Friday 9 May 2014

a day in the life of a garden

Forgive me if, in friendship’s way,
I offer thee a wreath of May....
Nourished by the dews of heaven....
So I have Ivy placed between,
To prove that worth is ever green.
The little blue Forget-me-not...
Spring’s messenger in every spot,
Smiling on all—"Remember me!"
~John Clare, "To E.L.E. on May Morning," May 1st 1830

SDC10760

old fashioned pinks

Sometimes you just have to stop and wonder at the beauty of it all …To listen to the blackbird singing outside your window …Sometimes everything just falls into place …Sometimes all the hard work is worth it …

dicentra and phlox

phlox – clouds of perfume

The gardening year moves on … things change from day to day … today it is blowy, gusty … the tall plants are swaying in fear of snapping off.  The colours are more gentle now … pale blossom … soft lilac, lavenders and blues … the swinging bells of the columbine … from deepest purple to palest pink.

aqueligia / columbine / granny's bonnet

aquiligia, columbine or grannys bonnet

No earth to be seen … rain for the last few days has made the garden flourish … a sun-filled morning brings everything to life once more.  A sparrowhawk swoops down to the bush where a gang of sparrows are preening in the shelter of its branches … I see its wings spread … did it catch one … I know they have to eat too … but still.  The clouds darken and are blown swiftly away by the strong winds … hiding the sun for a moment. Where has the warmth gone.  A friend rings … I have found a new plant nursery she says … shall we go on a magical mystery tour … of course, I don’t hesitate … what time I say. 

lilac blossom and ceanothus

lilac and ceanothus

We visit the new nursery … plants are bought … trollies loaded.  They supply free tea, coffee and biscuits … worth a return visit I think.

sweet rocket

sweet rocket

I shouldn’t be here waxing lyrically … I should be working … but what the heck … mornings like this shouldn’t be spent with duster and vacuum cleaner … they should be savoured and looked on with wonderment.

all shades of lilac

A selection of flowers picked this morning shows the garden is in the blue spectrum of flowering.  Sweet smelling and heady – lilac blossom, sweet rocket and phlox.  Heavenly scented.

sweet fragranced posy

phlox, aquilegia, lilac, sweet rocket

The naked earth is warm with Spring,
And with green grass and bursting trees
Leans to the sun’s kiss glorying,
And quivers in the sunny breeze.
~Julian Grenfell

a friday table

The year’s at the spring
And day’s at the morn;
Morning’s at seven;
The hillside’s dew-pearled;
The lark’s on the wing;
The snail’s on the thorn;
God’s in His heaven -
All’s right with the world!
~Robert Browning

‘Til next time – take care – and enjoy your weekend.

48 comments:

  1. That bouquet must smell gorgeous Elaine. It is wonderful to be outside at the moment. The birdsong seems especially loud and I've never seen so many bees.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's not great to be outside here I'm afraid - the weather is pretty grim but that doesn't seem to stop the birds singing and the apple tree is alive with the buzzing of bees.

      Delete
  2. Elaine...lovely post. that bouquet is just so very sweet. Love that image with your glasses and mug. Cheers from Canada.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Diane - don't know where I'd be without my reading glasses and a mug of tea - especially when I am doing the crossword.

      Delete
  3. Beautiful post friend! All of your bursts of colors are so soft and strong at the same time! I love that phlox! It is a magical place where you are Elaine! Wishing you an outstanding weekend full of garden time! Nicole xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not much gardening to be done this weekend but plenty of greenhouse time.

      Delete
  4. NOTHING compares to an English garden; the French haven't a clue (other than their huge formal gardens, which I don't like too much).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree about English gardens, something we do rather well I think.

      Delete
  5. Hi Elaine,
    Love the colour combinations. Scent is so important in a garden.
    I try to have something sweet smelling in bloom every season.

    The nursery sounds wonderful.....free tea and coffee, what a bonus :)

    If I feel a little better I am visiting a new to me nursery tomorrow .....Madrona, it is said to sell unusual perennials :)

    Lovely post as always......enjoy your weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Decisions have been made - no more plant buying now - if I haven't got it then I will just have to do without.

      Delete
  6. Wonderful post as always should be required reading for anyone feeling stressed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How kind of you to say so - thanks David.

      Delete
  7. I've grown sweet rocket this year and it is just opening, That sounds like a great nursery or were the free refreshments just for the opening.

    I have the same feelings about sparrowhawks. Beautiful birds that have to eat but I don't want to watch a kill.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Once you have sweet rocket you'll never be without it Sue - no bad thing - except it does seem to pop up everywhere.

      Delete
  8. I love reading your blog--always sweet words and beautiful blooms! I must get sweet rocket--garden envy here! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Erin, sweet rocket lives up to its name.

      Delete
  9. That was a lovely post Elaine, it sums up the incredible beauty that has sprung up from the bare earth and seemingly dead branches. We shouldn't take it for granted, so it's good to be reminded to look and listen and marvel.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Celia, it has been a pretty spectacular spring this year.

      Delete
  10. Gorgeaous post - so cheering. I can smell the lilac from here - we've seen a few lilac trees today on our travels - I do love this time of year:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Everyone in our village seems to have lilac - lovely fragrances wafting on the breeze.

      Delete
  11. Some lovely thoughts and words on this time of year, Elaine. May is such a beautiful month. The flowers in the vase are gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Wendy - it surprising how much you can get into a tiny vase.

      Delete
  12. What an amazing garden you have! The bouquet is beautiful, and a wonderful way of bringing a little bit of spring inside to enjoy. Lovely post :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Glo. I do enjoy wandering the garden snipping a little of this and that to bring into the house.

      Delete
  13. A lovely post and photos. Most cheering to read and look at on a damp Sunday morning. Flighty xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Damp and miserable here too - where has all the lovely weather gone?

      Delete
  14. What I can't get over is the absolute lushness of your gardens...must be the milder weather, and the moisture. It's gorgeous.

    Jen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jen. our cup runneth over with lushness this year we have more than our fair share of loveliness.

      Delete
  15. So this is where you are! Glad to have found you again Elaine! I'm adding you to my blog roll this time ...

    I love the poetry of John Clare - and those pinks. Old fashioned they may be but gorgeous too! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jeanne
      I was so surprised and pleased to come across your blog after all this time - so glad I found you again too.

      Delete
  16. Mmm, lovely Elaine, I must try again with phlox, scent is a wonderful addition to colour and form.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is a dwarf one that is flowering so early - it smells delicious - the taller phlox have yet to bloom but their perfume isn't quite as strong.

      Delete
  17. Ah yes, we do have to wonder at the beauty of it all, today I just squinted past the weeds and drank in the colours and the birdsong. What beautiful images and delicate words....a lovely lovely post.xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Snowbird - too windy here to be outside today - you definitely needed to hang on to your hat.

      Delete
  18. Wonderful wordings! Enjoyed seeing all your pictures. Enjoyed the beauty of it. Really liked the second one. The flowers look like a chain!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for visiting - glad you enjoyed the post.

      Delete
  19. I can almost smell those hand picked flowers from your garden, beautiful. Things move so fast in the garden at this time of year that it is easy to miss something! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and garden with us too (much better than dusting!) Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree about things moving fast - it's hard to keep up with everything that's going on at the moment - dusting has taken a back seat.

      Delete
  20. A most attractive vase of flowers Elaine - all my favourite colours. I think that you will like this poem that I have on my side bar :

    " I meant to do my work today,
    But a brown bird sang in the apple tree,
    And a butterfly flitted across the field,
    And all the leaves were calling me.
    And the wind went sighing over the land,
    Tossing the grasses to and and fro,
    And a rainbow held out its shining hand,
    So what could I do but laugh and go?"

    - Richard LeGalliene

    Did you finish the crossword?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Anna - that poem just about sums me up, and no there were a few clues that were left on the crossword - we try not to cheat and Google the answers, that would take the fun out of it.

      Delete
  21. Hi Elaine, I got the blog thing sorted out, played around a bit with the 'advanced settings'. I think it looks nice now. May tweek the colours a bit. I went for a much plainer look than I had before. Cheers til next time.

    Diane

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have just been over to have a look - oh yes, much better.

      Delete
  22. It is the best bit of all ! If I could freeze frame it here I would, with all that promise still before us. But maybe we need those bleak January days and November rains to truly appreciate the pleasures of May.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definitely the best part of the year for me - I don't even want to think about November and January - too depressing.

      Delete
  23. Hi Elaine, thank you so much for sharing these lovely photos, I love the colours! You're so lucky to have all these beauties in your own garden ;)
    Marielle

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Marielle - it is a lovely time of year in the garden.

      Delete
  24. Your flowers are looking lovely Elaine. It is a wonderful time of year. Already I made one trip to the local nursery and spent way too much. The bad thing is that have I realized when I got home that I missed a few things and will need to go back again. What a hardship! I must exercise restraint on my next visit though.
    None of the nurseries here offer fresh tea and biscuits. It would be a refreshing change from hotdogs which I loath!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have stopped buying now - I don 't even know where I am going to put everything yet - there are just so many temptations. But I will squeeze in as much as I can.

      Delete