On another wet and gloomy morning we drove to Setley Ridge Garden Centre to buy a present for Helen, whose birthday it is today.
Is there anything more dismal than a popular garden centre, normally thriving at weekends, to have hidden this sign beneath an empty display unit? Having done their best to beat Covid-19 and continuous rain the staff have succumbed
to closure, although they are hoping to reopen on 1st March.
Keeping to the safe side of the alarmed rope barrier, I recorded the bedraggled outlet while Jackie bought some replacement provisions in the farm shop. She then dropped me at home and toured other garden centres with a little more success.
This drier, warmer, still gloomy, afternoon we drove to Helen and Bill’s intending to leave presents and a card and run away. Happily, we were spotted and enjoyed a pleasant conversation with them and Rachel from over the front garden wall.
On our return journey, Jackie parked the Modus beside Roger Penny Way in order for me to commune with
sustenance-seeking donkeys and ponies.
At one point we were all distracted by thudding hooves as an equestrienne galloped across the somewhat sodden sward.
The pannage season which starts in the autumn and was this year extended to December is the period when ring-nosed pigs are freed to wallow in the mud in search of acorns and other mast which are poisonous to ponies. This little porker was seen and heard sploshing and snorting with glee, prompting Jackie to pronounce: “He’s escaped pannage”.
This evening we dined on Mr Chan’s excellent Hordle Chinese Take Away with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Dao.
Love your pictures, especially the muddy escapee.
Thanks very much, Pat
What a shame re the garden centre that was closed. Thank goodness they all weren’t and the other should be opening soon. It looks a nice place.
It is the best one for presents, Helen. Thanks very much
Are all of the little ponies and donkeys wild or are some of them just on leave from employment?
They live wild in the forest but are owned by commoners with ancient pasturage rights. Thanks a lot, Judy
Do they ride them or use them for any utilitarian purpose or are they just living free?
The forest ones are all living free. Some are trained for riding (being backed) and kept in fields. This process is very difficult and can take months. They have been wild in the forest for 2,000 years
Amazing. So wonderful to hear that is still possible.
Hopefully the garden center will reopen. I imagine it’s not a very busy time of year for them.
One of the donkeys looks like it has a unicorn horn to me. 😀
That little pig seems to be having a thoroughly wonderful time in the mud!
Thanks very much, Merril. I think the dismal weather has kept people from their gardens. Good observations about donkey and pig 🙂
😀
I am up early this morning Derrick, and your glorious photos of the gorgeous donkeys and ponies, have given a big smile here at breakfast time…
🙂 Thanks very much, Ivor
How sad that one of your favorite garden centers is now closed for business! Here in a city where the coronavirus is still running wild, I’ve not yet gone to my favorite garden center. Hopefully in the spring.
Thanks very much, Rosaliene. I do hope your situation is soon under control
I hope so, too, Derrick.
Our local plant nursery is currently closed, but they’re re-opening soon just for click & collect of compost. I’m looking forward to being able to browse again. Wonderful photos 🙂
Thanks very much, Nikki
I hope your garden center is able to reopen in March. Covid has been rough on many businesses. I am noticing stores here seem to be carrying fewer items that I used to buy. I am guessing there are supply chain issues.
I loved all the photos, especially that little porker! A young Gloucester Oldspot? He or she looks ready to muddy your trousers with that nose, Derrick. 🙂
Thanks very much, Lavinia. I took that photo from the car 🙂 I thought Gloucester Old Spot but Jackie thought it might be a cross with a smaller breed. Mostly we can buy what we need now.
Love all your cutie critters with their winter coats Derrick!
Thanks very much, Cindy
All good, Derrick. I especially enjoyed the photograph, as welll as the alliteration of your ‘somewhat sodden sward’.
Thanks very much, Roland 🙂
We are also looking forward to garden centres buzzing again – the only sort of ‘shopping’ that I like!
The ponies and pigs winter coats are just beautiful – and so different from more domesticated breeds.
I think winter is truly over now, though… and bright spring on the way 🙂
I think you are right about spring, Emma. Normally Jackie cannot pass a garden centre 🙂 Tanks very much.
I hope the garden center opens soon, Derrick. I had a feeling you’d be dining on Hordle Chinese Take Away this evening…it was about that time. 🙂
Yes. He is not open on Mondays. On Sunday we buy enough for two days. We are optimistic about the garden centre. Thanks very much, Jill.
Our Chinese restaurant is closed on Mondays as well. I wonder if there’s a reason for that?
I imagine so.
It looks like a nice garden center. I would like to have the frog-mail man please. 🙂
🙂 Thanks very much, Bridget. It is the best of ours for presents
Oh Goodness, I thought it was part of the garden center 🙂
I was surprised to see a garden centre open when I passed it on my bike ride today. I had assumed that they were shut like everything else
Our other centres are open. Perhaps a Mental Health necessity? Thanks a lot, Tootlepedal
I hope the garden centre recovers for the planned reopening. I think it’s time I made an effort and visited our local one.
We hope so, too, Sue. Good luck with your visit
Thank you, Derrick.
Thank you for the adorably shaggy ponies! At first glance the donkey profiled with the long ear looked like a unicorn 🙂 I like that pigs get to roam freely for a few months. It sounds like a good system. Hopefully the garden center will be open in March.
WE are hopeful about the garden centre. Thanks very much, JoAnna
Is the name of your wine pronounced like the opening words of Harry Belafonte’s Banana Boat Song???
https://www.howtopronounce.com/portuguese/vinho-do-dão – So I don’t think so 🙂 Thanks a lot, Yvonne
Another delightful post. Thank you, Derrick. I love the old wagon and that ring-nosed pig. I can just hear him “sploshing and snorting with glee”!!
Thank you, too, Jan. 🙂
I think all the garden centres will be open before Easter. Will be interesting to see how it effects the plants that are available
I think so, too, Gary. Thanks very much.
I love the escapee pig! I am sorry you local garden centre is closed; I hope they manage to re-open next month.
I think they will, Clare. They also have a vineyard and the farm shop. Thanks very much.
Good to know 😊
The abiding closures and the revellers of muddy lands have been recorded in excellent manner. What punishment now is in store for the the Pannage rebel? Could he be the Napoleon of Orwellian origin?
I like the Napoleon link, Uma. Thanks very much.
The closed garden centre is a sorry sight. It reminds me of those movie scenes when the family has fled the house with their half-eaten meal still on the table.
Yes. I expect they will bounce back. Thanks very much, Liz.
You’re welcome, Derrick. I get the sense that the garden centre has loyal customers.
Yes.
Yay for the pig!
He’s certainly having fun. Thanks very much, Laurie
I guess is difficult for business everywhere nowadays…😔
That little porker is quite muddy 🐽🐷 seems he’s really enjoying it 🐽
Thanks very much, Ribana. With his short legs he must have got under a gate somewhere
Many businesses have suffered here too but the government has had a financial assistance plan since mid last year. Those who lost their jobs where financially helped too as did us old pensioners. I think we receive another AU$250 very soon which I think will be the last if all goes well with the vaccines.
Thanks very much, Chrissy. We have similar schemes here.
🙂
That pig is so enjoying himself!
Absolutely 🙂 Thanks a lot, Sheree
😎
It’s such a pity that a garden centre has to close like that. Most businesses of that type do a lot to help people’s well-being because they sell them things to plant and then to look after, all the time taking their minds off the situation we are in.
Our other such centres are open. Thanks a lot, John
Shame about the garden centre.
They’ll be back. Thanks a lot, Andrew
At least the nursery will be opening back up. It’s so sad to see businesses going out of business because of the pandemic.
The donkeys and ponies must be happy to see the hogs eating all those poisonous acorns, a symbiotic relationship going on there, eh?!
Yes – symbiotic – but they do have arguments 🙂 Thanks very much, GP
The pony on the black and white photo looks like a unicorn. Any virgins around, to get closer to it?
Not many, I’d say. 🙂 In fact it is a donkey displaying an ear. Thanks very much, Dolly
A donkey unicorn? No wonder there are no virgins around; no self-respecting virgin would want to tame a donkey unicorn.
You are very welcome, Derrick.
🙂
The pig photo made me smile. Hopefully your favorite garden center can open up soon.
I’m sure it will, Mrs W. Thanks very much
Your welcome.
mmmm
chinese takeout sounds good
–
and that is sad to see the sign ticked away and i can only imagine how hard things are for those owners!
and happy bday to helen !
truly a gift when some conversation happens and it was not expected – even tho there are times to drop and run – other times the connecting is where it is at!
Thanks for these understanding comments, Yvette
😊
Roam free, Spotted Porker. 😀
Thanks very much, Widders. Oink, oink
Busy weekend for me…just now getting to leave some comments on WP!
HA! Love the spotted-piggy-freedom…OOH, maybe he’s “this little piggy went to market…” 😀
ALWAYS love your photos of the donkeys and ponies! 🐴 They give me such delight!
YAY for places reopening!
(((HUGS))) 🙂
Thanks very much for this when you have been so busy, Carolyn. X
PS…meant to add…Happy Birthday to Helen!!! 🙂
🙂
even though I’m in New Zealand, many retail and service businesses, have not survived. Some must have had very small margins or maybe they were already on the brink of closure – like small convenience and suburban mom and pop shops that sold small goods, confectionery, that forgotten bottle of milk and bread. And even though NZ got itself back on deck, every little move in our “lockdown levels” causes some other business to shut up shop. A big hardware and house decor shop is closing, 60 people losing their jobs…A number of large chains, decided that certain stores would close, I believe a lot of the money managers looked carefully at accounts at certain stores…is it worth reopening! And then too many people (me included) started shopping online.
the garden nursery/shop might also end up in the same predicament but that will depend on what else they had on their shelves, decorative doodads – nice pots and so forth. And whether they have the money to restock, market/advertise again … or if the usual buyer is still able to shop.
It’s such a tight market and life for everyone at the moment…even with some gov’t helpmates and so on.
That is a very sad scene for a country that was doing so well. Thank you very much for responding, Catherine.
We are still doing well, but maybe our population hadn’t realised we didn’t need quite as many storefronts … there have been a lot of new “small cottage industries start up” – usually via Internet – there are a few f/b pages that link to website helpmates. So many of the newbies talk about losing their job and deciding their hobby or similar is going to be their income …
https://chooice.co.nz/stores/
That is a fascinating link
Thank you very much, Marsha
Interesting shots – I wasn’t quite sure if you had set the camera to Black & White for some of them. 🙂
Believe it or not, I don’t know how not turn the camera to B/W. I do that in the computer. 🙂 I just did that with the donkey/unicorn on this one. Thanks a lot, Quercus
🙂 I really must learn how to alter photos in the computer. My photography is still very much point, shoot and be surprised when it turns out well.
I can only do it on my Mac because it offers the facility 🙂
🙂