Foul forecast forces gardeners' show indoors

Above: Town Mayor Councillor Peter Robinson is pictured with prizewinners of Silsden Allotment Association, whose annual show on August 20th was forced indoors when a week of fine weather came to an abrupt end. The neighbouring Silsden Youth and Community Centre in Elliott Street came to the rescue as a venue when on the eve of the show the gardeners decided the event could not go ahead outdoors as planned.

Above: the Best in Show award went to new member Linda Waterhouse for this harvest basket of vegetables.

Above: Finlay Smith also received a special award for this outstanding miniature garden in the children's classes. The show judges were Sue Bird (horticultural classes) and Lisa Preston (domestic section).

Lack of sunshine means butterflies feel the heat

Above: a comma butterfly, seldom seen locally despite its spread northwards in recent years. This one was photographed on thistles near the canal on August 9th. Anecdotal evidence suggests that locally this is another poor year for butterflies: too much rain and not enough sunshine. 

Above: a red admiral suns itself on buddleia, near the canal on August 9th. Nationally most butterfly species have been hit hard in the last few decades by climate change and modern farming practices. 

Above: a meadow brown feeds on honeysuckle in a glade in a local wood in July.