Aaron came to work this morning. He took out the last remaining tree stump from the lawn; cleaned the pipes and windows at the front of the house; and reset the post at the side gate which had come adrift.
The Virginia Creeper mingling with rose hips on the Gothic Arch, with the yellowing birch leaves in the background, are still about the only climatic signs of autumn.
I did further work on the album of progress in the garden, making the following prints:
On 12th June 2014 the Weeping Birch Bed was somewhat overgrown. Note the bramble.
The next day, I began assembling the golden arches in an attempt to support passion flower and honeysuckle.
By September 2015 it was clear something had to be done about it, so Jackie set to.
This is what it looks like today. Note the three separate supports which have replaced the golden arches. This is because the two rambling plants mentioned above actually originated further into the bed. As now expected, there was much rock and concrete buried therein, and Jackie discovered that a good half of the bed was very shallow, having been laid on the concrete that covered the far south of the garden. As usual this has been recycled as stepping stones and edging.
This up to date view takes us across the Heligan Path and through the Cryptomeria Bed towards the house.
As the light faded whilst we sat in the rose garden with our pre-dinner drinks, the mosquitos probably attracted the bats flitting across our vision. This was an opportunity for me to tell Jackie the story of the pipistrelles.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s delicious chicken jalfrezi, special fried rice, and naan from the Co-op, followed by egg custard. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank Parra Alta malbec 2015.
I enjoyed your pipistrelles story. Last year, a small bat got into my house and was flying around exciting my dog and cats. I don’t know how it got in, given that I had no open windows without screens. I hypothesized it came, or fell, down the chimney into the cold fireplace. I shut lights and opened screens on windows so it would leave, but as you say, it was disconcerting to be in the darkened house with a bird flying around. Eventually it found its way out.
Thank you, Cynthia. Well managed, I think.
That garden path is so lovely! And with all the work you have done, a well-deserved drink.
Thank you, Laurie
What an amazing garden! I grew up with so many garden/yard-related chores that as an adult I’ve shyed away from that!
Thank you very much Knitter
That first pic is a beauty! Straight out of a gardening magazine. 🙂
Oh now! I was just about to say the same thing Bianca – it won’t be long and the garden will be featuring in all kinds of mags and calendars too no doubt. We can say we predicted that 🙂
Lol absolutely! 🙂
Thanks, Bianca
I am really enjoying your before and after photographs. So often we don’t realise the work that goes behind great gardens (though you have logged your contribution in detail haha). Btw I noticed that some of my comments in past posts never made it onto your blog. Not sure if they’re your gremlins or mine.
Thank you Mary. Very sorry not to have received some of your comments, which I always value
This is really going to be the showplace of the garden tour next year…
Thank you, Lisa
I’ve never seen a pipistrellus
I’ve never spied a bat
But once I saw Die Fledermaus
And thought it rather flat.
Maybe you were too Straussed out to enjoy it……
LOL ! I didn’t see that particular opera – and it was in Vienna!
My last comment was meant to say DID see that opera in Vienna – but the autocorrect knows best.
I love it when my posts prompt a sensible debate between friends
Oscar might have been proud of that one. Thanks, Bruce
You are all batty.