After our recent trip I did mention that the weekend would be spent catching up with the gardening! Well we spent the weekend in the garden but in truth did very little other than just relax and enjoy the ‘heat wave’ weather that we are currently enjoying over pretty much most of the U.K. We are also at that in-between stage that many gardens go through. After the rush of all the first colours of spring and early summer, it is now dominated by shades of green with just the occasional hot spot…awaiting the next flush of colours.
But there is one highlight. My favourite Rose is in full bloom and able to demand our attention without competitors…..
The variety is Rosa Gallica and is aptly named ‘Versicolor’.
Pale rosy-pink cupped flowers which as you can see from these two images vary from blotched to stripes, each bloom unique unto itself….
It has a delicate scent and that plus the mass of yellow stamens are usually a magnet for Bees, but this year Bees seem few and far between.
The old saying ‘Roses are Red, Violets are Blue’ may well be true but in our garden it is this Hosta that is Blue….
This is indeed a Hosta (Not Bluebells, though some may be fooled). Sorry I don’t have the name of the variety. But I am very proud of what I think is a unique plant. I bought it a few years ago simply because it was a ‘dwarf’ variety with small delicate stems and flowers…it was told that it would not bush out like its big sisters, should remain in a planter as it would be swamped in a garden border. Well not the one above…it is small, leaves are less than 3inches at their biggest and each season this plant spreads out into a tight cushion of green and produces a mass of short stems, 5 inches is a tall one, each stem carries a multitude of blue/purple flower heads. I have split this plant each year and each time each plant just seems to get stronger.
Hosta have always been one of my garden favourites, big bold leaves and then the occasional tall stem on top with either a blue or white flower on display….and what great flowers these are, elongated bell shapes with suspended stamen’s that sway precariously in the breeze…..
It was a relaxing weekend,mainly sitting, reflecting and just gazing. But may be this little corner of the garden was saying we should do that just a little more often, after all these self seeded poppies would not be displaying their colours if we had been a little keener on weeding between the paving….
It also gave me time to ponder about clouds. The forecasters said we would have a cloudless sky. We did but as the day progressed and the airlines became busier, the high level jets left tell tail vapour trails. Soon the high level winds buffeted them and whipped them into wispy clouds formations….
But for the most part it was just a case of sitting in the shade and enjoying the peace…..as they say ‘busy doing nothing’……..makes a nice change!
Finally a P.S.
That rather damp Peony that welcomed us home is now also enjoying being dry, basking in the sunshine and warmth….
8th July
© David Oakes 2013
DAVID OAKES - IMAGES. 
Exiting clouds! Looks nearly like some kind of an explosion?
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I still have a guilty feeling whilst doing nothing……. life is so busy these days, even leisure time seems to be packed with things to do. So I am going to work harder at doing nothing.
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They do….in the colder weather I hate it when these vapour trails roll together as they expand and form clouds that destroy what was a clear autumnal sky. We are over several flight paths so that doesn’t help!
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Really like the idea of letting the poppies grow… and it’s important to take time to “do nothing”…. which is an oxymoron now I think about it! Beautiful photos as always…
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Lovely photos and narrative!
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Thank you.
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Just back from East Riding en the Yorkshire Wolds, David. In Hunmanby I have seen the Hosta’s breaking out in lovely lilac flowers. I think yours must be in ful bloom by now. It’s a lovely flower and a beautiful plant but not a lover of scorching days and sunshine.
Having a lazy day seems OK to me. Sometimes one needs such a day in between so please don’t feel guilty? 🙂
I am already missing Hunmanby and Filey, East Riding, The Wolds and have not idea when I can get back there. It just may have been the last time that I have seen my 89 year old friend Betty and I believe we both are aware. But it were good days. TIP: Instead of Flamborough, drive on to Thornwick Bay next time. Smaller and maybe not so spectacular, but also quieter and just as beautiful. You can see the change from the red clay of the Dinosaur coast into the chalk of the cliffs at Flamborough … 😀
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So right….I know the area well.
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have no idea – lose the T….
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That was som cloud you found there, David.
And – I’ve just been into the mountains myself and experienced some quite unique clouds containing ice chrystals. Hit by the rays from the sun they project the colors of a rainbow, but it takes som creativity to find the correct solution to my shutter in such cases. Will be published at a later date.
Now there is another kind of radiation in my focus for a while. . .
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