Second flush from the climbing rose and a first for the clematis.
View From The Conservatory
Tag: UK
View From The Conservatory
Our Hazel Tree is laden with clusters of nuts. It is productive every year, but we never get to reap the benefits. Every year, the squirrels move in and pillage the crop.
They do this before the nuts have a chance to ripen, and this year is no exception. I don’t begrudge them the feed, but it would be nice if they waited a bit so we could share.
Sussex Prairie Garden
Yesterday, we met up with my sisters for lunch and culture. This irregular event is something we do as we live about 90 miles apart. We choose a venue around the midpoint between us, meet up for lunch, and have a good old chinwag. Sometimes, like yesterday, we manage to fit in some fresh air and exercise too.
So lunch first. Our chosen meeting point was The Wheatsheaf at Woodmancote, Henfield, where the food was very tasty, with a Brazilian twist. Needless to say, I couldn’t resist the Moqueca, a Brazilian fish and Tiger Prawn stew. It was delicious 😋
Lunch over, we headed, just a few hundred yards along the road to The Sussex Prairie Garden.
In their own words …
We are Britain’s largest “Prairie,” or “Naturalistic,” garden, with eight acres of stunning garden to roam around. Unlike most gardens of a comparable size, we have no castle or stately home! We designed and planted the garden ourselves, on Pauline’s family farm in West Sussex. Instead of armies of servants and gardeners, we planted all 35 000 plants with help of amazing friends and family!
Our garden encourages exploration using a network of small wood chip paths which snake through the huge borders. Come and visit, please do walk on the grass and in the borders! Sussex Prairies-an extraordinary garden created by ordinary people!
On entry, the winding path leads you past “Audrey II” the banana tree, standing guard.
Past a glass encampment. All that was missing was some lighting.
And on to a pair of very friendly pigs. We soon discovered they like their backs scratched
But we were conscious of the many signs informing us that “Pigs Bite”
Moving on we entered the gardens proper where we were presented with this view.
The tea shop was ignored at this time as we set off to explore. Here are a “few” snaps that I took to give you a taste for what this garden offers.
Although there are formal paths and open lawn areas, you are encouraged to go “off-piste” and wander amongst the plants to better enjoy the scents and textures.
Marching Across The Prairie
Throughout the garden, there are many sculptures. Many featuring stained or painted glass.
The changeable weather, sunny then cloudy, meant that they were constantly changing with the light
The beauty of these gardens is the huge variety of colours and scents. Also, the textures of the grasses. Chris, my sister, spent a great deal of time fondling the grasses, commenting on the softness or coarseness.
The gardens are laid out in such a way that, typically, you can’t see everything from a single vantage point.
Rather, you catch glimpses from one area to the next. The paths gently curving, leading from one area to the next.
I don’t know if the kids being at school has any real bearing on things, but it was really peaceful here.
There were times when I was truly on my own. No others in view or earshot.
Just the occasional face peering out between the plants
To be honest, before starting out from home, I was fully prepared to be disappointed. Any doubts I had were soon dispelled. This place is lovely. We actually spent around two and a half hours here, but the time flew by.
So, at almost five o’clock, we slipped into the tea shop to grab cups of tea, ice creams and flapjacks.
Then, sadly, it was time to wend our way home. A lovely day, good food, good company, and an agreement to return to the Sussex Prairie Garden later in the season.
View From The Conservatory
Petersfield Heath Lake
Earlier this week I spent a joyous afternoon with my granddaughter, Bella. At six years of age, she really is a pleasure to spend time with. Although, I am surprised that my ears weren’t bleeding by the end of the day. She just talks and talks and talks.
Primarily, Bella just wants to go somewhere with a play park. Slides, swings and roundabouts. With all those things she is happy.
A favourite haunt is Petersfield Lake. There is a sizeable play park, a cafe and lovely walks around the lake. So, most items were checked on her must have list.
Arriving shortly after one o’clock I was surprised at how misty it was. I couldn’t see the bank at the far side of the lake. Although the sun was just starting to break through.
When in the direct sunlight it was nice and warm but as soon as you moved into the shadows of the trees you could really feel the underlying chill.
After an hour, or so. And the obligatory ice-cream, and coffee for me, we set out to walk around the perimeter of the lake. By now the mist was gone, presenting us with a lovely sunny afternoon.
The lake plays host to many aquatic birds. Swans, geese, ducks, moorhens, coots and gulls. Lots and lots of gulls. Of course Grandad got his coots and moorhens mixed up. Thank god for smartphones and Google. I was able to sort things out. Don’t want to be misleading the kids.
As we traversed the boardwalk we were able to see many of the birds making their homes around the lake.
Also we were able to view the results of the hard work being carried out to create submerged islands, planted with shrubby plants. Hopefully these will mature into safe habitats for the birds to nest in.
I was surprised at how few of these there were. South of Petersfield, there are several playing fields, in and around Portsmouth, that are taken over every year by huge flocks of Brent Geese.
Not sure why an Egyptian Goose would be overwintering here in the UK. You’d think they would stay where it was warm.
Just a couple of snaps across the lake. What a fabulous view the owners of those houses have from their windows.
During our stroll we spotted many other birds, including robins and various tits and finches. They were making good use of the coconut shells, filled with suet and seeds, variously hung around the bushes and trees.
Another nice touch was this fairy garden, set in a tree stump. Bella really enjoyed investigating the various pieces here.
And so the circumnavigation was completed. One more go on the slides, well several really, and it was time to head out for a bite to eat.
Basic error on my part was that I asked Bella what she would like to eat. In my mind I was certain we were headed for McDonalds. Surprise, surprise, Bella wasn’t interested in Macca’s, or KFC, or pizza. After perusing several menus outside of pubs and cafes we ended up in a Cafe Nero. Where Bella settled for a toasted cheese and ham roll, a Belgian chocolate chough pastry donut all washed down with a fruit smoothie.
A fitting end to a lovely day.
Spot The Fake
View From The Conservatory
Early Mothers Day Boquet
Bunnies
View From The Conservatory
Today’s view is actually inside the conservatory.
I was first drawn to the frantic buzzing of what I thought may be a hornet. Thankfully it turned out to be the sound of this beautiful creature trying to beat it’s way through the glazing of our conservatory roof. I really didn’t want to rile a hornet that wouldn’t know that I was trying to help it.
So, using a stiff piece of paper, I tried to guide this creature outside.
After much dodging and darting about, he settled on the floor …..
More dodging and darting and he was, frustratingly, back up by the glass ….
Clearly, my bit of paper wasn’t up to the job in hand.
A change of tactic and I tried to use a big floppy yellow dust mop. In my mind it would look like a flower and after a couple of false starts I succeeded in carrying the dragonfly outside. At which point he took off and was last seen flying in a southerly direction.
I dread to think what my neighbours might have thought, of my gyrations in the utility area, waving a bright yellow mop in the air !!!
WrAnTz 