World Bee Day we saw the beekeepers extraordinaire tend to their bees -our pollinators .Dragonflies skirted over the ponds and we mourned the lotus flower blooming that had ended in the glasshouses full of extraordinary orchids now astonishing us with their colours .
Botanical gardens offering their treasure everyday a new one said the gardener 🌱🍃🌿
Peony Sarah Bernhardt is oh-so-slowly unfurling her tight football buds. One day the tiniest frill breaks the smooth globular surface; later individual petals emerge; finally the whole flower explodes in its full ballerina-skirt beauty.
It’s been my “bad” week of side effects ( really awful) especially food tasting terrible, sore mouth and tummy upsets so not feeling up to much at all - but there have been joys nevertheless. A bumper year of my Gertrude Jekyll rose which had grown huge and flowered her socks off, filling the back garden with scent and beauty. Finally my very delayed runner bean plants arrived from the supplier so I could finish planting my raised bed with them, courgettes and a cucumber. Herbs too. My sweet peas are shooting up and look healthy. My feeble attempts to keep my gardening vibe up almost falter at times but I’m determined! Lots of sitting out in the back garden and front courtyard in the sun, dozing and reading to balance the effort!
Let the garden nurture you Sue. It will be ok with or without your input. (My mantra this year.) To that end, I can thoroughly recommend a recent book: To stand and stare, how to garden whilst doing almost nothing, by Anthony Timothy O Brian. A beautiful and brilliant read, but also hugely reassuring when energy is limited. Enjoy the 'other weeks.' Lots of love. X
Oh Wendy what beautiful and wise advice - you are right! Whatever I manage is really therapy for me - and the garden will do ok whatever. I’ll look for that book right now - thank you , you are so kind. I hope you are ok and enjoying your garden too. Lots of love dear xxx
I know! My garden in Wooler is the best it’s ever looked - I do have someone going in every week to weed and trim - but still, I’m not even there and it’s looking gorgeous!
We’re in Berlin this week. I’ve never been here before and I’ve found it very hard to take in. However, there’s the lovely scent of lime blossom all over the place, there are preparations for the Euros starting next week, including an enormous ‘goal’ as a fantastic centrepiece for the fan zone at Brandenburg Gate. And the incredibly beautiful Tiergarten Park, with nightingales singing in the middle of the day (I did three Merlin recordings to check - I thought they sang at night??), hooded crows shouting and generally making their presence felt and miles of paths through the trees.
I used to visit Berlin before reunification, my sister has lived there since the 70’s. I guiltily think it was much more stylish and interesting when it was ‘land-locked’. Now it just feels like Brighton. The parks are beautiful though and how magical to hear a nightingale x
Freshly-cut rhubarb from my backyard, simmered with bright strawberries from the market and served over vanilla ice cream evokes rich memories of other gardens, other Junes. My heart smiled when my five-year-old grandson pronounced it good.
Swimming twice a day while adjusting to the summer heat in the tropics. Lazing about poolside, amongst pines and palms, watching clouds glide by, billowing and swirling as they go.
The garden blooms regardless of intermittent sunshine. The roses are glorious this year, and it is the moment for the ramblers to take centre stage, scrambling and tumbling over shed, fence and into treetops. Peonies beginning to pop too.
I’ve been out in the evenings this week. A cheap ticket for the National Theatre, on the way back soaking up the river view over Waterloo Bridge loving the mild weather and bright lights and missing the bus. An evening jump lesson outside in the sun and long shadows on the way back, so peaceful.
Despite having a vicious early summer head cold, the week was full of joys:
*Hearing the high school marching band across the street put on a cheerful concert on the last day of school as I was baking in the kitchen;
*the drone of seaplane overhead, heading to nearby island, a sound only heard in summer;
*my alpine strawberries - beloved of Thomas Jefferson - flowering, and bees buzzing around the flowers - soon will have tiny strawberries for breakfast!
*Harvesting lemon balm and peppermint for evening tisane with local honey;
This week I noticed the first pear growing on our pear tree, honeysuckle smelling divine, strawberries in bud and hopefully we can enjoy them this year before the squirrels do. And delicious raspberries and nectarines for breakfast. New potatoes and asparagus for dinner, can be tricky to source more seasonal foods well worth it though.
It’s been exam week for my 17 year old this week, so there’s been tension, and arguing with her sister and exhaustion. I am supporting by forcing evening fresh air and walks up on the moors, the meadow pipits in full voice now amongst the cotton grass.
World Bee Day we saw the beekeepers extraordinaire tend to their bees -our pollinators .Dragonflies skirted over the ponds and we mourned the lotus flower blooming that had ended in the glasshouses full of extraordinary orchids now astonishing us with their colours .
Botanical gardens offering their treasure everyday a new one said the gardener 🌱🍃🌿
Peonies are really starting to open up here! I don’t have any but have been loving admiring my neighbors’ on walks.
I do love the peonies, though they are harder to find here in Northern California!
Peony Sarah Bernhardt is oh-so-slowly unfurling her tight football buds. One day the tiniest frill breaks the smooth globular surface; later individual petals emerge; finally the whole flower explodes in its full ballerina-skirt beauty.
Crouching down to peer inside the foxgloves - dappled fairy beauties.
There's been some sun, and have appreciated the deep green canopy of tree shade in contrast.
I planted Philadelphus 'Belle Etoile' last autumn. It is now in flower with white open blooms and a heavenly scent.
Oh that’s a lovely plant! We’ve had one over 20 years in our garden, planted to flower around my son’s birthday.
It’s been my “bad” week of side effects ( really awful) especially food tasting terrible, sore mouth and tummy upsets so not feeling up to much at all - but there have been joys nevertheless. A bumper year of my Gertrude Jekyll rose which had grown huge and flowered her socks off, filling the back garden with scent and beauty. Finally my very delayed runner bean plants arrived from the supplier so I could finish planting my raised bed with them, courgettes and a cucumber. Herbs too. My sweet peas are shooting up and look healthy. My feeble attempts to keep my gardening vibe up almost falter at times but I’m determined! Lots of sitting out in the back garden and front courtyard in the sun, dozing and reading to balance the effort!
Let the garden nurture you Sue. It will be ok with or without your input. (My mantra this year.) To that end, I can thoroughly recommend a recent book: To stand and stare, how to garden whilst doing almost nothing, by Anthony Timothy O Brian. A beautiful and brilliant read, but also hugely reassuring when energy is limited. Enjoy the 'other weeks.' Lots of love. X
Oh Wendy what beautiful and wise advice - you are right! Whatever I manage is really therapy for me - and the garden will do ok whatever. I’ll look for that book right now - thank you , you are so kind. I hope you are ok and enjoying your garden too. Lots of love dear xxx
Thanks Sue. I am - it's so abundant with all the rain - hilariously I think it might be looking the best it ever has - without my intervention!
I know! My garden in Wooler is the best it’s ever looked - I do have someone going in every week to weed and trim - but still, I’m not even there and it’s looking gorgeous!
I agree, Wendy. A beautiful book - I’ve never read anything quite like it. He’s wonderful to follow on Instagram too.
I actually listened to it on audiobook Anne. Great voice - and agreed - lovely Instagram. A podcast too - Gardens, weeds and words.
Sending you well wishes during your treatment Sue. I’ve got a Gertrude Jekyll rose 🌹 too! Xxx
Those roses sound gorgeous Sue! Those gardening attempts are certainly not feeble. And you can’t beat a doze in the sun x
One courgette plant is going for it, while the others languish in indecision.
The fluttering of the poplar leaves has leapt into focus since I got my first cataract done yesterday,
along with the sudden appearance of a high definition garden, esp the roses! what depth they hold!
Enjoy the new views Mo. X
Thank you! x
Congratulations on your surgery and the resulting clarity of vision! 'Tis the perfect season for it.
Thank you! It's all a bit bright, needing sunglasses in the house! Really enjoying seeing my friends the sparrows again.
We’re in Berlin this week. I’ve never been here before and I’ve found it very hard to take in. However, there’s the lovely scent of lime blossom all over the place, there are preparations for the Euros starting next week, including an enormous ‘goal’ as a fantastic centrepiece for the fan zone at Brandenburg Gate. And the incredibly beautiful Tiergarten Park, with nightingales singing in the middle of the day (I did three Merlin recordings to check - I thought they sang at night??), hooded crows shouting and generally making their presence felt and miles of paths through the trees.
I used to visit Berlin before reunification, my sister has lived there since the 70’s. I guiltily think it was much more stylish and interesting when it was ‘land-locked’. Now it just feels like Brighton. The parks are beautiful though and how magical to hear a nightingale x
Sounds amazing Anne! Isn’t there a walk called Unter den Linden?
Yes there is and they’re all over the city too.
Freshly-cut rhubarb from my backyard, simmered with bright strawberries from the market and served over vanilla ice cream evokes rich memories of other gardens, other Junes. My heart smiled when my five-year-old grandson pronounced it good.
Swimming twice a day while adjusting to the summer heat in the tropics. Lazing about poolside, amongst pines and palms, watching clouds glide by, billowing and swirling as they go.
The garden blooms regardless of intermittent sunshine. The roses are glorious this year, and it is the moment for the ramblers to take centre stage, scrambling and tumbling over shed, fence and into treetops. Peonies beginning to pop too.
I’ve been out in the evenings this week. A cheap ticket for the National Theatre, on the way back soaking up the river view over Waterloo Bridge loving the mild weather and bright lights and missing the bus. An evening jump lesson outside in the sun and long shadows on the way back, so peaceful.
Despite having a vicious early summer head cold, the week was full of joys:
*Hearing the high school marching band across the street put on a cheerful concert on the last day of school as I was baking in the kitchen;
*the drone of seaplane overhead, heading to nearby island, a sound only heard in summer;
*my alpine strawberries - beloved of Thomas Jefferson - flowering, and bees buzzing around the flowers - soon will have tiny strawberries for breakfast!
*Harvesting lemon balm and peppermint for evening tisane with local honey;
*vegetable garden completely in!
A lovely portrait of the start of summer
So many things to celebrate!
This week I noticed the first pear growing on our pear tree, honeysuckle smelling divine, strawberries in bud and hopefully we can enjoy them this year before the squirrels do. And delicious raspberries and nectarines for breakfast. New potatoes and asparagus for dinner, can be tricky to source more seasonal foods well worth it though.
It’s been exam week for my 17 year old this week, so there’s been tension, and arguing with her sister and exhaustion. I am supporting by forcing evening fresh air and walks up on the moors, the meadow pipits in full voice now amongst the cotton grass.