tulipmania

This time of year I am consumed by tulipmania. This one was bought 2 years ago as 'Orange Emperor' and put in a pot in the front garden. I was a bit disappointed that it came out as yellow, so decided to try it by the shed to follow on after the daffs. Last year no flowers but this year - yellow streaked with red - interesting?

Tatton Park

With the wonderful weather continuing on Sunday I decided to hitch a lift on the bus with the Sunday Garden Group to Tatton Park near Knutsford. My aim was to walk in the extensive parkland created in the 18th century by Repton. On my approach to the Old Hall notices warned of 'loud bangs'! There I discovered a re-enactment of the American Civil War in progress. It all looked very familiar as we had toured sites in the Southern States on a holiday in 2001. See link on my website at http://www.39blythe.freeserve.co.uk/

Men playing with 'toys'!

Women chatting up soldier!

Derbyshire Church Crawl

On Friday a friend and I did a church crawl in Derbyshire. A few weeks ago we had picked up a leaflet from Leek Tourist Office entitled 'From Cradle to Grave', which listed various historic churches. http://www.peak-experience.org.uk/





We started in Ashbourne but could only admire the exterior of St Oswald's church as there was a lengthy funeral in progress.

In the nearby tiny village of Fenny Bentley the Norman church of St Edmund had an interesting alabaster tomb with shrouded effigies of Thomas Beresford and his wife surrounded on all sides by their 21 shrouded children. It also had an area of painted aluminium ceiling - the first of it's kind in England. Work from the local school children was very much in evidence, showing it was well patronised.

St Mary's at Tissington was a further Norman church with a good view from the teashop opposite. The lady doing the weekly cleaning was assisted by a small child and dog!

Finally St Peter's church at Alstonefield was bathed in late afternoon sunshine and looked over towards Dovedale. In the well-tended churchyard we found the oldest gravestone in the country dated 1518. Looking over the wall I spotted many wild cowslips which like the limestone in this area.

Greenway Bank

Last week I had a walk in solitude round Greenway Bank Country Park near Biddulph. The bluebells were just starting to emerge but still lots of colour with yellow celandines and marsh marigolds and white wood anemones. When the sun shines April is magical. I enjoyed the extra loop up to Gawton's stone, then descended to the Waterfall walk which reminds me of the levadas on Madeira.

These ducks caught my eye initially as a pair of bookends until they moved. Note Mrs Mallard following Mr Mallard!

Rode Hall Market

Bank holiday Monday we decided to visit Rode Hall gardens , situated a few miles from home and what a treat it was with the early rhododendrons and magnolias in bloom and only a handful of people around. In complete contrast to the monthly market there on the first Saturday in the month where there are about a thousand cars. This month we were entertained by the Black Dog Molly Dancers from where else but Stoke on Trent. I am thinking of entering this photo for a competition entitled 'Eccentric Britain'!

Yet More Daffodils

This Easter Saturday we visited Clonterbrook Farm daffodils. A public footpath runs a short distance through the wood where the farmer has planted hundreds of different types of daffodils. These follow on after the snowdrops and then there is the delight of bluebells later in May. Over the years I have visited this area many times but this year I was blown away by the light on the white variety at the far end. We had a field day with the cameras!

Daffodils

Every year I like to grow different sorts of daffodils.

This is an unusual one with a split corona that I thought was Cassata but on looking in the catalogue it looks like Belcanto? I bought it 2 years ago and dont seem to have made a record at the time. Then again the bulb firm could have got it wrong so I'll have to order Cassata next autumn to check. Who cares anyway they are all gorgeous!

Family outing

Last Saturday 28 March was the 7th anniversary of Tony's departure from this earth. We had our annual pilgrimage to his memorial gate and seat near Leek. As usual the weather was very cold but we managed to make the ascent and take photos before it rained. In fact this year we had a flurry of hail stones before we bid a retreat to the warmth of The Abbey pub and a superb meal together.

Jamie, Tracy, Graham, Allison, Simon, Sophia and Victoria