Early this morning, Jackie took a walk round the garden with her camera.
She photographed the sunflower recently photographed in bud, now winking at a ceramic owl, then viewed from the Palm Bed and the iron urn.
Two of her prize creations are the petunia-and-verbena-planted hanging basket, one of several whose contents have survived the winter, and the Japanese maple taken as a twig from a gravel path.
Current views of the Pond Bed include her earlier redesigned patch; the first Japanese anemone against the backcloth of such a maple; and another featuring towering verbena bonariensis, now ubiquitous in the garden.
The next three images show a garden view including the grey eryngiums; the black eyed Susans planted in a chimney pot fronting a New Zealand hebe; and the Head Gardener’s beautifully trimmed lawn.
Later, after a trip to Otter Nurseries to buy rose feed, we took a drive into the forest.
Lymington River is tidal. This morning a group of kayakers were leaving it as Jackie drove over the railway level crossing and road bridge, swinging past the algae laden shallows, into Undershore Road. Perhaps they knew their tide tables.
Attracted by the hay bale patterns alongside Shotts Lane, I decamped and photographed more of the verges and an opposite field.
A hazy, layered, view of the Isle of Wight was visible from the shingled beach at the end of Tanners Lane, where skin tones perhaps betrayed who were the visitors, and who the locals having hung their equipment on the barbed wire fence. I wondered what the child had found.
I have decided, for ease of access, from now on to separate the instalments of my autobiography from my normal daily diary. Consequently I later posted https://derrickjknight.com/2021/07/26/a-knights-tale-4-shrapnel-and-air-raid-precautions/
This evening we dined on succulent baked gammon; boiled new potatoes and carrots; moist ratatouille; fried leeks and cabbage, with which Jackie drank more of the Rosé and I drank more of the Shiraz.
I just can not say enough about your garden. he Head Gardener and her dead-heading apprentice have outdone themselves this year.
Thanks for the tour today!
Thank you so much from us both, GP
Your garden in full summer is glorious. Congratulations.
Thank you very much, Cindy
Your garden is always so beautiful, Derrick! Jackie is a master gardener, such beautiful work. ❤️🇬🇧
Thank you so much from us both, John
Lovely pictures. I wonder why some haybales are round and others are rectangular
I also noticed in Germany, Hungary, and Bosnia all have different looking haystacks.
I must remember to ask a farmer, Pat. Thank you very much
Please let me know if you get an answer. I’ve pondered this unsuccessfully for quite a while.
Will do. In the meantime see Sue’s comment
Pat, It all depends on the machinery used. Older machines produce the rectangular bales, the more modern machines produce larger round bales.
Thanks for that, Sue
How lovely to get Jackie’s perspective of the garden!
Thanks very much, Anne. Jackie really appreciated this.
I especially love the tender photo of the young woman in the bathing suit examining the treasure that the little girl has found.
Me, too, Judy. Thanks very much.
I needed these photos today…thank you, Derrick.
I’m pleased, Jill. Thank you, too
Gorgeous photos, Jackie and Derrick! I loved the sunflower and the owl! 🙂 Did you plant the sunflower? We had some growing years ago that we did NOT plant. I thanked the birds for planting them for me! 😉
Kids take the time to explore and really look…so they find the most interesting things! 🙂
The tyre decorated in mossy green is an eye-catcher! 🙂
((HUGS))) 🙂
PS…”Children still need a childhood with dirt, mud, puddles, trees, sticks, and tadpoles.” – Brooke Hampton
Thanks very much from us both, Carolyn. The sunflower was grown from seed in the greenhouse and transplanted earlier than its companions which are smaller. A perfect quotation.
I love the layered view of the Isle of Wight. My thought on seeing the sunbathers was, Hey, he’s as pasty white as I am! The garden looks absolutely incredible. All the hard work is really paying off.
Thank you very much, Liz 🙂
You’re welcome, Derrick.
I liked the neatly tended lawn.
I thought you might, Tootlepedal 🙂 Thanks a lot
Are you implying that visitors still have milky white skin? That’s how we used to recognize tourists in Odessa: either milky white or lobster red.
I am, indeed, Dolly 🙂 Thanks very much
You are very welcome, Derrick.
The garden is looking especially nice, now that the rains have stopped! Round hay bales have always intrigued me — I suppose they are easier to bale that way, but they can’t fit on a flat-bed truck any better than the rectangular ones! And I love the shot of the woman exploring with the child — that looks too sandy for there to be much of a find, but it’s all of interest to a curious child.
Thank you very much, Janet. I’m pleased you appreciated all this
The sunflower is awesome. I really did like the photo of mother and child. So touching. I bet she would have loved it. Again, such a peaceful garden.
Thank you very much, Steve
Both you and Jackie took wonderful pictures today.
Thank you so much from us both, Mrs W
Your welcome.
Absolutely beautiful!
Thank you very much, Ribana
Jackie has nurtured a beautiful lawn. Outside photographs are an interesting assortment.
Thanks very much, Uma.
Beautiful photos! The colors in the garden are lovely. I like that algae covered tire with nature trying to take over. I learned the hard way how important it is to watch the tides when kayaking or canoeing. That’s why I’ve been sticking to lakes lately.
Thanks very much, JoAnna
That’s a lovely picture of mother and child. I’m betting my money that the child had found one of those tiny white spiral shells.
Could be, John. Thanks very much
Your garden is looking absolutely gorgeous.
I love the picture of the tyre, I picture it on rocks with flowers trailing from it.
Thanks very much, Sue. I like your tyre image
“The sea’s curious workmanship: bottle green glass sucked smooth and porous by the waves: wood stripped and cleaned and bark swollen with salt…gnawed and rubbed: amber: bone: the sea” – Lawrence Durrell – Propero’s Cell
Great quotation, Andrew. Thanks a lot
Beautiful shots by both you and Jackie. Your garden is so full of color. What a lovely oasis you’ve built.
I, too, wonder what the child found.
Thank you very much from us both, Merril
You’re both very welcome!😀
Beautiful photos, Derrick, as always!
Thank you very much, Julie
Jackie has every right to be proud.
Thank you so much, Laurie
Beautiful photos…. Love the mother child reaction! Summertime at its best!
Thanks very much, Dwight
I love your gardens, Derrick and Jackie. A lot of care and love go into keeping them up!
I remember days long ago, down by the shore as a child, finding all kinds of interesting things. Periwinkles were among my favorites.
Thank you very much from us both, Lavinia. I am pleased to have prompted your memories.