Hobbies and Crafts

Thanks kandj, Actually it is not very long or wide but divided up to make it look so. Well stocked though :-D :-D

Our 30+ pieris forest flame has recovered....... we are having a cuppa and looking out of the lounge window to see a colourful display of new red growth. It is gorgeous!!
John Keates poem..."A thing of beauty is a joy forever" springs to mind this morning.

So pleased for you Kandj, it must be a relief for you.

Glad it has recovered Kandj. You obviously have green fingers and it appreciates all your TLC

Love the photo Vera, is it a Salvia?

Yes it is a salvia Ann. It's salvia nemerosa Caradonna. We have a few clumps of it around the garden mixed in with deep purple alliums and various grasses, particularly the Golden Oats which look wonderful waving in the breeze with the purple in amongst them. Glad you like the photo. I'm not much of a photographer but thought I would try to have a bit of a record of the garden as things come into bloom

That would look good with our small headed purple Alliums, mauvy and pink Aqilegias and a small flowered yellow iris that appeared from nowhere and has spread. :-)

Ann
Just looked at your photos and noticed that you have some purple irises in bloom. Do you know which variety they are?

I see several clumps in local gardens but don't seem to see them in garden centres. I bought some new ones recently which are lovely but not the ones I wanted. They weren't in bloom when I bought them so had no idea what they would be like. :-S
Von

Sorry Von, no I don't know, can't even remember where they came from, think it may have been daughter's garden before they moved.

Ann
Thank you. I think they must be an old fashioned variety so garden centres don't stock them until they become fashionable again. ;-)

OH has been helping me in the garden. He has done a very good job under supervision. :-D ;-) ;-)

Finally we have sun :-D :-D :-D

I am letting mine play out there alone, it is too hot and humid for me out there at the moment.

Far too hot for me outside right now.. I had hoped to begin painting the garden fence but that's on hold until it's cooler. I have cleared a few weeds and put weedkiller on the block paved drive, and that's my lot for today.

Von, we have Irises in our garden, they came from my Sister's house before she moved into a bungalow and from her Mother in Law before then, so they are the
old fashioned type, deep blue in colour but I have no idea of the variety.
Perhaps you could beg a rhizome or two from the local gardens that you pass.
I am sure most folk would be happy to share their Irises with you and they spread too.

Kandj
I'm hoping my neighbour will give me some.
Also our village will have the festival soon and they always have a plant stall so I might pick some up then. Fingers crossed. :-D :-D :-D

Another hot day already here. Yesterday I went to the bottom of the garden and
wasn't happy to see nettles in abundance. It isn't that long since I dug the roots
and had aches and pains for days afterwards for my efforts. I hoed some out
and ended up with nettle rash on my arms, silly me, should have had them covered.

Von, if you have no luck with the Iris plants, I am happy to send you some later in
the year when mine have stopped flowering. No idea of the variety, but they are old.

Kandj, if they are hidden, leave a couple of nettles for the butterflies.

Warm here again, not as hot and humid as yesterday though as there is a bit of cloud around. Very pleasant though, I have just been pottering deadheading roses and petunias. :-) :-)

Noticed this morning that we have beautiful red poppies growing in our front garden, we didn't plant them and haven't a clue where they came from. On the other hand, the poppy seed I planted are still very weeny. Hopefully they will mature later.

We have just been sitting in the garden with a cuppa. The grasses are waving in a slight breeze, the flowers are all looking good, it's a comfortable temperature and a blackbird is singing his little heart out. Heaven :-)

It's been a good day all round today. I've been trying for weeks to find some shoes for a wedding with no success. Then a friend recommended a shop some distance away so OH and I went to find it. It's not on a normal shopping street but a bit tucked away. They were so helpful and found 4 pairs in my slightly awkward fitting and in the right colour. So I have my shoes and got a bag to match.

Then we went on to lunch at Titchmarsh Marina, near Walton on the Naze. Had a good meal with far too much wine for me (OH was driving, so just a small glass for him), then we had a walk around. Next we drove on to Frinton and had a nice walk along the front. It was sunny but I was glad I had taken a thick Aran cardigan - the wind does blow off the North Sea and it was quite chilly. Then we had a cup of tea in the town and drove home. Now we are sitting in the garden.

A very satisfying sort of day :-D

Kandji

Thank you very much for your kind offer. I'll let you know how I get on.
Take care
Von

Sounds a lovely day Vera, especially getting your shoes, what colour? I hate buying shoes. I have awful feet, shies always hurt

Ann the nettles are so high, almost 3' which was a shock when I had supposedly dug out the roots last year. It is hot again today, so I plan to just hoe and break down the
nettles and then bin them when the sun has dried them out. I might avoid nettle stings this way. I know the butterflies like nettles, but I don't and they will have to make do
with the flowers and buddleia bush that's down there, although I might just leave a
couple as I like butterflies too. Just hope the nettles won't take over again!!!

That sounded like a real pamper day out Vera..... perhaps you can do the same today?

No problem Von, just come back to me if you can't find any Irises near to you.