Saturday 10 May 2014

 Each year I try to think of ways of making the garden more secluded.      I wish I had stone walls..........but that is just a dream :)
 I like the garden to give up its secrets slowly.....I think I may have achieved that.
My niece visited from Australia last year.   She walked the garden alone.
 She came back to sit with me and said "I could get lost in your garden, lost in the romance."
 That was a wonderful compliment to me.    Despite the weeds and overgrown hedges at the time, she had seen beyond them.     
 I seek peace most of all in my garden.   I have never looked for perfection, I truly believe that only Mother Nature can achieve that.
It is raining today.....windy, cold and drear.   I watch the little bee working away, his rear pumping to retain heat to enable him to fly.    I do so love them..................


Extract from Sweetness and light by Hattie Ellis:-

The bee existed long before man;   without bees, the planet and its inhabitants would soon begin to die.    This small insect, with a collective significance so much greater than its individual size, can carry us through past and present to tell us more about ourselves than any other living creature.


Bless the bees..................

17 comments:

  1. Lovely post, lovely photos and lovely sentiments. I find it quite reassuring to know that man is not the most important creature on the planet and that little creatures like bees and earthworms have far more importance - without us the world would continue very well but without them it would not. There's something beautiful about a natural garden in the rain isn't there?

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    1. Tku Jane.

      It is reassuring........without a shadow of a doubt.

      I love the garden in the rain.....also on a misty morning.....

      Enjoy your weekend.

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  2. Hi Cheryl
    I can understand your need for seclusion in the garden it is the same for me in mine, I don't want to be aware of the neighbours my garden is my solace - I don't think I have achieved what you have yet but I am working on it. I like the idea of a romantic garden - I am aiming for a paradise garden something quite unattainable I suppose. I enjoyed the quote. Have a peaceful weekend, hope you are feeling a little better.
    Elaine

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    1. A paradise garden, how beautiful Elaine.
      Another of my favourite books is: In a Unicorn's Garden.
      Let me share an extract with you ............

      Somewhere deep within we all carry the memory of an archetypal paradise garden, a place both gently ordered and of wild exquisite beauty, filled with fruit and nut trees that defy the seasons, spangled with blossom and bowed down with fruit dripping with ripe sweetness. The ground is carpeted with soft meadow grasses and scattered with glittering wild strawberries and tiny flowers. In this garden the sunlight has a golden purity, the breezes are sweet and we are enfolded by a gentle nature. It is a place of such fecundity, such tranquillity, such sensuous pleasures that every generation seeks to recreate this earthly garden of enchantment....................

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    2. Oh I love that extract - sounds just like I want my garden to be - I am now going over to Amazon to check the book out - loving the sound of 'wild exquisite beauty' sounds a bit like me (not)!

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    3. I thought you would like that Elaine........
      The book itself is based on Medieval Gardens.

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  3. What a nice compliment your niece paid you! My idea of a "perfect" garden is not an orderly one at all, but a cottage garden full of exuberant blooms, colorful, and a little wild. I'm still working on that, but I have the "wild" part down:) I must tell you, Cheryl, that you were the one who opened my eyes to the importance of bees. You made a convert of me, and I'm always spreading the word to others who want to spray chemicals on their garden, telling them the bees are more important!

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    1. Rose,

      If I have one convert then my blog was worthwhile.....you have made my day :)

      Your garden has come a long way Rose. I lived amongst cottage gardens as a child...my dear Father and Grand-father were both of the old school :)

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  4. Oh yes, I'd love stone walls too. I've been watching a news item this morning on tv about the Asian Hornet and how they could threaten bees if they make it to our shores. Quite worrying really, they sound nasty.

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  5. Hi Jo,

    I have been reading about them......it is worrying I agree. At the moment everything seems stacked against the bees :(
    I am sure there are lots of gardeners out there who are keen to help our bees, and I believe we can all make a difference.

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  6. I've been away from blogging this week but I've loved this post. I think a romantic garden sounds wonderful.
    I loved the wise words about the bees, too. I've read your comments on the Asian Hornet above; a friend of mine from our local beekeeping group was on Sky Tv this morning talking about the Asian Hornet - it is a very worrying threat to our bees.

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    1. Hi Wendy,

      It is so worrying.........I fear there is nothing that can be done about it should they arrive on our shores.
      Sadly our native ladybirds are in decline due to the Harlequin.........and just look at our Red Squirrels, extinct in many areas due to the greys.

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  7. There may never be overall perfection in a garden. But I see bits and pieces of perfection in your garden with every post. And that's what counts most.

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    1. That is good enough for me, thank you.

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  8. I have always been a proponent of bees. They are always with me in the garden. I hope to never be without them. Your garden is a jewel in the countryside. Your niece could see that. I am glad you have someone that will remind you that your hard work is paying off. Happy day...

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    1. Can you imagine being without bees Lisa........

      Thank you Lisa, you are so kind......

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  9. So lovely. I love your reverence for Mother Nature and her creatures. x

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