As I’ve just written on the Bereavement Blog, I’ve been to Wakehurst Place to revisit a significant spot.
It’s a beautiful garden – with both formal gardens plus loads of woodland paths to walk on – and I do recommend it as a place to visit. Especially the shop by the entrance which was SO full of beautiful things I wanted!
This is what I bought – hardly the most useful items in the world, but I couldn’t resist – two cuddly mushrooms!!
Came across this stunning display of wildflowers in a London park, a whole swathe of them left to bloom in an otherwise boring little inner-City playing field.
I was amazed by the variety of colours, and the fact there were bees and butterflies visiting. What a nice idea, to show children who perhaps might not get out into the countryside a bit of nature. And how nice that no-one seems to have trampled it or vandalised it. Please don’t!
They lifted my spirits on a bad day.
1st July – half the year gone, lovely summer weather. Reminding myself to make the most of it. More walking, more sunshine, more flowers.
Enjoy the summer, folks.
I went to the Chelsea Flower Show this year. I think I’ve only ever been once before, a long time ago. I did enjoy it, though it was very busy and noticeably expensive to get in.
I wandered round for hours, looking at stuff, eating, buying things – most notably a little picture of seven sparrows from the ‘Moorcroft’ stall. (John would have liked it – see Sparrows.)
The main thing that struck me about the show was how different it actually feels to be there, compared to how it appears on the television programmes. Of course they film when it’s quiet, but I think a lot of close ups and careful angles are employed to give an impression that the show gardens are bigger, there are far more flowers and beautiful vistas in general, and far fewer people!
Very pleased to find there was a shuttle bus right outside the exit which went to Victoria station, though, as it was an exhausting day.
All my life in England I’ve seen dandelions as a weed. Most people do. Like they’re not ‘proper’ flowers, just something to be uprooted from a lawn or between the cracks of a patio, and dumped. Daisies and buttercups enjoy a slightly better status – but only slightly.
Well look what I found growing in the mountain pastures above Interlaken in June. Masses and masses, swathes and swathes, of flowering dandelions. Talk about context! Here, in presumably their rightful place, they look wonderful. Glorious wild flowers, nothing weed-like about them.
So I have a newfound respect for dandelions.
(Moral: a weed is in the eye of the beholder.)
This is as bad as people posting photos of their dinner, so I’m sorry, but I bought myself this lovely vase on a car boot sale the other day, and I just think it looks so nice with these striking spray carnations.
I recommend a nice bunch of flowers as a way of cheering yourself up!
Cathy's Castle 
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