SPOILER ALERT! Don’t read to the end if you are watching the rugby recorded.
This morning Jackie weeded and planted chrysanthemums in the front garden, whilst I dug out the remaining roots of the ficus in preparation for planting the pansies.
In the event, a heavy thunderstorm ruled out putting the pansies to bed. They were therefore plonked in their trays. Even though the rain ceased, enabling us to finalise the preparation and wander round the garden, the soil was far too muddy.
The sun emerged for a while. The rain ceased, but continued to drip from the trees and the shrubbery. Battered blooms bore watery blisters.
These included geraniums;
Ginger lilies;
roses unknown,
Altissimo,
and the leaves of Deep Secret;
dahlia Bishop of Llandaff;
sweet peas;
and verbena to name a few.
Echinaceas and chrysanthemums, and others in Elizabeth’s Bed have been well watered.
Here are views down the Dead End Path;
across the New Bed to the Brick Path;
and across the Heligan Path.
Our dinner this evening, consisting of Jackie’s superb chicken jalfrezi and pilau rice, was taken on trays on our knees, as we watched the opening match in the rugby World Cup, in which England beat Fiji by 35 points to 11. I drank more of the malbec while Jackie drank Hoegaarden. I didn’t spill too much curry down my sweatshirt.