Friday 22 June 2012

The Final Push

Greetings from the Fred Whitsey Library at Hidcote, where I am currently installed and in the midst of a Final Push! The end is near, and unfortunately my garden history assignment will not write itself. A double post here, please see the previous post for more of Giverny (the silence was eerie). Cheerio for now!

In the Old Garden, a nice evening to enjoy Tamarix tetrandra

The Long Walk, looking almost lime green with the fresh leaves of the Hornbeam hedges

One afternoon the water ran brown in the stream, reminding me of Wonka’s river in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

A joyful mix of candelabra primulas, iris and ferns in the Upper Stream garden. The stepping-stone leads to Mrs Winthrop’s Garden

Carpenteria californica surrounded by Libertia grandiflora in East Court

Convolvulus tricolour in Mrs Winthrop’s Garden

Old Garden scene, and the ominous clouds that have typified the weather in recent weeks

Wisteria floribunda ‘Alba’ unfurling delicately at the end of the Rose Walk

Also up the Rose Walk, Onopordum acanthium (the Scotch Thistle) and some Lupins gifted to us by Maurice the local Lupin grower

In the Glasshouse, plants awaiting planting. Argyranthemum ‘Jamaica Primrose’ and Verbena ‘La France’ (actually rather hardy, worth risking outside over winter)

Three dead May beetles were recorded on the first of June. Science!

Moths are funny little blighters. Here a Common Swift that was in no rush whatsoever to leave my hand! ‘This is nice and warm, I’ll just settle here a while’

My wildflower project down by the bee hives is nudging along rather well, the thing is in flower now but I shall post about that later

Amongst the earliest blooms to appear by the hives was this pleasant combination of Foxglove and Cow Parsley

Thursday 21 June 2012

Giverny environ

The area surrounding Monet’s garden is incredibly beautiful and also rich in history, it being closely linked with those ruddy Normans who invaded dear old England! The River Seine banks one side of the village and dramatic chalk hills the other, providing some delightful scenery to poke about in and an abundance of flora and fauna thriving on the unimproved chalk grasslands. On a particularly pleasant evening I wandered up into these hills, and was frankly amazed by what I found!

Anacamptis pyramidalis, the Pyramidal Orchid

A Small Heath butterfly, perched precariously on a dried flower stem

I suspect some blasted bird has tried to have a nibble on this poor chap! A rather battered Dingy Skipper

A Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary!

From the beautiful, to the bizarre. This is the Lady Orchid, Orchis purpurea

A pleasing natural combination of Buttercup and Greater Stitchwort, which I dare say Monet would approve of!

A clump of Greater Stitchwort, Stellaria holostea

More of the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, what a glorious butterfly!

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