Busman's Holiday

After judging and being judged by Yorkshire in Bloom this week, Friday was spent visiting gardens in North Yorkshire with our gardening club.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the outing and we returned laden with plants and ideas for our own gardens.

First stop was Rewela Cottage at Skewesby, home of garden designer John Plant . 

The front of the house gave no indication of what was to come and we were all impressed by the planting combinations and landscaping at every turn. 

 The outdoor kitchen

 The jacuzzi/sauna

 The potting area

 

 

There was a good range of interesting plants for sale to tempt us and we all succumbed!

Then on to the picturesque North Yorkshire, market  town of Helmsley. 

 Here we took advantage of the various eating places, market stalls, shops and antique fair before boarding the coach again for our next garden visit.

Terrington House, a former rectory, is the home of James and Linda Fenwick.  

The house is surrounded by gardens and features tennis courts, heated outdoor pool and, the pièce de résistance, a summer house decorated in shells by Linda Fenwick .

 The stunning ceiling of the Shell House

 North Yorkshire, not the South of France

 The vegetable plot

Just beware of Crumble the dog who makes quick work of any cake you place on the table!
Anyone else got some interesting garden visits to share?

The Versatile Blogger Award

Thanks to Teresa Ashby at A Likely Story http://teresaashby.blogspot.co.uk/  for nominating me for this award.

So, here are seven snippets of information about me.

I collect bottles, mostly old but I have included some contemporary ones.  They are not easy to keep dust-free.

I do like to be beside the seaside and spend a lot of time there in the Summer at our holiday home.  We love to invite friends and family.  It’s a great place to chill.

My writing started when I retired at 60.  I have had quite a few short stories published and read out on local radio.  I even managed to present at a local literary festival.  In addition to this blog, I keep two other blogs for groups to which I belong: rainbow allotment and Paxton friday forum

Spiders in the house petrify me.  I don’t care how big they are outside the house, but once they cross the threshold I can’t take it.  I know it’s irrational, but there it is.  I couldn’t even manage a photo!

I love being in the company of my grandchildren; some who live near and others who live far.   Thank goodness for Skype. 

I help to produce a monthly programme for a local radio station.  It’s good fun and I am now brave enough to present live. 

Gardening is another passion.  I’m not the perfect lawn and manicured beds type.  I am learning about growing vegetables on an allotment for adults with disabilities where I volunteer, I am a judge for Yorkshire in Bloom and attend a gardening club and an enthusiastic visitor of other people's gardens.

I have no hesitation in commending these bloggers the Versatile Blogger Award.  Pay a visit and you will see what I mean.
deborah walkers bibliography  
john grimshaws garden diary  
Our Plot at Green Lane Allotments 
patsy-collins words about writing and writing about words 
allwrite fiction advice 
 frances garrood
the gardeners eye 
Rosalind Adam is writing in the rain 
Shallee Mcarthur 
shirls gardenwatch
 write1sub1

 

Yellow and Lavender

No they don’t go together!

 YELLOW

In the morning enjoyed the party atmosphere with family and friends for the Grand Depart of the Tour de France in my hometown.  The whole route turned yellow including some of the sheep!

 

 A neighbour's jazz band added to the ambience

 Loads of floats distributing free gifts

 My grandson was really shocked when I encouraged him to chalk on the road

 An actual gendarme

 LAVENDER

In the afternoon, on the way to the coast, visited Yorkshire Lavender with its beautiful gardens, nursery and spectacular views of the Vale of York.    

 The only garden with a notice that asks you to touch the flowers!

 A stress-free zone

 The tune?  Lavender's blue dilly dilly ....

 A lavender maze which made our clothes smell amazing

 Could be in Provence rather than East Yorkshire