Summer is on its way.

I have just one Peony, planted a couple of years ago. Last year the only bloom was savaged by a bug.

This year there are five buds!

I'm so pleased. It's one of those beautiful pink frilly ones, so I do hope that the flowers will be all they should be.

I wait. Anxiously.

There is a definite feel of the coming of Summer now.

This pretty Clematis is doing well, and I so wish I could remember the name.

My terra cotta pots, bought so many years ago in France, are beginning to fill up with Geraniums, Petunias and trailing Verbena.

This is going to mean lots of watering, so all my dish washing water goes out to the garden.

The first rose is always Zephirine Drouhin, thornless and sweet smelling.

Not far behind is Darcy Bussell, dancing her way across the garden. She is a beauty, petals like velvet and again a lovely scent.

Summer is beginning, and there will be more treasures to be found.

A Royal wedding

The wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan took place yesterday.

I thought she looked stunning in a gown by Givenchy, with no ornamentation.

Over 200,000 people lined the route to Windsor Chapel.

It was a happy day for all. 

Princess Charlotte certainly thought so!

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Things in the garden.

I wait eagerly for my Camassia to flower. It started as two bulbs a few years ago and has now spread and is rather taking over this bed. But one forgives it for its glorious smoky blue-ness.

I hadn't realised that it was a wild flower also, until Lorrie mentioned it.

Lovely Pasque flower, Pulsatilla. This is always the first colour in the bed. This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago. Now it is covered in flower and getting rather too large!

A free spirit.

These Violets are wandering around the garden, popping up where they wish. They are such a lovely splash of blue that I can't bear to remove them.

Tomatoes a week ago in their pots, are now planted in the earth in the greenhouse. I always put a companion plant with them, of French Marigold, not beautiful but supposed to keep Greenfly away.

It seems to work.

Here in the South West , our weather seems to be gradually improving. The earth is becoming warm. Plants are beginning to grow rather than just sitting forlornly in their pots.
It's at last a time to enjoy gardening.

Wild flowers.

There's a little patch of my garden, under a hedge, that I find very lovely.

Here grow wild flowers, some might call them weeds. I can't cut them down.

In this tiny patch there are, Red Campion, Herb Robert, Scarlet Pimpernel, Speedwell, Forget-me-not, Wood Aven and daisies. A primrose or two peeps out as well.

Wild flowers are just as lovely as cultivated ones.

It surprises me how many people don't know the names of them. My mother and I walked the Welsh hills during the War years and I was taught, as a little girl, the names of so many flowers that are no longer around.

Beauty in unexpected places.

Identity cards.

Having a fairly major clear out of boxes languishing in the garden shed, I came across some documents, amongst which were two Identity cards, mine and my parents'.

Those of you who are British and of a certain age may remember them.

Identity cards were introduced as an emergency measure in Britain in 1939 at the start of World War 2. Brown for children, blue for adults.

With the threats of bombing and of families becoming separated, they were a way of identifying people. People moved house many times during the war. Children became separated after bombs had demolished houses.

They were also preparing for rationing which was introduced in 1940.

Cards had to be produced on demand or at the very least within 24 hours at the local Police station.

Cards had to be carried until they stopped in 1952.

Should I keep them as a bit of history?

The great exchange!

Once again I took part in Stephanie's Cup and Mug Exchange. It's such a fun thing to do, and I so enjoy choosing things for my partner.

I received this box of exquisitely wrapped packages yesterday.

Each one was tied with a different colour ribbon.

Tonia, from Allthingzsewn blog sent me such a delightful selection of good things.

You can see the handfuls of ribbon there!

I have never seen a mug quite like this one, it resembled a little blue plantpot with a saucer.

With it came such a generous pack of coffee, some pretty blue and white fabric, a charming patchwork holder, a sweet lace mat and even more little things.

The mug even has its own little spade (coffee spoon)!

What lovely things friends find to send.

For my partner I selected things with a William Morris theme.

A mug, with a teabag saucer both in a Morris design.

Various teas, including some grown in Cornwall, and some soaps from France with a little swishy thing (no idea what one calls it)

Thanks to Stephanie who organises this so well each year.