A wander in the garden

Another quick coffee break post this morning. Then I'll be packing my bags ready for my trip to Burnley in the morning for the demonstration event at The Craft Range. There will be lots of demonstrations to entertain and inspire, including my great friends Andy Skinner and Mark Gould. I don't get to see the guys that often and now it will be twice in a fortnight!

So, hope to see lots of you over in Burnley on Saturday...I'm sure it will be a fantastic day.

I don't have any photos of my latest creations to share this morning as I've been working on new stamp designs all week and they are obviously "top secret"! I'll take my camera tomorrow though so will share pictures of the day next week.

Thanks to those who asked how I'd got on at the dentist on Tuesday. I'd been scheduled to have another root canal treatment (!) but, having discussed it with the dentist, we decided that it would be better to just whip the tooth out - it's quite far back and not that noticeable. Anything to avoid the complications of the last experience! I was in and out in no time...as was the tooth! No after effects either. I still look like a pirate though as I'm still waiting for the new crown - then I'll be all done and dusted. I also got my hospital appointment to see the neurologist about my numb face so that was much quicker than expected - hoorah!

Well, I don't like to do a post with no photos so here are some of the jungle that I'm surrounded by at the moment! The first of the courgettes is just about ready for the roasting dish now - yum!

A strawberry! I've decided that I probably won't bother with these again...no wonder they are so expensive when the yield is three or four berries per plant!

The sugar snap peas are just outside the conservatory door so I just pick them as I go by and eat them straight off the plant!

 One of the three tomato plants that are outside is coming along very nicely and I've got another five inside!

Unfortunately, although I adore Nasturtiums, and they are so easy to grow, I may have to restrict my love of them next year as they do attract these little monsters....

...Cabbage White caterpillars! I really love having the butterflies in the garden, but the caterpillars just make short work of my plants. Bless them! Thankfully this patch has escaped the munching beasties and are providing a lovely splash of hot colour.

My micro pond is in there somewhere.....

...everything has burgeoned and even one of the pond plants has flowered. Guess I'm doing something right! The fairies are almost completely hidden now. Sadly I've had no visiting frogs or anything larger than hover flies and wolf spiders - maybe they will still come. The only residents in there are....mosquito larvae...oh joy! I'd better stock up on citronella candles for when they emerge!

I'm thrilled with the fogloves.These three are by the pond and there are more around the garden. I grew them all from seed that my late brother in law, Graham, gave to me. That's one of the very special things about gardens isn't it...they can hold so many memories and as things grow they keep those memories alive. Every time Iook at the foxgloves I think of Graham.

By the way, the lawn was in need of a haircut when I took this (still is!) but I just haven't had time to get it done this week. There are also masses of that darned Mare's Tail weed everywhere too which I get courtesy of the fields that you can see in the background...a small price to pay for the views and the wildlife though.

All the roses are blooming now and I'm planning to plant more every year - as I've said before, David thought a garden should be filled with them, so that's what I'm doing. These are "Little Rambler" and are so dainty. They shade from palest pink right through to a deep rosy colour and the blooms just spring forth in masses - gorgeous.

The last picture is one of the flowers on the "Moment in Time" rose bush that I got in David's memory. It would have been his favourite as he loved red roses best of all. For some reason I find that my camera doesn't really like photographing reds and the details are always slightly lost (any ideas folks?), but you can still see what a lovely rose it is.

Well, I must away now to continue filling those bags for tomorrow. Have a great weekend everyone!