Tuesday 10 May 2016

Such a Lovely Day

It seems like we have been waiting a long time for some good weather, and for the icy wind to stop.  Today we got our wish and it was a lovely day.

In my garden purple seems to be a popular colour - the irises, in particular, are spectacular (and they smell gorgeous too).

Irises along front wall

But the peachy coloured ones are beautiful too...

Peach iris 2

And then there is the wisteria, which is relatively new and just finding its feet climbing up the oak tree...

Wisteriaon oak tree

If you could only smell those flowers...

Wisteria

I have just planted (today) a Magnolia, called Susan.  I had one of these in England and it is lovely. A deep purply-red flower, coming out a little later than the big blowsy pinky-white ones and so mostly missing those late frosts.  I don't know how many years it will take until it flowers...

Magnolia Susan just planted 2

I cut most of the lawn yesterday, but it is really a bit much for me to manage these days, so I am leaving a 'wildflower meadow' area that I hope to add wildflower plants to over the coming months and years. I'm hoping it will be all blowsy and gorgeous!

Right now the view over this uncut part of the garden, over the farmer's meadow beyond and to the Monts de Blond in the distance is pretty stunning in itself...

Meadow View

Meadow View 2

It looks exceptionally beautiful from my little Blue Bench Garden...

Fantastic view

In this little bit of garden the roses are just coming out.  There is a David Austen rambler which is going to be a mass of flower...

David Austen rambler about to flower

...and a French one that just repeat flowers all year until the first frosts...

French rosebud

And, as a bonus, I found under a pile of nettles and weeds (I did tell you it was all getting a bit much for me to manage) a rather fabulous pink (yes, PINK) Lily of the Valley that my friend Joan bought for me some years ago at a flower show we went to out here in France.  I'm afraid the pink does not show up very well on camera, but I can assure you it is VERY pretty!

Pink Muguet

And finally I wanted to show you something else rather wonderful.

For the first time, a little wren has nested in my dépendence (sort of a stone shed attached to the end of the house) and made a sweet little sideways-on nest...

Wren's nest

I haven't seen her for a couple of days, and I hope she hasn't abandoned the project, as I go in here pretty frequently and there was a time when the log splitting machine was in almost  daily use, making a lot of noise...

Time will tell...



4 comments:

Joy said...

And you want to sell this place? It is too beautiful not to keep! The iris are stunning!

Twiglet said...

Beautiful photos. x Jo

Bev C said...

Hello Penny,

I love the idea of a wildflower meadow. Iris would have to be one of my favourite bulbs. Thanks for sharing your garden.

Happy days.
Bev.

Joy said...

This place is utterly gorgeous! The views are lovely and I like your flowers. I can see how it would be a lot of work for one woman to do, especially that mowing.