Thursday 20 August 2015

A QUICK LOOK ABOUT THE GARDEN

I took the camera out round the garden this afternoon to see what's been happening.


The formal box garden is looking well.


All the Agapanthus are in flower.


two blue pots and six white despite buying at least six in blue! so they were not correctly labelled!


Looking from the Lych Gate.


The Abutalon are doing well amongst the Aggies.


 A lovely deep yellow.


One of the pots of Blue are lovely and tall , then other small .


The pots of white are also very tall and with lots of lovely flowers.


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A fig on the tree


Lots of bunches of grapes which the bird will get before we do!


Paul's tropical area is full of colour.


The multi  heads of the Cardoon standing over eight foot at the back of the area.


The Dahlia's are still looking good and full of blooms


You can see the banana plants over to the left and a Canna about to flower just off centre.


The Canna


The red and green Banana's.


lots of lovely big leaves.


The shady circle.


We were considering moving this Hydrangea Paniculata because it did not look that it would do well in this spot but we are glad we waited as it's now doing great.


This pink one was only planted earlier this year and appears to be doing well but we need to make sure it gets plenty of water as it can be very dry in this area due to the over hanging trees.


Closer view.


The flower garden is looking good with plenty of colour.


Do you notice anything?


Can you see now?

Yes Paul's finally had time to fine the paving stones that have been slowly vanishing under the grass over the last few years. Now they have been uncovered and most of them lifted and relayed with sand beneath, just these three at the front left to do when Paul ran out of sand.


You can see the marks on the stones where they did not get covered by grass and therefore have weathered.


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The gazebo is full of boxes from the shed while we sort out things to go or stay! Always something that needs doing!


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Sunday 9 August 2015

STRATFORD UPON AVON

Today is our 40th wedding anniversary so we took ourselves off to Stratford upon Avon for the weekend.

We thought we'd share some photo's of Stratford with you all.


Stratford is full of 16th century buildings plus every other century up to date.


It's also FULL of tourists at this time and most times of year, so very hard to get photo's without visitors taking their own photo's!


There are also a few statues about this up on the side of a building.


from another angle.


some lovely buildings.


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A rare clear pavement!


 Unfortunately Nash House and New Place are having restoration work completed so we were unable to visit them. But this is from outside.


I loved what they ha done to the hoarding to make it more interesting.


You could see the topiary on the back garden wall


Some of the house looking over the side of the hoarding.


Down this street you can just make out some painted screens hiding a building that is having work done. I first saw this in Venice and Rome fifteen years ago and think it's a brilliant idea to hide work on a building in this way.


Another street of architectural interest .


The inside of a beautiful Church that stand near to Nash house.



A closer look.


more buildings


it's all in the detail...


detail

 detail

 Detail ..


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Then we came to hall House which belonged to Mary, William Shakespeare's daughter and her husband who was a doctor.

 Inside


Beautiful floral detail carved on this chair back.


From the back of the house.


The back garden was a beautiful big size.


It contained this wonderful bronze of Bottom, from a Midsummer nights dream.

 Paul rests in the shade of a tree.


 A beautiful deep double border that leads you back to the rear of the house.


More detail on building in the high street.


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another statue


Shakespeare's birthplace.


Where some actors , acted out some scene's from Shakespeare in the garden, fabulous performances by this young woman and another older man.


Last but not least a view of the river and lock showing you just how busy a day it was! .

A wonderful place steeped in History and well worth a few days of anyone's time.

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