Despite yesterday’s rain the Head Gardener drove to Otter Nurseries clutching vouchers for special offers of seven different items. One of these was for 10 fifty litre bags of compost. The helpful staff had stuffed these all into the Modus. Unfortunately they did not offer to unload them at this end. That was my task this morning. I piled them up beside the shed, then staggered inside for a sit down.
Today had dawned as dry, bright, and sunny as yesterday was wet and dreary.
Jackie entered the garden in order to photograph Eric the pheasant. He immediately scarpered, so she cast her camera lens onto the plants.
These cranesbill geranium leaves bear a slight dusting of last night’s light frost.
One of Eric’s little games is to decapitate daffodils. He missed those in these three pictures.
Fallen camellia blooms enhance the third composition. Others remain on the shrubs.
New clematis shoots cling to the weathered iron gazebo, preparing to supersede
winter-flowering Cirrhosa Freckles;
These blue pansies will soon be supplanted by their pot-sharing tulips.
Pink hyacinths,
magenta cyclamens.
two-tone comfrey,
and cream hellebores brighten beds.
Spring is the season for nest-building and incubating eggs. It is prime poaching period for predatory magpies.
On the lookout for potential prey one of these plumed pests perches atop a blighted oak on the other side of Christchurch Road.
Later this afternoon Jackie drove us into the forest.
On Shirley Holms Shetland ponies grazed in the soggy landscape
which was waterlogged in parts, a number of reflective pools having been recently created
on the wooded side, the drier sections of which were littered by fallen branches,
beech nuts,
and their leaves.
On my way back to the car I photographed an equestrienne approaching us.
As she drew near she smilingly exclaimed “I’ll have a copy of that”.
“What’s your address?” I enquired.
“I’ll take it off your blog” she replied. It was only then that I realised that the beaming face beneath the unfamiliar helmet was that of Anne of Kitchen Makers.
So I felt the need to produce a close-up of her astride her splendid steed.
Beside Church Lane at Boldre lay a recently uprooted tree in a field occupied by
horses wearing rugs to protect them from the overnight temperatures currently slipping below freezing.
Daffodils surrounded the Church of St John the Baptist, in the graveyard of which
a photographer shepherded his subjects.
A gaggle of geese now occupied Pilley lake;
Hatchet Heath harbours more than its normal quota of ponds;
and swans smoothly glide on the slopes of East Boldre.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s juicy chicken jalfrezi and savoury rice with plain parathas accompanied by Hoegaarden in the case of the Culinary Queen and the last of the Cabernet Sauvignon in mine.
Beautiful pictures as always. I am surprised you guys don’t have your own compost pile.
We have two, but need so much more – 100 hanging baskets for starters. Thanks very much, Bridget.
Your gardens are lovely.
Thank you very much, Mrs W
Your welcome
I’m reading this in the reader as you suggested it works for the ‘like’ ability. Now if I could just access all the comments and replies that have been unavailable to me for the past few days on my own home page life would indeed be back to normal! Thanks for your suggestion 🙂 I just have to say I’m rather fond of Eric – naughty as he is – it seems he has particular preferences for how the garden should look and doesn’t hesitate to share those preferences. I hope Nugget and his missus are doing just as well as Eric is. I’ve probably missed some updates.
WP is full of problems since Gutenberg was installed. We like Eric really. Robins all present and correct. Thanks very much, Pauline.
Great photos as always, sir. Things look so damp! Does your area ever suffer drought?
Not often, Maj and Sher, but it did last summer. I walked with ponies on the bed of a small lake. Thanks very much.
Enjoyed the photos and the sprouting clematis is like hope
– I also have a hyacinth (one) in bloom – it was in a pot last spring with spent daffodils and misc – end of season clearance and so I put all of them in the ground – only the hyacinth survived as of now
That is what we always do with hyacinths. Good luck with the rest, Yvette. Thanks very much.
Did not realize how hearty they were ! 😉
Our experience is that they gradually diminish and wane after a year or two.
Thanks
100 hanging baskets! That’s phenominal.
And takes a heck of a lot of watering in the summer, Sheree. Thanks very m much.
Wonderful photos. Always look forward to your garden updates. Makes me start to think about my garden.
Thanks very much, Gary. Maybe you could allocate Mad Dog his own burial plot for socks and stuff.
Wonderful to see the sunshine in all of your photos Derrick…
That will be our lot for a few days now, Ivor, so I’m pleased we got out. Thanks very much.
What a great photo of your friend, Anne.
I think she will like it, Leslie. Thanks very much.
As much as I am always entranced by your reflection photos, Derrick, the garden pictures take preference today.
Jackie is particularly pleased at your preference today, Dolly. Thanks very much.
I am glad to have pleased the Head Gardener.
You are very welcome, Derrick.
What a lovely record of the gardens! Fantastic post 😀
Thank you very much, Dave. Your praise is most valuable.
I love the story of “I’ll have a copy of that”! My favorite of this group of photos was the peach and white daffodil–until I came to the predatory magpie.
I’m pleased, Liz. The magpie shot was taken through the window. Thank you very much.
I wouldn’t have known. The composition was perfect.
🙂
Removing all those compost bags from the car was a rather extreme work-out, Derrick! I loved seeing the horse well-wrapped in its rugs and all the spring flowers in your garden and on your travels.
You are right, Clare. A bit too much stress on the knees, really. Thank you very much.
🙂
Another great set of photos. I love the closeup of Anne and her horse, what a beauty!
I might print her a big one, Sue. Many thanks.
How nice to meet an appreciative reader. Your picture convey the dampness of the recent weather very well and Jackie has done the garden justice.
Thanks a lot, Tootlepedal.
Thank you Mr T! not my intention to do the garden but the pheasant was not cooperating.
🙂
Derrick, seems like your blog is well-known among your neighbors.
Thanks very much, Rosaliene. It seems to be. 🙂
So many gorgeous shots, Derrick. Well done! I’m happy to see the horse is nice and nuzzled. The church shots are beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
And thank you for reading and commenting as always, Jill
Your magpies may be pests but they are beautiful pests.
They are undoubtedly. Last year two of them scoured a large tree clearing out a colony of goldfinches which have not yet returned.
Yes… that’s hard to see. Do they just rob the nests or attack the adult birds as well?
We haven’t actually seen them doing so. But the adult birds in that tree were not seen again.
Thanks very much, Judy
It looks like Spring is busy pushing Old Man Winter further north. Still bit cold, but so beautiful as the season turns!
So Eric likes daffodils? 🙂
Eric likes biting the heads off and leaving them. He’s only there for the kill. Thanks very much, Lavinia.
What an abundance of beautiful photos! I especially like the daffodils at the church and the splendid steed shot. That was al lot of unloading you did. Sounds like a job to do a little at a time in between rests.
Thanks very much, JoAnna. That is such a sensible approach you advocate. I nearly did take a rest, but I’m no good at that.
🙂 I understand.
What a wonderful day! And you captured it beautifully in your photos! 🙂
The photos of the church are lovely!
Eric eats daffodils?!? Oh, my! 🙂 I guess the Guardian Owl doesn’t intimidate him!
How wonderful to take a photo of a friend and share it with her!
HUGS!!! 🙂
Thanks very much, Carolyn. Eric doesn’t actually eat them. He is just in it for the kill.
The garden looks lovely. I have noticed this week that growth has started to accelerate. I must dig over and prepare the vegetable plot!
Thanks very much, Andrew
Pheasants are not known for their brains, and if Eric has a lot of white in his plumage, that is a sign of in-breeding, which adds an extra level of stupidity. My guess, therefore, is that he thinks that your daffodils are rivals who have ventured onto his territory.
You could be right, John. You should see him attacking a mirror
Miss Anne will be quite pleased with her portrait picture, Derrick!! You certainly did a fine job!!
You and Jackie certainly know how to fill a day and I’m thankful you take us all along for the ride!
I’m pleased, GP. That shot had to be done in an instant, as the horse was getting fidgety.
So beautiful when you see the first blossom after winter.
And the photo of the daffodils and the Church of St John the Baptist is really great. An excellent composition.
Thank you very much, Rabirius. Your opinion is valuable.
I’m sure you were pleased to get out and about after the rain. I hope your friend is pleased with her portrait–her horse is beautiful. I particularly liked the graveyard shot with the weathered church in the background, but there were so many beautiful photos!
Thank you very much, Merril. I’m pleased you liked them. Yes, it was good to get out.
What a fun story about the horse and rider! And, yes, beautiful horse. Also, the bench with the flowers is a keeper. Also really liked the daffodils and the church. You outdid yourself with this post’s photos.
Very many thanks, Laurie
You must be so looking forward to the tulips. Do you know what colour they are? Love the freckly Cirrhosa. So pretty. Anne’s steed is really magnificent. How fortuitous that she happened to cross your path. 🙂
Thank you very much, Sylvia. The tulip labels are blown away so we will have to wait and see. Your comments are really appreciated.
Well, you’ll have a nice surprise when they bloom. 🙂
🙂
You seem to be the acknowledged chronicler in the neighbourhood, and not just with t(3 folks, but the birds and ponies too.
🙂 Much appreciated, Uma
I can feel the smell of that pink hyacinths 🌸😉
So wonderful to meet in person people that know and follow your blog 😉
It really is, Ribana. Thank you very much.
Quite a steed, indeed! Wonderful pictures of your countryside.
Thank you very much, Steve
That is a fine looking steed. Beautiful lines, lustrous coat. Anne must be very proud.
She is. Thanks very much, Gwen