April and May in our garden and spring has given way to the first glimpses of summertime recently. Come and join me in this months blog as the echiums send their tall sup tropical spikes towards the skies and the cats lounge in the sunshine.
Admittedly though, summer has coquettishly prancing back to its “verdant glades of luscious spring” again on occasion. Well mother nature is a lady after all, so allowed to change her mind. The old expression “Ne’re cast the clout* until May is out” was one that my mother often quoted to me on gloriously sunny May days! (*Clout? It’s an old English word for clothing.)
Things are changing in the garden now!
However suddenly I realise that whilst I rush to tell you of the merest dalliance with a snowflake in the winter, somehow I totally neglect the arrival of hot sunny days. Well if the truth to be told, I’m probably speedily heading outside with cushions and a good book. Gardens were made for this after all!
Afternoon tea
Perhaps there will be the occasional foray into the borders as the garden jobs gain pace. It’s a daily ritual now to battle a section of the garden for an hour or two after all.
As the rain patters down today, isn’t it good I devoted yesterday to watering the pots? Yet the memory lingers on of afternoon tea in the garden to celebrate our thirty third wedding anniversary,
Sunny days
Still back to our Ednovean days and the fabulous clear blue skies that have steered our days recently.
As the garden has matured over the years I notice the shadows that dance in the golden light and the layers of planting that enrich the borders.
The simple pleasures of early morning courtyard
The pleasure of stepping out into a balmy morning where Spud is already basking on his favourite bench should not be underrated!
Morning in the courtyard
The Date palms reach up towards the early sunshine; the tinkling of the fountain; the play of light as it travels around the courtyard – all precursors of the changing season.
Summer promises and the late spring gallery
The promise of the approaching summer days is in the air, stirring memories of previous years. .
Just as surely as the first blossom of spring open in the orchard and the house martins’ return, from their winter migration so summer settles into a steady rhythm around us.
May means echiums!
May has seen the echiums flower once more – the squat shrubs of last year shoot up almost overnight to dizzying heights. Dramatic. Magnificent and only here for a season.
You’ll notice the shrub like plants on the right hand side of the lawn? those will be next years flower spires. The present spires will shed their seeds and then die.
The tall swaying spires of flowers that dramatic bid for attention around the lawns. The bees and our Bed and Breakfast guest are equally intrigued by the exotic flowers that feel so right in sub tropical Cornwall.
The echium is a native of the Canary Islands and can overwinter here in Cornwall as the temperature rarely dips below five to seven degrees.
Looking forward to the garden year ahead
We’re looking forward to the garden year ahead in our tranquil oasis that we share with our Bed and Breakfast guests. If you would like to stay with us we do still have some vacancies this August and occasionally we do have cancellations.
To follow our garden through the season, why not check out the Garden Diary that charts the years here.
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