On gardens & gravestones...

How I yearn for my Summer garden! Here it is last June.....

I can smell the lavender, feel the sun warming my winter-white skin & hear the blackbirds and the bees humming lazily.....
This, however, is what it actually look like now! Hard to believe that in 4 months time it will be a thing of such beauty again. Spurred on by the wonderful Sharon Lovejoy I did wrap up warmly, put on my old, faithful gardening gloves & prune all the rose bushes & clematis - so at least they now have room & energy to send up those vital green shoots that I crave so much!
As many of you already know, we live in a wonderful old church square - which means that the graveyard is, in effect, our front garden. It stopped being used in the late 1800's, so all the headstones are really old and interesting....
I'm still finding new ones to read after all these years! And because it's all largely left alone, there are wonderful wild flowers, yew, laburnum & lilac trees...all bending with age...clumps of snowdrops right now - and these sweet things...
tiny, vibrant aconites shining so brightly in a vast carpet under my favourite, ancient, twisted huge beech tree that stands in one corner. Their sunny faces cheered me as I photographed them this afternoon. It will come, the sun, the warmth, the beauty. It will come! xo

Comments

  1. What a beautiful area you live in! And what a lovely garden! I love lavender so much. My friend grows her own lavender, cuts little bunches of them, ties them with ribbon, and places them all over her house. The smell is wonderful :)

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  2. I spy with my little eye....in the first picture...a bust of Mozart on the garden wall! And behind it, what I believe to be a cherry tree? That must be pretty in spring!
    You are right, it is so hard to believe that in 4 months it will look like that again! My balcony looks like a rotten mess right now. :( I look back at pictures of nasturtium tendrils, bright pink geraniums, hopeful pumpkin plants...*sigh*
    Well, these photos give us hope!
    Your home looks beautiful, and I love it when you show pictures of the cemetary. I hope you will show it again when the lilacs are blooming!
    xo

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  3. How I envy your lavender! I long for it, but it refuses to grow where I live. The pictures are beautiful and give me hope that summer will return.

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  4. Dawn, you eagle-eyed wonder! Yes, that's Wolfie on the back wall...and it is indeed a cherry tree. I'll post a photo when it's dressed in it's bridal whiteness in Spring...Erin, I hope you're better - I put sprigs of our lavender in my underwear drawer! And welcome, Janie - thanks for your lovely comments. We need the dark & cold in order for the Spring & Summer to come around again I know - but it feels like a looong time this year! xo

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  5. Golly I could just feel the sun enveloping me looking at your summer photos, I NEED summer too! The photo looking back at the house reminds me of Nigel Slater's garden in his 'Simple Suppers' programme.
    Looking forward to seeing all of those gorgeous blooms blossoming
    Love Morwenna xoxo

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  6. Sorry me gain! Forgot to say that I love your new background and banner, very pretty and very you
    Love Morwenna xoxo

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  7. Hi Rachel,

    Your garden looks so nice & welcoming!! Spring is just around the corner (let's keep repeating that:)). I didn't know about the cemetary, but how intriguing! I look forward to seeing more photos of it and of your lovely garden.

    xoxo,
    Blair

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  8. Hi Rachel and Alice....first off LOVE the new header..rachel..do you play the piano..i do somewhat...i LOVE piano..have one in my kitchen here..it's no prize..but it works...

    love playing late in the afternoons..while something good bakes in the oven...

    my garden looks like dirt and sticks right now..this year john and i added 2 cherry trees and a peach..we already have 2 apples...one called seek-no-further and one called pumpkin russet...how could i pass those up..and we have an apricot..my dream was to live in a fruit orchard..and we are getting close...slowly

    but would LOVE LOVE LOVE to be near a cemetary...

    i think i told you about my friend who lives in nantucket (did I ?) across the street from the quaker cemetary...only no headstones..the best part...

    come on SPRING.....

    can't wait to see more of your garden as things begin to turn SPRING GREEN...

    more later, my friend...
    and hugs to Alice...

    sending love,
    kary and buddy
    xxx

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  9. Dear Rachel, your blog is such a feast for the eyes - just your background and your header are gorgeous! And then the pictures of your summer garden - I love it!! And the graveyard - Daniel and I check out old graveyard where ever we are, and here in Savannah we have one you would just love! It's actually one of the most beautiful places in town here.

    I've been on a houseplant buying kick - I think I'm ready for spring as well although much stays green during winter here. It's just been so rainy lately...

    Hope you are staying warm as you await spring time...

    Love, Silke

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  10. ...rachel....just stopping by to say how good it was to see you at Farmhouse today...always love a visit with you.

    more later and hugs to alice and china

    sending love,
    kary and buddy
    xxx

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  11. Such wonderful photos, makes me feel as if I've been there myself. It's lovely for me to see the cold though! You are all saying bring on Summer, and here I'm saying bring on Winter!! Love love love

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