Yesterday’s winds were not quite as bad as expected, but they persisted today, amid sunny spells. The Head Gardener carried out more pruning, clipping, and tidying, with minimal assistance from me.
After lunch I wandered around with my camera.
Here is a selection of our white flowers, comprising Marguerites, cosmos, dahlias. Japanese anemones, and petunias.
Begonias come in varying colours, shapes and sizes.
as, of course, do the dahlias.
The pale peach and the yellow Summer Time climbers flower throughout the season.
Hues of hydrangeas and lilies, including hemerocallis are also numerous.
Crocosmia, including Lucifer, towering in the Palm Bed, and the more orange one against the red Japanese maple in the Pond Bed send up flickering flames signifying different heats.
Despite the winds of this unusual August, we still enjoy the exuberance of Nature’s painter’s palette.
I then scanned the next four of Charles Keeping’s skilfully sensitive illustrations to Dickens’s ‘David Copperfield’
‘I lay my face upon the pillow by her, and she looks into my eyes, and speaks very softly’
‘Standing by the building was a plain hearse’
‘The ship rolled and beat with a violence quite inconceivable’
‘ ‘I will speak!’ she said, turning on me with her lightning eyes’
Shortly before dinner, I posted https://derrickjknight.com/2021/08/09/a-second-revolution/
The delicious meal consisted of roast chicken thighs; crisp Yorkshire pudding and fried potatoes; herby sage and onion stuffing; crunchy carrots and cauliflower; with thick, meaty, gravy. We each drank more of our rosé and red wines respectively.
Yet another gorgeous gallery of garden photos
Thank you very much, Sheree
More beautiful garden photos, Derrick! My mother’s name is Dora. ❤️
That is a happy coincidence, John. Thanks very much
The garden photos are stunning! I love color, but the gallery of white blossoms stood out for me today.
I liked winds of August.
Thanks very much, Merril. The whole colour theme began with the whites. And the Winds was a nod to Barbara Tuchman’s Guns.
I thought of Tuchman, but I wasn’t certain if that’s what you were nodding at. 😏
I felt a bit awkward telling you because I expected you to get it 🙂
No worries. I’m pleased I did 😀
🙂 So am I
Exuberance indeed — the whites are gorgeous, but then so are all the others! I hope the winds are settling down now.
They seem to have come to an end, Janet. Thanks very much
Nature’s palette is at its best in your garden, Derrick.
Thanks very much, Sue
Excellent photos yet again. Glad the wind wasn’t as bad as expected.
Thanks a lot, Quercus
Jackie certainly doesn’t allow any grass to grow under her feet! Gorgeous shots today, Derrick.
This made us laugh, Jill. Thanks very much.
Your garden is looking lovely. Mrs T looked at ours today and said sadly, “It’s going over, isn’t it.”
Your photographs still make it alive. Thanks a lot, Tootlepedal
The sad, but gentle tranquility of the first illustrations, emphasized by flowing horizontal lines of Dora’s hair repeated in the folds of bed cover, is a stark contrast to the stormy third illustration. ‘Lightning eyes’ are depicting through eyebrows, as well as the reaction of the listener; Mr Keeping is certainly a master of showing emotions through listeners’ reaction.
He is, indeed. As you know, I just scan these in the order in which they appear, but I thought this a pretty stunning set of variations. Thanks very much, Dolly
I do realize that you follow the order of appearance, and I keep marveling at Mr Keeping’s range and technique.
My pleasure, Derrick.
🙂 You are very welcome
I love hydrangeas and lilies. Unfortunately, my little garden wouldn’t cope. At least I can view them in your photos. Beautiful.
Yes. I guess you have to keep down the size of your plants – as Jackie did in London. Thanks a lot, Chrissy
Despite the winds, the flowers turn their beautiful faces to the sun ready for you to take their portraits! What gorgeous colours and shapes their faces are! 🙂 The dragon bed is lovely! 🙂 I always enjoy seeing Florence! 🙂
As always, Mr. Keeping’s illustrations fascinate me! I pour over them trying to take in every detail…the buttons, the lace, the wood, the books, the horse’s hair, etc. He created such amazing textures AND emotions in his work!
(((HUGS))) 🙂
Thank you very much for such attention to both elements of the post, Carolyn X
Hydrangeas made me happy. I just watched a feature story on a Sunday morning news program about the hydrangeas of Cape Cod in the northeast part of the US. I hope to visit there one day.
Thanks a lot, Leslie
Wow, the garden has outdone herself today with her floral finery!!
Thank you very much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Stunning. A real lift.
I’m pleased, Gary. Thanks very much
Looking at the shady path to the house, and all the other paths, I imagine skipping around them to rest on a bench and admire the beautiful colors with Florence.
Such a happy image, JoAnna. 🙂 Thank you for it
Happy wandering and captures Derrick!
Thanks very much, Val
I do believe that there is considerable justification in renaming your blog to “After lunch I wandered around with my camera.” 💐🌸🌼🌹🌻🌺
🙂 Thanks a lot, John
A fearsome and frenetic atmosphere created within Keeping’s drawing (724) which superbly captured the wind and waves violence, as described by Dickens words …
Absolutely, Ivor. Thanks very much
gorgeous blooms!
Thanks very much, Lola
Lovely photos as always, Derrick. I am thinking of adding some dahlias to our yard next year. Are they quite hearty? It seems our yard is either hot and lots of full sun or cooler and total shade.
They are very hearty, and like heat and full sun – not much shade. Strictly, we should lift the tubers and store them inside over winter, but neither Jackie nor I have ever done it – especially here in the south. Thanks very much, AnneMarie
Thank you, Derrick. We would definitely be have to bring the tubers inside. I don’t know how anything survives our winters.
My mother in law always stored them on sheets of newspaper indoors
I remember my mother doing that with some bulbs! Thank you, Derrick.
Today’s flowers look exceptionally gorgeous. The framing of photos has the touch of the connoisseur. The sections from David Copperfield are the ones that touched me the deepest when I read the classic first, or so I remember — it was eons ago!
Thank you so much my eloquent friend, Uma
The flowers are popping off my screen!!!
A true poet’s response, Luanne. Thank you very much
There is such a variety of colour in your garden that I enjoyed seeing the gallery of white flowers too.
Thank you very much, Anne. I took the opportunity of the diffused light to bring out the whites.
The shipwreck is superb, one of his best, definitely
I agree. He has so many of his best, John. Thanks very much
The garden looks wonderful in spite of the winds.
Thank very much, Andrew
Your garden is the rest for the eyes and soul! Wonderful!
Thank you so much, Alexander
Rain or wind the garden looks absolutely beautiful 🌸🌱🌼
Thank you so much, Ribana
waves and smiles.. always a pleasure..
🙂
More gorgeous garden photos! Your flowers have happily survived the winds very well. 🙂
Thanks very much, Sylvia
Even with the wind your garden shows beauty.
Thank you so much, Mrs W
Your welcome.
A beautiful assortment of floral photos, Derrick and Jackie! And I am still enjoying Charles Keeping’s illustrations.
Thank you so much, Lavinia, from us both
More than wonderful post
Thanks very much, Mina
Welcome
https://youtu.be/Ln67TY0qd0A
A tip of the trowel to you, Derrick! Those white flower photos are nothing short of splendid. I know all too well how hard it is to get a good photo of a white flower. All too often, blow out. At least for me and my wee camera. Anyway, yours are wonderful.
That is normally the same for me. Diffused light is the answer. Thanks very much, Laurie
When it comes to nature shots, it’s all in the lighting!
Yes
Such beautiful photos!