Garden


Between May and June, the garden fills with gentle colour. The aquilegia, because of their tiny flowers , almost hint at the pinks, and purples and indeed blacks rather block fill the greens of the roses, ferns and Ivy.
The ceanothus blue shines from the back of the garden and the sculptural alliums have popped up overnight, a couple of weeks earlier than usual.
The garden truly looks cottage like, which is satisfying 

I’m soon off to see Meirion Jones , the final judge in this years flower Show to see if he’s free in August. The cookery and vegetable judges I've already booked and I’m awaiting confirmation from my choir after asking Jamie ( sans his 1940s RAF Moustache) if they would sing in the afternoon.
Fingers crossed

Tonight Helen Papworth from the village is giving a talk on Henry Morton Stanley , in Llanasa village hall, which I’m off to. Mrs Trellis left a snickers bar on the kitchen wall yesterday, it was wrapped in a paper napkin with ducks on it.
 



59 comments:

  1. krayolakris12:08 pm

    Lovely

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    1. Its a haven in spring and early summer

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  2. You have a beautiful cottage garden, just perfect. It's tidy enough but with just a touch of 'messy around the edges' that softens the look wonderfully. It is a tribute to both you and your sister. xx

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    1. Anonymous8:30 pm

      American gardens seem more formal , less messy, I’m reading that most plants you have self seed themselves ?

      Lee

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    2. Sue , Janet has an excellent eye for hoe plants grow and merge together , I’m sure she dies it without thinking

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    3. Lee, aqueligia and foxglove self seed , I usually have Welsh poppies too that are buttercup yellow

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  3. Beautifully flowerful.
    No moustache?!!...will he be starting again for Movember?

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  4. I want your garden! xx

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  5. Your garden is looking very pretty. Thanks to your sister?

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  6. Lovely garden, John. Enjoy your day!

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    1. I have thank you, the talk was interesting, and more geared to Stanley’s wife
      https://www.amazon.co.uk/Butterfly-Bee-Stanley-Dorothy-Tennant/dp/1520677766

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    2. Anonymous9:06 pm

      Helen wrote the book too! What talented villagers you have

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    3. Anonymous9:06 pm

      That was me

      Keith

      Xx

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  7. Anonymous1:53 pm

    Your sister should be so proud of her efforts! Plus Roger guarding it from interlopers, and you for those artistic final touches, and of course appreciating it. Bravo!

    I can imagine that being a flower show judge could be rather fraught? Or do I watch too much Midsommer Murders?

    Ceci

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    1. He does find it stressful, but I usually team him up with a helper who keeps things nice and calm

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  8. My ceonothus is in flower alongside the ever growing fig tree - I bought it at Kings Lynn market and received a parking ticket too - I explained a situation and there was a favourable result - It was the day I curtsied to the Queen at Sandringham x

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    1. Ceonothus look lovely in bloom especially if they have that electric blue

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    2. Anonymous9:13 pm

      This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    3. Anonymous2:36 pm

      flis I'd asked a question about the parking ticket and you hadn't answered, I've now realised it's because John doesn't allow you to reply to comments. I'm guessing that's becuase of your previous behaviour.

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  9. Your sister's work in the garden is such a gift of love.

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  10. Your garden is lovely. I have a terrible time with columbine, the slugs always eat them.

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  11. Oh, I love this.
    Gardens make me happy.

    XOXO

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    Replies
    1. I adore mine, it’s like sleeping in a bed you’ve never made yourself

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  12. Dr. Livingston, I presume?

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  13. Your garden is vibrant and flourishing. Just beautiful. Janet does great work.

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  14. It is good to see the flower show coming back to life.

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  15. Choirmaster Jamie has shaved off his 1940s RAF moustache!?!? Good heavens is nothing sacred? :) You do seem to have an archetypal cottage garden though - very nice.

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  16. I was about to type “Dr. Livingston, I presume,” but as I scrolled down Steve’s comment caught my eye. But I presume, too. I’m imagining a Snickers bar with ducks on it. (I like my interpretation.)

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    1. Her choice of wrapping has always been somewhat eclectic

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  17. Thank you for sharing your garden. It is glorious.
    The Flower Show will be wonderful, you excel at organizing such events. Having the choir will be an added delight.
    Thank you for previous song post. a lovely postscript for Mothers Day, as my mom loved this song and remembered seeing Hair on Broadway all those years ago.
    lizzy

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    1. Memories flit in and out of consciousness dont they

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    2. Like Proust's madeleines. But I think music is maybe even more evocative than scents.

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    3. I’d forgotten those sweet little cakes , the story lingers in the mind

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    4. https://www.finedininglovers.com/article/hundred-years-prousts-madeleine

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    5. Lovely link, thanks again. Oddly I always think of the Proust story being about scent of the cakes [baking?], not the taste--perhaps bec I read it in French and missed the point, .Be that as it may....

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  18. Jo in Auckland6:43 pm

    I've attempted cottage gardens her in Auckland, pockets have been sucessful but overall we are subtropical and a different approach is needed for bigger gardens that we seem to have here. Not being a fan of subtropicals I tend to just have shrubby borders interlaced with my fig tree and my elderberry. Don't have a lot of time to spend in the garden but make an exception for the veg patch in summer.

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    1. Jo in Auckland6:43 pm

      Sigh! *here

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    2. Anonymous9:38 pm

      Ah I;see now tiny gardens in blue collar cottages

      Lee

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    3. Workers grew veg to help them live , the flowers had to look after themselves lee

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    4. Anonymous4:23 am

      Jo, I grew up in South Miami, which is subtropical. A “cottage garden” is possible—truly—if you kick a lot of preconceptions to the curb…

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  19. Barbara Anne9:44 pm

    What a pretty garden you have, John, and its just the place to nourish your soul.. We're in the middle of about 40 hours of rain so the weeds will be high as an elephant's eye by Thursday.

    Hugs!

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    1. I’ve been out there tonight , drinking gin and looking at the stars

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  20. What a beautiful garden! It's a treat to see your lovely ceanothus in bloom! It is native to California, as you may know. I've recently planted 3 in my northern California garden, as I'm trying to add more natives to the landscape. We've been learning how important having some locally native plants is to birds and butterflies.

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  21. My wife planted a Ceanothus in France, but it sadly died. I'm very envious of yours.

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  22. I would love to grow a ceanothus. They are so beautiful. May and June are such lovely months in a cottage garden like yours and Janet has made it so wonderful.

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  23. weaver9:21 am

    My sort of garden John! My Ceanothus is in full bloom (it came from a cutting I stole three years ago on a early morning walk with Tess) - lovely gentle greyish-blue. I have Aquelegia all over my garden where they seed freely - any that are not exciting my gardener weeds out before they seed. My favourite, which I bought, is a pink one with a pale yellow petalled centre but so far no seedlings have come the same - they cross pollinate and I have a lovely selection of large purple ones. Bearded Iris and large clumps of Helianthemums ready to burst into bloom once the sun decides to show its face again!

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