I don't own the Priory. I don't live there, drifting about in the evenings with a dry martini in one hand and a watering can in the other. And with that pleasant existence denied to me, I've been cautious about having too many pots and containers dotted about the place. As I'm not always there … Continue reading Of Pots And Pans
Photography
Sun And Leaf
Sorry for the lack of posts recently but I've been away on various short trips - Gloucestershire and Bristol, Spain and Berlin. They have all been jolly and I've particularly enjoyed the buzz of large towns and cities - and dressing accordingly. So a return to solitary gardening; to shabby clothes, muddy knees and damp … Continue reading Sun And Leaf
A Tidy Up
Now that we've finally had a couple of frosts at the Priory, I feel that I have permission to start tidying away. So I've been carting stuff off to the compost bins or bonfire site. In the topical border, the freezing temperatures have collapsed the tender plants into a soggy, exhausted (and, if you ask … Continue reading A Tidy Up
Grey Heron
Occasionally, grey herons (Ardea cinerea) visit the Priory - but they are shy and hoist themselves into the air when I amble into view. I haven't been able to photograph them. But a couple of weeks ago, I spotted a juvenile standing on top of the old duck box on the east pond's small island. … Continue reading Grey Heron
Wordless Wednesday … With Some Words
Aconitum napellus has bloomed in the nick of time: the first Priory frost can only be a few days away. oooOOOooo I'm flying off to Spain for a few days paddling, frolicking and general misbehaviour. But before I go, I'll just mention that the Royal Horticultural Society is holding a new blogging competition. Four judges … Continue reading Wordless Wednesday … With Some Words
Flowering Lithops
It was only as I was damping down one of the greenhouses that I noticed the flowers. For most of the year, my lithops sit in their pots like well behaved little pebble plants or living stones (their other names). But in autumn, having spent several months doing very little, their time in the limelight … Continue reading Flowering Lithops
From Up On High
Scaffolding has gone up at the Priory. Though I don't have a head for heights, I couldn't wait to get up there and see the gardens from a new perspective. At the first (gutter height) level I could look down on to the tropical border. And, after a deep breath, I white-knuckle-climbed the second ladder … Continue reading From Up On High