' FLANEURING ' …...

 I think that I maybe the female equivalent  of a flâneur….. 

….. the above photograph of me sort of proves it, doesn't it ?!!!! ….. actually, my childhood name was 'flanno' ….. I just added that as I just remembered ….. makes me even more of a flâneur !!

I've done a great deal of  'flâneuring' in the garden lately ….. our garden is always at it's best at the end of May and beginning of June, and, most of our plants and flowers are way behind most peoples as it's a north facing garden hence the abundance of hostas and ferns.

….. Astrantia 'Superstar' …..

….. wild geranium …..

 

….. phygelius 'yellow trumpet' …..

I cannot tell you how pleased we are with our rusty arch and gate. We bought it at Chelsea Flower Show a couple of years ago and we were very surprised that it was such a reasonable price that we bought it on the spot !! Growing up the arch on the right is clematis flammula which will look like …...

….. THIS ….. in a couple of weeks. I've forgotten the name of the rose !! Hopefully, it will grow over the arch and intermingle with the clematis.

We also bought this bench from the same man at Chelsea. I can't get over how reasonably priced they were considering we were at the biggest gardening show on earth !!!! He could have really gone to town with his prices, couldn't he ?

….. philadelphus …..

I planted this rose a couple of years ago and can't remember if it's 'Rambling Rector' or 'Seagull' ….. I'm pretty sure that it's 'Seagull' and it has been GLORIOUS !!

This photograph reminds me of Frances Hodgson Burnett's 'The Secret Garden'. We have lots of robins in our garden who follow me around when I'm digging ….. I could have done with one when I took this photo !! ….. now, what shall I put in these little old Victorian terracotta pots ?

I shall be glued to the television for the next two weeks as Wimbledon starts on Monday …. here's hoping the weather holds !!

image 1: via kero i am, image 10; via teline, all other images by me !!

DON'T MIND ME ….. MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME ……….

I was looking out at the garden from the conservatory around mid-morning yesterday and who should I see but Mr. Fox !!

He had a little sit down on the lawn for quite a while, stared at me as if I was the intruder …..

….. had a roam around, sniffing everything as he went …..

….. and then, returned to his spot in the sun, put his head down and went to sleep !!!!

I know that the fox isn't every ones favourite garden visitor { especially if you keep chickens like John } but, I do still get a bit of a thrill when they come and visit our garden …… goodness knows what I'd be like if I went on safari !!!!!!

I can remember following the Hunt on Boxing Day as a child ……. now that subject opens up a can of worms. I can see both sides of the argument myself.

XXXX

image 1: via peace on earth, images 2, 3 & 4: via me, image 5: via the gifts of life

THE GARDEN .... A METAPHOR FOR LIFE .... by invitation ..........

The garden is an eloquent metaphor for how we move through life ..........

Life can be seen as a garden maze, sometimes the hedges are too tall to see over or, too thick to see through, with no way of knowing what lies ahead or around the corner. There is a beginning and an end but, there is also a whole lot of middle !

We need to remove the weeds from our lives .....

..... to allow the beautiful blooms space to breathe and grow. The beauty of life can be lost amongst the mundane 'weeds' of life. Stress and negativity can sometimes take over and the beauty of life can get lost.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, be it in life or in the garden. Some people like their gardens simple, as they do their lives, others like to take risks and try to grow the difficult, non-hardy plants.

As plants need support, so do we and life is always easier when there are people in our life who are there to support and help us.

When things are dark and difficult, we must try to persevere and push through.

Giving our time and hard work, will bring it's rewards .... we reap what we sow.

Put your heart and soul into everything that you do.

Take the time to smell the roses.

Each new day brings a little sunshine ....

but, we also need the rain to flourish and grow.

LLH Designs

We cultivate our relationships like we grow flowers and vegetables ..... flowering, growing and producing.

Both bring new life into the world .....

We find pleasure and relaxation in both .....

'To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves'.

MOHANDAS K. GANDHI

Please pop over to Marsha @ Splenderosa to see the other participants take on our subject this month.

images 1 & 2: via Rodney Smith, images 3, 4, 5, 6 & 9: via night tattoo, image 7: via brown dress with white dots, image 8: via love french bulldogs, image 10: via tumblr, image 11: via maggie thunder, image 12: via dustjacket attic, images 13, 16 & 18: via zsa zsa bellagio, image 14: via sunday in bed, image 15: via the vault of beauty, image 17: via chintz of darkness, image 19: via encore life

THE SECRET GARDEN ..........

I have found a key, so come with me and see if we can find my Secret Garden ..........

.......... along the path ..........

.......... through the greenery ..........

.......... it must be around here somewhere .........

Ah, there's the door .........

It's very overgrown ..........

Oh, this is better, how pretty is this ?

Even the women are beautiful in this garden !!

Tea anyone ?

image by photographer Mustafa Hacalaki

Collect yourselves some fireflies ..... it's getting dark ..........

Now, where's that gate gone ..... I've got to get home.
Here in the U.K., we had a taste of Spring BUT apparently, rain and even snow are coming again so, images of beautiful gardens are all I have at the moment !






If you are having wonderful weather, enjoy your gardens. If not , start planning it !!




Image 16: photograph by Mustafa Hacalaki




Jackie