Birmingham's City Centre Garden

Edith's diary for this week describes the flowers and birds she found in the last week of her 1906 Dartmoor holiday. She travelled back on the first of May.

Last week, I described my walk along part of the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. After I had left the pub, I headed as directly as possible towards the Library. 

City Centre Gardens - just behind the library.

Concious that my walk hadn't been much of a nature ramble, I was delighted to find the City Centre Gardens tucked between the library and the huge blocks of flats I had seen from the canal.  

White Japanese Cherry blossom - from outside the garden.

The library peeping out from behind the Japanese cherry blossom.

It was dark and I couldn't see much. but there was a spectacular row of White Japanese Cherries.  I was tempted to explore there and then but I heard two men arguing in the garden and thought better of it. As I went to photograph the cherry blossom, I encountered one of the many rough sleepers in the city. We exchanged a few words and I gave him a couple of coins. 

Thinking about the less fortunate residents of the city, Ina Taylor's biography of Edith Holden describes the family's work with the poor children of Birmingham. Edith's father, Arthur, was involved with Birmingham's Labour Church who were involved with the Cinderella Club. This organisation organised treats and outings for the children.

The next morning, I spent some time looking out of the window of my 16th floor hotel room - it was a little strange to look down on Herring Gulls wheeling over the city rooftops.

Pink cherry blossom and the BT Tower.

On the way to the station, I returned to the garden for a better look.  Tucked between large buildings, it really has the feel of a secret garden with plenty of blossom trees and flowers.  The surrounding buildings made for some interesting views.

Colourful flowerbeds below looming buildings.

It was early so I had the garden to myself. Walking through, I spotted two Blackbirds, a Woodpigeon, two Robins, a pair of Bluetits and, surprisingly, a pair of Mistle Thrushes.  These are a bit bigger and greyer than a Song Thrush. They acted as described in Cocker and Mabey's Birds Britannica:

On the ground it is far more unapproachable and maintains a bold, alert stance or moves in a series of long vigorous bounding hops.

Delicate pink cherry blossom in front of the bold patterns on the library.

As I was leaving the park, the homeless man seemed to be dozing, his back to the wall of the building next to the park.  I paused to watch the Bluetits go in and out of Japanese cherry blossom, then gathered a few fallen blossoms. When I turned, he was smiling at my slightly absurd antics - I grinned back, greeted him and went on my way.

Birmingham and Fazeley Canal

On the 19th of April 1904, Edith was still on her Dartmoor holiday and her diary entry describes a visit to the pretty river Walkham. On that day in 2016, my stay in central Birmingham took me to a more urban waterway. I've previously visited the Gas Street Basin on the New Main Line.

The Malt House on the New Main Line.

This time I followed the New Main Line as far as the Malt House. Last year, I visited this pub on a cold winter's evening and enjoyed fish and chips and was warmed by an open fire while listening to a jazz ensemble. In Edith's time, this building was probably still used for its original purpose of malting grain for beer making. At this point, I crossed the New Main Line so I could follow the older Birmingham & Fazeley Canal. While I was crossing the bridge, a group of ducks glided past.



View along the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal.

The Canal and River Trust web site tells us that this canal opened in 1789. Once hemmed in by works and wharfs it now drops down between modern apartments and lively bars. 

Cambrian Wharf area.

The canal is well-kept by the Canal and River Trust (West Midlands) who are running the #sharethespace campaign in which canal and towpath users are asked to be considerate.

Be like the duck and not the goose - #sharethespace

Looking across the canal, I can see three large blocks of flats. Beyond that is the new library.  From the bridge, I was able to look down a flight of locks.

Flight of locks

A Canal and River Trust notice tells us:

The Farmers Bridge Lock Flight is one of the most unusual sights on Birmingham's canal network. The canal plunges down 81 feet (25 metres) through dramatically floodlit archways, office undercrofts, and claustrophobic tunnels.

There are numerous slopes and I puzzled over ridges of raised bricks - the bricks were clearly replacements for the originals but this feature had been retained in the restoration.. In the end, I figured out that these helped the horses that pulled the narrow boats grip the tow path in wet weather. 

Modern Bridge.

About 6 locks down the flight, I found an unusual bridge.

Stepping back.

Taking in a wider angled view, enabled me to see the BT Tower.

Dropping underground.

After this the walk became a little spookier. The canal dropped into the understory of a large building and came out between high walls. There was no longer the sense of safety provided by the people overlooking the canal from homes and bars. The walk ways became shabbier but more intriguing. More of the brickwork was original here and the ridges that I had noticed in the restored part were now smoothed down by thousands of feet and hooves.  After the 12th lock, I was sufficiently spooked to scurry up a flight of metal steps to the surface.

I was trying to figure out where I was when I spotted the library. A number of the Herring Gulls that haunt the city were wheeling round the "cliff faces" provided by the library and other large buildings nearby.

The Shakespeare, Summer Row.

As I walked towards the library, I found The Shakespeare pub. After seeing so many modern and often rowdy and intimidating bars, it was refreshing to find a traditional, friendly pub.  It was arranged with the bar in the centre, a lively area at the front, a quiet area behind the bar and a garden at the back. I had an excellent meal of Devonshire crab followed British beef pie for a remarkably modest price. The website tells us that this pub ...

"... is where the goldsmiths and silversmiths from the nearby Jewellery Quarter once quenched their thirsts. In the mid-19th century."

The Shakespeare, showing its fine arched windows.

By the time I had finished my meal, it was getting dark and I returned to the hotel - I cut across behind the library and made a surprising and delightful discovery but more of that next time.

World made up of sky and gorse

When I took my walk near the Arden Hotel and Birmingham NEC on the 5th of April, I was in search of blossom. This was because, in her entries for the 7th and 9th of April, Edith had mentioned seeing blackthorn, Damson and Plum. I started well, spotting some stray twigs with early blooms at the foot of a tree in the hotel car park.

Cherry blossom outside the Arden.

However, the huge trees between the A45 and the Birmingham NEC were not yet in flower. Luvkily there were other flowers to see. On 11th of April, 1906 Edith wrote about her time in Dartmoor:

Up on the moor the world seemed to be made up of sky and gorse - such acres of golden blossoms under a sky of cloudless blue.

Gorse, the great survivor, by the A45

I saw gorse too, although it was enlivening the side of the A45 under a leaden sky. Just round the corner, a great river of gold cascaded down a bank to one of the NEC car parks. I followed the bank round and cut across a road on my way to Pendigo lake.

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A quick walk through a grassy area with trees took me to the lakeside. 

My sketch of a cormorant - Pendigo lake, NEC

I perched on a seat in front of the Resort World hotel and watched the birds.  I saw 5 Canada Geese, a coot, 2 moorhen, 2 black-headed gulls and a cormorant, which obligingly sat on a post while I drew it.  Sketch finished, I noticed a cloud of white blossom near the lake side and hurried towards it.

Great-crested Grebe  - Pendigo lake, NEC

As I scurried along the lakeside path, an indignant flurry of feathers shot out from almost under my feet.  I had startled a Great Crested Grebe.

Puffs of blossom - NEC

Once I reached the tree, and looked up, I found it it had lovely puffs of blossom on a tracery of branches silhouetted against the now clear blue sky.  

Blackthorn blossom - Station Link Road.

On my way back to the hotel, a froth of blackthorn seemed to echo the clouds overhead. Just 10 days later I read, in the Birmingham Mail, that it has been snowing in Birmingham. I hope that the blossom isn't spoilt.

Fairy lamps and fresh spring leaves

From the beginning of April 1906, Edith noted the rapid advance of spring in her Diary. During my visit to Birmingham (5 to 7 April, 2016), I found several of the same signs of spring near the Arden hotel and NEC. She described what I know as pussy willow.

The "fairy lamps" of pussy willow.

"I went to a little spinney to see a large bush of Great Round-Leaved Willow, which is a perfect picture, just now, covered all over with great golden catkins that light up the copse like so hundreds of fairy lamps. The bees were humming all round it, busy gathering the pollen."

I was out too late in the day to see bees on the willow flowers but I did spot a couple of big buff-tailed bumble bee queens near the ground, perhaps returning to their nests.  In her entry for the 4th, Edith noted: "The sun has brought out the green leaf-buds on the trees and hedges very rapidly".  

Similarly in 2016, leaves are appearing on road and rail-side trees. In just a few minutes I found green leaves on field maple, sycamore, hawthorn, horse chestnut, elder, weeping willow and many others.

Young horse-chestnut leaves.

In her entry for the 9th, Edith described her journey to Stoke Bishop, on her way to Dartmoor and noted that "The low-lying fertile lands ... were golden with Marsh Marigolds".  I found a small clump of Marsh Marigolds at the edge of the Trinity Park pond.

A small clump of yellow marsh marigolds at the edge of the Trinity Park pond.

Early one morning, from an upstairs office window, a pair of Canada geese dipping together on the pond. They mated, spent a little time on a tiny island and then flew in a great arc round the pond, under my office window, then off in the direction of the NEC.

Canada geese at the Trinity Park pond.

I hope Edith's journey went more smoothly than mine to Birmingham. On Tuesday, overhead power lines had come down just North of Birmingham International. Having finally managed to board a train at London, everyone had to get off at Coventry. A colleague, who travelled earlier, spoke of considerable chaos but by the time I got there things had settled down. Coaches were taking passengers to Birmingham New Street and the few of us headed for Birmingham International were bundled into taxis.

Attending to the overhead wires.

While I was exploring that evening I saw trains moving through again and a group of men in high-vis clothes checking the overheads. In Edith's time, this sort of problem could not have occurred as there were few electric lines - just some in the South East, including the London Underground and the tiny Volks Electric Railway that still runs along Brighton sea front, not far from where I live.

March is going out like a lamb

At the end of march, Edith's diary tells us that in 1906 ...

"A still grey day with beautifully dry roads. March is going out like a lamb." 

In 2016, on the 28th of March we were treated to storm Katie. The month ended with clear, bright days and cold nights.

On March the 31st, the weather was fine enough for Edith to cycle out and look for wildflowers. She mentions primroses, sweet violets and dog violets and says that "the cowslips are only in bud yet". Edith goes on to describe the birds and nests that she found.  In 2016 Birmingham, the cowslips are just beginning to flower.

Cowslip near Birmingham International Station, March 22nd.

I haven't been to Birmingham this week but last week I saw some flowers and birds near the station and later near the hotel. Walking from Birmingham International Station to the Office, I saw cowslips, a Blackbird, a Bluetit and, most surprisingly of all, a Song Thrush.

While staying at the Airport Holiday Inn, I did a little exploring.  First thing in the morning I investigated the verges the the huge roads just outside the hotel. Outside the Travel Lodge, which is next to the Holiday Inn, last year's grasses and seedheads are masking a green carpet studded with vivid blue Green Alkanet flowers.

Green Alkanet by the side of the Coventry Road

Oddly, a spash of orange announces a stray garden marigold.

A stray garden marigold

Crossing the road I find the curious combination of a glossy car dealer and the shabby-looking buildings of the former Village Farm.

Village Farm

Further on, I follow a tattered bank of trees and bushes round the corner into the Damson Parkway, which is a major route to the Land Rover factory, Solihull and beyond.  A hawthorn hedge and a grass bank with trees and daffodils separates fields from the heaving traffic.

Forget-me-not at the foot of a hawthorn hedge, Damson Parkway

After finding Forget-Me-Nots and glossy leaves of Lords-and-Ladies I hurry back to the hotel for breakfast and the bus to work.

In the evening, I venture out again. This time down the Old Damson Lane. Here there is a Rugby Club, a promising footpath and the nicely-kept Dunstan Farm.

Primroses at Dunstan Farm

After a few minutes, the old lane rejoins the Damson Parkway. A new entrance and wood chip surface tempts me along the first section of  a footpath to Bickenhill.

Solihull footpath.

I can see the church spire across the fields and the first leaves of bluebells but the light is fading and I reluctantly return to the road. I hope to come back to these footpaths - Solihull Council are doing a good job with them here. The footpath skirts the Northern edge of the new dispatch centre for the Jaguar Land Rover. I wait for a shipment of vehicles to leave before crossing its entrance.

Vehicles leaving Jaguar Land Rover dispatch centre.

A modern tubular bridge links this with the factory site.

Bridge linking Jaguar Land Rover factory with dispatch centre.

Blackthorn blossom near the bridge.

It seems impossible that wildlife could thrive amongst the thunder of traffic and bustle of factories but a hedge along the side of the road has clearly been a home to a nesting bird. I love the way that the moss that last year's parent bird used to make a neat cup has grown and merged with the hedge.

Nest in the hedge by the Jaguar Land Rover factory.

So while the area is much more built up and noisier than in Edith's day, wildlife is still finding spaces in which to live.