Monday, 14 August 2023

Another visit to Powis Castle

 


It was worth going back and having a look around Powis Castle again.  My friend Gay hadn't been before, and really enjoyed it.  Of course the borders were quite different to late May.  Must go late June as some point in the future.







Isn't this lovely?  I'd like this in the garden next year.





Another one I want for the garden next year.



This is one of the Aeoniums - think it's Aeonium Schwarzkopf "Black Rose".


This was an amazing height - never seen Dahlias about 6 ft tall before!  Update: This is a Tree Dahlia.  Well, you live and learn!



I wonder if this was the Head Gardener's  house? 

Lovely anyway.


A Peacock was strolling about.  I'm not sure if this was the same one we saw elsewhere earlier.


Looking back up at the castle.



The lake at the end of the path.  We were both so hot by then we felt tempted to jump in!

    This was our first day out.  The weather was lovely and we certainly appreciated an ice-cream when we were on the last lap.  

    I dropped Gay off in Llanidloes this morning, for her coach home, which travels via Birmingham and London, so not exactly a direct route.  Changing at Cheltenham was so much more sensible.

    Keith is having a bad day today - a combination of low blood pressure and he is still struggling from being on that lower dose of Thyroxin.  He can barely move, which is such a worry.  Yet two days ago he was quite sprightly.  It's so hard to understand what the main problem is.  I will be phoning the GP in the morning.

    I am very tired myself now - once I'd set the alarm for this morning, of course I didn't sleep well.  I hope you have all had a good weekend.

                        


22 comments:

  1. I loved seeing the hot colours of the borders
    As for the Dahlia, I have never seen a 6 foot tall one either. I wonder if they grow that tall in their native country.?

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    1. Aren't they beautiful? I was just checking how much they cost to buy. £7 for one corn plus £4.95 postage! Perhaps I shan't have any here then!

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  2. We went to Powis Castle earlier on in the summer having read your previous comments and I said to OH shall we go and so we did. I think the peacock is called Norman. Sorry to read Keith is struggling again, I know its sometimes very hard to find the right dose of thyroxine and to work with any other medication. Managed to do some gardening in the week and a lot of cutting back, summer flowers don't seem to have lasted long this year. Take care.

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    1. I'm glad I inspired you to have an outing at Powis. I hope you loved it.

      Gosh, we are up and down with Keith's symptoms. Yesterday he walked up and down the kitchen. Today he is on his hunkers again, as we had to go to the surgery for bloods to check Thyroid levels, and all the getting in and out of the car upset his neck again and it went into spasm - then he can't do anything. The new pillow has been helping to a degree but he can't use it all night long as his neck then gets very stiff.

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  3. I had a Rose called Powis Castle at my previous home. I know there are lots of different types of Dahlias, my sister grew lots that were taller than me. They flower late summer here into autumn, she would arrive with wonderful armfuls and nearly fifty years ago decorated the church for our late march wedding. Fingers crossed for a better week for Keith.

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    1. How lovely. Your sister obviously had very green fingers and plants grew well for her. Wonderful memory of her decorating the church for your wedding. We had a registry office marriage in the bleak mid-winter and 'twas cold.

      Hoping Keith has a better day tomorrow.

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  4. The castle gardens are so lovely. I hope you get better sleep and Keith is improving now.

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    1. Aren't they? I never have time to just sit there and enjoy though. I will have to go on my own next June.

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  5. What glorious photos of Powis Castle, the gardener/s should be knighted for their splendiferous work.
    Hope Keith recovers soon from this latest bout of his illness.

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    1. Just TWO full time gardeners would you believe, and two volunteers. Other greenhouse gardeners though.

      When he has taken 100 mg of Thyroxine there is a definite improvement. The GP has now upped it to this level as he's been so exhausted by teatime.

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  6. Gorgeous hot herbaceous borders. I think the half-timbered cottage is a holiday cottage - sure I recognise it from years of perusing the NT holiday cottage brochure. I definitely recognise the red dahlia with bronze foliage as one of the Bishop’s Children. My clump from seed in 2018 is glowing in the kitchen garden. I cut from it nearly every day and combined with golden Stipa, yellow crocosmia, maroon Panicum, pink sedum. Viburnum opulus in my biggest green Denby jug it looks wonderful on the kitchen table. And the bees love it too. So sorry to hear about the ups and downs. Tis the same here but to a lesser extent but we are going out now with a picnic to make use of our brand new Historic Houses Association membership by visiting West Dean gardens. I have had a bumper harvest this morning of courgettes, purple beans, tomatoes, raspberries and a lettuce and I hope to get the mower out later today to do an hour of mowing between tea and supper. Take care BB. Sarah x

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    1. I loved the colour range this time. Some lovely fierce oranges. Ah, what a lovely place to stay. Book me in! Oh your cut flowers sound an absolute delight. Tam is planning a cutting garden in the somewhat limited garden of the house they are buying. There is room at the front - I advise she takes out a rather boring shrub to make room.

      Your membership of the Historic Houses Association sounds wonderful. I'm not sure if there would be that many properties our side of the country though. Will have to try and find a list.

      I had a bumper harvest this week too - a good courgette, a cracking cucumber and a handful of cherry tomatoes. Oh, and 5 Wineberries!!

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  7. I am falling in love with Powis Castle through your posts. I wouldn't mind living in a head gardener's cottage (without having to do the work).

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    1. Much to love about it, to be sure Susan. Head Gardener, Honorary, position is yours!

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  8. What gorgeous grounds and stately castle. So sorry that Keith is still having mobility problems.

    God bless.

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    1. Glad you love it. Hoping to make a positive report tomorrow.

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  9. That castle is in the perfect surroundings. The views are marvelous and the gardens amazing.

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  10. I've been to Powys castle a couple of times, as we were visiting friends in Wales when 'over your way', and loved it. Aren't the gardens lovely to stroll through. There was a magnificent display about the restoration of (I think) tapestries, so well done. And a great afternoon tea of scones, if I remember rightly. I'm sorry Keith's having a bad time, I do hope his meds can be managed so he's more comfortable. Getting old isn't for the fainthearted, is it. Unfortunately getting old means we are unlikely to be able to come to the Northern Hemisphere again, or, strictly speaking, getting less well and therefore not covered for travel insurance! However, I tell myself, there are people suffering from wildfires, floods, war and more, so give thanks for what you have. And then I'm grateful for Bloggers who let me travel with them to Powys and afield. Thank you.

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    1. At the moment, the Kaffe Fasset exhibition is still there. I'm not totally in love with his fabric choices for quilts, but it's good to see them all the same.

      No wildfires, floods, war etc in our locale at the moment - thank heavens. Bad enough with no water, and then no power last week!

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  11. Oh, and I meant to say, be careful where you plant that Alstroemeria, we had it at our last home and it took over a huge area. Fine, if spreading is no problem, but hard to contain!

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    1. Thanks for the warning. I can do without garden thugs! I will have to plant it with care - on the bank perhaps - room to romp there!

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