For a couple of days last week the skies cleared and the sun shone. After a short holiday away, a return to work wasn't so very awful. We've had plenty of dark cloud and rain recently but with sunlight filling the valley, there's nowhere I would rather be. And neither, I suppose, would Digby the … Continue reading Autumn Light
English Country Garden
The Tawny Owl
I joined the Priory in the summer of 2008 and since then, I have regularly heard the call of a male tawny owl. From late morning until I go home, the magical hoo-hoo of that owl has both delighted me and driven me nuts. I've stopped work, I've run for my camera and I've stalked … Continue reading The Tawny Owl
September Days
After a hot, dry September the garden is tired. The meadow is spent; spring and summer wild flowers are over and have set seed. It will be mowed next week. But there is still some colour at the Priory - although any remaining flowers in the kidney beds have had scant help from me recently. … Continue reading September Days
Wordless Wednesday
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), The Old Forge, yesterday.
The Tropical Border – 3rd Year
Mid September already? It seems just a few short weeks since I lugged a large Musa basjoo out of a greenhouse; since I stripped the straw protection off those I'd left outside. Only a little while since I wheeled out Colocasia esculenta and hefty red bananas (Ensete maurelii). Hardly any time at all since I … Continue reading The Tropical Border – 3rd Year
Win A Copy Of ‘The English Country House Garden’
It's been several months since I've held a book competition on The Anxious Gardener. How remiss of me. How selfish. And so to remedy that I'll be giving away two shiny, non-thumbed books in the next couple of weeks. Here's the first. 'The English Country House Garden' retails at twenty-five of your Earthling pounds and … Continue reading Win A Copy Of ‘The English Country House Garden’
Bear With Me
I haven't posted for a while.I've been busy with some non-blogging stuff ... and intently studying a wasp nest on the east lawn.Excavation continues and it's getting bigger. And bigger. As you might suppose, mowing operations have been diverted.I've been distracted too by the sheer number of butterflies on the new verbena beds.There is a … Continue reading Bear With Me
The Anxious Gardener 