The Deenery looking down at the cottage from the parking area. The planks were left there by the builders.Garden Photos
If you don't like photos, turn off now! I spent yesterday wandering the garden and taking photos of the flowers that are currently in bloom. I really enjoyed it. It's been very humid for the past few days and is quite draining. I decided not to do any gardening today but to do some artwork, which I did, in the garden. I took all my things outside, set up the parasol and had a wonderful time. I seemed to owe ACTs here and there and a 'Pay it Forward' for Bea and managed to catch up I think . Lots to take to the post office tomorrow. Now for the photos. I do hope you enjoy them:
I don't know the name of this lovely bulb. It is badly designed as the stem is very thin and the head huge, so it always falls over. It is very pretty though.
There are 2 varieties, this one and the cream one above
Pinks on the rockery, ever reliable Dianthus
Also on the rockery, another striking Dianthus, white in colour.
This is a panorama of the Arboretum showing the snake rose bed. Please click on it to enlarge it.
Here is the newest Acer and it seems to be doing well.
The newly merged bed on the Arboretum. It will look better next year when the newer half has matured
A pretty pink astilbe, recently planted in the new section.
Here is sambucus 'Black Lace'. I love it.
Most of the lupins Jim raised last year are doing incredibly well
This is Sambucus 'Black Beauty' next to the lupins, the pink and black look wonderful, together with the pale green pittisporum on the right of the picture.
A pretty lupin, just opening.
Here is our 'S' shaped 'snake' rose bed. The part nearest the house was planted last year and the nearest section, this year. The ones from last year are doing well but I'm sure the newer ones will catch up. I have taken a montage of the roses, as there are quite a few.
This is the older section and you can see the roses, especially if you click on it to enlarge the photo.
The Roses. We have some strange ones I think, especially the one 2nd from the right, bottom row. It looks like folded tissue paper. Do enlarge the photo if you have time.
A group of foxgloves at the bottom of the Fairy Hill.
A crazy daisy plant on the allotment and it is huge!
This golden hop is from the RHS gardens, Wisley, in the UK. The leaves poking out of the top are part of the same plant! It should produce some lovely flowers this year.
I have recently planted this pretty little shrub by the sleeping shed.
Now in its 2nd year, this hydrangea has produced a gorgeous flower - it's on top of The Fairy Hill.
Also on the top of The Fairy Hill is some French Lavender. It's so pretty but the scent isn't as strong as the English variety.
Nearby is a fabulous white version.
This is also on The Fairy Hill and has survived from last year. Such a rich colour. Below is the fairy guarding her plant.
Sky blue campanula cascades down the sides of the Fairy Hill, intermingled with this yellow and white flower.
BlackJack was watching me from the bench at the top. Look carefully and you can see the fairy below him.
Super seed heads hang from the Mahonia.
Here is the Mahonia and you can see the berries bunched below. The yellow bush behind is an escallonia and it has fabulous pink flowers. Builders' wheelbarrow then the path to the allotment.
If you turn left at the wheelbarrow, this is the view! The grass path, planted only a week or so ago, is growing well and the wild flowers on the rockery are coming into bloom too.
One of our Scarlet River Lilies has just come into bloom.
Our spring alyssum has just had a second flush.
pink and white with pink centres, these Dianthus mix beautifully. See the close ups below.
A Gazania with dark green leaves and showy yellow flowers. See the close up below plus 2 hover flies.
Majestic off white lupins
Just by our top barn is this unknown shrub which is covered in flowers. Below is a close up of them.
Buster on the opposite side of the drive in the long grass. You can see Lough Graney behind him.
He is a little blurred here as he was pulling the grass, you can see a piece in his mouth!
The work we have done clearing our lane.
Wild honeysuckle, so delicate.
I don't know the name of the wild flower just outside our gate.
My favourite antirrhinum
And here it is in situ. Sweet Williams abound in this bed.
A creamy yellow osteospernum
The old favourite, Calendula
We have this red geum in several places
But only one of the orange one.
Jim loves this orange flower. I don't know its name but I do know it spreads like mad! Below is a close up and the flowers are really quite pretty.
Rachel (LeatherdykeUK), here is your white cornflower plant. This is a baby, we just have to get it to you somehow!
A pretty group of mainly foliage plants. Spirea, alchemilla mollis and euonymous.
I think the heuchera and campanula look fabulous together.
The campanula tumbles down the wall.
This is a delicate scabious, the flowers are quite small. We also have a yellow one that I brought with me from Worthing. There are now 2 huge clumps of it.
We have 2 of these lilac coloured scabious
The yellow scabious. One of my very favourites.
A view of the garden showing the spirea, lavender, heuchera, white cornflower and lawn edge that needs cutting!!
4 petunias, weird double ones and on the top right, the wigelia, now going a bit tatty but still pretty. I think the pink and white one looks like an ice cream.Well that's about it can you believe? I was going to select just some but I like to compare different years and what's in flower at what time, so it's for my benefit too. You can always just flick through them if you're bored! I've just noticed that some of the photos are a bit dull. Although it was humid yesterday it was dull.
Jo the builder has been busy trying to get ready to fit the door between my new studio and the old cottage. The levels are quite different and I will have 2 steps down into the studio and the walls of the cottage are of course crooked! He is battling away though. He had to drill away a large old stone and so the place was once again coated in dust. Hey ho!
Buster came home earlier absolutely filthy, especially his legs and feet. I ran a bowl of soapy water and washed them! Then he went off again and hasn't come back yet. Bad dog.
It's coming up to midnight.
