A Stone for Srebrenica -25 years on

To commemorate the 25^th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre, our local group of Nisa Nashim (Muslim and Jewish women) joined Big Ideas in painting stones.  The stones will be a permanent reminder of the six million Jewish men, women and children murdered in the Holocaust and all other victims of Nazi persecution and to those murdered in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

The stones from across the United Kingdom will be placed within the foundations of the new UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in London. Each painted stone is a commitment to remember the past and to build a future free from all forms of prejudice, discrimination and hatred.

My stone includes a heart, the Hebrew word Chai and flowers to represent Love, Life and Regeneration:

Pictures of other stones and more information can be found at https://www.big-ideas.org/current-projects/foundation-stones/

Sadly, we haven't learnt from the horrors of the past and persecution still continues today. 

In the words of Eli Wiesel, holocaust survivor: “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

Ten Years a Blogger

Happy tenth anniversary to Thirdageblogger!

I began this blog as personal journal after I retired and was considering my options.  I cited the following as possible avenues:

Gardening

 Not mine!  Italian Gardens, Scarborough

Cooking

Voluntary work

Writing

Do something new every week

Followers of my blog will know that I did indeed embrace these options and have met new people and encountered bloggers of similar interests from whom I have learnt a great deal.

Who would have thought that a pandemic could change our lives to such a degree - and it's not over yet?  

I recognise that my blog is rather eclectic but it fits the criteria of a personal journal to look back on in my dotage.  For this reason I will continue to record my triumphs, however small.

Thank you for reading and hope that you will continue to drop by.

Visit to Kiplin Hall and Gardens

Taking advantage of what the forecast promised to be a fair weather day, we visited Kiplin Hall and Gardens, situated off the beaten track in the beautiful North Yorkshire countryside near Richmond.  The Jacobean Hall was built by George Calvert, Secretary of State to James 1 and founder of Maryland USA.  Four families, all blood relatives, have owned and lived here and left the paintings and furniture they collected as well as the art work, literature and furniture that they produced.  The last member of the family, Bridget Talbot, had no offspring neither did her siblings so when she died in 1971, she bequeathed it to charity.  I'll leave the rest of the history for you to discover.

This lake was the result of gravel quarrying in the 1990’s. The income from the sale of the gravel was used to pay for the restoration of the hall. 

The Folly

 

  Geese and swans can be seen on the 1 mile walk around the lake.  The island is a safe haven for them.  There is a wide variety of wild flowers and trees with benches dotted about to appreciate the scenery.  

The gardens are a delight.  We had our picnic in the walled garden with its swathes of flowers, edged with fruit trees, an allotment and ornamental pond.

There are other walks around the grounds, none very strenuous, so allow a good few hours for your visit.

Visit to Scampston Hall and Walled Garden

It was such a treat to visit Scampston, in North Yorkshire, which was impressive even under grey skies and drizzle.

The Walled Garden was designed by Piet Oudolf in 1999 and his signature swathes of grasses and flowers are very much in evidence.

A viewing mount gives an overall impression of the whole garden

  .  

The garden is such a great opportunity to find plenty of planting ideas for your own garden.

In contrast, the parkland was the work of Capability Brown with a huge lake, bridge and waterfall.  The Hall was closed for this year.

 

Throughout the grounds there are trails allowing you to discover wildflower meadows, specimen trees, wildlife and the various outbuildings and features of a stately home.

I don't like to give too much away, as you can experience the wow factor for yourself.  A cafe and plant sales completes the experience. 

And we’re back …. at the coast

After managing a week at the start of the season, lockdown happened but now we’re back.

It’s surprisingly quiet here; just how we like it.  After tarting up the veranda and  sorting out the gas and wifi supply, it’s as if we’ve never been aware.  Actually, I think we appreciate it more than ever.  I was going to say if only we still had that beautiful Spring weather but that sounds ungrateful considering the current situation.

 A visit to Hornsea

 By the Floral Hall

Hornsea beach

and to one of my favourite gardens:  Burton Agnes

No artist in residence this year

The maze

 The walled garden here is divided into  garden rooms, by colour or species or edibles and mostly well labelled.

I do like to be beside the seaside.  Do you?

Visit to Newby Hall

On Day 74, as the lockdown eased, we took the opportunity of a garden visit. As members of the Historic Houses Association we were fortunate to be allowed to be part of the restricted group to visit the grounds of Newby Hall in North Yorkshire.

 

The gardens were just transitioning from late Spring to early Summer plants.    Our picnic lunch was taken on one of the many benches with a delightful view.

 This wall of a shelter is made of shells

 

 Candelabra primulas by one of the ponds

This trip wouldn't have been out of the ordinary in the old normal, but we were really appreciative of the time spent here in the present situation.  We hope to return later in the year to revisit the Autumn Garden and the long herbaceous border in their full glory.

Six on Saturday mid-May

By my calendar it’s Lockdown Day 54 and, while social distancing, wearing masks and Zoom parties are the new normal, you can almost forget the virus when you’re in the garden.  Although garden centres and journeying further afield is now allowed, I shall wait until I feel safer to do so.  

My six are: 

Aquilegia William Guiness which I sowed from seed many years ago and isn’t as promiscuous as some others

London Pride

Variegate Weigela perhaps Florida

Allium Purple Sensation, a fascinating plant

I saw this cheerful container was outside our local park on an exercise spree

Geranium (never knew its name)

The Propagator generously hosts Six on Saturday.  Click on the link to his blog to see what he and his followers are growing and doing in their gardens this week.  Perhaps you feel you could add your own six too.

Stay well everyone.