As I sit at my computer early in the morning reading regular WP posts, I am treated to
the gently swaying delights of Stargazer lilies and fuchsia Delta’s Sarah in the front garden.
Unidentified lilies graced the dragon bed where,
observed by a basking ladybird,
I dug holes for two more roses set to climb the Head Gardener’s recently purchased arch. Hopefully they will soon rival the runner beans in the Palm Bed.
A trip to the compost bins revealed dahlias and a fuchsia blending nicely in the New Bed alongside what I think is a Meadow Brown butterfly drinking from a verbena bonariensis.
This afternoon we drove to Bisterne Close to deliver the print made yesterday and enjoyed a conversation with Jan and Steve.
Afterwards we turned into Forest Road where
this pony produced a natural silhouette.
Passing sunlit bracken by the roadside,
I followed a pair of grey ponies into
the more major Ringwood Road where they joined a group of cousins in exercising their right over the traffic leaving and entering Burley.
This evening we dined on tasty baked gammon; crisp roast potatoes; cheesy macaroni pie; crunchy carrots and broccoli; and tender runner beans with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Carles.
Beautiful photos as always 🙂
Thank you very much, Lisa.
What a lovely outlook first thing in the morning 😊
Thanks very much, Sandra.
The live ladybug resembles the toy ones featured in one of your previous posts so much that at first I mistook it for one. Of course, it’s the other way around; the toy ones are eerily realistic.
The ponies do own the road, don’t they – good for them!
Thanks very much, Dolly. You are right about both the ladybugs and the ponies.
You are very welcome, Derrick. It’s nice to be right once in a while.
🙂
Lately you’ve had horses everywhere – doesn’t get any better than that!
Jackie, I have two lilies plants in my garden, but they refuse to bloom – what’s the matter with them? The plant itself looks healthy.
Thanks very much, GP. Jackie says she would need much more information – could be soil, etc.
Not sure GP but are they too wet, or too dry? could be too shady as well. I have one or two that do the same thing, they are in pots and get too dry when they should be making flowers, I must move them now you have reminded me!
I think they may be too shady now that you mention it. Thank you, Jackie.
The backlit bracken looks particularly lovely.
Thanks very much, Anne.
I love the ladybug shot!
Thanks very much, Jill.
Ladybirds are rare around here, it’s a treat to see the real and faux in your garden recently. And I was relieved to find the post title was referring to the ponies rather than any local numpties 😀
🙂 I’m pleased you weren’t totally misled by the title, Pauline. Thanks very much.
Oh those ponies 💛🖤🤍 having a sunny summery day tie-dying ☺️🙋♀️ smiles Hedy
Thank you very much, Hedy 🙂
As you know I love lillies – thank you!
🙂 I’m pleased, Sheree. And thanks to you.
And, of course, Sheree, you named them for me. 🙂
It looks so idyllic, like a place from the past.
That’s pretty much how it is, Bridget. Thanks very much.
Your garden dear Derrick is a wealth of colour no matter what time of day you point your lens in its direction.. Loved the lilies and Fuchsias and those runner beans I spied soon will be growing beautiful veggies for Jackie’s Delicious meals..
Sending Well wishes your way Derrick.. and the horses always delight me. <3 🙂
Your well wishes reciprocated, Sue. Thanks very much X.
😃
Stunning photography sir.
Thanks very much, Gary.
Your gorgeous photo of the fuchsia, Delta Sarah, has prompt me to purchase one, at my next visit to the nursery.
They really flourish here, Ivor. Thanks very much.
I shall give them a go in my little courtyard
Lovely to see the ladybug and the little “flutter-by”. Joy-bringers! 🙂
Your fuchsia and your lilies are gorgeous! Both fav flowers of mine! 🙂
The pony silhouette is so wonderful! 🙂
And I applaud the parade of ponies for exercising their right. 🙂
Someday those beans will run right toward your dinner plates! 😉
HUGS!!! 🙂
Thank you so much for your usual witty and fun set of comments, Carolyn.
You’re welcome!
The lilies are stunning, but so many beautiful photos. That’s so funny about the ponies and the traffic circle. 😀
Thank you very much, Merril.
Love the stargazers
Me too, Maria. Thank you very much.
I had to look up ‘gammon.’ Once I did, it reminded me of the 1920s-1930s term for the particularly attractive legs of movie stars or women who starred in pulp crime novels: ‘gams.’ I wondered if the terms were related, and sure enough, they are. The estimable Online Etymology Dictionary says this about the source of ‘gams’: “probably a variant of the heraldic term ‘gamb,’ which denotes a charge representing an animal’s leg, from Old Northern French gambe — ‘leg’.”
Thanks a lot for this, Linda.
The Stargazer lilies are divine!
Thank you very much, Liz. You can see I think so.
🙂
It is interesting to see so many horses on roads. What is the attraction for them? Do people feed them?
They have ancient right of way in the New Forest. Feeding is not recommended, because it may do them harm and they may bite. They graze freely all day – you may have spotted one of these tearing leaves from an overhead shrub. Thanks a lot, Tootlepedal.
Your Stargazer lilies are a delight for my eyes that look out onto a roadway that’s not as busy as it once was. Definitely no horses in sight in my neighborhood 🙂
Thanks very much, Rosaliene. Our traffic is pretty much back to normal, so we are hoping all will be well.
Love those those Stargazers. I attempted twice to grow some but they always die on me.
Bad luck, Arlene. Thanks very much.
Beautiful ponies and lily close ups!
Thanks very much, JoAnna.
i may look like a broken record here, but i’m always in awe at the beauty of your garden. the stargazer lilies look divine! and the ponies are always delightful! thank you! 🙂
And thank you, Lola. Much appreciated.
Really nice silhouette!
Thanks very much, Laurie. I’m pleased you liked it.
Apart from the flowers, your post is loaded with horsepower. How I have come to envy those ponies! The natural silhouette of the dark horse is a striking image.
I’m pleased you liked that one, Uma. Thanks very much.
I so enjoy seeing those ponies roam free and graze wherever the fancy takes.
I was trying to imagine what it would be like here, a little further down the lane where the houses begin, the residents would be furious. The cottage up the lane from us (next door) has a cattle grid at the start of their driveway. They put it in as soon as they bought the cottage to prevent the dairy cows from becoming sidetracked on their way up the lane for milking.
Thanks very much, Sue. Each house in the forest has a cattle grid either at each end of their lane or outside the house itself.
I think that those are the same sort of lilies that my wife has been growing. Look out though, for the little beetles (I think that that is one on the white lily). They are most definitely the enemy!
Well spotted, John. I didn’t see the beetle until I got the picture on screen. Have alerted the Head Gardener. Thanks very much.
Hahaha…they really don’t care about the cars…🤪
And what a wonderful treatment 😉🌸
Thanks very much, Ribana
Those lilies are very beautiful, Derrick and Jackie. The flowers and gardens of summer on fine day! I will have to try runner beans next year. Our black creaseback string beans have grown tall enough to flower now, their blooms a delicate shade of purple.
I love the forest drives, and ponies, as always.
Thank you so much, Lavinia. We grow our beans for the flowers – and eat them, too 🙂
Some lovely macros.
Talking about roads, sharing is caring 😂
Quite so, Rupali. Thank you very much.
In the Victorian garden runner beans were grown for their flowers rather than their beans.
Bracken photo was truly awesome (not just “awesomw” in the devalued modern sense). I just looked at it and stared and went “Ah!”
🙂 Thanks a lot, Quercus