The Humming-bird Hawk-moth is a summer visitor from the South of France.
Sunday 29 May 2011
Humming-bird??
The Humming-bird Hawk-moth is a summer visitor from the South of France.
Sunday 22 May 2011
The Bee and the Honey Lily
Tuesday 17 May 2011
Edibles and garden flowers......
Red Campion is also a favourite. When the seedheads start to form, I shall chop the plants to the ground.....they will soon put on a second show of flowers that usually lasts until the first frosts.
Aquilegia 'Green Apples' is such a sweet little flower. I grew the originals from seed and now have them dotted all through the borders.
Lupins are absolute stars this Spring. This is a particular favourite. I really like the colour combination.
The blooms are just so beautiful, and the colour, such an intense shade of blue.
How about you? Have you a favourite cottage garden plant, that has gone out of fashion? I would love to know.........the more detail, the better.
Tuesday 10 May 2011
Thursday 5 May 2011
Wildflowers, bees, butterflies and garden projects.
You may be surprised at this addition. Gunnera would not be everyones choice but I saw similar planting at Leeds Castle recently and I really liked it. My thought is that the Gunnera will tower above the woodland plants and shelter them. The Gunnera will get some protection from the trees that surround this area.
The lovely piece of wood you see in the photograph was given to me by my little Grandson Riley. He had found it in the wood at the bottom of his garden, and brought it home for me. Whilst I would not usually encourage the removal of such pieces from wild areas, it was such a sweet gesture and it will be well loved here.
I have planted dozens of wildflowers today.
Herb Robert, our native geranium, so very pretty.
Wild garlic. Takes me back to childhood and holidays in Cornwall.
I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to see her here. Did you know that Brimstone's can live for anything up to five years.
I also spotted a comma, peacock and blue today......happy butterfly days.
Sunday 1 May 2011
One day it will be a secret garden........
But if you want your whole lifetime to be filled with happiness and contentment
you should plant a garden.
Yesterday afternoon I had the time to work in the garden. Down on my knees, removing creeping buttercup from the beds.
Several bees joined me, and I found that I had drifted far away. Watching them work had calmed me.......given me a moment simply to be.
I was conscious of myself, and all that was around me,
Simply to be.........
"Cup of tea for the gardener" Mr P brought me back to earth. His smile made me smile.
"Have you noticed the gardens closing in?" he said
And do you know, he is right. The garden is starting to wrap itself around me.
This has always been my dream, a secret garden.
A space of tranquility, restfulness,
I am humbled by the toughness of nature, its ability to look after itself,
the eternity of it all.
I leave you with the words of Bliss Carman........
'Where is heaven? Is it not
Just a friendly garden plot,
Walled with stone and roofed with sun,
Where the days pass one by one.
Not too fast and not too slow
Looking backwards as they go
At the beauties left behind
To transport the pensive mind.
Love your garden and enjoy the sparkle it brings to your life.