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This morning, after a brief time in our own garden where
The Head Gardener has been replenishing and planting the beds either side of the Heligan Path;
sunlight brightened the Star of India clematis on the Gothic Arch;
and another example was suspended from the prunus pissardi above the orange hawkweed,
Jackie drove us to Spinners Garden at Boldre. This small privately-owned garden has a fine collection of rare plants in its tranquil woodland setting
overlooking the Lymington Valley.
Jackie was immediately taken with the blue cranesbill geraniums along the drive.
Although past their best, the rhododendron and azalea shrubberies still had much to offer.
Paths off the entrance drive held much promise.
There were different varieties of lace cap hydrangea;
many different ferns;
well stocked flower beds,
including a cornus controverta Variegata, or wedding cake tree,
and schizostylis or, if you must, Kaffir lily.
Other cornuses were plentiful.
Splendid trees soared above the shrubberies, where
camellia fruit pods glistened;
and in the shadier areas leaves of brunnera
and acer formed intriguing patterns.
Steps led up to the highest level,
where rodgersia shared their bed with wild orchids,
and white azaleas bore occasional signs of pink parentage.
Fed by a man-made stream
at a lower level lies a lily pond spanned by a wooden bridge.
Irises rise from the margins,
and damselflies and water boatmen flit around the lily pads.
From the cabin where we could buy tea and coffee, we watched gulls mobbing a tractor digging out soil to create a lake for a neighbour further down the slopes.
Aquilegias waved us farewell as we walked back to the car.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s delicious chicken jalfrezi, boiled rice, and parathas, followed by Helen’s sublime lime and ginger cheesecake.