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This has been a day of varied activities. This morning involved various administrative phone calls; a trip to Lymington to confirm the order and pay for Jackie’s new laptop; and a drive among the lanes around Sway.
Other road users somewhat impeding our leisurely progress included a horse and rider;
a group of cyclists consisting of a gentleman and young girl lagging behind two boys pausing on the brow of a hill;
and a truck bearing a precarious looking wide load of hay.
Coombe Lane, in particular, is home to Long Cottage, the garden of which contains a row of sunflowers fronting a rather wizened little oak tree bearing large clusters of cupped acorns.
Further along this road a group of inquisitive young Friesians thronged to their gateway in order to enquire what we were doing there.
Hordle has its own Scarecrow Trail, but since we followed the Bisterne one thoroughly, and parking is quite dangerous alongside the exhibits in the more populous village, I will simply photograph those we come across in our wanderings. The first of these are outside Hordle Parish Church of All Saints. They have been created by the children of the nearby Nursery School.
Early this afternoon Jackie dug the first hole for the roses that will ascend the now unclad Gothic Arch seen at the far end of this section of the Brick Path, alongside which stands the Nottingham Castle bench with its attendant sweet peas.
The rear of the bench can be seen in this shot of the Star of India clematis in Margery’s Bed.
The elegant forms of white gladioli take centre stage on this view of the Dragon Bed,
while, to the right of them, the colours of Japanese anemones, fuchsia, and lobelia form a similar sinuous shape.
Later, we visited Otter Nurseries where we bought two roses for the bare arch. We have examples of these elsewhere in the garden. Penny Lane wanders over the potting shed in the Rose Garden, and the bright red Super Elfin has taken off like a rocket in the herbaceous border.
Here Jackie, having planted Penny Lane, starts on a hole for the heavily pruned Super Elfin. I helped out a bit with that one, but the Head Gardener refused to photograph me on the grounds that my minor effort didn’t warrant a presence on the blog. Frankly that seemed a little harsh to me.
In a short while we can expect to see a difference.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s brilliant beef pie, with meaty gravy, boiled potatoes, spring greens, and bright carrots. The Culinary Queen finished the sauvignon blanc, and I finished the Fleurie.
No Hoegarden tonight? I’m disappointed.
🙂 Thanks a lot, Karen
You garden always delights…makes my heart smile.
That’s lovely, Jeanne. Thank you very much
You must always follow the rules of the Head Gardener!!
Naturally, GP. Many thanks
Perhaps if Jackie stood in the hole you helped dig she would be mistaken for a rose?
🙂 Thanks very much, Bruce
After looking at photos, I was about to ask, “do you ever help Jackie” and there I read “… I helped out a bit with that one, but the Head Gardener refused to photograph me on the grounds ” 😀 😀 😀
🙂 Thanks very much, Rupali
“The Head Gardener refused to photograph me on the grounds that my minor effort didn’t warrant a presence on the blog.” LOL! Brutal!
🙂 Many thanks, Jill
No pain, no glory Derrick!
So true, Pauline. Thanks very much 🙂
You could have taken a selfie, looking smug, beside the newly planted roses, leaning on a spade… then again, I wouldn’t care to upset someone who can make pies that look as good as that one.
🙂 Many thanks, Susan
I’m with Jackie – we don’t want any staged shots, thanks. 🙂
🙂 🙂 Thanks a lot, Mary
Thank you Mary.
That beef pie! Yumm
It was, Lynn. Thanks, very much
That truck looks a bit overloaded, maybe stay even further back, and again some scarecrow shots which are so interesting.
🙂 Thanks a lot, Ivor
Beautiful rose and meal !
Many thanks, Sylvie
Is Jackie’s new laptop a Mac? I’m getting fed up with Windows. Those scarecrows remind me, you could press one of them in service if the Big Beast bothers you yet again.
Many thanks, Uma. It’s a Dell with Windows 10, I’m afraid. She wouldn’t consider a Mac because she wants to stick with what she knows. I have a desktop iMac, on which I work on the photos, and a Windows laptop. It would definitely be Mac for me when I need another – so much more trouble-free and secure.
I can understand that, Derrick. My favourite OS is Linux but I had gradually veered towards Windows because of my daughters who wanted Windows for their syllabi at school, and also because of the computer games. But Windows 10 is getting on my nerves for it’s sheer hunger of resources and unnecessary apps that keep stalling the laptop which has rather respectable hardware. My next purchase is going to be a Mac however.
I love, love that white rose, you have captured it well. That beef pie looks really yummy.
Many thanks, Arlene
Gosh – I would certainly have kept my distance from that low loader … the bales look beyond precarious!
Further down the lane they brushed the hedges either side. Thanks a lot, Osyth
😱😱😱
Wonderful photos of your day, as usual Derrick. I liked the scarecrows, and I love your brick path.
I thought the hay bales were carpet–they looked precarious either way.
That pie is beautiful!
Many thanks, Merril
From horses to bikers to flowers to pie. Who can ask for anything more from a blog? Magnificent!
Many thanks, Laurie
I would’ve liked a photo of you, but Jackie is the boss. 🙂 She did make it up to you with such a lovely beef pie!
Many thanks, Rose 🙂
Happy to photograph our Derrick, anytime!
What a grand day. Thanks for visiting and liking a part of Game of Thongs.
Thank you, Karina
Nice variety of pics today, Derrick,the title had me confused, said ‘New Roses’ search though I may I can find but one, beautiful though it is.
I too made a meat pie, mine was steak & kidney, served with roasted carrots, parsnips and baby potatoes with steamed Brussels sprouts.
I drank Franziskaner Hefe Weissbier ; the War Office abstained! 😀
I think you could rival the Culinary Queen, Brian. Thanks a lot
A beautiful assortment of photos, Derrick. Jackie does some amazing work in the garden! I agree, that truck loaded with round bales looks a bit precarious.
Many thanks for such detailed comments, Lavinia
The perfect cream rose enchanted me!
The scarecrows and cows amused and entertained me today. Fun post with a lot of different subject matters.
Finally, the elegant gladioli was described appropriately by you. 🙂
Very many thanks, Robin
Scarecrows are looking good, as is the garden. I support Jackie in her principled stand against non-diggers and photography. 🙂
You wouldn’t be letting the side down, would you, Quercus? Thanks, anyway
It’s possible… 🙂
🙂
That Beef pie looks quite tasty!
Thanks very much, Dwight