My journey with the garden......

When we moved here nearly eight years ago, I did not have any grand plan for the garden. The only thing I knew for sure, was that I wanted a sanctuary for wildlife. I read books, watched gardening programmes, and thought a lot. In the end I became so confused I decided to garden 'Cheryl's way.' If a plant, tree or shrub had something to offer wildlife, I would buy it. And so my journey began........ I would come home with a car boot full of plants and bareroot trees and then wonder where I would put them.

I love beech and knew I could never let it grow to it's full size. So one of my first plantings was the beech hedge, to guide you into the little copse.

There were a few small trees left, so I planted them in a corner of the garden and clipped them each year. What I never realised is how I would love their changes. From the pale green of Spring.....to the deeper green of summer......and then when autumn came, they would catch me out and stir my emotions with their wonderful hues. In winter, the leaves turn brown, and stay with the tree, reluctant to leave......giving cover and shelter to wildlife.

Rosa rugosa was my next buy and another hedge planted. You must be ruthless with this plant initially cutting it almost to the ground....if you do not you will end up with a weak and spindly shrub. The blooms satisfy the bees and birds feed on the hips during the colder months.

In summer it's sweet perfume would catch me and I could not walk by without taking a deep breath to inhale the heady fragrance. In autumn the leaves turn a beautiful buttery yellow. Each gift offered by nature, teaching me the wonders of each plant.

Thr first time I saw Mahonia Charity I was hooked. The pretty flowers with their sweet lily-of-the-valley fragrance....I could not resist. I bought six plants, and did not feel guilty. During the cold months the blooms would feed the bees that had woken up on a warm winter day.

I did not realise it at the time, I was creating the 'bones of the garden.'

Giving it structure and form.

Grasses feature heavily here. Birds gather in them during autumn and use the feathery heads to line their nests in spring.

I love them when they are frosted......
Ivy climbs fences, trees, obelisks.....you can never have 'too much' , if you love wildlife......

As each year passes I learn a little more........I am growing with the garden.
Mistakes are made, I live with them and learn to love them........

Winter is nearly upon us.........but there is always a little something to surprise and lift the spirit.........a garden is a journey and it never ends....plans wait in the wings, exciting ideas, giving pleasure during winter evenings....... I am planning, ideas fill my mind and excite me. I am happy, my garden makes me happy........

How about you?????

Sunday safari.

Heavy rain for the last 48 hours has left areas in the garden covered in water....it will drain away slowly.........this is normal for this area.

Strong winds turned oak barrels over, and small branches had fallen from the oak trees. Mr P gave me a helping hand to get the area tidy again..........

Today the sun came out and I must say it was more than welcome.....

Birds waited in the Dogwoods......eager for me to bring out the feeders.

Dunnocks are often mistaken for hedge sparrows. It is in fact a song-bird. It's song resembles that of the wren but lacks the wren's note of aggression.

By chance, a Wren came out of hiding and sat before me. They are busy, energetic, and elusive. As I raised my camera the bird did not fly.......but started to sing.

This tiny little bird singing in full voice is most beautiful. I stood.......just enjoying the moment. I doubt this will happen again. He will go back to the shadows hunting insects and singing amongst the ivy in the garden......

Blue boy (tku Marmee) arrived, he did not seem to like the attention the other birds were getting.

He pecked away at the sunflower seed, happy for me to observe.....
and to take as many photographs as I needed.

Blue boy is a wonderful source of entertainment. He often stops what he is doing, to see what I am doing. So funny...

Happy Sunday safari.........

Falling in love again......

It has taken a long time for me to love my camera. When Mr P gave it to me last year as a surprise, I was speechless. Not wanting to appear ungrateful, I gave my old camera to someone who really needed it, and started using the new one straight away.

Without doubt, the camera and I had a hate - hate relationship.....

I do not do technical.....I do not read manuals (so boring).......I could not even tell you anything about my camera, except that it is a Canon.......

There were times when I longed for my old camera.......it understood me......I understood it......
Then a few weeks ago something clicked......the camera and I had a relationship, we were in fact in love. It started to see things, the way I see things......we were working together as a team.

I remember Mr P saying to me when he gave me the camera. "Don't worry you will learn to love it...................eventually" He knows me so very well......

If ever there was a bird that liked it's photo being taken it is this one. He/She follows me around the garden....poses on branches....turning it's little head this way and that. For a little bit of fun, I would like to name him/her. Any suggestions?

Sunday safari

I walk into the garden, and without hesitation head straight back to the house for scarf and gloves........

It is cold.....cold and wet........a get through to your bones sort of cold......

Some blooms survived last nights torrential rain......

pretty in pink they glow in the gloom of the day......

A solitary 'Susan' peeps out from the border and smiles........
One of my favourite shrubs, Mahonia Charity..........winter blooms for the bumbles, if they wake from their winter sleep. Something to cheer when days are gloomy......

Fungi dots the garden......in different shapes and form.....

They fascinate me. Tell me, do you like fungi?

A Dunnock hides in the shadows......I miss her sweet song.........the birds are quiet.

A Blue Tit fluffs up his feathers .....he needs to stay warm........

Sweet Nella surveys the garden......she can sense the changes........no bees, no bugs, no butterflies.........we are walking the path to winter.......my gardens are beginning to sleep........

Happy safari Sunday.......

Hope.....

I have always liked my own company. I am, I suppose, quite solitary. Nature has always fulfilled my inner needs and my little dog Nella is a very much loved companion. When I started blogging two years ago (thank you dear daughter) I never realised how many doors it would open. I have formed friendships with people near and far. I have shared your joys and laughter.....your sadness and your tears ....I have felt priviledged and humbled to do so.

As I walk into the garden, Canada Geese welcome me. My mind drifts to a lady that walks an unknown path. She walks with grace and beauty....and a heart full of hope. As I watch the geese fly above me, they fill me with hope for her.......

Walking into the copse, I know, there isn't any hope of finding dragonflies........a friend across the pond will walk with many memories today. A heart full of emotion .........

I look up and a sweet Goldfinch takes flight and by chance I get a photograph. It lifts my spirits as it gently reaches for the sky........

Look to each sunset not as the ending of a day, but as a time of renewal before another day dawns.......

Thinking of you my friends.......

Winter colour .........

Ferns do well here. Despite our drought this summer and autumn, they have all survived with just a little care.

Another reason I plant them, apart from the fact my garden is normally very damp,

is because they add structure and colour to a winter garden.

We have a lovely shop in our village that sells antique and retro garden 'bits and pieces'. When I passed last week I noticed several of the above outside the shop. The lady had cleared a barn but could not tell me what they were used for as the owner had not been there. It is around 200cm (6ft approx) in length.

Getting it home was not easy, it is very heavy. I love the aged wood......

and knew I could put it to good use in the garden......

It is now situated in the woodland walk.......

and planted with mind your own business and ivy.....

and surrounded by native and non native ferns. With time, as the wood becomes damp, I am hoping mosses, lichens, and fungi will take hold. I can imagine the MYOB scrambling over the edges and knitting together with the ivy. It should eventually be a mini habitat. I am pleased with this buy.....the lady let me have it for ten pounds....I felt that was very reasonable.

It is raining today.....just what my new feature needs........

Sunday safari....

Yesterday was warm. We have been fortunate these last few weeks......

it has been a soft and gentle autumn.

Plenty of bees and so many blooms......

my gardens very much alive.
So many ladybirds........everyone I speak to has an explosion of these lovely garden bugs.

What a difference 24 hours can make. Temperatures have dropped, rain and strong winds hit the area. To my amazement, as I walked into the garden very early this morning, a Kingfisher flew out of the grasses. You will not understand my excitement unless you have ever seen one in the wild. The beautiful flash of blue and red set my heart racing....sadly I could not get a photograph......

The leaves are falling ..........

and despite the foul weather a lone bee worked the plants on the patio. Bumble bees never cease to amaze me......

Little people came to stay.......
and helped Nanna clear leaves........

How fast they grow.......

Beautiful leaves, in a year leaf mould to put back to the soil. It would appear at last our Indian summer is over, and autumn has at last arrived........

Happy safari Sunday........

Little Bee........

A small bee was caught in a spider's web..........I carefully removed her and placed her on a flower.

I watched her through my camera lens......

as she removed every thread of silk from her little body. Then she flew away...........

Isn't she lovely....

The weather is still warm.....sunny days....blue skies.......an extended summer. a bonus for wildlife. This lovely little butterfly has been flitting around my garden for the last two weeks. She/he is easily disturbed and very hard to approach. By chance I managed to get two photographs today.......

Clouded yellow or Pale clouded yellow, I am not sure. Please note the tiny blue patch. She is very lovely.......can anyone help me identify her???

Sunday safari

It rained last night, birds sit in the trees.........

enjoying the early morning sunshine.

A female chaffinch sits snug and cosy amongst the branches of the old Hawthorn tree.

I walk serenity's path to Poppi's patch.......
Is there anything more beautiful than a humble bumble collecting pollen from a pretty pink bloom?

I enjoy the moment.....each visit is a precious gift.....

Here in the stillness, I feel my spirits soar......

There is so much poetry in nature.....

the great mystery of life and growth......

Everything changing before my very eyes.....

taking it's time......
silently....there is no hurry here......

I leave you with the words of Adelaide Proctor.......

Linger O gentle time.....

Linger, O radiant grace of bright today....

Let not the hours' chime

Call thee away,

But linger near me still with fond delay.

Have a happy and peaceful Sunday.......

Just how much can you love a garden.....

Mr P....."Don't you think you are a little obsessed with the garden."
Cheryl ....."I havn't really thought about it."

Mr P ......" you are always out there. You worry if it rains too much, you worry if it is too dry.......you rabbit count on a regular basis."

Cheryl...."Well yes, I suppose I do......but that is because the garden is part of me.......something I have nurtured and brought to life."

This conversation started me thinking.....do men have a passion for gardening?

My Dad is a gardener and he enjoys it but he is not passionate about it. Is it a woman thing?

I must confess I eat, drink and breathe my garden. I know every plant....every tree......where insects gather ...... which branch the robin sings from.....

I get excited when a 'new to me' plant comes into bloom.....

I love the anticipation........

Chrysanthemum fireworks, has given me much pleasure this week........

So tell me gentle bloggers, is the man you live with passionate about gardening.?


Note: The one time Mr P cut the lawn with the tractor mower, all my wildflowers disappeared....consequently he is not allowed to touch the garden, unless I need some sort of structure made and erected....and then I have to say he is an absolute gem.

Writing......

I was a shy little girl......and a day dreamer. Happy in my own company.

I did not like crowds, and busy places. My idea of fun was running through the woods with my brother........or climbing a tree in the park.

We grow, we change.....we blossom.........

We choose our own path.....I have led a colourful life.........

Eric who is 97, wrote his memoirs at the age of 93. A record for his family. I am honoured, he has given me a copy.

I have always loved pen and ink. Many years ago I worked for the Territorial Army....an officer noticed my writing and each year I would complete Meritorious Service Certificates, adding the name and unit of the serving soldier. My love of writing continued, and I was priviledged to do some work for our local church.

I have started a book for the grandchildren. A book for them to keep. An insight of their grandmother's life, her thoughts, her dreams, her disappointments....the joys....the sadness......

I shall fill the book with pressed flowers......with little sketches......and doodles.

A project each winter when the days are cold and wet.

Note: I was a constant frustration to most of my teachers.......for one reason and one reason only, my writing would change every week. When I look at my school books now, I can understand why ...........a mish mash of writing styles.......doodles in the corners. Still now I can play to my hearts content.........

Sunday safari

It was frosty last night, the first frost of the season. It was not a killing frost........

Summer is reluctant to say goodbye.......

and holds on by a thread......

The days are warm.....the last of the summer workers make the most of the extended summer season. Abelia Grandiflora is much loved by all bees......

I spotted this pretty little bee amongst the foliage.....it looks like some sort of mining bee.........

A painted lady warms herself on the gravel drive. She will not survive our cold and humid winter. She is a second generation butterfly........she is perfect.

A dragonfly finds a cosy corner.

The hoverflies have returned......
I have noticed moths are gathering........

they rest by day near the house lights. When the lights go on tonight, there will be plenty of insects nearby for them to feed on.

A family of Pied Wagtails have arrived. Two adults and three juveniles. This little chap patrols the rooftop of the house......catching insects en route.

A friendly Blue Tit takes breakfast......

A robin sings, he is claiming the garden. This is his territory. We are friends. As I dig the borders he joins me, taking mealworms from the soil.

The patio is warm and full of nectar giving plants. It is calling to the butterflies.
A peacock stops to feed on hardy Plumbago.

Peacock butterflies live for almost a year. This one may hibernate in the garden. They like the warmth of garden sheds. I shall leave the door open during the day.

This has felt like a summer safari. Mid October and the days are beautiful. I have worked in the garden for most of the day and it has been an absolute joy to see so many birds butterflies bees etc in the garden.

Happy autumn safari.......

Helleborus x hybridus...the Lenten Rose.

I have many favourite plants, too numerous to mention, BUT there is only one plant I have a love affair with.....and that is the Lenten Rose.

I love their shy habit........their woodland ways.......and the fact that they bloom during the winter months......

I have a collection of around twenty plants and add to them each year.....

I search nurseries for plants that are reduced and bring them home and give them plenty of TLC.

I dig a large hole in a shady spot, and fill it with leaf mould. Once the plant is in I give it a good watering.

In the winter when the buds appear I cut some of the large leaves away so that I can appreciate the beautiful blooms......

The above photographs were taken last winter.........and they excite me they really do........it almost makes me look forward to the colder months.

Must dash.....I have some Helleborus to plant........

The passage of time.......

Time passes quickly.........where did the years go. They are fragile....I want to protect them, wrap them in cotton wool.....keep them safe.

I wish I had a crystal ball........but perhaps I will not like what I see........ one day at a time, that is the best way.......

Mother looks amongst the foliage for fairy faces.....just like a small child......she has a childlike quality about her sometimes.........

I tell them my dreams, my hopes, my plans. They need to be involved.......

The seedheads are fragile, one touch and some tumble to the ground........new plants next year........life goes on........

The colours are beautiful.......the garden is hushed.......our footsteps are silent.......

My mother stops and takes my hand......'this is a special moment my child' and she walks on........I never fully understand my mother. She is complex...........

intelligent.....and changeable....up one moment and down the next. She always finds solace in my gardens......... that makes me happy.......

Dad is content........her happiness is always his main concern.......

The sun is going down, pretty works of art decorate the woodwork on my home.

There is a chill in the air......they will get cold, time to take them home........

Sunday safari......

It is hard to believe that in just five days my lawn is back. Four days of rain and my garden looks so much better. I edged a lot of the borders today.....I knew it would be a good time to do it........

I love the colours that autumn brings...........and the shadows that fall across the lawn........

I could not find any insects today. There are plenty of bumbles. In a few weeks they will be gone and only the queen will remain.

With winter waiting in the wings, time to take down old roosting pods and put some nice new ones up. Very useful for tiny birds when the nights turn cold.

This charming detached property comprises of lounge and bedroom. The sleeping quarters have been furnished with hay and dry oak leaves. Suitable for any hibernating hedgehog.

If temperatures rise in the winter, it will sometimes wake hedgehogs from their slumber. I have rescued many of these little creatures........they often wander aimlessly and become quite disorientated. This new unit is made of timber and the roof can be lifted off easily. A nice new home ready and waiting.......

The garden is full of birds....the summer has suited them well. Many have successfully raised two broods.....

Feeders have been cleaned today and some new ones put in place.

A good days work. When I sit by the fire on a cold winters night, I know that I have helped at least some of the wildlife that frequents my garden.

I have so enjoyed my day.....the cooler weather suits me well and my energy levels are higher than they have been during the summer. The forecast for the week is sunny and bright......and around 15C (62F).........perfect for more gardening......

Letting nature heal......

You flit, twist and turn like a butterfly.
You drop, rise as a kite on the wind,
dainty, so delicate, and naturally pretty.
How a spiders trap could secure such a jewel.
Fellow petals lean over in jealousy,
keen to join you in flight, on a journey.
I would set you free but then you would be dormant,
not free, to ride on the breeze.

My niece Samantha is Head of Mathematics at a secondary school in London. She is totally dedicated and loves her chosen career. In saying that, her days are full of stress and she works very long hours. She wrote the above piece while sitting in her garden watching a petal caught on a spiders web. For a brief moment she forget the stresses and strain of the day and was at one with nature.........

The photographs are mine.....not exactly what I wanted but near enough.......

Soft gentle rain........

Think of all the beauty still left around you.......

and be happy........

It is raining.....I am happy......I am very happy........

Sunday safari

It was good to bring Nella home. Back on her patch.........

I missed my little dog.........

The warm weather continues and there has been little rain......

How pretty the leaves are on the maples. Autumn is here....colour my world.......

Leaves and acorns litter the ground...........crunch crunch as I walk...........

Alpine strawberries tempt me.....sweet and juicy, mine for the taking........
It is good to see you sweet Robin.......

So good to hear you sing again........singing for the sheer joy of living.......

Oh I did so miss you humble bumble. I saw many birds butterflies and dragonflies in Florida.....BUT not one bee. I became quite obsessed ......studying every area that had blooms........but not one bee.

It is good to be home and see my garden full of the bees I love........

I loved Florida.......The hospitality we received was amazing....the people are fantastic.....so polite and caring. They spoilt Poppi and Riley.........they received attention wherever we went. I have had a wonderful time......

BUT it is lovely to be home. Each night as I lay in bed I would walk my garden.....I could see every plant.....smell the sweet fragrance in the air.........I realise that my garden is very much part of me. Unless you really love a garden you will never understand that comment. I am rooted here....I belong.........

Happy Sunday safari................


NOTE: Thank you dear Jan for coming so often before work and watering all my patio and deck plants. I know how time consuming it is......you are an angel......

Blogging Break.......

I have spent every spare minute working in the gardens. Light showers Thursday and Friday have given the plants a lift. There is still much to do, so I will not be blogging for the next month. During that time Mr P and I are going to take our daughter.............

Riley..........

and Poppi for a two week holiday in Florida. There is much planned for the little ones....Disney, of course. Also walks along some of the beautiful beaches....Sanibel springs to mind. The last time Mr P and I visited Florida was 1992....I will be interested to see if things have changed.

So I will leave you with the following photographs which were taken in the garden today....a lot of hard work but it does look so much better......

I caught this image of a fly whilst using my camera......now that is creepy, don't you think?

I have found one advantage to the dry conditions, I have not had to get the tractor mower out to cut the grass. I cannot remember the last time I used it.

We have another heatwave approaching us ......it should arrive mid week...temperature are predicted to be around 27 C (86F).......I hope it does not last too long......

I will post again on the 4th October.......until then, stay well, stay happy and have fun in your garden............