What do you think.....

I sat in the copse watching her........she was playing in the meadow grass......

She slowly climbed to the top of the grass, and then would tumble on to the meadow floor.........

She munched and chomped on the grasses, enjoying the moment......totally unaware that she is one of the most disliked creatures on the planet.......a baby rat. As I watched, I almost pitied her.......she would not be around for long. We cannot let rats get out of control.......for this moment she is safe. She hides in the copse.......

but she will be tempted to venture out to pastures new.......meadow flowers are tastier than grasses.........
I am not the only one who has been watching her.....Nella looks through the fence.......she has learned patience.....she has learned to wait......

the only comfort I have is that Nella is swift......she does not play with her prey.........she has been trained well, she leaves her catch alone........her job is done......

Tell me gentle bloggers what are your views on this subject??

Sunday safari

When I started this border on a cold autumn day....I asked myself, why?

Taking up the grass....adding top soil....wet, cold, and tired....I asked myself, why?

Then a day, like today, arrives......rain overnight had perked everything up.....

and me, I walk in beauty.......

For every moment I have given to the garden......

Nature gives back so much more.....

She lifts me high, and I understand why I am here......

Wildlife, for me, is a passion. It charms and delights me.....

and brings softness to my life......

It heals my tired mind....and makes the day brighter......

Did you know that you can talk to bees......and yes, they do listen.......
Even this tiny rat did not bother me today....she seems to like the mushroom compost. Nella will find her, she has taken many......that is her job. I am learning to accept the ways of the countryside. For me, it has not been an easy road......but I am getting there. I have so enjoyed this day....to see more butterflies is something I have been aiming for.......now what can I do this autumn??

Unexpected visitor......

She does not visit very often and is totally unpredictable.....

She stands out in a crowd and loves to be the centre of attention.....

She would look even more beautiful amongst lilac and pale pink......

but she has a mind of her own....if she chooses yellows and whites, so be it.....

I tolerate her moods.....I have not seen her for two years.......

I give you, the black peony poppy. She will last but a day.........fleeting she will be.......but a treasure none the less........

Hot and sticky.......

The garden is dry.......so very dry.......

I try not to water beds and borders........

unless the plants are beginning to wilt......

Mr P and I went to the Mushroom Farm today.......we took the trailer.......and collected some compost. It smells of woodland.....I am a compost sort of girl.....

When it rains I shall add it to the garden......

I am hoping one day my heavy clay soil will be a little lighter.......

Well I can dream, can't I?

Some of the plants that you see, I grew from seed in the greenhouse.....

I really love corn marigolds...... they seem to bloom forever......

I shall grow even more next year........it is the cheaper option and such a lot of fun......

Poppi is going to have her own little border........she will choose the plants......

She has a lot of thinking to do........I have a feeling there will be a lot of pink in my garden next year!!

Sunday safari

It is hot......the temperature is rising......

We have a heatwave on the way.........

The bugs are busy...........

Hoverflies are enjoying the daisies.....

There are dozens of ladybirds.........I am not sure if this one is a native species......

Scorpion flies are active in the copse.......they are harmless......

So many insects.....but it is way too hot to stay out with them......

A dip would be nice........

but we have already made arrangements......we are going to an outdoor concert.......time to sit and chat and listen to some jazz and all in aid of charity. Pimms anyone??

White....just perfect for me......

The best time in the garden, for me, is dawn and dusk.

The world seems hushed.......and life seems to slow down a little.......

White blooms, for me, bring a sense of peace and serenity.........

Sometimes, just sometimes, I wish I had planted a white garden........
in a quiet corner......
I often wonder why we are attracted to certain colours........

I love to wear white....I have tried to change, and go for vibrant colour......

but I always go back to white. If you could only have one colour in your garden....tell me what would it be???

Sunday safari.......Magpie.......

A handsome bird with boldly pied pumage,

and a long tapered tail,

the magpie is unmistakable.

In sunlight it has an iridescent sheen of blue, purple and green.

One for sorrow, two for joy.......

I've been very lazy today......how about you???

I love the month of June.......

June is such a lovely month. Somehow, everything comes together. All the hard work has been worthwhile.

I have landscaped around the pond. The front edge has been left clear....so that you can sit, sip a cup of tea and watch pond life.......

This image shows it more clearly.......

The hard work during winter and spring was all worthwhile.....

it isn't exactly as I'd imagined.......but I like it.

Another Dahlia has just opened ......I am so pleased my father talked me into planting them.

I do love Arabian Knight....such a deep red ......it is planted with white roses and looks stunning......

And here they are.......very difficult for me as rabbits love them. I have planted them in the middle of a bed and surrounded them with plants that rabbits dislike. I hold my breath each day, as I walk the garden, in case a tiny bunny has got in there and gobbled them all up. So far, so good.

Calendula 'art shades' and Helipterum Pierrot.....I grew them in the greenhouse from seed. They are dotted around the garden in small drifts.....I am pleased, nice, very nice.

Pelargonium Graffiti Happy Violet........I don't usually bother with pelargoniums, but I like this one.....it really stands out in a crowd, very upright.

I have an old pear tree in the front garden........I love the way this clematis scrambles up it's old trunk and branches. I love to look at it from the bedroom window.....the blooms always reach the top of the tree......

As many of you will know from my posts last year my hanging baskets have always been a problem here. An exposed site.... strong winds......and south facing, the conditions are not good. This year I decided to plant them with native wildflowers and ivy.....and do you know, I like them. I only have to water them every other day and they have been blooming for six weeks. I shall be doing this next year.

While stolling the garden I noticed this beautiful butterfly.

The small tortoiseshell.....I havn't seen one for quite a while.....so this was very much a bonus. I love the blue edging to her wings.

The weather is warm....pleasantly warm......and it should last for the rest of the week. I love June.......how about you??

Sunday safari...

Extract from A Secret Garden by Annie Bullen.

Each garden has a secret of its own.

Underneath the water in your pond, in tree branches,

in the shrubs and in the climbers on the wall, scurrying along the soil

and hidden in cracks and crevices are legs and fins and beaks and wings.

Heartbeats and wing beats, murder and new life.

Creatures that crawl, scurry and creep,

creatures that fly burrow and swim.

We see only a tiny part of what goes on and,
if we are able to act the part of silent watchers, we will find our own lives enriched by the daily drama of other creatures........

I've had a great Sunday, how about you??

Romance and murder.......

The meadow cranesbill is one of my favourite plants.......it attracts bumbles.......

and will be different shades of blue/lilac depending on whether it is in semi-shade or sunlight......

It gives a romantic feel to the garden when planted beneath roses....

and Dahlia Christine.

It also looks beautiful beneath Lillium asiatic lollipop.
There is always a place in my garden...

and my heart for the meadow cranesbill.

Splattered with raindrops, Dahlia Arabian Knight, is already giving a good show. This is a plant that the rabbits had eaten.....I should not have worried, it has come back beautifully......

This rose was a cheap supermarket buy and is covered in buds.

I have dotted the red garden lillies all around the borders. I do not usually plant bright colours, I am enjoying the changes......

I am not a lover of this particular peony....it was planted by the previous owner. I have seen white and pale pink on other blogs, which I have on my wish list......remember that Mr P......

A pair of magpies are nesting in the garden......they stay with us all year.......I don't mind them, but two is enough.

The mullein moth caterpillar munches on it's host plant.....I am happy to see it.

I am keeping an eye on the crab spider. It caught a fly yesterday, which was great. It can have as many flies as it wants.

Last night, supper was a hoverfly. I was not so keen on it taking this insect. Hoverflies are the gardeners friend.

When I saw breakfast this morning, my heart nearly stopped beating. A humble bumble.......so sad. I had to walk away from this......

I have always believed that you let nature take its own course. I am trying to hold onto that thought at the moment. I shall be watching this spider carefully...she is without doubt a hunter, and a very good one at that. I may have to relocate her at some point......

Enjoy your garden but beware it's a jungle out there.......

Sunday safari

Libellula depressa
I see her in the garden most days........

This is her favourite perch........

A male has joined her......he likes to use her perch.......

They feed above the flower borders. It is lovely to watch them.

Adult dragonflies usually live for around a month, after a nymphal stage lasting for around two years. I must enjoy them while they are here........

Eeeek.....something's killing my bees.

Oh dear....I don't like the look of this......

Some creature is hunting amongst the Valerian blooms....I have an idea what it might be....and it is going to be very hard to find.....

She scurried away......this is the only photograph I managed to get of her.....superb camouflage........Thomisdae, the crab spider. Please enlarge to view her........if you dare!!! Bees beware.......

On a lighter note two doves are regular visitors to the garden. They are very much a pair and are always together.......so sweet......
I thought I would make this very much a white post and show you a dahlia bloom that has just opened....and there are lots more to come. I have planted many this year of varying colours, and look forward to showing you.....

Have a great weekend....hope you will drop by for Safari Sunday.......

Walk with me a while......

Every morning and evening, I walk the garden.........I love the quiet it offers me. Last autumn I increased the size of the beds either side of the water feature. I have now filled them with plants from the greenhouse. I look forward to seeing them bloom.......lot of colour, lots of scent.........

The summer house now blends in beautifully....the wood is slowly beginning to age. The plants are beginning to hug the structure.........

I have planted lots of lillies this spring.........I am smitten with them.......

My father always grew lupins, I never understood why....that is until last year......I adore their perfume. It is not to everyone's taste but for me, on a warm evening, it grabs me....makes me stop and just take a deep breath.......

And this phlox, which just appeared in the border, delights me in the same way.

Sometimes as I walk I get lost in the moment.....totally and utterly absorbed by all that surrounds me.....

lost in time.........

Come walk with me a while.....let me take you to the copse......

I love secret gardens.......

Come with me, through the gate.......let me explain how I feel about this part of the garden.......

I rarely work here. I keep the pathway clear.......the rest is Mother Nature's work.....I help her out sometimes if a tree looks unstable, or a creature is in distress......

This is nature's meadow.....full of thugs....nettles, thistles, buttercups........not everyone's choice but I love it. Why, I hear you ask.......because in a couple of weeks this meadow will sing. Oak crickets will arrive and bring many other bugs along. Butterflies will lay eggs on the nettles and thistles, pretty butterflies. The blues will come, and moths.....hedgehogs will hunt for slugs and insects....it will be alive. Heaven on earth......I will spend many lunchtimes sitting with my cup of tea and sandwich and enjoy each and every moment.........

And if you look up this is what you will see....willows....for this small copse borders my neighbours wildlife pond........and the life that thrives there visits my secret garden. As I sit with you and enjoy the moment, my mind drifts back to Sunday......we had a garden party........

Little man was six......and did we have a fun time....hide and seek........treasure hunts.......

Our son arrived, so it was time for football and swing ball.......Riley adores his Uncle........

Poppi decided it was a much better idea to eat sweets.....especially as Mummy was not looking.......Parma Violet Nanna?

I played several games of swing ball and lost every one.....but I havn't laughed so much for a long time, laughter is the best medicine, is it not?

I often wonder what will happen to this garden when I am no longer here. We never truly own anything do we? It is just ours to enjoy for a short space of time and do you know I intend to do just that..........

Sunday safari

A lovely warm day brought out the bugs. Soldier beetles were climbing grasses in the meadow........

A jewel wasp joined him.......they do not sting.......note the large eyes.......

Painted ladies are flying in from south-west Europe and North Africa.

They are coming in great numbers. Dozens flew across the garden today....
Some were seeking nectar and stayed a while. It is a long time since I have seen so many........it was a wonderful sight, to see so many butterflies in such a short space of time. I hope that some will stay .........

Dull wet and cold.......

Walking the garden today it felt more like early autumn, than late spring.

Another litter of rabbits have entered the garden and there has been much damage.

They have eaten many patio roses.......dahlias (they are supposed not to like them, they obviously havn't been told by their parents!). Nella is spending her day chasing them out of the garden. As soon as she comes into the house....they come back into the garden ......

Despite the rabbit damage there is still plenty of pretty blooms.......

I love this ornamental nettle.......the flowers are unusual and very pretty......

I love this phlox that just appeared in the garden......if you know it's name please let me know......

Two dahlias have not been touched by the rabbits....this one is 'surprise Lucy'...

and this one 'surprise Becky'......both delightful little blooms......

Allium Cristophii is just beginning to open....this is an all time favourite of mine.....

This beautiful clematis is 'Mrs Cholmondeley'......a cheap buy last year, it did not do particularly well.......this year it is wonderful, with blooms as large as saucers........

and finally oriental poppies......a bright bold bloom......dotted around the garden........and on a miserable day like to day they really do cheer the heart......

Sunday safari....dragonfly.......

I sat in the copse this morning enjoying the warmth of a late spring day. She caught my eye as she flew in to join me. At first I thought it was a hornet because of the striking colour.

But no......it was my first dragonfly of 2009....Libellula depressa. So beautiful, she stayed with me for a while.

My mind drifted........and thoughts went to a friend across the pond......

This post is just for you dear Beckie........

Bees and butterflies

I love white flowers in the garden......

I love to see the bees on white blooms........

they become so clear, much more detailed........

I love white butterflies to...............

Have a lovely weekend and enjoy your garden

Art.......

You do not have to be an artist to paint or draw.......

just as you do not need to be a writer to write.

Within all of us is a deep sense of creativity,

a desire to express what we see......

and feel in ways other than words......
I think of gardening as an art form.......

a way to show my personality......

With each season the landscapes changes.....

and beautiful people add another dimension.......

How do you view your garden? AND please tell me Gail is this PPPP

Sunday safari.......

It is dull today....not bug weather........the birds are hiding in the trees. In this garden though you will always find the bees working when the weather is dry.

Sure enough they were easy to find......

and very pretty they looked to. Hope you are all having a sunny Sunday.......

Magic moments........

Monday and Tuesday the garden was hit by strong North Easterly winds, gusting at 50mph they have done a lot of damage to trees and shrubs. Leaves decorate the grass and branches hang......there is much to be done here. I was pleasantly surprised to see the plants had survived..........I always plant closely so that each plant supports the other.....it seems to have worked......

This delicate and pretty wildflower was my Gt. grandmothers favourite bloom. Ragged Robin is dotted all around the garden and is very dear to me.......

Poppi spent the day with me yesterday.........we talked about the wildflowers

and how important they are to the bees......

butterflies and moths........

We talked of colour.....

We both loved this Aquilegia.....I love white and Poppi loves lilac....this little bloom had a touch of both and is very pretty.......

Walking around the garden with her, showing her the flowers.......

watching, as her tiny hands touch the leaves. I gave her a little job to do. Plant some strawberry plants for Mummy.......with soil, tubs and plant on the patio she started to work. I gardened nearby, and listened to the song of the skylark. The swallows were in flight..........then suddenly drifting on the light breeze her voice came to me. Little Poppi was singing.........quietly.......softly.........I watched her working, her sweet voice music to my ears.....and a tear fell, I was so moved by the moment. Her head turned to me, and without words she came running towards me, her little arms open........I bent down and opened my arms......she hugged me tight, so tight and said "I love you Nanna."

This morning I looked out of the kitchen window.......I saw the kitten on the lawn.....Poppi would smile and say how sweet she was........

I went into the garden and picked some lemon balm to make my tea. My son bought this lovely glass teapot on one of his trips abroad......it is perfect for one.
I sat in the silence and sipped my tea.....Poppi had left her magic with me......I was looking forward to working in the garden.......I may even sing .........