Ramblings
Fundamentally following the development of the Old Post House garden in our time
A brief walk around the garden today featured
a variety of pink and red camellias, a daffodil, several hellebores and Daphne Odoratas.
This evening we all dined on KFC bargain buckets, sides, and fries, with which I drank Héritages Châteauneuf-du- Pape 2021.
On a digit-tingling icy cold morning, where the surface of every water container reflected bright sunshine
I took a brief walk around the garden where the seed heads of cordyline Australis accompanied new buds of rhododendrons;
resilient ornamental grasses vied with spent hydrangeas;
columns of shadows including those of a stout rose stem on the orange shed door and a string of small watering cans against the kitchen wall decorated flat areas.
Lichen lingered on sculptures of Summer and Autumn somewhat out of season.
This evening we all dined on spicy piri-piri chicken and Jackie’s savoury rice with which she finished the sauvignon blanc and I finished the cabernet carménère.
After lunch, tempted into the garden by the sunshine, still keeping ice
in containers like this pot saucer, fingers tingling, I took a brief walk around with my camera.
Many of the camellias were either in bloom or bud,
while the Japanese anemones bore seed pods apparently investigated by spiders.
Backlit cordyline Australis bore drips of precipitation.
The Gazebo bore the clematis Cirrhosa “Freckles”.
The dead stumps along the Back Drive and sculpture Florence were picked up in sidelight.
Later, I dozed through the first two episodes of Lucy Worsley’s Russian Romanovs.
This evening we all dined on tempura, and hot and spicy, prawns; tempura vegetables and spring rolls on Jackie’s colourful vegetable rice, with which I drank more of the shiraz and the Culinary Queen drank Mezquiriz Rosado 2023
This morning I enjoyed another eminently endurable chiropractic session with Eloise.
Storm Henk was beginning to calm today. There was less rain and quieter gusts of wind as Martin was able to work throughout.
He sawed up the trunk of the overgrown pittosporum, lopped the branches which he carried to the Back Drive, cut them into pieces with which he filled more of the spent compost bags and carried all to the front end of the garden nearest our parked car, whence we will be able to transport them in several trips to the Efford Recycling Centre. A crushed chair which had borne potted plants joined other scrap metal – also destined for the dump – behind the shed.
We have kept a close eye on the Weeping Birch which remains standing – at least for the time being.
This evening we all dined on Ferndene Farm Shop’s succulent sausages; creamy mashed sweet and white potatoes; crunchy carrots; firm cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussel’s sprouts; and meaty gravy, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank Valle Central Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon 2022.
A number of blooms linger in our garden.
Here are a bunch of roses – in order Super Elfin, Lady Emma Hamilton, For your Eyes Only, Red Carpet Rose, and Pink Climber
This evening we all dined on roast lamb, Yorkshire pudding, boiled potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, runner and green beans with which I drank the last of the Shiraz and Ian and Dillon drank Moretti.
With the overnight gale force winds of Storm Pia still raging around the garden
this fallen planted pot was the least of the damage inflicted.
I have previously featured a pittosporum allowed by our predecessors to grow into a tree. This has now come crashing down
crushing an arch spanning the Dead End Path, and no doubt destroying hanging baskets which we can no longer see,
because the upper branches and their foliage now block the path.
This brings me to the Weeping Birch which lost all its leaves in the very hot summer spell, and looked vulnerable as its now naked limbs groped quivering in the gusts.
This evening we all dined on Jackie’s classic cottage pie with a sautéed potato topping; crunchy carrots, and firm Brussels sprouts, with which she drank Peroni and I drank Chilean Valle Central Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
This afternoon, before another encouraging Chiropractic session with Eloise, I wandered around the garden in the sunshine.
This winter flowering cherry was to be expected, but the Welsh poppies were a surprise. I thought it best to leave a few seedheads.
Numerous bidens and Roxanne geraniums seem to be continuing for ever.
Light shone through leaves such as viburnum plicatum, Japanese maple,
and Cordyline Australis;
throwing shadows on the Brick Path, Florence sculpture, and the trunk of the copper beech tree.
Holly berries, hebes and viburnum shared the season.
Roses Festive Jewel, Kent, Doris Tysterman, and Super Elfin are hanging on for Christmas.
This evening we all dined on tasty baked gammon; piquant cauliflower and broccoli cheese, tender green beans and mangetouts; and what I grew up knowing as macaroni cheese which I gather is now Mac and cheese, with which I finished the Fitou and Jackie drank Diet Pepsi.
On third successive day largely overcast but cooler I took a walk round the garden to see what I could find.
Trees were silhouetted against the midday sky, while birds flew overhead.
A few flattened limp leaves had succumbed to the cold.
Apart from the winter flowering Cirrhosa clematis “Freckles”, enjoying a brief moment of sunlight,
the nearest to prolific flowers was represented by the increasing lichen on the Nottingham Castle bench.
The peach climbing rose photographed a couple of days ago is past its peak but has a few buds waiting to take its place; the pink Generous Gardener bravely persists, as do yellow Absolutely Fabulous, Festive Jewel, and another pale pink climber.
In addition we have pansy-like violas, out of season hebes, bacopas, penstemon, and hydrangeas.
This evening we all dined on second helpings of last night’s Chinese takeaway meal with added spare ribs. Jackie drank more of the White Zinfandel, and I finished the Carménère.
Today was warmer, wetter, and with alleged sunny intervals.
Raindrops clung to the windows;
moody skies suppressed the sun.
I ventured no further outside than to photograph this pink rambler overlooking the patio.
Later, I began reading “My Early Life” by Winston S. Churchill.
This evening we dined on chicken Kiev, chips, and Ratatouille with which Jackie drank Blossom Hill White Zinfandel 2022 and I drank Carménère Reserva Privada 2022
Much of the day was spent on various pressing administrative tasks; however I did have a walk around the garden during the cool, bright, sunny morning, which turned out to be the most conducive to photography as the afternoon became more overcast.
As can be seen by the filled water fountain on which Jattie’s sculpture, attracting a butterfly rests, there had been no overnight frost.
Antirrhinums, penstemon, and ornamental grasses still stand proud;
winter flowering clematis Cirrhosa “Freckles” claims its season;
sunlight pinpricks the Gazebo Path and penetrates the west fence;
lights the leaves of Japanese maples clinging to the trees and lying across the lawn while some in shadow blend with the rusting top of the patio table; and those of the New Zealand flax, speckled laurel, and the last remaining suspended from the copper beech.
This evening we all dined on Red Chilli’s excellent takeaway fare with which Jackie finished the Pinot Grigio and I drank more of La P’tite Pierre.