Sunday, July 19, 2009

Flowers Fantastic - Water (sorta) Returns. Sunday, 19.7.09

I stayed up late last night doing my art project and Jim was on his computer, so it was a late start today. It was mostly dry and sunny though, so I managed to get some washing dry outside. The water pump decided to burst into action again, but as it goes all the time we turn it off most of the time and just turn it on when we need it. So the situation is much improved. We hope the pump man will come tomorrow. I'll ring him first thing.

Jim is off to Galway tomorrow to cost the plumbing items we have to buy for our plumber.

I noticed some new flowers out today so it was camera time again. I had bought Jim some white pom pom dahlia bulbs a while ago on one of my trips to the UK. They have at last flowered and are so pretty:
Isn't it perfect? Just a tinge of cream.

Another of the white poppies is in flower on the wild flower rockery:
It's much more of a white than the dahlia. I just love these. I do hope they seed.

On the same rockery, this plant had 2 flowers on in my first photo. Look at it now! I just love that striking blue.
Just one Californian Poppy put in an appearance today.


The hanging baskets are doing really well. This is one of the double petunia in one of them, as is the photo below:
The dahlia in the dahlia and gladioli bed are flowering prolifically now. I love this red one that's just appeared:
What a stunning colour. The orange cactus dahlia that was out the other day is even bigger now:

I cut some sweet peas today and some dahlia, montbretia and cornflowers and put them in a glass. They look, and smell, fabulous.

This is one of Jim's 'rescue' plants from B & Q. Such a delicate pink and white fuchsia, I have planted it in the wall bed near the house.
How cute is this little bee, busy on the scabious flower.

Down on the arboretum, the big bed is bursting with flowers. This has to be the biggest cosmos flower I have ever seen!
It's the size of a small tea plate!
Opposite the big bed is the living willow fence and in front of it, this striking group of purple loose strife. It comes up there every year.
On to the rose bed and apart from the black spot, they are doing really well now. The warm weather has spurred them on.
This lovely bloom is one of my favourites, 'Peace'.

A bud just unfurling

A trio of the same rose, now fully open.
But today, I think this one is a clear winner. Such a dazzling orange against the dark red leaves.
Finally, I took this 'joiner' of the grotto bed below and above. Where the picture is dark is a little cave, which is how it was given the name. Lots of ferns and damp loving things grow there. The barn is behind it as you look at the photo and that is coming down, so I don't know whether the lower section will survive the demolition. I do hope so. Do click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

This afternoon I weeded the 'old' rockery. Poor thing had got into a state with the builders stuff all around it. The grass in the back is about 2' long! I pulled it away from the edge of the rockery and after I'd weeded it, it looks much better. I can't wait to get the back sorted out again. Between the arboretum and the rockery is a ditch. We have thistles several feet high in it. The plan is to put the rubble from the barn into this ditch, which will then level the ground there. It will make it much easier to move machinery around and it will look much better too. Eventually....

Jim and I are watching the Ashes cricket matches as and when we can. England drew the first test and it looks as though they might win the second one. Fingers crossed. They have to get the Australians out tomorrow, they have dismissed 5 already, so not many more to go. It's been a good game.

My son Ben rang me from Spain today. It was good to hear his voice. I said I would go and visit him in October, when it's cooler and quieter there. I do miss him.

That's it for today. I hope everyone's had a good weekend. Builders tomorrow - hopefully..

14 comments:

DK said...

~smiles~ just back from weekend away so catching up. Lovely to hear you spoke to Ben, glad you're going out to see him.

Love the flowers, especially the roses. Sweet peas smell heavenly don't they? Remember my little patch of them at Magdalen street? LOL

I miss you too :-)

Anonymous said...

Really Fantastic Flowers!!! I love your photo of the white pom pom dahlia and the white poppy looks a lot like my hair when I get out of bed in the mornings!!! So glad you are getting by with some water. Hope all goes well with the builders this week.

BT said...

I hope your weekend was good K. Aren't those roses lovely? The new ones aren't doing so well but they may be better next year.

Thanks Mildred, your comment really made me laugh, it looks like my hair all the time! Thanks re the builders.
xx

Bea said...

First the gorgeous white/cream flowers and then those gorgeous roses and that poppy. Beautiful, beautiful pictures. Hope you get your water problems straightened out soon. This has been one wild summer for you guys. :)Bea

Rachel Green said...

Beautiful :)

Jinksy said...

Thank you for that colourful bouquet - just right for a Monday morning :)

Jason said...

Nice that Ben called. :-) and good news re the water.

Lovely flowers, the orange against the dark is great.

x

Valerie said...

Purple loosestrife alongside your bedroom rug looks amazingly similar.
The photos are brilliant.
Good luck with the plumbing.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Gorgeous flowers BT. I hope your water woes are taken care of soon.

Heather said...

Beautiful flower pics and that lovely bee is so sweet. I can never get them to stay in one place while I focus and click.

BT said...

Hello Bea, I'm so glad you enjoyed the flowers. The pump man is at a funeral today so maybe tomorrow.

Thank you Rachel and Jinksy.

It was good to speak to Ben, Jason. Glad you enjoyed the flowers.

Valerie, you are so observant, the pattern is almost the same, isn't it?

Thanks Lisa.

I know what you mean, Heather. I have that trouble with butterflies! Some of them don't stay still for a second!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes we did win the test - yippee!
Love that Morning Glory and also that white dahlia - glad the rain has gone away for a while - trust the pump to go wrong when we have had so much rain! Sods law.

BT said...

Hi Weaver, typical of the pump isn't it? And more typical that it seems to be working now. Still, it's not right so we'll still get 'the man' in. Glad you liked the flowers. Hoorah for Freddie Flintoff!

Stampmaiden said...

Oh BT, I spent so much time just looking at your flowers. Too bad we don't get to smell them! They're all very pretty. And dinner looked great too! What a lucky woman to have her man prepare such a feast. So tell me, how many hours do you spend out in the garden? It must be a daily routine for you with all that's going on out there.
Great post.
Linda