The garden is our sanctuary with dry stone boundary walls that now constitute lifestyle restrictions.
Wandering around I realise that the grass urgently needs a hair cut, but then so do I.
Large furry bumblebees, along with butterflies, and insects are busily going about their Spring tasks.
Male blackbirds are squabbling with one another, and I am taken aback at just how aggressive they can be. Various different tits busily flit around the hedgerows but spend time viewing the nest boxes on offer. 'Jenny' wren is observed scurrying around like a harassed housewife beneath the heathers, whilst solitary bees fly in and out of their luxury chalet style accommodation.
Male blackbirds are squabbling with one another, and I am taken aback at just how aggressive they can be. Various different tits busily flit around the hedgerows but spend time viewing the nest boxes on offer. 'Jenny' wren is observed scurrying around like a harassed housewife beneath the heathers, whilst solitary bees fly in and out of their luxury chalet style accommodation.
By spending time quietly and observing Mother Nature I appreciate even more the intricate and magical gifts that she offers.
What a relief it is to know that whilst things have changed so drastically for all of us, she is still busily renewing herself day by day.
What a relief it is to know that whilst things have changed so drastically for all of us, she is still busily renewing herself day by day.
Beautiful Rosemary. Love daffodils and mine are just coming through the soil.
ReplyDeleteTake care, be safe and well.
You too Margaret.
DeleteAren't you lucky to have such a nice garden?
ReplyDeleteIt's quite a lot of work, but yes you are right.
DeleteBeautiful. The serenity of your garden must never fail to lift your spirits! During this surreal time, our gardens are more precious than ever. I looked hard for Freddy Fox - perhaps he is camera shy :)
ReplyDeleteThe fact that we are enjoying beautiful weather really helps Patricia. The fox was watched from our bedroom window Patricia. I went to fetch the camera as he looked as if was out for the count, but as soon as I opened the window, he opened is eyes and shot off.
DeleteFunny you should mention haircut, Rosemary. Miriam mentioned the same thing yesterday. I offered to give her a trim, but strangely she declined. I may be living with a long-haired woman for the first time ever! Strange by product of CORVID-19!
ReplyDeleteThat made me laugh David, I don't think that I would let you cut mine either! However, my husband does allow me to give his hair a trim.
DeleteYou have a lot blooming in your garden, looks wonderful. Keep going, the situation will ever end (I hope)...
ReplyDeleteIt appears that all of the plants enjoyed the wet winter weather, and now they are all showing their faces early.
DeleteHello Rosemary, There is nothing like the arrival of spring outdoors. In contrast to your colorful display, in Ohio about now perhaps you can find coltsfoot and skunk cabbage, but they too are fascinating plants, and having to search for early specimens makes them doubly precious.
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hello Jim - I too really enjoy seeing skunk cabbage growing and I tried to grow it to our garden. However, our soil drains particularly quickly, and as you know, skunk cabbage likes its feet to be in moist marshy conditions.
DeleteIf you have to be self isolate, I can't imagine a more beautiful place to do it! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe wet winter conditions appear to have suited the garden as everything is now growing like 'topsy'.
DeleteThank goodness Spring has come just as we are all trying to stay safe. Your gorgeously sunny pictures are so uplifting. We're finding joy in our ramshakle garden as well. One day it will look as good as yours.
ReplyDeleteJean x
It is so lovely to hear from you Jean - I am pleased to learn that you are now settled in your new abode and that garden is giving you joy. Do show it to us sometime, and thank you for your kind comment.
DeleteDear Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to see more of your garden. No wonder that you call it your sanctuary. It is exactly that. It all looks so natural even though I know that achieving this look takes a lot of time and work. You have selected such beautiful artifacts to "grow" along your unusual selection of plants and flowers. Your garden is truly a beautiful garden.
Dear Gina - what a lovely comment, thank you.
DeleteI can't believe how quickly the flowers have opened up this year, they really do seem to be enjoying the lovely Spring weather. The gardener has just been and cut the grass to our great delight. We stayed indoors and spoke to him through the window. He is going to keep coming as long as he stays fit. Being self employed and with a mortgage to pay, he needs the money, and we enjoyed having the opportunity to speak to someone other than ourselves, but from a safe distance.
Yes, Nature carries on! Love those daffodils and the bleeding hearts!
ReplyDeleteI think the bleeding hearts are early this year, and yes, what a good job that Mother Nature does carry on.
DeleteDear Rosemary, you speak out of my heart!
ReplyDeleteNow I have "only" a balcony in Berlin (but a large one - so I am very happy) - but thus I have nature here too - on a tinier scale. The first bees, sparrows and tits come to drink watery and yes: I saw a few ants... - and the blackbird sings beautifully. I agree about their aggressiveness - in Hildesheim, in my huge garden, I had the feeling that they sometimes saw me as a rival - I wore a deep black Lama-coat and a little yellow leather rucksack and might have looked like a giant blackbird :-)
Enjoy your garden - which tells us that nature will survive - and stay healthy, all of you! XX Britta
Dear Britta - I am so pleased that you are able to enjoy the flowers and birds on your balcony. It made me smile thinking about you in your black Lama-coat with your yellow rucksack looking like a giant blackbird. Let's keep our chins up and keep soldiering on, but also take careX
DeleteI am not that far north and west from you but your garden is miles advanced from mine. You have some gorgeous colour already.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting; I was actually quite glad about the nurse’s honesty. In view of two lung conditions I really must stay away from infection.
Glad to have met you.
Thank for visiting Friko - I can really appreciate exactly what you say. Her honesty will make you be even more vigilant which in itself is a good thing. I am very happy to have met you too.
DeleteThe gardens of this world are going to look good this summer if the amount of time spent in them is any indication. I didn't have my hair cut for about four years in the 1970s!
ReplyDeleteDid you have a pony tail or let it hang loose? Yes, you are right, my husband is working in the garden more than ever, and thankfully the gardener came today to cut the grass whilst we stayed indoors.
DeleteDearest Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteHow precious for seeing your 'Freddie' the fox resting in your garden!
Animals know that sun rays mean life and they absorb them whenever they have a chance.
Your spring garden certainly is a lovely show case - enjoy the awakening of new life!
Hugs,
Mariette
Dear Mariette - we saw 'Freddie' from the bedroom window where we enjoyed watching him for a while. I ran downstairs to get my camera, but as soon as I opened the window, he opened his eyes, and shot off very quickly.
Delete😉
DeleteThere is such solace in the garden these days, as events whirl around us the steady rhythms of nature carry on. You have a beautiful place for wandering these days.
ReplyDeleteI must admit that I do love my garden. I can lose myself in the garden and forget about any worries.
DeleteIt's good you have a large garden to keep you occupied. By next month, and better weather for insects, you might be focusing on the micro world's within it where each square foot is a mini realm in itself. Once you start to look at a deeper level it just keeps going down in size. A fascinating universe to dip into once you get addicted to it. Found an entire family of tiny red mites last year that could fit on a pinkie nail. Needed a large magnifying glass to view them properly but once found never forgotten.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea Bob - I do love it when I take a macro photo and then see things on the final image that weren't spotted with my naked eye - the tiny hairs and wax-like centres of the forget-me-nots shown on this post are an example.
DeleteThank you for the walk around your lovely garden. We may all have very long hair by the end of the various shutdowns around the world. Keep safe and well.
ReplyDeleteLong hair is so tiresome unless it is really long and you can put it up or tie it back.
DeleteYes, my live-in 'man with a mower' set to work today and mowed despite this being our 55th anniversary! In fact we worked quite hard in the garden much of the day as the weather was great. Even cleaned out the pollen from the gazebo so we could enjoy our anniversary lunch in the sun.
ReplyDeleteRosemary, your flowers are so beautiful and your close-upshots capture the true essence - I think I can even smell them! Adore those stone walls and pots in the first photo.
Freddie fox certainly picked one of the loveliest gardens to hang out in!
Luckily the gardener visited yesterday Mary. We spoke to him through the window, and he said that as long as he can he will continue to come - the self employed really need their money.
DeleteBelated congratulations to you and Bob on your anniversary 💛 we are one year further on than you.
The flowers in the garden are looking wonderful this Spring, I think that it must be the very wet winter and now this lovely warm spell of weather. Flowers do lift the spirits.
We see Freddie on a regular basis, he seems to think that our garden is his, but he is very welcome.
I have been having great difficulty with the internet these last few days even though I have the latest fibre optic system. I think is because there are so many people working from home now, and having conference calls.
Beautiful photos of areas in your garden. I enjoyed the description of the fox that has taken up residence and what the birds are getting up to as they become extra active at the beginning of this Spring season. I've also noticed the blackbirds are chasing one another. They must be territorial. This slower pace, although ours is slow anyway, means we appreciate the garden and nature even more.
ReplyDeleteThese are difficult times for all of us - both you and I are fortunate in that we have a place outside space of our own in which to spend time. Many others are less fortunate.
DeleteIn times of seclusion it is certainly a blessing to be able to go for a walk in the garden and enjoy nature coming into life. And you do have a wonderful garden , love you photos.
ReplyDeleteThinking of you Jane, and hoping that all is well with you - I am sure that you are taking care.
DeleteWhat a beautiful garden. Wonderful photos to brighten our eyes.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice sunday and keep safe and well
Thank you Maria - you and your family take care too.
DeleteSo beautiful! I love your garden. Best regards to Freddie! Happy Sunday evening, Rosemary!
ReplyDeleteThank you Satu - Freddie is a regular here - do take care.
DeleteYour garden is looking lovely no wonder you have so many visitors enjoying it too. We have been so lucky have such lovely weather as we get used to the circumstances we find ourselves in. Take care, Sarah x
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting Sarah, how lovely to hear from you. The weather has been blissful, just what we need, the situation is now changing day by day. We do all need to take care - please stay safe.
DeleteI am hoping for beautiful weather so that you can continue to enjoy that beautiful garden.
ReplyDeleteThank you Janey - hope is something that all of us need in abundance.
Delete