In an English Country Garden

At the weekend I was at Thorp Perrow Arboretum, near Bedale in Yorkshire.  No need for words really.  Just wander with me, in the warm sunshine.

Many of the daffodils are past their best, but an army of compatriots leap to attention behind them.  I’ve seldom seen such variety in one place.  Arum lilies quietly stand guard over the pond.  The soft colours of Spring are all around me, pierced by the vibrance of Japanese acers.

At this time of year, and with such weather, my Place in the World would have to be in an English country garden.  Ask me in Winter though and I suspect you’ll get a different answer.  Revelling in my surrounds, my intention had been simply to capture an armload of beauty for Cathy’s photographic challenge over at Wander.essence.  But I’m sure she won’t mind to share.

 

118 comments

  4. Jo! These photos are so beautiful and artful that they look like Impressionist paintings. You did go wild on this challenge but I’m so glad you did! I’ll add them to my next photography post of May 17, along with your other one. Thanks for this wonderful display! I hope things are progressing smoothly on your move. Hugs xxx

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    1. Thanks, sweetheart 🙂 🙂 Actually, I restricted them with your challenge in mind (I just counted- 23! 🙂 ) and there will have to be a second instalment because I’ve never seen the place look more stunning. Must be that harsh winter we had. I didn’t set intentions other than to revel in the moment, Cathy. Nothing much happening on the moving front so I’m making the most of our last English Spring. Do you move on again this weekend? Your photos have been spectacular so far. 🙂 The diary will be overflowing by the time you get back.

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      1. Wow! Great that you were able to restrict them, Jo. If you discover a stunning place it makes it really hard to restrict the photos. I can tell already I’m going to have a hard time restricting photos from this trip! If a second installment is called for, then so be it. We’re staying tonight in this podunk town called Bluff, Utah, after a beautiful day at Natural Bridges and Hovenweep. The town is in the middle of nowhere and has about 3 hotels and 3 restaurants but one of them had the best food I’ve had in a long time! 😊

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    1. 3!!! I might never get out of bed, Sue 😦 😦 It’s a little overcast this morning and I’m waiting to see if it clears enough to have breakfast under the apple tree. Every puff of wind I end up with petals in my cereal. 🙂 Lovely to have your company, hon.

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  7. That wander through all the delightful shades of spring does my heart good Jo. As you get warmer we cool down and all our vibrant tropical flowers have all tucked themselves away for a few months. Your flower colour pallet is so sunny and bright

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    1. It was the most glorious warm day after a coolish week, Pauline, and such a joy to be out amongst all that beauty. 🙂 🙂 Did your weather improve? I saw somewhere it was damp and overcast. Home again this weekend?

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      1. We are home again now Jo, will be posting about it soon. It must be so good to be back again with warmer weather. Our weather is perfect at the moment. Blue skies and clear weather

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    1. At first I was disappointed, Jet, because many of the daffodils had ‘gone over’, but there were lots still flowering and absolutely everything else was just ‘waking up’. Fabulous! 🙂 🙂

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  12. What a lovely spring garden, interesting to see daffodils, primroses and bluebells all flowering at the same time. BTW the yellow flower by the water is not an arum lily but a Yellow Skunk Cabbage. Classed as invasive now, so probably no longer on sale, but I have always found it to be most charming in a bog garden.

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    1. Oh, I know!!! He who knows everything informed me of that at the time but as usual I wasn’t paying attention. I told him you’d jump on it 🙂 🙂 But I’m not going to change it because it doesn’t sound nearly so poetic. Is OH home yet?

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      1. Home yesterday. Things slowly getting put in place, but he’ll go back early June and make some other changes to how things run. Do I annoy you with my obsession to ID things? 😛

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      5. 😦
        The injection not worked? I’m having good days and bad days. yesterday was bad. Heat helps and so I put a heat pad on before bed. I feel his pain. It is excruciatingly painful.

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      6. Not tried heat pads and such. Physio didn’t mention it and I hadn’t thought of it. Making myself scarce now cos it’s Rafa time. Mick might get some tea 🙂 🙂

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    1. Across the lake, Tina? It’s such a lovely place. I still have a few to share because I was knocked out with how great it looked. I’ve been a few times and never seen it look better x

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  14. Glorious. And yes, I agree. In good weather there is nowhere else I would rather be than an English country garden. Today was lovely. Tomorrow it will rain. We take our chances while we can!

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  18. A very gorgeous wander, Jo, though it was a bit of a stagger this end due to too much allotmenting earlier. But I’m still awake enough to wonder what is that crimson cowslip doing there and who invented it?

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    1. It is a bit bizarre, Tish, isn’t it, but I really like it. All by itself! There was one orange and yellow one and this, amid a whole heap of yellow ones. 🙂 🙂 You’re definitely making hay while the sun shines, hon. Feet up for a bit!

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      1. I wonder if it had been having dealings with a domesticated primrose. As to feet up, will definitely follow your orders today, Jo. It’s gone v. shivery outside, and the oil seed rape is now afflicting me with exploding nose moments. It also got sprayed again last night – apparently for fungus and/or pollen beetles.

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