Open Gardens

 

Pam and I had another little jaunt on Sunday afternoon, visiting two Open Gardens off the Hundred House road near Franksbridge.  I forgot to take photos of the first garden, but she had a lovely Zen Garden by the house, and a super polytunnel crammed with good veg, and a separate soft fruit cage.  All beautifully set out.  She loved Acer trees and had amassed quite a few to plant out when we are not in draught conditions!  She had only been there four years but achieved lots.  

Pam was delighted to see that amongst the plants for sale were lots of Teasels.  She had been planning to buy some seeds and grow some next year.  For a donation (she paid £2 each I think) she got half a dozen and was so pleased, as she cares for her wild birds and is very diligent, washing feeders every other day and putting out all sorts of goodies for them.  The Teasels are for the birds. There were some growing in the garden and she was shocked at how tall they were and didn't know what they looked like!  I think she was thinking knee-height . . .

Isn't this a lovely idea for the bashed sort of Belfast sink, not smart enough to use indoors?

Black Knight Hollyhocks and lots of different roses, all with name labels.  I was just looking up prices (thinking of some here for my roses) and saw some made from squares of slate . . . Now, I have a pile of the original slate tiles from the house, 3/4 buried in a corner of the orchard triangle . . . That gives me an idea.

We could have sat beside this for ages.  There is something so tranquil and relaxing about the sound of a fountain . . .

Plus they had a clay-lined lily pond.

Above and below: both houses (one a former barn) had lovely peaceful views across the countryside.  Pam had to be dragged away - this was her dream house/garden - either property!

Then we drove up the road to the church where tea/squash and cake was on offer.  I had carrot cake and Pam had a lemon topped sponge.  That hit the spot.

It's Monday morning and before breakfast I went and watered round my neighbour's polytunnel and gave his little Orange Pippin tree a good drink as she was looking peaky.  Pippi came to help me (this is her favourite haunt, where she catches meeces and voles.)  I noticed there were a load of wild blackberries along the boundary and picked a pound of those to freeze.

Then off to Llandod for grocery shopping before it got too hot.  I was early enough to nab two lots of reduced strawberries in Tesco - cheap enough to make jam with - so I shall do that in a little while.  The Jordan's berry granola I like was on special offer, reduced from repriced from £4.30 each to £2.75, so I got two.  Earl Grey tea on offer but you had to buy four full packs of 80 each at £5 a time, to get one free.  I didn't want to spend £15 on tea this week.  I will wait until they have a good offer on a single pack and buy two.  I got another pack of good bread flour (Cotswold Crunch) to keep stocked up.  I went to Aldi too, for a bottle of wine as Gabby is here overnight at the end of the week, and some fresh Beanshoots for my chicken stir fry tonight.  

Today's Podcast from The Three Ravens, was Lugnasa, Lammas and Harvest Folklore, very detailed and very enjoyable.  I learned so much.

Everything has been watered, so I will go upstairs now and see if I can get the little dress for Rosie cut out.  This will be my first attempt at clothes-making since I made myself a maternity nightie when I was pregnant with Tamzin!  Wish me well!