The new rockery is being built where we used to have the grotto. When the barn was demolished the grotto was filled up with stone! First, I had to remove the stones and pile them up above the area where I was about to work. This took some time, as you can imagine.
I barrowed some of the stones to where the wall is being built and the rest were piled behind me in the photo. Buster is resting of course!
I had this pile of boulders to go at!!
On the left is the rockery site. Here the first stones have been laid. Below is a better photo:
You can see the line of the bottom stones better in this photo. They took some moving, I can tell you!
Now the 2nd row is also on but then we had a rainy day and also my back was aching, so I had to let it rest a while. When there is more progress, I will take further photos. It will be good to get this area, which was basically a heap of stones, sorted out at last.
Flowers
Just a few flower photos. Jim took some of the clematis, which seem to have enormous flowers this year:
The ever reliable Nelly Moser
The President.
I love this deep scarlet of this one.
The blue iris are now fully out. They are such delicate flowers.
This weigela was a really scraggy thing but this year it is beautiful. The blooms are like apple blossom.
The first rose - utter perfection.
Jim took this of me admiring the lupins. They really are amazing this year.
This red one is so striking, especially against the dark leaves of the sambucus.
Jim also took this of the rather unusual cloud formation. Oh look, there I am working away!
Wild Life
The moths and butterflies continue to appear. We had a peacock in the garden yesterday. It was a bit scruffy but still a pleasure to see:
I picked up a ball of sting and noticed this very strange creature:
It is a moth - I don't think I've ever seen one so well camouflaged. It's called a Buff-Tip and looks like a broken twig. How clever is that?
This is the back. Amazing.
Then we saw this incredible moth in the porch.
Look at that amazing colour pink. It is another Hawkmoth, this time an Elephant Hawkmoth.
Here it is from the top.
Here it is taken from the side. Forgive Jim's dirty nails - he had been working!
We popped this magnificent creature onto one of the hanging baskets and it crawled onto a leaf quite happily.
ATC
I have just made my 'V' for Variety and here is the result:
Violets, vases, viola, violin and viburnum - what a busy card. It is heading off to Marianne in Sweden. I hope she likes it. Only 4 more to go now.
