Mrs Toad

Every few days I get a visit from a female toad, she sits under an old broken clay plant pot. Even while I have been clearing this part of my garden she doesn’t seem put off, so while lifting some large stones I found some small snails. I thought I would get my camera and try to capture her going for one of the offending creatures.

How difficult is that…..she was so quick and I was too slow….

…..sitting there minding her own business…

 

…when suddenly a snail dropped in to say hello….

 

……ooops ….goodbye…..

 

…she got it , I missed it ……

 

….very contented…  thinks…..’I wonder if she will give me another ?’

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A Vase in Miniature

Yesterday we started the mammoth task of trying to bring under control my burgeoning garden.

In the process several shrubs climbers and plants had to go. One being the climbing rose Cecile Brunner.

This rose has the tiniest miniature H.T buds and flowers, perfectly formed. But is no more for this year.

So rescued for my ‘Vase on Monday’.

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With aching ribs and arms we will now go down to the local tip to get rid of the rest of the spoil.

Enjoy your day.

Pelargonium Sidoides

       Look what opened it’s tiny petals this morning…..        

 

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             Pelargonium Sidoides

   First collected by Swedish botanist Thunberg in 1772, but never became popular until the 1970’s. Now the most popular in our collection. (words by Micheal Loftus ‘Woottens of Wenhaston’ from The Book of Pelargoniums 2006/7) . I now understand that Micheal Loftus died in 2012, a sad loss.

The nursery lives on under the guidance of his wife, daughters and many staff who worked for him.

Long may it continue to flourish…….

Stained Glass

About 5 years ago when I was preparing to open my garden, I was approached by a young stained glass artist and restorer by the name of Victoria List. She asked if it would be possible for her to use my garden as a showcase for her work. I immediately said yes. Victoria had bought along samples of her work and I agreed with her which ones to use and where to put them. After the opening she gave me one of her pieces, and I know that you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth but I was a little disappointed, not with her work or her gift. It was the colour. At that time I couldn’t find anywhere to put it. It jarred with everything. 

But now I have my hot border it fits in beautifully with the reds, oranges and yellows of the canna Cleopatra and the purple dahlia Faro.

Victoria sold several pieces from my garden and has gone on to have a successfully business creating and restoring stained glass to an age old tradition.                 

You take your choice…. Roses or Sweetpeas.

For a ‘Vase on Monday’ I have had several changes of heart. I couldn’t decide what to choose, so you have two today.

The first I picked last night as it is the last rose of ‘ Young Lycidas’ ,a David Austin rose. I knew it wouldn’t last long.

 

My second vase contains more sweetpeas, they are just flowering their socks off.

Somethings do like the rain…sweetpeas, and some definitely don’t….roses.