CLICK ON ANY IMAGE IN A GROUP TO ACCESS ITS ENLARGED GALLERY
Having received more from neither the French agent nor the solicitor, I left another voicemail this morning and sent another e-mail. I had still not heard from the GP surgery.
It therefore seemed advisable to take up Jackie’s suggestion of a visit to The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, a rather splendid arboretum just outside Romsey.
Mostly we focussed on the colourful winter garden.
Walkers of all ages and abilities strode, staggered, or sprang about in the spring-like sunshine. Some were wheeled. The last of this group of images shows the scale of
one of Tom Hare’s pine cone sculptures constructed from various types of willow, while
the salix sepulcralis stands near the car park.
Many metasequoia Dawns have been planted.
Other fine specimens include Acer griseum, or Chinese Paperbark maple,
plenty of dogwood, and bamboo Phyllostachys Vivax Aureocaulis.
The Rubus Cockburnianus white bramble is rather fascinating.
Our eager nostrils were assailed by the sweet scent of numerous Daphne bhuloa shrubs.
Hellebores, snowdrops, and the earliest flowering narcissi First Hope thrust through the turf.
We lunched at the establishment’s restaurant where there were no free tables. We ate alfresco, which, on this quite balmy day, was no hardship. We resisted lobbing coins into the pool, although we did leave a tip.
It looked as if the gardeners were also taking a lunch break.
A mother and daughter engaged in conversation on the slope beneath a rather magnificent tree house.
Although there is far more to see for another day, we paid a final visit to the Education Garden which has an entrance arch covered in dragonflies,
and a Spanish oak encircled by painted pine cones.
I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for a sun through clouds virtual monochrome.
Upon our return, I found a reassuring e-mail from the agent selling my French house. She is in Australia and not managing to access her voicemails. She assures me that the solicitor is to produce the required document and we have a further ten days after the buyer has signed on 12th.
I then set about sorting out the ophthalmic appointment. First I rang the GP surgery. The receptionist gave me the password. I used it to telephone the NHS appointments line where I learned that the reason I had received another cancellation letter was that my revised appointment letter had come direct from the hospital, not through the appointments line. I suggested it might be in my interests to ring the hospital to confirm that. My adviser agreed that that would be a good idea, though probably not necessary.
I rang the hospital where I got no answer. Whilst I was listening to the incessant ring tone, my phone beeped to inform me that I had a text message. When I eventually gave up on the hospital, I looked at the message. This was a missed call alert. I called the number. It belonged to the Brockenhurst surgery. No-one there had phoned me. “It must be a glitch in the system”, I was told. I rang my own surgery again. As usual, I had to pick a number out of a series of options before I got through. The GP’s secretary had been trying to ring me. She wasn’t available now because she was speaking to someone else. “Please tell me I am not going mad”, I pleaded. The receptionist gave me my second piece of reassurance of the afternoon. But the secretary did not ring again.
Having seen what we had for lunch, it will come as no surprise that our dinner consisted of fish fingers, baked beans, and bread and butter, followed by Jackie’s mixed fruit pie. I drank Mendoza Parra Alta Malbec 2017.
haha, you want the members of the insane asylum to say you’re not mad?!! I think it’s a good time for all of us to visit the Gardens!
🙂 Many thanks, GP
I’m pleased your telephone frustrations were somewhat compensated for by it being a lovely January day. Delightful reminders in your photographs, Derrick, of the January pleasures of the scent of daphne and the pure white of snowdrops.
Very many thanks, Roland
The gardens look beautiful. At least allowing you to keep your sanity…
Many thanks, Miriam
The arboretum was well planted with winter in mind. I’m sure it’s beautiful the rest of the year as well.
Thanks very much, Oglach. We’ll probably find out
One way to restore your sanity, Derrick; Malbec and fish fingers. 😀
🙂 Many thanks, Sylvia
doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different answer…. hmm isn’t that madness?
🙂 hmm – Many thanks, Geoff
Looks like a good place to relax. You need to relax if you’re dealing with the NHS. 🙂
🙂 You should know, Quercus. Many thanks
I know, that’s why I wish you well. 🙂
🙂
You’ve spoiled us with the post, Derrick. There are so many beautiful photographs, I can’t pick just one favorite. Cheers!
Very many thanks, Jill. I had to leave out a lot.
Things seem to be looking up, but you picked a beUtiful place to distract you.
Thanks very much, Leslie
I am sorry for the ongoing lunacy in your life but I can’t help thinking a walk in that garden would bring the blood pressure down.
Sure did, Susanne. Many thanks
We had yet another gloomy drizzly day so your post full of blue sky, clouds and sunshine was a tonic! The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens are lovely and your photos are excellent as ever. What craziness! But maybe some of your queries were answered?
Thanks a lot Clare. I’m learning that no queries are ever answered until the deed is done 🙂
What a beautiful garden tour, Derrick. Thank you so much. I could almost smell those flowers and it was a lovely thing to think that our snow will one day melt and we will have flowers of our own to smell.
Many thanks, Jodie
: )
Sorry about all the craziness, Derrick, but I’m glad you were able to visit such a beautiful place–and share it with us.
Now if only you could pass a slice of Jackie’s mixed-berry pie through. . .
Thanks very much, Merril. If we had the technology to beam over a slice, it would probably end up in Iceland
🙂
Lovely photos as usual Derrick. Sorry to hear about your struggle with your ophthalmic appointment.
Many thanks, Arlene. Fortunately its not particularly urgent
A lovely idea to visit the gardens! The tree house is amazing!
Many thanks, Lynn. One could probably live in it 🙂
oh yes
Today’s post is a veritable feast. If I begin writing the many thoughts that many, many of those images invoked, I risk typing in a comment longer than your original post. It has been a wonderful trip through the winter garden, watching all those breathtaking creations of Nature, little humans in prams included.
I am glad the agent finally replied. I am sure the surgery will follow the lead. And I am certain none of it should have been as impossible or as insane.
Very many thanks, Uma. Such valuable comments
The garden is beautiful, and so is your mind visiting the place.
Very many thanks, Byung
My father taught me the names of trees from a very early age he was particularly fond of metasequoia and I still remember the proud moment when I could finally utter the name without tripping up, He also loved Acers (who doesn’t) – what a lovely stroll you gave me and some happy memories
Very many thanks, Osyth. I’m pleased
Everybody should have a Sir Harold Hillier Garden in their backyard, excellent cure for blood pressure, best wishes for the eye op.
Many thanks, Ian
Good that Jackie suggested visiting the arboretum to counter the frustration due to incoherent staff. Hope your appointment is sorted and you get your eye check up handled soon. Beautiful photography as always
Very many thanks, Geetha
Most welcome Derrick 🙂
I prefer a garden to dealing with people and the medical profession. Nature helps me regain my serenity. Lovely pictures.
Many thanks, Sherry
Great pics of the garden! Still prefer your own patch though! Holding thumbs, etc. that your paperwork and appointments all get sorted…..
Thanks very much, Rob
Wonderful garden and a much-needed visit after such a frustrating morning. At least the sale of the house seems to be moving forward. Fingers crossed for your eye appointment.
Many thanks, Laurie
Wow… The garden looks glorious… 💖💖💖💖💖
Many thanks Cheche Winnie
I searched all through your post for evidence of madness but couldn’t find it—until the very end. Oh, well, a bit of irritation in an otherwise perfect day!
Many thanks, Diane 🙂
Fish fingers sound great after a frustrating afternoon on the phone! The tree house looks magnificent.
Thanks very much, Helen
Congrats on the sale of your French house! Those gardens are a real treat in Winter! Lovely captures Derrick 💛
Many thanks, Val
I think after a day like that I’d have knocked off at least a bottle of whiskey.
Beautiful gardens 😀
Many thanks, Brian
I have given up waiting for a follow-up appointment that was scheduled for June last year. At least my GP is just a two minute walk down the street and he will stop and talk whenever I drop in.
I really like how you and Jackie seek renergization in an arboretum. The spots of color in the foliage were surprising! I liked the dragonflies and the amazing tree house!
Hope you get the eye appointment and all is okay with your eyes. Fingers crossed the house sale will go smoothly, too. 🍀
Thanks very much, Robin. Eye appointment tomorrow, and house sale almost done
Yay, Derrick! Glad to read you had your eye appointment today. Hope all gets completed in your house sale process, too.
Thanks very much, Robin. All seems to be falling into place
The Gardens are lovely. I also managed to get some good photographs of them during the course of about six weather episodes in one day, from downpour to drizzle to blazing sunshine
Thanks very much, Leslie