Sleeping Beauty

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Today, I continued redistributing the gravel on the back drive. This involved shifting barrow loads of the material from one end to another, and raking them smooth. There is more to be done.

rose Félicité Perpetué

Whilst I was there, I noticed, swaying in the breeze, the one Félicité Perpetué bloom that has yet arrived on what should soon be a splendid display draped over the dead stumps.

Rhododendron

On the compost corner the rescued rhododendron is now quite prolific.

Brick path

Does Wedding Day rose, on the Agriframes arch, bloom whilst the viburnum plicatum, visible beneath the arch, is still flowering? If so, the two plants will be in tune.

Rose Garden 1

The Rose Garden now burgeons daily. On the wall of the shed hangs the bird bath Vicki made for us.

rose Schoolgirl

A Schoolgirl has come out to play;

Rose Gloriana

and Gloriana is living up to her name.

Kitchen window view

In the morning this was a view from the kitchen window,

Patio 3

before Jackie removed the honesty to the right, thus revealing the large white clematis Marie Boisselot to anyone sitting in the patio. I put that particular heap of seeding plants onto the compost, because there are plenty more hanging up to dry, ready for scattering later in the year. The frog king, and his princely son ogle Jattie’s sculpture, the sleeping beauty.

Patio 1

Patio 2

We took a short break on the patio with our fizzy lime squash, and surveyed one of Jackie’s myriad of maintenance tasks, namely the tidying up of the corner shingle bed, into which she has set an attractive piece of stone.

Geranium palmatum

Until now, the honesty has carried the purple torches throughout the garden. The batons have now been passed to geranium palmatums.

This evening we dined on our second helping of Chinese takeaway, with which I drank Patrick Chadot Fleurie 2014, and Jackie drank Hoegaarden.

63 comments

    1. There is always a Hoegaarden in our fridge for you! I love the stuff, and have even been taken to the brewery, and taken the tour in Belgium.

      1. Thanks Jackie, you know I might just take you up on that offer….isn’t that what summer is all about, relaxing and good company and a beverage of choice. Enjoy. Hugs, Harlon

  1. The view from the kitchen window is just wonderful! Those frogs could well be contemplating eating that sleeping beauty. I think I spotted an owl too in that photo – though it could just be my imagination………. definitely one lone owl in the maintenance task photo 🙂

    1. Dammit! You got me searching for the imaginary owl. The one you are definite about doesn’t live there. It just dropped down for your benefit 🙂 Thanks, Pauline

  2. Sleeping Beauty – I thought you were going to say that Jackie fell asleep in the wondrous garden and you had to awaken her with a kiss; but you kissed a frog instead.

  3. If one has a sleeping beauty one must have a frog ….no, wait! Isn’t it she who must kiss the frog and turn him into a prince? She’s better wake up, then. Never mind…all is possible in a lush and lovely garden….

    1. I do feel sad that you cannot experience the scent of the roses, They were all the result of a winter spent researching the ideal roses for scent, appearance, disease resistance, but mostly scent. Then of course a couple that I just could not resist, like ‘For your eyes only’ which is just stunning to look at, but has no scent.

      1. Yes, sometimes the most beautiful ones are the ones that have absolutely no scent. Sounds like a lot of work, time and love has gone into your beautiful garden Jackie. Enjoy 🙂

  4. I would love to see all of this in person, like others I would enjoy sharing a meal and would bring something to share, to drink perhaps? I love the pale rose at the beginning and the brightly colored flowers throughout!

  5. There is nothing as lovely as the sight of a rose (captured beautifully), except maybe the smell. One day, photos will come with a scratch-and-sniff option. Click Here And Inhale. 🙂

  6. I can’t work out if Honesty is the best policy in our garden. It has covered everything like a carpet and is beginning to behave like a weed!

  7. Your kitchen viewpoint really does provide ‘morning glory’ … or any other time of day you chance to look! Jackie has chosen some very beautiful roses – I really like Félicité Perpetué. I will look forward to seeing the stumps draped in this summer bloom.

  8. I just wanted to let you know how you quietly (and unknowlingly) inspire me to keep going at what I am currently occupied with. The garden of our house in New England is neglected and I took it upon myself to restore and renew and revive it. Some days, like today when the temperature is 93 in the bright sunshine and I am only a quarter of the way through restoring the brick path I dispair. But then I look at your pictures and I close my eyes and imagine. And I KNOW that the next owners of the house will be happy that the garden did eventually have someone (however uneducated on the ways of the soil) to tend it and nurse it into life. Thank you.

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