Quiet Reflection

After a morning clearing shrubberies and watering window boxes, we took a trip to Efford Recycling Centre. Although we did dump more sections of aluminium frames, probably the last of the alleged ‘greenhouse, unassembled’, the real purpose of the trip was to seek out mirrors from the sales section.

Jackie found two perfect specimens.

Yes, we know each would be an acquired taste, but for what we had in mind they were perfect.

Penny Lane is a climbing rose. Just about a foot tall at the moment it will climb to 8′. The first new bud emerging early this morning was fully opened by the afternoon.

Margaret Merrill, equally virginal crisp and fresh two days ago, glowed, blowsy, in the morning light.

This gloriously hot and sunny afternoon I wandered around the garden whilst Jackie went off to do some shopping.

From the second armchair in the rose garden one can see past tall roses in the Oval Bed to the gladioli in the former compost bed, around flutter numerous butterflies like this Small White:

Leaving the rose garden  let us walk through the arch and turn right on the pergola path where agapanthus nods to petunias and montbretia hides in long ornamental grasses.

From the grass patch to the left, looking over the top of the Dump Bench, so called because it was an early purchase from the recycling centre, the stable door is glimpsed.

We have quite a lot of montbretia. It likes shade but doesn’t always hide,

although these pink hollyhocks are attempting to do so.

Later, we hung our mirrors. Now, please don’t run away with the idea that we have both been struck by an attack of narcissism. There is enough seating in the rose garden now to encourage quiet reflection.

The mirrors are positioned to reflect the sunlight into darker corners. One, with the armchair, and the clock, provides a cosy corner for reflection in both senses.

In the third Test Match, Australia rallied and set England 121 to win. The home team lost two wickets in reaching the target.

Our dinner this evening was provided by Hordle Chinese Take Away. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I made further inroads into the beaujolais.

64 comments

  1. Blowsy, indeed. Speaking of blowsy, I wonder what happened to the Puffy Shirt that Jerry Seinfeld tried to make popular… Has that style caught on yet with men? 🙂

  2. The mirrors were fantastic finds; they have their own character and frame their reflections well. I love the Margaret Merrill; the flowers reminds me of crushed balls of paper which every writer knows well 🙂 The Montbretia is a weed here; impossible to eradicate though easy enough to pull up. I allow them to colonise the darker corners of my garden; they do look cheerful 🙂

    1. Monbretia is a bit of a weed here too, but I love it, with such a big garden there is plenty of room. Breeders have worked hard to get different colours and I have one called ‘Lucifer’ and another called ‘Solfatare’ that one has brownish leaves and a light yellow flower , I am waiting for it to flower and spread so far this year only leaves. Glad you like the mirrors. J

  3. Such a beautiful garden. You both have done an amazing job. I like the one mirror with the diagonal edging…Mid Century…kind of.

  4. Enjoyed the pictures and the words.
    Pictures were aesthetic.
    I like the picture titled “view-from-grass-patch”.
    Words were more clean, clear and simple.
    A good post altogether Mr.Derrick 🙂
    Reading the post was like watching a Test match. Enjoyed it.
    Thank you 🙂

  5. The second photograph of Penny Lane is surely made of icing. It is perfect. (And – may I mention in passing – my -g-grandfather was from Australia.)

  6. Absolutely stunning Derrick. I love the mirror idea. I can see why you’d need a clock nearby lol I would pass entire days sitting in your garden I’m sure :))

  7. Oh my gosh those mirrors Derrick are perfect and an awesome addition. I love your hollyhocks, well I love everything about your gardens.

  8. Well, I must repeat the others: the Margaret Merrill photo is magical. The light makes it seems otherworldly. Your photo is perfect.

    And yes, Jackie is genius for the mirrors. I am going to remember this idea forever. I don’t need to add shazam to a garden wall quite yet, in my enormous as-yet-ungardened field, but I will pull this memory out again, one day. Now if only there will be fabulous mirrors available at a recycling center on the day I go looking.

  9. Your rose photos are beautiful! The garden is looking very colourful at the moment, really enjoyed this post. Glad you had a fruitful trip to the recycling centre too! 🙂

  10. I love the mirrors, and the stroll through your garden was delightful, as well as your accompanying descriptions. I haven’t encountered the word “blowsy” in I don’t know how long!

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