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Today, shyly, a warm sun peeped periodically through the slow moving clouds, which released no rain. This gave an opportunity to wander around the garden to explore what has been happening whilst we have lurked inside.
The winter flowering cherry still has no idea that its season is over.
Views from the paths are enhanced by
continuing varieties of camellia,
daffodils,
hellebores,
and pansies.
Comparatively new arrivals are epimedium, honesty, comfrey, aubretia; and
wallflowers, blending with
euphorbia, that with its fly, like the alliums, attracts insects such as the bee and the tiny creature on the wing to the right of that.
This evening we enjoyed a second helping of Oliver’s Chinese takeaway, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank Ribera del Duero Camino Nuevo 2016
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In the garden this morning, envious of the attention given to the daffodils yesterday, many other plants clamoured to be photographed.
Readers may have noticed a hyacinth lurking among the daffodils. Here are a couple more, one seeking camouflage from the as yet uncleared autumn leaves.
Cowslips soar from the soil at the bottom of the back drive.
Along the beds there we have perennial wallflowers and primroses. That lady’s bedstraw will have to come out.
Alliums are beginning to proliferate,
and grape hyacinths are popping up.
Some bulbs, like these forcing their way through geraniums
or these from between patio stones, we cannot identify. The second, thanks to Rusty duck’s comment below, I can now say is Ipheion uniflorum. Geoff, thebikinggardener.com has added this information: ‘The first one – the pinkish one, is Chionodoxa ‘Pink Giant’ and the next one is Ipheion uniflorum as you say – although it has just had its name changed to Tristagma. (not just a minute ago)’
Some aubretia seem almost fluorescent.
The tiny clematis Cirrhosa now festoons the gazebo.
Jackie spent the morning clearing the garden beds, while I transferred the residue to the compost heaps.
Anyone who has followed this blog for the last two and a half years will know how invaluable Aaron, of A.P. Maintenance has been. He gets through a phenomenal amount of work on his regular Sunday morning visits. Today, for example, not only did he finish weeding the back drive, but he also
fixed the House sign into position at the front of the house
and pruned the crab apple trees in order to promote fruit for next winter’s blackbirds.
Jackie’s sign has now been switched to the other side of the entrance.
Ponies in the New Forest are normally to be seen fending for themselves. They are naked but for their own hair which generally lengthens during the winter; and they have to find their own food. Late in the afternoon, we drove out into the forest where, close to Linford, I spotted an equine group who appeared to be enjoying hotel facilities. They were all chomping away at a large hay bin, and one wore a rug. Like young children at the trough, more of the fodder landed on the floor than reached their stomachs.
The five-barred gate on which I leant to photograph the diners bore the sign for Newlands Farm. On our return home I Googled the farm. It was indeed a horse hotel of sorts. This is what their website has to say:
“Newlands offers you over 75 acres of well-managed grassland. We offer two types of grass livery care packages,with amazing riding from the farm gate directly onto the open New Forest , with no roadwork at all.
The farm is superbly located being less than 3 minutes from the market town of Ringwood yet set right within the New Forest National Park. The farm is run and situated alongside New Forest Livery and Training. Newlands is a professionally-managed farm providing superb grazing and care packages for your horse combined with access to superb outriding.
Grass Livery – Horses at grass are either :
– Visited regularly by their owners, or
– Retired/resting, ‘Owner-Away Option’, where owners visit less often, so we maintain the care.”
This evening we dined on Mr Chatty Man Chan’s Hordle Chinese Take Away’s delicious fare. I finished the Fleurie while Jackie drank sparkling water.
