A query

 Thank you for all the lovely comments on my little garden corner. We have had a little sunshine but not enough!

I have a query and would be interested in your experiences. I have to have an operation for knee surgery later this year and am wondering if anyone has any thoughts or experience of this, particularly of the after care necessary.

No knee photos, but Foxgloves and Geums instead. Much nicer.

Sunny days

I bought a new garden parasol this week. I've put up with an oldie, slightly tattered and with most of the colour faded, so felt it was time for something pretty.

This little area is my happy place, where I sit with a cup of coffee in the morning, listening to the birds singing their hearts out.

It's where friends and family come and join me on a sunny day exchanging news about our week.

It's so convenient, as it is a continuation of my sunroom.

Soon the sweet peas will be scrambling up the little trellis, bringing their own lovely scents to add to that of the roses.

May and June are truly the best months!

 

What's in a name?

My grandfather, who was a great gardener, used different names for his plants. One was 'Granny's Bonnets', which I always thought sounded so romantic.

Maybe not.

Another name my Grandpa taught me was 'Columbine'.

Columbine was the wife of Pierrot, and figured in the Commedia dell' Arte productions as a saucy maidservant.

I'm sure you know the plant as Aquilegia. She is one of my favourite old fashioned cottage garden flowers, and I have noticed that several people have mentioned growing them this year.

There are so many different colour variations. I recently found a pale yellow one with a tinge of pink, so delicate. Today I went to our local village market and bought a beautiful pale lilac one. I stopped myself from bringing more home as I'm running out of space.

Of course, they seed themselves in odd places around the garden, but I welcome them.

I believe they are the flower of Colorado. Correct me if I'm wrong. 

I would love to know how many of you have them in your gardens.

The Garden Club sale

 Every year our village Garden Club holds a Plant sale. By this time of year, we mostly know what plants we want to keep and what we have extra. Everyone gives the plants they don't want to keep and they are all taken to our Village Hall for the Saturday morning Sale.

You need to get there at the beginning, ie 9am, to have a chance of getting the plants you want. I dashed down last Saturday and managed to find some little bits and pieces, Columbines, Nemesia and so on, which I was very pleased with. I had sent twelve tomato plants down. Herbs and vegetables are very popular.

It's a good morning. Tea and coffee are available and it gives us a chance to chat to other gardeners in the village. The Club arranges a monthly meeting with a local speaker, and sometimes plans visits to other gardens.

For a relatively small village we seem to have lots of very keen gardeners. Later in the Summer there will be The Annual Show, with all sorts of classes and prizes. There might also be a Garden Safari.....with a Cream Tea!

Just one more....

  One last photo.

This is the beautiful Feathers Hotel in Ledbury. We stopped here for a morning coffee, as it seems do most of the town! It is a lovely traditional hotel, with big comfy sofas and chairs, and a very good cup of coffee.

It's considered to be a 'monument' in the town. Dating back to the 16th Century, it was once a coaching inn. It's easy to imagine the excitement as the coaches rolled up to the entrance.