Colchester

DSCN3850, originally uploaded by anab1.

A couple of weekends ago I went back to Colchester to get away from it all up here. I took Hermione and Max (as I had no cat sitter) and had a thoroughly good time celebrating Julia's birthday. I took Hermione for a quick walk up in Highwoods Country Park and it provides this view of Colchester. Most notably is the green-roofed tower on the right which is Jumbo, a victorian water tower and the thin tower on the left which is the courthouse (or british equivalent)

Weekend getaway

DSCN3857, originally uploaded by anab1.

I wish it were mine but in reality this was the venue for a party that Jenny and I went to this past weekend. A friend of her's from university turned 30 and she had a big celebration. There was food, drink, friends and fun to be had. I got to use my tent for the first time in Britain and discovered it still works. Yay! This was Hermione's first adventure in sleeping someplace other than a nice warm house and bed. It wasn't very cold and in fact the tent stayed really warm. However, i don't think Hermione slept all that well because when we got home on Sunday she marched right upstairs and jumped on my bed and took a very long nap. If you click the picture you can see more photos on my Flickr page.

Sunday Walk

DSCN3829, originally uploaded by anab1.

On Sunday, we experienced a rare phenomena this summer. The SUN! So I took full advantage of it and took a walk up Pendle Hill. It was by no means easy but worth the climb. Click the picture and look through the rest of the Flickr set named Walk up Pendle Hill. There are more pictures, commentary and notes there.

DSCN3753

DSCN3753, originally uploaded by anab1.

I acquired this rose from my rental house in Nantwich. I did a sneaky trade. I moved a red rose from the back garden into the front and put this one into a pot. Why? Because it smells amazing. I couldn't leave it behind. and look how pretty it is too.

Pot of dirt plant

DSCN3754, originally uploaded by anab1.

My pot of dirt has at last bloomed and look what a swan it turned into. Cheerily yellow despite having never seen the sun since they've opened. Next year, they'll be in the ground instead of resembling a pot of dirt all winter.

Its a .. bird

DSCN3750, originally uploaded by anab1.

Just over the fence to one side of my back garden there is a drop off significant enough that what I see just peeping over the top of my fence is the top of a tree. In this tree is a nest of birdlings. I think they are blackbird-lings and my dog is absolutely fanscinated by their existence. She's like an addict. Every 2 minutes she has to go out and check on them. Of course she can't see or get anywhere near them.. but she hears them cheeping away and sees mama and papa blackbird flying in just over her head with whatever blackbirds feed their young.

If you're wondering why I haven't updated this site lately, it's because it's been raining here for nearly 3 weeks and I haven't been out much let alone with my camera. My flickr account has other pictures on it.. including a load of unlabeled pictures of my last trip to Lebanon. You can also browse my blog dedicated to my new allotment (exciting-not!)

DSC00121, originally uploaded by anab1.

What's this thing that looks like a pink? It grows in multiple colors like Pinks.. ie, white, magenta and multi colors of the two. There are several flowers on a head that looks a bit prickly when unopened.

*ETA It's a Sweet William. Butterflies and bees like them and they are walking all over the front garden :-) *

Things to do with Shasta daisies

Things to do with Shasta daisies, originally uploaded by anab1.

Here we have Hermione modeling the latest in all-natural day wear. A collar made entirely of all-natural, organically grown daisies.

June

June, originally uploaded by anab1.

The daisies are slowly coming out and the proper plants slowly going in.

DSC00110

DSC00110, originally uploaded by anab1.

One of my gorgeously scented David Austen roses. There are 3 blooms open on this bush and they completely scent up the back garden.

DSC00113

DSC00113, originally uploaded by anab1.

The dry shade terrace. One of the irises has bloomed. It's a pale yellow. More interesting is the grey-green leaved random plant that I'm sure has a proper name with bell-shaped white flowers.

DSC00114

DSC00114, originally uploaded by anab1.

Gorgeous campanula with a kniphofia that is waiting to go into the garden. But don't they look good together?

Hermione and the Giant Mushroom

Hermione and the Giant Mushroom, originally uploaded by anab1.

Last year, about this time, I was walking in Highwoods Park in Colchester. These were growing out in the open grassland areas. You can see Hermione walking out of frame for some scale.

DSC00091, originally uploaded by anab1.

A new Garden Discovery. I'm not sure what it is at the moment. Not even sure if it is a flower or a weed.. although it looks quite pretty and therefore even if it is a weed I'd like to think it's a flower.

*ETA* It is a flower! it's Incarvillea delavayi or aka Hardy Gloxinia.

Cactus garden

DSC00090, originally uploaded by anab1.

The cactus garden continues to reproduce. One flower stalk has turned into these large colorful fruit drops.

DSC00073

DSC00073, originally uploaded by anab1.

My cactus garden. My first successful attempt at keeping Lithops along with the more prickly sorts of cactus. this pictures shows a flower stalk from one of the succulents and the lithops dividing!!

DSC00076, originally uploaded by anab1.

I came up a pathways in Corporation Park and saw this mass of yellow Rhododendrons (or Azaleas, not sure how to tell them apart) This picture doesn't do them justice as they were really glowing in the momentary sunshine. If you can, try and ignore Hermione having a wee in the corner.

Corporation Park

DSC00077, originally uploaded by anab1.

By the time I finished coming up the bank the sun had retreated but they were still quite prettily yellow

Corporation Park in Blackburn

DSC00068, originally uploaded by anab1.

Across the more "parky" bit of Corporation Park, across the big lake. This is one of the nicer parks I've been in. Both me and dog thoroughly enjoy walks in it.

DSC00065

DSC00065, originally uploaded by anab1.

Down on the level of the Italianate Garden towards trees beyond

DSC00064

DSC00064, originally uploaded by anab1.

More of the Italianate Garden. It was only recently recreated so is not even a year old yet.

DSC00063

DSC00063, originally uploaded by anab1.

From the broad walk down to the Italianate Garden then down to the more general "park" area and one of the lakes. Note little black spec near bottom left of picture. Hermione!

DSC00062

DSC00062, originally uploaded by anab1.

The broad walk near the top of Corporation Park

DSC00061

DSC00061, originally uploaded by anab1.

Pink snow from the rhododendron tree in the park

back garden

back garden, originally uploaded by anab1.

Garden terrace separating my back garden from the other half of the duplex's garden

of back

of back, originally uploaded by anab1.

view of the back of my house. Mine is the half to the left. You can see the conservatory on the back. There's quite a lot of level changes in the form of stairs, terraces and porches

front

front, originally uploaded by anab1.

there's a pretty steep rise to the side of the house with some stairs that lead up to parts of the rest of the development. I took this picture while coming down the stairs with the dog after a walk. That's the front of my house.

DSC00050

DSC00050, originally uploaded by anab1.

Good Morning! This isn't a posed shot. She was like this when I came back to my room after a shower last week sometime.

DSC00053, originally uploaded by anab1.

Mom, this is the pot of dirt plant. You bought it stating "it's supposed to look like this now, it's got healthy roots." But I have no idea what it is. Any ideas?

**ETA** Apparently I have a pot of lillies. I have no idea what kind or when I acquired them but there you go. I will plant them out in the garden next weekend.

DSC00055

DSC00055, originally uploaded by anab1.

The fritillaria is not a very photogenic little plant. I think i need to give it a different backdrop! But it's gotten much taller and there's a second smaller on next to it but out of shot.

DSC00056

DSC00056, originally uploaded by anab1.

Progress on the seedlings. Two varieties of tomatoes are big enough to go out into the garden. The other two are still very titchy. I may not get a crop off them this year. Next year, I'll seed them out in January or even December

DSC00057

DSC00057, originally uploaded by anab1.

Comfrey in the garden. I don't know if it was planted or just wild

DSC000104

DSC000104, originally uploaded by anab1.

Hello!

DSC00043

DSC00043, originally uploaded by anab1.

Lovage. Tastes just like celery, therefore likely to become mostly a weed to me. Sigh.. why couldn't it taste like something good?

DSC00044

DSC00044, originally uploaded by anab1.

The slightly overexposed collection of pots. The strawberry plants are soooo green. they look very healthy. I hope they stay that way. Roses are taking to the sunshine very well.

DSC00045

DSC00045, originally uploaded by anab1.

I think this photo will come out sideways, but Mom, what is it? It hasn't quite bloomed yet, but it distinctly downward facing. Its one of those Beth Chatto bulbs. It's almost open and looks like it'll be purple-ish with yellow-green accents, but may completely change once opened.

**EDIT** I think it is a Fritillaria acmopetala!! Look

DSC00046

DSC00046, originally uploaded by anab1.

A green man overlooks, tho will probably be relocated at a later date. A pot of lovely blue muscari and my potted olive tree enjoying a bit of spring sunshine

DSC00047

DSC00047, originally uploaded by anab1.

My 'take a break' spot. it was lovely and sunny this bank holiday weekend. I got my laundry line sorted, the beds weeded and seeded. all around productive.