Thursday 24 January 2013

One Thursday Evening in July

One of my favourite winter pleasures when I am stuck indoors is to look back at summer pictures of the garden .  When it is bleak and cold, and I am wrapped up in thick sweaters with the heating on, thinking of a tummy-warming casserole for dinner, it somehow makes me feel less miserable when I find a particularly sunny batch of pictures.  I had captioned these 'a warm Thursday evening ' and the pictures give a fair indication of what my garden looks like at any given time during the summer.



How would I describe the Rosebank garden? 

Well, it is supposed to be reminiscent of a true cottage garden.  Nothing too fancy, just full of flowers, shrubs and home-grown veg - somewhere that is not too organised  - some might say, a bit of a jumble.  It has a table and chairs on the patio for when I fancy eating out of doors, and a bench at the top of the garden for catching the last of the afternoon sun,  sitting and taking in the colour and fragrance of my surroundings with a view of the open countryside beyond.  It isn't a sophisticated garden that has been designed to within an inch of its life,  but looks as though it should be there.

The red pole was holding up a branch of the plum tree that was overladen with fruit
 Every year the garden looks a little bit different as plantings change and shrubs and perennials grow and mature.  I don't want the garden to be a showcase for plants, just somewhere that I can potter round in a relaxed manner, maybe wander up to the raised beds and pick a lettuce and some tomatoes for lunch or gather a bunch of flowers for the house.


I need the garden to be somewhere that doesn't involve too much work, where I don't  have to worry about the weeds or plants not being in the right place - it needs to be a respite from the pressures of the outside world - a retreat - and a solace for the soul.



I get more pleasure from the garden than anything else - the skills I have acquired over four decades of gardening are instinctive now and this garden, the fifth that I have established, will probably be my final one, as I have no intention of moving any time soon. 



This one is the culmination of all my ideas, and is still a work-in-progress.  Each year I sow different flower and veg seeds according to my whim and fancy, so the garden will never stay the same.  But the backbone is in place, and after that, I can play around all I want.


Some years it looks better than others, some years I am happier with it than others, but however it turns out, everything that is growing is there because I put it there - my little piece of Eden - full of flowers, fruit and vegetables.



My garden may not be as neat and tidy as some, nor as unkempt as others - but it suits me just fine.

48 comments:

  1. What a beautiful garden, I wish mine looked like that :-)

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    1. Thanks Kay - you wouldn't recognise it at the moment - just thickly covered in snow.

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  2. Your garden is beautiful. I really love cottage gardens with wildflowers and cottage garden plants. I think your pond looks fantastic and I wouldn't mind nicking that lovely old chimney pot off you.
    Your post has brought a little sunshine here too.xxxxx

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    1. I hope to be growing even more wildflowers this year I love the natural look of them.

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  3. You have some beautiful flowers; I love cottage gardens. And I agree, now is the time to think about a summer garden and try and remember what a warm sun feels like!

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    1. I agree Wendy - I'm getting a little fed up of winter now.

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  4. Hi Elaine, You left a comment on my Henderson's relish post. I have just found out that Henderson's will actually deliver, check out the Henderson's website :-) http://www.hendersonsrelish.com/home.htm

    Kay

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  5. If you turned your camera round would we see a typical country cottage to go with that lovely country garden

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    1. No, afraid not David - just a pre-war 1930's semi.

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  6. Looks absolutely beautiful, my favourite type of garden.Lovely cottage garden flowers and lots of purples/lavenders,blues-all my favourites.

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  7. This is exactly the type of garden I like most! Not too neat and tidy, but full of flowers, fruit and some vegetables, lovely!

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    1. Can't wait for spring to come now Janneke so I can get on with making the garden come to life again.

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  8. What a lovely garden with lots of lovely plants :-)
    I like gardens that evolve over time and change now and then, definitely makes it more interesting!

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    1. Never two years the same as you say it makes it more interesting.

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  9. That really cheered me up. Lovely to see your cottage garden on a summer's day.

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    1. It cheered me up too Crystal - summer seems a ong way off at the moment.

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  10. It looks fabulous. Lush and full of colour, no room for weeds to grow!
    Thanks for a timely reminder of sunshine and warmth.

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    1. The weeds always manage to find a way to grow no matter how well-stocked the garden is.

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  11. A garden is an expression of your personality which is why it should grow with you gently

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    1. I'm not sure what my garden says about me in that case - lazy and undisciplined, probably.

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  12. Your own portion of the planet to do with as you will...and quite beautifully done! :-)

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  13. I love this tour of your garden Elaine. It was just the thing I needed on a snowy morning.Spring seems far away now but it will come like it always does I know. I am just impatient every winter and miss working outdoors too girl. Your pond is so lovely.Have a wonderful weekend.

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    1. The weather is still pretty diabolical here Lona but hopefully spring is just around the corner, albeit, a long corner.

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  15. Elaine, this was such a pleasant post. I enjoyed it very much. I feel much as you do about my garden. It is a respite, a place where I can wile away the hours. And although I am loving the rest of winter, the photos of your lovely garden in the growing season make me yearn for that time when I can behold all that beauty. Happy weekend to you!

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    1. At the end of autumn I look forward to gathering myself ready for the following gardening season, this year the winter has seemed endless and now I can't wait for spring, not being swaddled in thick coats, hats and gloves will be totally liberating

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  16. Hi Elaine
    I am just coming to the end of a two week reminder of summer. I am on holiday in Madeira!.
    Not looking forward to coming back to Yorkshire snow although some Yorkshire bloggers are starting to show some nice pictures of plants popping through

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    1. Lucky you - I could do with some Madeiran sunshine right now. We are expecting another batch of snow tonight then, if the weather forecasters are right, we will be getting rain. Don't you just love/hate winter.

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  17. Lovely that's just what we need to cheer us all up! Thanks, Flighty xx

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    1. It cheered me up just writing it and looking through the summer photos.

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  18. Your garden has such soul Elaine, and you are admirably clear about what you want to get from your garden and gardening. What a lovely post, particularly on a wet and windy night in the middle of winter!

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    1. When I think back to what the garden looked like when we first moved in - it has gone through many changes - and I have more or less ended up with something I am happy with - for now!

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  19. Delicious! The ever-changing garden scene is what I like about gardening. Some things thrive one year but not the next. You certainly have got the cozy cottagy feel down. Enjoyed all your sun-drenched photos!

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    1. What I wouldn't give for a touch of summer right now.

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  20. You and I have the same attitude towards gardening. :o) I love how casual and welcoming your garden is. It looks like such a beautiful retreat.

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    1. It is hard to remember how lovely it can look when everything is covered in snow, beautiful in its own way.

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  21. A timely reminder Elaine as to what gardening is all about. I seem to struggle to remember that at this time of year. Lovely. Dave

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    1. Won't be long before we are all showing pictures of daffodils and tulips - winter behind us and forgotten - (she says hopefully).

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  22. Lovely photos to look at while our gardens are covered in snow! I love a cottage garden, it is a real peaceful haven for you which is what a garden should be.

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    1. I agree Annie - now all we need is some decent weather.

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  23. It is a miserable day here. A snow storm struck over night and we have about 6 inches of snow. What a treat it is to see summer pictures. It is nice to have the "backbone" of a garden in place. I am still have more of that sort of work yet to do. Your pond is just charming. What a pretty corner of the garden that is Elaine! You have such a nice variety of plants and flowers too.

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    1. Our snow disappeared overnight after rain, this means the ground is pretty saturated now and any sort of gardening is still on the back burner.

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  24. A lovely reminder that flowers and summery weather does exist! Very uplifting during this wintry weather :)

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    1. I think we all need a bit of a lift at this time of year - spring can't come soon enough for me.

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  25. It's so lovely to look back at the garden last year especially when planning for this year. Your garden looks so loved it must be like walking into a hug!

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    1. You have a very nice turn of phrase PJ - that is exactly what it is like - most of the time!

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