Monday 23 November 2015

Our Garden Room ;-)





A few months ago, we decided that we would add a 'Garden Room' to our home. 

It wasn't a decision that we made lightly; we have often thought about it

in the past.  We live in a beautiful, secluded spot and although

we didn't want to ruin what we had, we also wanted to make the most of

enjoying the nature, which is diverse and varied.






So...finally we took the plunge... and the work began.




Needless to say, we have taken loads of photos! Most of them are not

exactly glamorous ...but it gets better!!




I mean, who gets excited about a cement mixer?

Not me! Yet every day was a step forward; a step in the right direction!











Waiting for the plaster to dry was somewhat frustrating! It's been so damp 

just lately...and I am not the most patient of people at the best of times!!

But patient we had to be!





This is where is gets a little more interesting! 

Fast forward to paint ...and carpet!! ;-)




And then...we had the most fun morning ! 

Having already gathered together the things that we wanted 

to enhance the room, we proceeded to plonk them into place (lol)..and 

Hey Presto!!




This room is a very good size and we've manage to place everything to perfection...including

Mr Snippets' 1950s cocktail cabinet!




And not forgetting the Ercol Pebble tables...my favourite Ercol!




Now there's something to write about in the jolly old Christmas

'boast in the post' letters!! LOL!

No way!

However, it's wonderful to be able to keep this blog as

my diary and, in the future, look back and remember the time when

we added this lovely garden room to our home.

;-)




Tuesday 13 October 2015

Autumn...what autumn? ;-)




On offer in my garden today...and that's not all!!! ;-)

It's October 13th and I've taken a five minute break from my work,

 to breathe in the Devon fresh air; not to mention and a well- earned

 wander around the garden!

 And if the leaves weren't falling from the trees,

 I'd hardly believe that it was autumn.






It's a stunningly beautiful day, today!






Take this lovely rose, which we inherited when we moved here, 14 years ago.

It never fails to delight and seems to want to go on and on ...and on!!

It must live in the ideal spot, as I've grown my Fuchsias against the same wall, 

this year ; they are still in full bloom and still going strong!













And hey ho! Passion is working overtime in the garden!! Hopefully, it will find its way

inside next week, when it's our wedding anniversary!! ;-) ;-)






I love these dried Hydrangea heads and this vivid, red Dahlia!

A lovely contrast of colour... well it would be...except one's in the front garden

... and one's at the back...LOL!!

;-)







Lovely...all for free... and just a step outside my study door.

It all freshens the soul, that's for sure!

 ;-)




Sunday 4 October 2015

Snippets and ...looking forward to brekkie in a different room!!


Having said that autumn was creeping in, on my previous blog post...what happens?

 Summer says,  'Not likely' and gives autumn a bit of a shove, backwards!!

At least that's what has happened in sunny Devon during the last 2 weeks!!! 

Glorious sunshine has taken over...an 'Indian Summer' as they call it...

and some lovely things have been going on in the garden, too!!






I've been loving these! They give a lovely splash of colour to the back garden.

 I staggered the sowing of my Nasturtiums this year, the second batch being

this variety, 'Cherry Rose'.

Delicious!! Yes, you can eat Nasturtiums, although I haven't eaten these!





I've put some winter flowering Pansies into some old tins

and hung them on a dead apple tree, which is proving to

be very useful in its after life!





And I've discovered a new variety of Pansy...enter:

 Frizzle Sizzle...I adore them!!










With their little frilly petals, these are guaranteed to bring cheer through the autumn.

They look ready to party!

 Party away, Frizzle Sizzles!!!





I'm definitely on the lookout for more seeds or plugs!




Now then...quietly getting on with life, yet going nowhere is this beauty, below!!

I've never grown pumpkins but Nich gave me this plant and I have nurtured and watched it

throughout the summer months.




Keep growing, you beauty!!

Moving on...

Today, we cleaned the summer house...




.
..and rid it of many spiders, moths and other creepy crawlies.

It was a well overdue clean and tidy up and although I haven't used it 

too much this year, I love the peace and escape that

our summerhouse offers.

And talking of interesting spaces...


Something very exciting is about to happen very shortly

at Woodpeckers!! I can hardly contain myself!






This is the back of our house...well it was... but my hard working

other half has had to remove all of the Ivy, Wisteria and whatever else has

been growing along this wall as, very soon, we are having a Garden Room

built here! 


So...watch this space...we hope to move in well before Christmas!!

(The only argument might be...where to put the Christmas tree!!)


'Brekkie in the Garden Room, darling?'

'I should say so!'

;-)





Tuesday 15 September 2015

And in creeps autumn! ;-)



I always think that it's interesting to take a camera for a walk around

 the garden, in mid September.





And it's always the old shed that introduces autumn to the mix.

I think the old shed would actually fall down if it wasn't kept together with

a combination of Virginia Creeper and Ivy!

But I know that it's a home to all sorts of 'nature' and thus every year,
,
and all through the year, it plays its part so very well.





I love the colours that are crawling up and down the shed door.




Meanwhile...

I'm keeping an eye on Mr Pumpkin!

He (or she) seems very happy in it's home, for the time being.





I've sown a variety of of Pansy seeds to give some autumn and winter colour.

Their faces are so appealing.







Enjoy the autumn garden, everyone!

;-)



Monday 7 September 2015

Lovely Meggy!!



She's off....




...to school!!




With a book bag almost as big as she is!




Where did that time go?

;-)


Monday 10 August 2015

Tessier Gardens in August!






There's a little, hidden gem at St Marychurch, Torquay and that's where

we spent half an hour, on Saturday, having time to kill before making our

way to watch Torquay United.




This is Tessier Gardens, which we first discovered back in February, 

when the garden had its winter coat wrapped around it and there was little sign

of life...which you can see here.




But now, Tessier Gardens has come alive and what was in store was a real treat!!




Splashes of colour greeted us and continued to guide us around these lovely gardens.




There were armies of Japanese Anemones; masses of Globe Thistles; 

sprinklings of blue Veronica ...and oh so much more!









But the biggest treat of all was the walkway under the arch.

Lined with so many varieties of Dahlia, I could hardly believe my eyes!

My mind travelled back to last February...what a transformation!





It was simply beautiful; so pretty; so cheery.





I don't grow many Dahlias in my garden but my mum told me that the railwaymen

who worked on the allotments, many years ago, in Newton Abbot,

were experts at growing the most beautiful Dahlias.

I can quite understand why!







I'll definitely be growing Dahlias, next year!








If you live in the Torquay area...do pay a visit!

It's well worth it!