed or Calliopsis) with its bright yellow double flower.

12 July 2008 Alstroemeria (also known as the Peruvian Lily) looking particularly striking against a blue sky; Theatre Royal, Glasgow looking fresh and spruce after an external refurbishment; statue to the Duke of Wellington with a traffic cone on his head - said to highlight the Glaswegian sense of humour; the Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in Glasgow, built after the influx of Irish immigrants to Glasgow in the early 19th century; Thalictrum, with its the mass of fluffy flowers on slender stems which can be up to five feet high; a fox that likes to have a snooze in the sun on the grass in my back garden; brilliantly coloured Gazanias (also known as Treasure Flower), produced freely from mid-summer to mid autumn.

5 July 2008 Kalmia with its cluster of very interesting and pretty flowers, resembling miniature parasols; Gladioli flower named "The Bride" in the walled garden at Culzean Castle Country Park; South Portland Street pedestrian suspension bridge across the Clyde in Glasgow, opened in 1853, replacing an earlier wooden one; another view of the South Portland Street pedestrian suspension bridge, showing its elegant wrought iron design; a busy bee gathering nectar from an Eryngium flower with spiny bracts; the graceful foaming flower heads of Filipendula, related to the wild flower Meadowsweet; The densely packed flower heads of Sweet William forming flat clusters that can be 5/6 inches across.

28 June 2008 The village of Luss on the banks of Loch Lomond, famous as "Glendarroch" in the TV drama series "Take the High Road"; Glen Luss runs from the village into the surrounding hills, with occasional glimpses of Loch Lomond; a Beautiful Carpet moth, unimpressed by a camera less than an inch away; Kellie castle in Fife, visited in 1617 by King James VI during his only visit to Scotland after the Union of the Crowns in 1603; the Campsie Fells from the northern side, near the little village of Fintry in Stirlingshire; a delicate Green Lacewing insect with translucent wings which can release a vile smell resulting in its common name of "Stinkfly"; a rambling rose that seems to have been produced by spilling a number of paint pots.

21 June 2008 Tradescantia (also known as Spiderwort Lily) with its silky flowers with its three petals surrounding spidery stamens; Dactylorhiza or Marsh Orchid, one of the easiest of hardy orchids to grow; Balkan Holidays Airbus A320, one of the many charter holiday flights serving Scottish airports; Lilac flowers in the walled garden at Cambo Estate in the East Neuk of Fife; Balgonie Castle in Fife, built originally in the 14th century and visited by King James IV and Mary Queen of Scots; Foxgloves (Digitalis) are wild flowers and one of the few tall plants (up to six feet in height) that can produce a colourful show in damp, shady borders; Cirsium; a cultivated variety of Thistle that grows to a height of four or five feet.

14 June 2008 Abbotsford in the Scottish Borders, built by Sir Walter Scott and described as "his greatest historical novel"; Melrose Abbey, originally established around 650AD and destroyed in 1296 by King Edward I of England; the Eildon Hills, encircled by yellow gorse, from the viewing platform at the top of Melrose Abbey; Jedburgh Abbey founded by King David I to demonstrate he could create a magnificent building in the southernmost part of his kingdom; a model of Jedburgh Abbey showing the scale of the original building; a quartette of rambling roses that all came into flower at the same time.

7 June 2008 Young birds always look so attractive and none more so than these two cygnets; a male swan arching its wings, drawing back its neck and advancing - at speed; the saucer-shaped, papery flowers of Cistus (also known as the Sun Rose) which last for little more than a day; the popular name of Limanthes is "Poached Egg Plant" - for fairly obvious reasons; the tiny bell-shaped flowers of Water Avens (Geum rivale); a Starling parent being harassed by its noisy, hungry offspring.

31 May 2008 Ross Priory, at the southern end of Loch Lomond, an 1812 Gothic addition to a house created in 1693; a view of Loch Lomond (and Ben Lomond) from the grounds of Ross Priory; an unusual variety of Magnolia - Magnolia Wilsonii; a Viburnum with its blooms on long stems that march along its branches like soldiers on parade; the small, pea-like flowers of Broom (Cytisus) in a mixture of red and yellow; a garland of wedding flowers round one of the pillars to the entrance to Ross Priory, with Loch Lomond in the background; the bare branches of the large deciduous Halesia, covered by clusters of white, bell-shaped flowers - Halesia's popular name is the "Snowdrop Tree"; Cornus (Dogwood) with its delightful white flowers.

24 May 2008 Apple blossom with pink on the outside of the petals and white inside; new spring arrivals including Mallard ducklings; Coot parents looking after their hungry offspring; attractive flowers of Chives, one of the Allium family; the formal gardens at Drummond Castle in Perthshire with acers and coppeer beech trees providing an eye-catching scene; a view of Drummond Castle (begun in the 15th century) from the gardens below; the flowers of Forget-Me-Nots (Myosotis) in an unusual pink shade.

17 May 2008 A Rhododendron with reddish buds which open to reveal apricot flowers with an orange tinge at the edges; an unusually dark coloured Trillium which has gathered "popular" names like Lamb's Quarters and Wet Dog Trillium; an obliging Damselfly on the back of my hand, posing while I took its portrait; a scary close-up photo of a Damselfly; Abutilon flower with unusual deep red and black markings; a pure white Mecanopsis, originally from the Himalayas; a Mistle Thrush, which is larger than the more frequently seen Song Thrush; a brilliant, golden-yellow Azalea. 10 May 2008 Male Orange Tip Butterfly, with the distinctive markings on its upper wings that give it its name; female Orange Tip Butterfly with mottled green and white underwing markings, feeding on a Ramsons Wild Garlic flower; an exotic looking "Flaming Parrot" Tulip; Bellis flowers, derived from the common wild daisy; a Heron perched high in a tree instead of at the edge of water; Choisya with its attractive clusters of sweetly scented flowers.

3 May 2008 Two young lambs enjoying the sunshine, but keeping close to one another for warmth; Dandelions rivalling many of the more cultivated plants in suburban gardens; Common Dog Violet with delicate flowers smaller than a thumb-nail; a swathe of golden daffodils with historic Loch Leven Castle in the background; Gorse, with its ability to flower at any time of year; a flock of Greylag and Pink-footed Geese filling the sky; Sunset from the loft window from my own house.

26 April 2008 The Firth of Clyde, looking north towards Loch Long; Western Ferries terminus at Hunter's Quay on Cowal, with "Sound of Suna" departing; statue to "Highland Mary", immortalised by Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns; ruins of Castle Toward, south of Dunoon, owned by the Lamonts and captured and burnt by the Campbells; the new Castle Toward, built as a mansion house in the 1820s; a Treecreeper bird, running up a tree trunk, probing the bark with its curved bill; a brightly coloured Anemone in the walled garden at Culzean Castle Country Park. 19 April 2008 Newly-born spring lambs; Polyanthus with an unusual mixture of colours; Star Magnolia, or Magnolia Stellata, with large (3-4 inches across) fragrant flowers; a multi-headed white daffodil (that doesn't even look like a daffodil); Highland cow with brilliantly-coloured long hair glowing in the sunshine; Song Thrush; a Water Rail - a rarely seen bird that squeals like a piglet!

12 April 2008 Loch of Lowes in Perthshire near Dunkeld, a popular wildlife reserve because of the ospreys that nest there every year; a close-up of a male pheasant, resplendent in his breeding plumage; Aberdour Castle on the coast of Fife, a defensive tower house, enlarged over the centuries to become a comfortable manor house; the Fife Coastal Path between Delgaty Bay and Aberdour, with golden daffodils on either side stretching into the distance; a striking white Peacock on a wall at Scone Palace; Scone Palace itself, with colourful heathers in the foreground. 5 April 2008 A general view of Bell's Heather Garden, Perth, housing Europe's largest collection of heathers; one of the garden' 900 varieties of heather, named "White Perfection"; a striking Primula Denticulata (also known as the "drumstick primrose"); Primula Veris, more commonly known as "Cowslip"; cherry blossoms silhouetted against a blue sky in Rodney Garden, Perth; Highland cattle with their young calves - including a honey-brown youngster and its black mother.

29 March 2008 All the graphics are from Culzean Country Park in Ayrshire and include a Mandarin Duck, resplendent in its amazingly colourful spring breeding plumage; a pink Magnolia, covered in blossom and a close-up of a white Magnolia with a blush of pink at the base of the petals; a particularly attractive double daffodil, with a frilly trumpet; a brightly-coloured Euphorbia, covered in its bright pom-pom like flowers (each larger than a fist); a deep crimson Rhododendron - and a larger white variety, with a crimson throat. 22 March 2008 Stirling Castle, with its ornate statues, on a dull, grey day; a bank of flowering daffodils, beneath Stirling Castle; the Church of the Holy Rude, the last remaining Scots church to have staged a Coronation; Pintails, with the distinctive plumage (and two elongated tail feathers) sported by the male bird; Kestrel, perched on the branch of a dead tree; Teals that have overwintered here from Iceland and northern Europe; crocuses, now fully open - so long as it is bright enough.

15 March 2008 Mainly from Edinburgh's Royal Mile - the Scottish Parliament building; a massive granite sculpture of a lion, on display in Holyrood Park since last year; the life-size statue of Greyfriars Bobby, the 19th century Skye terrier who remained by his master's grave for 14 years; a life-size, decorated, fibre-glass cow - with festival fireworks painted on its sides; "The Scottish Experience" one of the many cut-price souvenir shops on the Royal Mile; Polyanthus flowers, soaked by rain. 8 March 2008 The purple striped crocuses from last week, now surrounded by snow-covered ground; Snowdrops Living up to their name, struggling through the snow; yellow crocuses also nearly covered by snow; a Robin looking a bit puzzled by the snow - but then accessing a peanut cake in a cage designed for finches; the height of the snowfall on Monday of this week in my garden.

1 March 2008 St Bride's Church in the village of Douglas in South Lanarkshire, dating from the 12th century; Douglas mausoleum in the church, an impressive series of three medieval burial tombs; Douglas Castle which originated in the 13th century; a memorial to the Cameronian Regiment in the parkland of Douglas Castle; a memorial garden to 4,000 Polish troops stationed in Douglas in World War II; Wanlockhead in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland's highest village; War Memorial in Wanlockhead; purple stripes of crocuses covered in raindrops. 23 February 2008 An unusual, double (triple?) snowdrop with green markings and an aristocratic name of "Lady Beatrix Stanley" and another with green tips named "Magnet"; Culzean Castle with its date palms growing in front of the building; Osteospermum flowers were still blooming last November and the new season's plants are already opening up; a white Mallard on the Swan Pond at Culzean; a cheeky and bold Robin; woodland walk along the cliffs above the sea at Culzean Country Park.

16 February 2008 Red blossom on a very early-flowering Cherry tree; Winter Aconites with far more than the usual layer of single petals; Snowdrop Jacquenetta; Leucojum - also known as Snowflake; a Snowdrop variety named "Grumpy" due to its markings; Helleborus with its cup-shaped flowers; Rock Pipit, though its markings allowed it to merge in with the rocks; a stream and woodland, with the setting sun streaming between the branches. 9 February 2008 The soaring neo-Jacobean architecture of the Assembly Hall in Edinburgh; an imposing statue of John Knox; fine equestrian statue of Earl Haig, commander-in-chief of the British army in the First World War; lion rampant shield and the motto "Nemo Me Impune Lacessit"; fine statues of the Scottish heroes King Robert the Bruce and Sir William Wallace; a bronze fountain near the site on which hundreds of "witches" were burned at the stake in the 16th century.

2 February 2008 Glowing yellow strands of Hamamelis (Witch Hazel) flowers; Snowdrops, a sign of impending spring; the red berries of a Skimmia Japonica; a winter-flowering Rhododendron; a fast-flowing Waterfall; Mahonia leaves looking more typical of autumn than mid-winter. 26 January 2008 A wintry-looking Edinburgh Castle, with grey skies and the rocks glistening in the rain; Scott Monument in Princes Street Gardens and the five-star Balmoral Hotel; the approaches to Waverley Station; the elegant houses of Ramsay Gardens; St Giles cathedral; hailstones on the ground providing an unusual backdrop to a Skimmia Japonica. 19 January 2008 Forth Rail Bridge; Shark, Deep Sea World, North Queensferry; stingray undulating across the roof of an underwater tunnel; feeding time for a grey seal named "Heather"; Forth Road Bridge silhouetted against the setting sun.

12 January 2008 Sun setting below the horizon - in a blaze of gloriously coloured skies; a dead tree trunk covered in fungi; a rainbow with a backdrop of the Campsie Hills, north of Glasgow; storm damage caused by the hurricane-force winds on Tuesday night; a Blue Tit on the branches of a hawthorn tree. 5 January 2008 Swans swimming along in line-astern formation surrounded by ice; an injured swan being rescued by the SSPCA; a section of Edinburgh's Royal Mile including the Tron Kirk; the distinctive spire of St Giles Cathedral; the full Moon on 24 December. 2007 15 December 2007 Bank of Scotland head office illuminated at night; blood red coloured bracts of Poinsettia; 19th century "Kibble Palace" in Kelvingrove Botanic Gardens; Silverburn Shopping Mall in the Pollok district of Glasgow; delicate-looking flowers of Viburnum.

8 December 2007 Edinburgh Castle, as the rain swept over the esplanade; Princes Street, Edinburgh, at night; a Helter Skelter (a slide built in a spiral around a high tower); a traditional "merry-go-round" in front of a Ferris wheel; a "German Market" with many stalls selling, among other items, models of Bavarian houses; East Princes Street Gardens, showing the "Winter Wonderland" ice skating rink as well as the other amusements. 1 December 2007 Christmas lights in George Square in Glasgow; Ceiling of Light at Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in Glasgow; Orchids at Kelvingrove Botanic Garden; Pelargoniums (also known as geraniums). 24 November 2007 An atmospheric picture of the sunset at Drumpellier Country Park in North Lanarkshire; long spikes of small yellow flowers of Mahonia; Great Hall in Stirling Castle; bright yellow blooms of the Welsh Poppy; an almost full moon rising above the leafless trees.

17 November 2007 A collection of birds at Hogganfield Loch in Glasgow, including a family of Whooper Swans, a sleek, streamlined Goosander, a Black-headed Gull, and a Goldeneye; and a sunset, with the sun dipping towards the horizon and lighting up the clouds. 10 November 2007 Flowers of Hypericum (also known as Rose of Sharon), Antirrhinum, Foxglove, Cistus and Fuchsia. 3 November 2007 A Red Admiral butterfly basking on a pure white Marguerite daisy; Osteospermum flower; a stag and his herd of red deer at Culzean Castle and Country Park; a raspberry ripple ice-cream cone - being consumed at the end of October!; Gazania flower which only opens up when there is sun; a busy bee was taking advantage of the spell of mild weather and some sunshine.

27 October 2007 The autumn leaves of a fiery acer tree in front of Drummond Castle in Perthshire; brilliant white petals of Eucryphia; bright red hips of Rosa Rugosa; a fearsome Crocodile beside an ornamental pond at Drummond Castle; the showy, intensely bright flowers of Nasturtium; purple Colchicum, the "Autumn Crocus". 20 October 2007 "Seashells", one of the prettiest varieties of Cosmos flowers; Helichrysum, the so-called "Everlasting" flower with a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly; juicy red apples; Evergreen International Boeing 747 heading for Prestwick Airport; a heron hunched intently over a rock pool at Hogganfield Loch; bright, colourful chrysanthemums, photographed on a sunny day. 13 October 2007 A tall white Anemone Japonica; Rosa Rugosa, a species of rose native to eastern Asia; Painted Lady and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies feeding voraciously on the Sedum "Autumn Joy"; Dunnock enjoying the seeds of the Pampas Grass; and autumn colours at Drummond Castle gardens.

6 October 2007 Gare Loch and Garelochhead, Argyll; paddle steamer "Maid of the Loch" on Loch Lomond; Loch Lomond and the island of Inchmurrin; Pavement Cafe, Cochrane Street, Glasgow; Loch Long in Argyll and the sun was sparkling on its waters. 29 September 2007 Luxury liner QE2 at Greenock on her last visit to the river Clyde; Drummond Castle, Perthshire, formal garden design created in 1838 at Drummond Castle; masses of colourful dahlias; and a multi-coloured rose. 22 September 2007 Kinross House, which was begun in 1686, by the architect Sir William Bruce; Painted Lady Butterfly enjoy feeding on the globular flowers of Echinops; Peacock Butterfly with its curled up tongue (proboscis); Goldenrod (Solidago) with its frothy spikes of long-lasting, golden yellow flowers; last of the Swallows before they return to their winter quarters in southern Africa - 6,000 miles away; Loch Leven Castle.

15 September 2007 Comma Butterfly - which gets its name from the white mark on its underside; Roses growing in the garden of Kinross House; Red Road High Flats, Balornock, Glasgow; Common Hawker Dragonfly at rest on a Hydrangea flower; deep red Dahlia in the walled garden at Culzean Castle Country Park. 8 September 2007 Spotted Flycatcher sitting on a favourite fence; harbour at Anstruther in the East Neuk of Fife; Small Copper butterfly in good condition; fishing vessel "Britannia" now recorded in the National Register of Historic Vessels database; the black markings on the wings of a "Large White" butterfly; Rudbeckia flower shining out like a beacon. 1 September 2007 Flower of the Indian Bean Tree in the one of the gardens at Culzean Castle Country Park in Ayrshire; Red Admiral butterfly with its wings spread; papery petals of Helichrysum flowers; magnificent blooms of Chrysanthemum; Echinacea - the Cone Flower, which originated in eastern USA; pollen covered bee on a Hollyhock flower.

25 August 2007 Red Admiral Butterfly, on a ligularia flower at Culzean Castle; a life-size statue of a pirate...; Cormorant showing off its curved beak; the Wallace Memorial in Robroyston, Glasgow, marking the spot where William Wallace was betrayed and captured; Gladioli flowers. 18 August 2007 Tay Road Bridge, Dundee, from the top of Dundee Law the Tay Rail Bridge, Clarkia amoena (or "Farewell to Spring" or Godetia amoena); Camperdown House, named after a famous naval victory by Scots-born Admiral Adam Duncan; Mesembryanthemum (also known as Dorotheanthus or Livingston Daisy); Dudhope Castle, Dundee (now the University of Abertay's Dundee Business School).

11 August 2007 The large flower heads of Teasel; a field of the purple flowers of Phacelia and a close-up of its lovely flower-heads; a second brood of Swallow chicks being fed; striking variety of Scabious or "Pincushion" flower; Rosebuds in the rose garden at Kinross House; red and the white flowers of Lavatera, the tree mallow. 4 August 2007 Nasturtiums in an Urn at Swan Pond, Culzean Castle Country Park; A Damselfly that landed on the back of my hand; Hollyhock flowers; Lysimachia Clethroides, better known as Gooseneck Loosestrife; Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly on Verbena Flower; Rhododenrons. 28 July 2007 The distinctive markings of a Ringlet butterfly and the more subdued colours of a Meadow Brown butterfly; a Common Sandpiper wading at the side of a loch; the large, colourful trumpets of Lavatera - the tree mallow; an attractive Scops Owl; a hybrid falcon, half Peregrine Falcon and half Saker Falcon.

21 July 2007 Greater spotted woodpecker tucking into the peanut feeder; magnificent archway entrance to Scone Palace near Perth; sailing ship "Tenacious" beside Finnieston Crane; the massive new Glasgow Harbour development; a white peacock in full display. 14 July 2007 Onopordum, a thistle look-alike that grows to 8 feet high; Coot mother feeding newborn chicks in the nest; tall spires of white delphiniums; Red deer and its white fawn; a very pale, almost white Red deer stag; cornus flowers. 7 July 2007 Port Logan Bay in the extreme south-west of Galloway; a particuarly colourful Gazania at the Logan Botanic Gardens; Carlsluith castle, overlooking Wigtown Bay ; the Cistercian Glenluce Abbey, founded by the Lord of Galloway in 1192; Hemerocallis, the Day Lily; Mull of Galloway, the most southerly point in Scotland.

30 June 2007 Dianthus "Little Jock"; memorial garden to the victims of the Pan Am Flight 103 blown up over Lockerbie in 1988; Threave Castle in Dumfries and Galloway; a "Slender Thistle"; Comlongon Castle, a massive 14th century tower house; the National Trust for Scotland's Threave Gardens. 23 June 2007 "Small Copper" butterfly; the "miniature parasols" of Kalmia flowers; 8 inches long flowers of cardiocrinum giganteum; swallow parent and its hungry offspring; red Mecanopsis punicea and a striking lavender shade of Mecanopsis; flower of Nomocharis, a type of lily. 16 June 2007 Stunning white paeonia (peony) with a yellow centre; Painted Lady butterfly in the nature reserve at Lochwinnoch in Renfrewshire; Large Red Damselfly; a young robin with its fluffy feathers; Red Clover; Canada geese.

9 June 2007 Great Crested Grebe with a fish and a young grebe; yellow wild iris; female "Variable" damselfly and a male "Common Blue"; Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus), sometimes known in Scotland as "Stinking Billy". 2 June 2007 Anstruther harbour, East Neuk of Fife; ice-cream cone; Eider ducks on the north Fife coast, adjacent to Kingsbarns Golf Course; Lilac and Honeysuckle in Cambo House gardens; Cygnets newly hatched in Drumpellier Country Park. 26 May 2007 A magnificent late flowering magnolia; mecanopsis - the Himalayan poppy; yellow flowers of the Potentilla shrub; Davidia - the "Handkerchief Tree"; the bell-shaped flowers of Halesia - the Snowdrop Tree; Xerophyllum Tenax or "Bear Grass"; baby sparrow; Coot chicks.

19 May 2007 Great Crested Grebe, performing its courtship dance; Coots and their Chicks; Mallard shepherding her brood of eleven ducklings; Uefa Cup Banners, George Square, Glasgow; Cameronian Regiment War Memorial in the grounds of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. 12 May 2007 Lochinch Castle near Stranraer; azalea on grounds of Castle Kennedy; P&O ferry from Belfast in Loch Ryan; bell-shaped flowers of Abutilon; a mature Heron, with a long, black wispy crest; Culzean Castle and its palm trees; clematis on the terraced gardens below Culzean Castle. 5 May 2007 Male and female Orange Tip butterfly; three-petalled Trillium in the woodlands of Cluny House in Perthshire; Atholl Palace Hotel, Pitlochry; "Sma' Glen" between Crieff and Aberfeldy in Perthshire; Doronicum in Culzean Castle Country Park; Wade's Bridge, Aberfeldy; salmon fisherman in the river Tummel at Pitlochry.

28 April 2007 Multi-coloured Tulips in the walled garden of Kellie Castle; the garden of Cambo Estate, Fife; Spanish Lavender flowers; Fritallaria Imperalis; houses in Crail, fields of yellow Rapeseed; sunset over the rooftops of Anstruther in Fife. 21 April 2007 Glendoick House in Angus; a large golden yellow Rhododendron; Erythronium "White Beauty"; Sparrow; golden yellow Magnolia; "candy striped" Camellia, a handsome Pheasant; Pasque Flower / Anemone Pulsatilla. 14 April 2007 Scone Palace in Perthshire; a rare Comma butterfly; Pied Wagtail; Chaenomeles flowers; two kids (young goats); white peacock and the normal Indian Blue variety; an attractive, unusual daffodil; Oyster Catchers.

7 April 2007 Culzean Castle; magnificent pink magnolias; an unusual variety of daffodil; tiny wood/field mouse; rhododendrons; a "psychotic" chaffinch; a bold Robin; Osteospermum flower; red deer stag, Leucojum or "Snowflake" flower; and the beach at Culzean. 31 March 2007 Loch Lomond in the "gloamin" (twilight); Redshanks and Eider Duck in the Firth of Forth; Rhododendron in Glenarn Garden in Helensburgh; the iridescent feathers of a drake Mallard; the University of Glasgow, with the river Kelvin below. 24 March 2007 A host of golden daffodils, growing along the Fife Coastal Path between Dalgety Bay and Aberdour. 17 March 2007 Polyanthus flowers; raindrops on Crocus; large cup-shaped flowers of the Helleborus; easyJet Airbus A319 on its approach to Glasgow airport; rhododendron flowers; Prunus flowers.

10 March 2007 Purple and white striped crocus; white crocus with contrasting orange stamens; roe deer; daffodils; a white camellia; a raging torrent after heavy rain. 3 March 2007 All located in Glasgow - Mitchell Library; Greek Thomson Church for the United Presbyterians; Duke of Wellington in Royal Exchange Square; a clock with running legs, outside the Buchanan Bus Station; Gallery of Modern Art, Radisson SAS Hotel. 24 February 2007 Goldeneye and Tufted Ducks; a serene Black Swan; sunny Snowdrops; Kilsyth, nestling below the hills in the distance; Forth and Clyde Canal at the village of Twechar. 17 February 2007 Camellia flower; Winter flowering Jasmine; a young Herring Gull puzzled by a football; Black Headed Gull on Ice; and winter-flowering Rhododendrons.

10 February 2007 Snowdrops in Colzium Lennox Estate in North Lanarkshire; Hamamelis (also known as "witch hazel"); Iris Reticulata; the pink flowers of Viburnum standing out against the blue sky; and the "last rose of winter". 3 February 2007 Sunset, Glasgow Fort, Easterhouse; River Clyde at Scotstoun; panoramic view of some of the shops on Princes Street, Edinburgh; white Carrara marble statue of Sir Walter Scott; Royal Scottish Academy. 27 January 2007 Holyrood Park Edinburgh, St Leonard's Hall and Chancellor's Court at Pollok Halls of Residence for Edinburgh University students, the Royal Observatory at Blackford Hill, Prestonfield House - and a Highland Cow. 20 January 2007 A snow-covered Dumgoyne Hill and Campsie Fells, a view down the lovely Tay Valley at Perth, Huntingtower Castle, flowering catkins, leafless trees and Balhousie Castle - museum of the Black Watch Royal Highland Regiment.

13 January 2007 Views around Perth, including the river Tay, the High Street, statue of the "Fair Maid of Perth", the Fergusson Gallery (formerly a neo-classical style water works), St John's Kirk and whimsical animal sculptures on top of the walls of the flood defences. 6 January 2007 Mist swirling amongst the trees, Drumpellier Country Park in North Lanarkshire; a swan emerging from the same mist; Pollok House (in the sun); the Campsie Hills; Craigton Burn, Mugdock Country Park. 2006 16 December 2006 The view at night from Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh, looking towards the castle, the huge illuminated Christmas tree on The Mound, leading to Edinburgh Castle, Princes Street Gardens at Christmas with its skating rink and Ferris Wheel and the moon, just rising, beside the floodlit Balmoral Hotel. 9 December 2006 Edinburgh Castle at night, the Edinburgh skyline from Calton Hill, Bank of Scotland at night, the buildings on top of Calton Hill, Jenners Department Store in Princes Street, the Ferris wheel beside the Scott Monument in Princes Street Gardens.

2 December 2006 Christmas tree and lights in Glasgow's George Square and "Ceiling of Light" at the Gallery of Modern Art in Royal Exchange Square. 25 November 2006 University of Glasgow from Kelvingrove Park, a Grey Squirrel, pigeons, Stewart Fountain, Monarch Airlines Airbus at Glasgow Airport. 18 November 2006 Ruddy Duck and a Tufted Duck, Whooper Swan and its Cygnet, male and female Goldeneye. 11 November 2006 Sunset near Kinross, male and female Goosander, Mallard, Young Great Crested Grebe, and Rook. 4 November 2006 Autumn sun at Hogganfield Loch in Glasgow, Whooper Swans just arrived from Iceland, resident Mute Swan and Coot plus large yellow flower spikes of Mahonia. 28 October 2006 A misty Edinburgh Castle in the rain, Princes Street shops and Gardens (with the Scott Monument and Balmoral Hotel), Drumpellier Country Park Peace Garden, button chrysanthemums and, finally, the sun trying to peek out from behind the clouds.

21 October 2006 "Egbert", the Little Egret at Loch Leven; village of Scotlandwell, nestling under Bishop Hill, Perth and Kinross; Mosaic Puff Ball Mushroom; red ivy; historic Smithy at Gretna Green. 14 October 2006 Glasgow Arc (also known as the Squinty Bridge), Glasgow City Chambers and George Square, the Art Deco Beresford Hotel, Finnieston Crane, Glasgow Hilton Hotel, and a taxi advertising Glasgow as a Commonwealth Games candidate city. 7 October 2006 Kinneil House in Bo'ness, the road and rail bridges over the river Forth, Grangemouth, The House of the Binns in West Lothian, the Fountain in Linlithgow Palace, cormorants. 30 September 2006 Colchicum, the"Autumn Crocus", young fawn, Kellie Castle in Fife, BAE shipyard on the river Clyde and a Red Admiral butterfly.

23 September 2006 Anemone Japonica, Apples "Red Victoria" Moth "Silver Y", Dahlia "Glorie van Heemstede", Clematis and a Painted Lady Butterfly. 16 September 2006 Turnberry Golf Hotel, Dunure Castle, Sloe berries, Arran across the Firth of Clyde, an evening seascape and Ailsa Craig. 9 September 2006 Various views of Glamis Castle including its Italian Garden, Hollyhock and Achillea flowers and an acrobatic Grey Squirrel. 2 September 2006 Entrance gate to Culzean Castle, male and female Common Darter Dragonfly, Dahlia, Chrysanthemum and Gladioli flowers, Small Copper Butterfly. 26 August 2006 Sparrowhawk, Gourock and Firth of Clyde from Lyle Hill, Globe Artichoke, Fuschia and Hydrangea flowers and a Painted Lady butterfly. 19 August 2006 Small Copper, Green Veined White and Peacock butterflies, young swallows in their nest and Rowan (Mountain Ash) berries.

12 August 2006 Balvaird Castle in Perthshire, Peacock Butterfly, Kinross House and Garden with Loch Leven Castle, a Field of Wheat, flower of Cosmos "Sea Shells". 5 August 2006 Red Admiral butterfly, pink rose, Finlaystone House, Inula, Hydrangeas, Lilies, Firth of Clyde and the hills and mountains of Argyll beyond. 29 July 2006 Queen Elizabeth Rose in the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, Lobelia Forming Flag of St Andrew, Fettes College (Tony Blair's Alma Mater), Ringlet Butterfly, Lavatera flower, Hermitage Castle and a Red Sunset. 22 July 2006 Birds-foot Trefoil, Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly, a Bee on a Scabious Flower, a green cow, the tranquil river Forth on that sunny afternoon, a Tufted Duck chick and Glasgow's famous Sauchiehall Street. 15 July 2006 Godetia, Eryngium and Sweet William flowers, Green-veined White Butterfly, Falkland Palace, a Heron and windsurfing on Castle Semple Loch.

8 July 2006 Begonia, Primula Vialii, seven Mallard Ducklings huddled together, Water Lily, Centaurea Macrocephela and Kalmia Latifolia "Bullseye" flowers. 1 July 2006 Anstruther Harbour, Painted Lady butterfly, Astrantia and White Mecanopsis flowers, Lapwing, thistle and Cirsium. 24 June 2006 Cygnet riding on a Swan's back, Cistus and Abutilon flowers, Aberdour Castle, Common Blue Damselfly, a Rose and Inchcolm and Firth of Forth. 17 June 2006 Wild Rose, Bar-headed Goose, Pink Purslane, Great Crested Grebe and Chicks, Water Avens, Moorhen and Chicks. 10 June 2006 Fountain at Culzean Castle, Tulip, Deer and newly-born Calf, Red Admiral Butterfly, Osteospermum, Wisteria, Yellow Iris, Oystercatchers and Chick. 3 June 2006 Cygnets, swans, coot chicks and mallard ducklings.

27 May 2006 Orange and white azalea, chestnut "candles", Finnieston Bridge (known as the "Squinty Bridge"), grey squirrel, hawthorn blossom, zantedeschia. 20 May 2006 Dicentra ("Bleeding Heart"), Blackthorn (Sloe), Mecanopsis, Cassiope Mertensia Gracilis, Trillium, apricot Rhododendron. 13 May 2006 Culzean Castle, Orange Tip Butterfly, Apple Blossom, Fox, Trollius, Grey Wagtail. 6 May 2006 Great Crested Grebe, Daffodils and Rhododendron, Lesser Celandine, Pansies, Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly, Magnolia Stellata, Parrot Tulip, Ranunculus. 29 April 2006 Bellisle golf course in Ayr, Roe Deer, Magnolia blossoms, Dean Castle, a Ladybird, Cherry Blossom.

22 April 2006 Camellias, Polyanthus, Willow Catkins, Sycamore leaves, Rhododendron, Spirea Goldflame, Corylopsis. 15 April 2006 Aubretia, Anemone Nemerosa, Geilston Garden, young goats, Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton), pink Magnolia, Rhododendron. 8 April 2006 Polyanthus flower, Grey Squirrel, Princes Street, Edinburgh, Grey Wagtail, Euphorbia flower, Goldeneye. 1 April 2006 Spring daffodils, King Robert the Bruce statue, Scottish Saltire flag, Gleneagles Hotel, Wallace Monument and the Ochil Hills. 25 March 2006 Snow on Ben Lomond, Redshanks and courting Eider Ducks, Rhododendrons, Helleborus and Sunset from Helensburgh. 18 March 2006 Snow scenes at Kilmardinny Loch, a female chaffinch, snow-covered Campsie Hills, grey squirrel and white crocus.

11 March 2006 Crocus and Raindrops, Pink-footed Goose, Red shank, Eider Ducks, Sunset over Gare Loch 4 March 2006 Firth of Clyde from the island of Cumbrae, the Ayrshire town of Largs, Caledonian MacBrayne car ferry, Cathedral of the Isles, wigeon, golden yellow crocus in Newlands Park and a fiery red sunset over Glasgow 25 February 2006 Loch Lomond, Ben Lomond, Canada Geese, Oystercatchers and Helleborus 18 February 2006 Female goosander, pair of goldeneye, a carpet of snowdrops, long-tailed tits, feral pigeon and a tufted duck. 11 February 2006 Sunset over the water at Gadloch, near Lenzie; Snowdrop and Crocus at Colzium Estate, near Kilsyth, Chaffinch, Orchids at Kelvingrove Botanic Gardens 4 February 2006 Frost and Mist, Pochard, white Camellia, pink Hyacinth and the launch of HMS Daring.

28 January 2006 Queen Victoria on top of the Doulton Fountain, ships on the river Clyde, Snowdrops, Hammamelis (Witch Hazel), Poinsettia and Heather. 21 January 2006 Campsie Fells, Gadwall, Mallard with unusual colours, a swan in full threat pose and Greylag Goose. 14 January 2006 Edinburgh Castle, swans, teal, viburnum, coots, bluetit. 7 January 2006 Sunset, Drumpellier Country Park, Gulls on Ice, Greylag Goose, Siskin, Goldeneye, Chaffinch. 2005 17 December 2005 Venus at Sunset, a nearly full moon, rhododendron flower, greenfinches, festive lights at the Gallery of Modern Art and George Square in Glasgow. 10 December 2005 Castle Semple Loch just after the sunset, Cotoneaster berries, grey squirrel, male Goosander, Christmas festivities and Ferris Wheel in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh.

3 December 2005 Sunset at Lochend Loch, Kestrel, grey squirrel, holly, Burns Memorial Tower, Mauchline and a Mallard on Ice. 26 November 2005 Hogganfield Loch at dusk, Christmas lights in Glasgow's George Square, Mahonia, Bullfinch, Shovelar, Goosander. 19 November 2005 Hogganfield Loch by moonlight, Dumbarton Castle, Greylag Geese Goldeneye, pink rose. 12 November 2005 South Uist from Benbecula, eucryphia, buzzard, pernettya, mute and whooper swans. 5 November 2005 Mist on Lochend Loch, little egret, houttuynia, white mallard duck, seascape at Dunbarnie Links in Fife, greylag goose. 29 October 2005 Low clouds settling on the Lomond Hills and Loch Leven near Kinross, a grey heron, a Red Admiral butterfly, and the flowers of Nerine, Clematis and a rambling rose.

22 October 2005 Waves at Kirkcaldy seafront, dianthus, azalea leaves, delphinium, hydrangea, tradescantia. 15 October 2005 Falkland village and palace, vine, eider ducks, gulls. 8 October 2005 - Monikie Country Park, cormorant, diascea, Red Admiral butterfly, ruddy duck, gaillardia and helianthus. 1 October 2005 - Crathes castle in the sun, red autumn ivy, bright, yellow Helenium, Clematis and a Ruddy Duck and a Tufted Duck. 24 September 2005 - Argyrantheum, Dahlia, a stag charging, red admiral butterfly, Katsura Tree, Michaelmas Daisy. 17 September 2005 - Little egret, mallard, moorhen chick, heather, seagulls. 10 September 2005 - Roses, bramble (blackberry), bee, rudbeckia, red admiral butterfly, robin.

3 September 2005 - Lochore country park, wigeon, gadwall, seagull, clematis, magpie. 27 August 2005 - Mallard, roses, swallow, tufted duck, starling, damselfly. 20 August 2005 - Rowan (mountain ash) berries, thistledown, swan, tufted ducks, peacock and small copper butterflies, squirrel. 13 August 2005 - Rose, geum, small tortoiseshell butterfly, eucryphia, helenium, rosa rugosa. 6 August 2005 - Gazania, eryngium, hemerocallis, scabiosa, small tortoiseshell butterfly. 30 July 2005 - Culzean castle, peacock butterfly, helichrysum, helenium, inula, crocosmia. 23 July 2005 - Kinross House, clematis, dahlias, rose, small tortoiseshell butterfly, thistle.

16 July 2005 - Culzean castle, common blue butterfly, chaffinch, portalucca flower, stag. Where else would you like to go in Scotland? Links Pages

Question: The flower Dianthus barbatus is commonly known as Stinking Billy in Scotland; by what more pleasant-sounding name is it known in England?
Answer: SWEET WILLIAM