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Late yesterday afternoon, Jackie created a new bed alongside the Head Gardener’s Walk on a piece of barren ground around the bases of holly and bay trees.
She earned her period in the Gardener’s Rest where she slaked her thirst with sparkling water
Having been held in a snarl up on the M27 for over an hour, Elizabeth’s friends Pauline and Jo were forced to abandon their visit to the garden. I therefore stepped out on their behalf.
I wandered along the Gazebo Path,
glancing to the left across to the Dragon Bed and the new wooden arch.
These, of course, are dahlia days. A white break has appeared among the petals of the single red one, and a hoverfly homes in on Puerto Rico.
Fuchsias like Mrs Popple continue to thrive.
These potted pansies have bloomed continuously since early spring.
Polish Spirit is just one example of the clematises that continue flowering.
Sculpture Florence stands proud on Fiveways.
Japanese anemones proliferate.
While I was at it, I picked some runner beans for tonight’s dinner.
A number of gladioli are pleased to be alive;
as are numerous petunias gracing hanging baskets.
Bees, like these milking bright blue heliotrope and blushing sedum, toil away, taking advantage of our Indian summer.
Love Knot and Margaret Merrill are just two of the roses basking in
the Rose Garden, where Absolutely Fabulous and Lady Emma Hamilton, in their maturity, are plumply alluring.
As I came to the end of my tour, Jackie arrived home with a garden centre trophy in the form of an ailing hydrangea. We have often seen how these bargains respond to her nurturing.
Jo sent Elizabeth a text showing her mother bearing the flowers that had been meant for us.
The timing was perfect, because we were sitting in the patio while we ate their cake.
This evening the three of us dined on Jackie’s delicious sausage casserole; swede mash, crunchy carrots, and the tender aforementioned runner beans. The Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden while Elizabeth and I finished the Malbec.