I'm on annual leave this week so with a little spare time on my hands I love to browse around charity shops for bargains and items to upcycle. I'm lucky that in the town I live I'm spoilt for choice with charity shops but my favourite is the Sally (Salvation Army)
Today's haul came in at under £3.50 and will add some nice touches to the garden and some bedtime reading that will hopefully lead to some more inspiration for further gardening sessions ...
I'm not a fan of roses.. They spend too much of the year as just ugly thorn bushes for me to really want them in my garden.
I am also not a 'pink' person.
However these roses out date our move to this house. The root of the plant sits on the back fence under the pergola, receives no light and very little rain.
Despite this and an occasional hacking they have found a way to bloom up on the tree canopy and here is this years display...
My garden has got to the stage it only needs a few minutes of maintenance every week..With the exception of the grass cutting which is the OH's job.
All other 'to do' jobs listed on the back of the envelope are major re-design or ground works.
My day off this week is cloudy but muggy and I am a little weary from the past weekends trip, so 10 mins of weeding later I am choosing to relax in the garden and not dig..
Photo is of the view from my swing, where I am lazing and trying to think of an appropriate name for the blue duck and watching the bees frolic on my blooming hebe. .
ZZzzzz
At times when I'm feeling a little blue there is nothing that makes me feel better than a little garden therapy.
Some women buy shoes, I tend my garden...
Spending time in my tranquil haven I have created entirely myself (ok with a bit of labouring from the OH ) listening to the sounds of nature and watching things bloom works better for me than any Prozac.
I recently experimented with the new Valspar masonry paint from B&Q. Coming in 1000's of colours a large tester pot is currently 99p.. oh the possibilities.
So I started off with a warm blue on one retaining wall. I wasn't sure at first but now I am in love with it and I have added further accents in this colour to tie it all in.
It kind of reminds me of the Yves Saint Laurent garden in Marrakech which I have been lucky enough to visit twice..
P.S. my garden is only tranquil when the hounds are not conversing with the neighbours dog.
The usual trespassers from under next doors fence are of the unwanted bramble/nettle variety but I noticed this beauty last week.
This aquilegia vulgaris is welcome to stay. Only flowering May till June this herbaceous perennial looks rather frail like my neighbours.
Ssh though please don't tell them I love their plant as they would probably dig it up having not spoken to us for over 6 years !!
P.S Latin lesson for today Vulgaris = Common..
At work today and there are no matching scrubs..so pink trousers and a blue top. I can't help but feel uneasy with this..
In my garden however anything goes colour wise. For so long my garden has been devoid of colour as we pulled up the poisonous lillys and avoided flowers when the hounds were going through the eat everything you can find stage. Now they have reached a mature 5 years old and they are no longer eating plants I have gone a little mad with colour... no forethought on colour schemes. I'm going to wing it this year and if there are are any clashes that really sit uneasy I will relocate at a later date...
Spurred into creating this blog by fears of the masses unfriending me on Facebook due to my relentless posting of new every detail of my garden..
but just what do I name it ??
My grown up children would agree that I'm not the best at picking names and the immediate ideas that pop into mind have all been long taken.. so I put the question to the masses with amazing results..
Aster la Bishta?
Pain in the Grass ?
50 Shades of Clay ?
But here goes.. Welcome to
Out of my scrubs and into my Shrubs..
