WISTERIA TO LABURNUM

As the Wisteria starts to drop it's petals the Banksiae Banksiae Rose comes into it's own. This is an amazing thornless rose that keeps most of it's leaves through winter and flowers very early, in the late spring. It grows rampantly and being a native of China really needs a protecting wall to help it through the winter. It has the bonus of a beautiful perfume. It is best grown near where you walk because the flowers are tiny they can be enjoyed more close up, as well as the perfume.

Just as well Mike does an excellent job of pruning many times during the summer.

As the Wisteria comes to an end the Laburnum comes into it's own.

Isn't gardening a delight?

WALKING IN THE WOODS

I decided to take my camera with Beth and I on our afternoon walk in the woods.

We have a choice right is pretty but a shorter walk.

So left it is in amongst the Cow Parsley which is still very beautiful and ethereal.

The three trees are still all there although one is dead and marked for the chop sadly.

Every direction you look is lovely.

Even the views through the leaf canopy to the sky are a delight.

Then into the field with a view back towards the way we came and the great Old Oak looking majestic.

Recently the idea is that this bit of common land is managed by only mowing a pathway through to walk, so that it encourages wildflowers. Great in principle but in reality as it is surrounded by houses, the children often play here.

With the deer and the pheasants in abundance this is such prime tick habitat and children are easy prey for ticks. Pheasants are competent hosts for Borrelia, Lyme disease and as the Clandon Park Estate which borders the woods breeds Pheasant. We are over run by them not just in the woods but in our gardens too. Who knows what percentage of the ticks will have Lyme Disease but I am not the only person diagnosed with Lyme Disease in this area.

The Hawthorn blossom is lovely it has not yet got it's pink blush so clearly not all pollinated yet. The pile of logs is to encourage stag beetles. I haven't ever seen any out here but each year we get them in our garden, they probably like the old logs left under the shrubs.

The lovely Oak tree beautiful whatever the weather, I bet it has some stories to tell.

Back up the track home.

WONDERFUL WISTERIA

Wisteria is so wonderful it deserves a post to itself so here goes.

The Banksiae Banksiae Rose is in bud below and will make it's own display soon.

Mike works hard to train the Wisteria along the gutters and try and keep it from climbing under the roof tiles.

Peeping over the gutter, a view of the Wisteria from the bedroom window.

A final view from the bedroom window.

Mike said to me, you didn't really need to go all that way to Giverney when the Wisteria is so lovely at home.

Well of course we know better.

I so enjoyed seeing Monet's garden.

MONET'S WATER GARDEN

This lovely Cornus was a great welcoming sight into Monet's Water Garden.
I will let the photos speak for themselves but the colours, textures, reflections and planting make this such an inspiring garden no wonder Monet enjoyed painting there so much.

Yes the dreaded Japanese Knot weed at least that is one invasive plant I have so far avoided in my garden. There is a glimpse of Monet's house in the background. The garden is in a valley with lovely hillsides either side.

The above photograph was taken by Rachel and it is so easy to see why Monet painted in the style he did when looking at this view.

I had to get a photo of me in just to prove I did actually go there.

It started to rain as we neared the end of our walk around Monet's Water Garden but loved these two little boats moored.

As umbrellas unfurled I couldn't resist taking this photo of the bridge with the haziness the rain made the photo I felt it was truly Monet style.

Umbrellas can be useful to keep the rain off the camera whilst still taking photographs although it can be quite a juggling act but this lovely pink Cornus said goodbye to us as we left this lovely garden.

I hope you all enjoyed your visit with me. If you look at the post before this you will find links into Monet's garden and a blog link about it.