This morning, whilst Jackie went shopping, I wandered around the garden waiting for delivery of the garden shed. Now that the pink roses on the front trellis have died back, their places have been taken by clematis Mrs N Thompson, honeysuckle, calibrachoa in a hanging basket, and two varieties of trailing nasturtium.
A marbled white butterfly, swayed on a wind-blown verbena bonarensis
The Ballerina now dances freely at the cleared entrance to the rose garden.
Ground cover, like that provided by this unnamed succulent, is important,
but it is hanging baskets that lift a garden.
Here is a view from the brick path.
This trailing antirrhinum sits nicely above the patch of grass,
and these petunias lead us to The Head Gardener’s Walk,
as others, enlivening the dead Snake Bark Maple, overlook the Heligan Path and beyond.
Sometimes, as with this symphony in orange and red, serendipity intervenes. The orange sunburst beneath the cut plastic container is a clever little device with a thread that fits two litre supermarket water bottles, thus keeping a supply flowing for two days.
As can be seen from this later shot of The Head Gardener’s Walk petunias, Jackie’s shed was delivered and erected this afternoon.
Two splendid Wimbledon tennis matches were televised this afternoon. I watched them both. Serena Williams took just over an hour beat her sister Venus in straight sets. This was closer than the score looks. Andy Murray then had to battle it out for three hours and more, with Ivo Karlovic, to win a four set match. Murray is by no means a small man, but, slugging it out with the six foot eleven Croatian must be the tennis equivalent of a boxing contest with the giant Italian, Primo Carnera, of the 1930s.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s superb sausage casserole (recipe); creamy mashed potato; and crisp carrots, cabbage, and cauliflower. In celebration of her new shed, Jackie drank one of the small bottles of P. Desroches & Cie Brut Champagne Alison had given us. I drank Teroldego Rotaliano superiore riserva,2011.
Sounds like a lovely day! Your garden is beautiful too! How much rainfall do you usually get? I have to be so spendthrift with my water usage so getting my once vacant lot to be a lush garden like yours is taking a long time. It’s getting there though. Cheers!
Thanks James. This is England. We never know how much rain we are going to get. After three years of almost consistent rain with severe flooding, we have now had two summers with very little. It is due to rain all day tomorrow 🙂
You should see me when San Diego gets a few drops. I’m running outside like a fool dancing around as if I’ve never seen water before. This drought is turning me into a mad gardener.
Wow. It would take a brave (or silly?) soul to go up against a boxer that much larger!
I’m so inspired by your and Jackie’s garden!
Many thanks, Ashley. Actually, I’m not a boxing fan, but Carnera was still around during my childhood. He wasn’t really a good boxer, although he was world champion for a couple of years. Perhaps he didn’t need to be. They called him ‘The Ambling Alp’
Intimidating size, but I think I can’t imagine him being quick. Haha.
Was the tennis match more fun to watch?
It really was. Ivo is much more than an ace server; and Serena showed just how well Heather Watson did the other day
Oh, so beautiful! And, as always, beautifully told. You do have a gift, sir.
Thank you Jodie. That is very pleasing
Thank you for taking so many wonderful photos!
Many thanks Semra
That garden is glorious, just glorious!
Many thanks, Cynthia
Your piece of paradise keeps on emanating more beautiful beams our way….love the last two pictures! Yes, good for Serena, one of them had to trounce a sister, so it may as well have been her!
Thank you Cynthia
Beautiful pics Derrick. The garden is looking awesome! So nice to see as winter is biting here and even the grass hibernates! 🙂
Thank you Rob
Very beautiful! You and Jackie are a very talented couple. How wonderful that she creates these idyllic settings and a master photographer is on call to share them with the world:)
Wow – thank you so much, Cynthia
I agree with Cynthia above: a wonderful wonderful garden. But keep Jackie out of her shed: every bloke needs a shed for his stuff… and I would have trouble pronouncing P. Desroches & Cie Brut Champagne and Teroldego Rotaliano superiore riserva even before I started to imbibe.
Thank you Bruce. One thing I won’t be able to do is remember them.
Sorry Bruce, but that is (albeit unusually) MY shed. Derrick WILL be required to knock and wait. Should he feel the need, there is a shed that is only slightly leaky at the bottom of the garden.
LOL! Jackie I love this response!! (But) we have our ways…. shhhh 🙁
Your garden is looking better and better with every post – it’s absolutely beautiful. When are you opening to the public?!
Thank you Jenny. Next year
Very beautiful Derrick. … glorious garden with your beautiful write up…
Many thanks, Chitra
Your walks through the garden are something I look forward too Derrick – today you captured wonderful angles and nice little surprises along with way.
Many thanks, Mary
That garden just keeps on getting more lush and beautiful by the day! The shed went up quickly – I’m a little surprised you weren’t there shooting every step! The photo of the giant boxer and his little opponent made me laugh – I probably shouldn’t have,- it was involuntary……. 🙂
Thank you Pauline. I was tempted to poke the camera at the lads every few minutes, but the tennis was on. As for the boxing picture, although Carnera was far bigger than his genuine opponents, I reckon they must have set up a flyweight to pose with him.
Well, it’s a great photo, it still makes me giggle! And I’m shocked to hear the lads worked on through the tennis – I thought the world stopped for that!
Looking more like a botanic garden every day…those flowers brightened up this dismal day in Sydney. It’s cold and wet. Not complaining; we need the rain and I have a good excuse to hibernate.
Thank you, Mary. I thought of you when making this one
That’s what I thought! Derrick must know what I need right now 🙂
Yep
Wow. Your photos are so beautiful and day must have been enjoyable. It was refreshing to see Your sunny photos just today, because it is raining here just now.
Thank you, Sartenada
Hmmm, Karlovic versus Murray, doesn’t seem to be the same as Primo Carnera versus the other guy in the ring! Reminds me of David and Goliath, and I suspect a different ending? 🙂
I hadn’t heard of the Italian before, though I’m not a boxing fan.
Go Murray! Go Serena!
I’m sure they just got a little man in to pose with him. The big man wasn’t very mobile. I only heard of him because he was still around in my childhood in the 1940s and ’50s
Gorgeous, gorgeous!!!
Thanks Julie
Great post and how nice to see you.
Thank you Ann