We took advantage of our RHS membership for this week’s post and visited their flagship garden at Wisley.
Based in Surrey, it’s renowned for being a world class garden that captures the imagination with richly planted borders and luscious rose gardens.
What struck me immediately was how different it was to our last visit – less than two months ago. The pond we’d previously seen encircled by ducks was full of Waterlilies and surrounded by fabulous scenery including a beautiful rock garden.
An adjoining bridge, we walked across with a buggy before, was wrapped in Wisteria. I was taken aback by the change – it was so picturesque it resembled a postcard. Even with a toddler in tow, it oozed peace and tranquility. And it smelt absolutely amazing.
Butterflies fluttered nearby and bees buzzed round brightly coloured blooms. Although I got a shot of a butterfly, it wasn’t my day for capturing a bee inside a huge red and yellow Lily. It was one of those occasions I wished my camera had been on auto focus!
The canal and Loggia looked more breathtaking than usual on a sunny day. The adjacent walled garden was a perfect place to stop and take it all in amidst a sea of purple and white flowers.
The huge cathedral-like Glasshouse showcased a mind-blowing collection of plants across three climatic zones. These included difficult to grow, rare and endangered species and Orchids. A selection are in the last part of the slideshow.
It was a great afternoon that also encompassed a peek at the Garden Photographer of the Year exhibition, a Fuchsia display and a WI Scarecrow Trail.
We’re linking this post up with How Does Your Garden Grow? which this week is being hosted here on this blog.
First off a huge thank you to Emma at Helvetica Handmade for hosting How Does Your Garden Grow? last week. As Mammasaurus continues to enjoy the wonders of Sicily I have the honour this time *punches air*
Please link up your posts below in the same way you would do normally.
If you’re new to How Does Your Garden Grow?, it’s a weekly linky that covers all things garden. Whether photos of your own garden, shots of other peoples or memories of gardens gone by. Be warned though, it’s highly addictive!
My offering comes from RHS Wisley in Surrey where we had a nose around their gardens and a sneaky peek in the Glasshouse. You’ll see an explosion of colour and although I tried, I couldn’t resist the temptation to capture a Lily or two…
We’re in the bathroom. POD is sitting happily on her potty nest but nothing is happening. In an attempt to change the focus I suggest we sing the Alphabet Song.
“No Mummy No”. Sorry do you want to sing it?
“Mummy not sing” Alright you sing it
“A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z. Old Macdonald had a farm. On that farm he had a dog, eee-iii-ooo. The End”
Lots of clapping. No wee. I launch into Wheels on the Bus.
“No Mummy I do it” There then follows an interesting variation. With actions.
“The babies on the bus go Waa Waa Waa [rubs eyes], the Mummies on the bus go Tratter, Tratter, Tratter [uses hands to show chattering], the Daddies on the bus go Stop that noise, Stop that noise” [much pointing and frowning].
Not my version but hilarious to watch. This does mean it’s not just a case of pink sheep anymore, the lyrics of nursery rhymes are evolving. No wonder POD has a blank expression on her face when I get involved. Unless she’s realised I can’t actually sing!
We’re linking this post up with Wot So Funee? over at Actually Mummy. If you have a witty post you’d like to share, click on the badge below.
What an incredible first week What’s The Story? had. Thank you to everyone that joined in, such a variety of posts and all brilliant to read.
I particularly enjoyed Cocooned into white nothingness, My Panto Success and the unexpected story from Scissors Paper Rock. Posts that tugged at the heartstrings were A Party of Seven, Helvetica Handmade, Dragonflypoppy and The 40 Year Old Domestic Goddess.
Photographs with the wow factor came from Mummy Barrow, There and back again…a mother’s tale and Doctor Party. We also loved One Dad And 3 Girls and the Wicked World of Lucas.
If you’re coming here for the first time, the What’s The Story? Linky was created so you can share the story behind some of your well-loved photographs. It’s open from 6.30am every Monday until the following Sunday.
Joining in is really easy. All you need to do is share a photograph and describe what the story is behind it. You can say as little or as much as you like about your photograph. You can also select a photo taken at ANY time – there are no restrictions on when it must have been taken. You might choose a photo you took recently or an oldie. It would be great if your post is new but you can also link up your old favourites.
Feel free to grab the What’s The Story? badge below. Do share some Linky love by commenting on your fellow bloggers posts.
I look forward to reading your stories and giving them a well deserved shout out!
This photograph was taken in 2008. It’s of the Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand. A walk it was suggested we do whilst in the North Island. We’d been in the country for a wedding and were travelling back to Auckland airport.
The Tongariro Crossing is a 19.4 kilometre trek at an altitude of 1,800 metres. Little did I know the volcanic peaks of Ngauruhoe, Tongariro and Ruapehu are among the top ten single-day treks in the world. It’s popularity due to the incredible scenery and breathtaking Emerald Lakes.
The trek was flat at first and quite enjoyable in the sunshine. I remember laughing just before we started climbing the The Devil’s Staircase. It was short lived. Climbing up uneven layers of lava flows and volcanic deposits was really hard work. Even more of a challenge when I re-broke two of my toes. But there was no going back. The bus dropped everyone off at the start of the trek and collected you at the finish.
The only photograph I have of the Devil’s Staircase shows me at the bottom with fellow trekkers in the background still climbing upwards after 3 kilometers! It was seriously tough but the views from the summit were immense.
This photograph was taken after that following a hike up an exposed ridge. The ant like dots you see on the path are people.
We completed the three volcanic peaks of the Tongariro Crossing in 6.5 hours (above average despite the broken tootsies). We rewarded ourselves with cold lager. It was a hideous yet thrilling experience – we couldn’t walk for days afterwards. Despite all of that it still remains one of my most memorable achievements.
This post is for What’s The Story? the photography Linky on this blog. We’re also linking up with Magic Moments at The Oliver’s Madhouse.
After last week’s floral extravaganza, this time we’re back in the Dove garden.
It’s had a bit of a lull recently in that my new flowers haven’t coped well in this gorgeous weather. That said the wonderful thing about the How Does Your Garden Grow? Linky is you discover gems you never noticed before. Like flowers that died are re-sprouting and flowering again. None of the flowers in the slideshow existed a week ago. Amazing.
You will have seen photographs of my Red Hot Pokers before. They are spectacular but die off very quickly. They do re-seed themselves and the photo with the ladybird is a Poker doing just that. They’re starting to re-flower again too. The photograph you see of the bee coming in to land is the first Poker of the new crop.
Elsewhere we’ve gained a patio by our back door – a sneak preview is in the slideshow. It replaces the lethal decking I broke my wrist on so it’s great the area is safe again. POD finally has a flat surface outside where she can play with her dollies or ride her Scramble Bug. It will also make for a superb BBQ area.
Mammasaurus is on holiday so this week How Does Your Garden Grow? is being hosted by Emma at Helvetica Handmade. Then next week I’ll be hosting our garden shenanigans.
The last school I was at fueled creativity. I remember making an array of clay items in pottery which were fired and glazed. In woodwork, my biggest achievement was a box with a lid that actually fitted – despite my loathing for the plane. I loved my after school class where I learnt how to solder and make silver jewellery.
An exchange trip to Germany saw the creation of a copper pot in a blacksmithing class. The highlight of a excursion that saw us enjoy the Heidelberg Strasse festival. A little too much perhaps.
The only thing I’ve made for myself since is a jellyfish outfit for a marketing agency party. An enormous hat formed the basis of it – made from a bowl, a cowboy hat, tissue paper and lots of glue. Long tentacles, made from ribbon I’d painlessly curled, fell almost to my ankles. The larger tentacles included LED’s so the back of me glowed in the dark. It made for the funniest train journey home I have ever had.
As parent to a toddler (yes I made her too), 2013 has seen the creative juices rejuvenated. It’s been a challenge with a broken wrist but we made these Egg Men at Easter. Little did I know you can dye eggs rather than spend a considerable amount of time gluing tissue paper to them. Then painting them. It was a marathon of a task with a toddler so I’m thankful for plastic eyes and pipe cleaners!
We’re linking this post up with The Gallery over at Sticky Fingers. The theme this week is ‘I made this’. If you’d like to join in, click on the badge below.
Hello everyone and welcome to What’s The Story?
This Linky has been created so you can share the story behind some of your well-loved photographs. It’s open from 6.30am every Monday until 8pm the following Sunday so you have all week to link up.
Joining in is really easy. All you need to do is share a photograph and describe what the story is behind it. You can say as little or as much as you like about your photograph. You can also select a photo taken at ANY time – there are no restrictions on when it must have been taken. You might choose a photo you took recently or an oldie might be more preferable. It would be great if your post is new but you can also link up your old favourites.
Feel free to grab the What’s The Story? badge below and do share the Linky love on your fellow bloggers posts. I look forward to reading your posts and giving them all a well deserved shout out!
