Staying gaudy

Hello, how are you this week?

I'm trying to keep the summer going by wearing my brightest attire and staying gaudy. (Dress made by my mam, 2006 ish) The sun is noticeably dropping in the sky and the garden is taking on new, elongated morning shadows. This means I don't have to be out quite so early to attend to the cut flower patch and more tea drinking duties can be honored.

[Airplant in chazza shop swan pot. Succulents and cacti in shells]

Very little outdoor gardening work has happened this week due to the tail end of Storm Frances. I have been busy doing some houseplant loving and revision for my upcoming RHS exams (ahhh, just two weeks away now). 

Once the wind had calmed, the littlest one and I managed some beach time. Following a torrential downpour, Falmouth seafront was gloriously empty.

  

[Gylly Beach, Falmouth]

We made the most of it, by having a lovely walk and barefoot splash in the sea. By chance we saw a couple of nursery friends, so what was meant to be a quick paddle, turned into a complete clothed swim!

Unfortunately one of my favourite places, the Princess Pavillion, remains closed due to Covid. It was quite sad to peer through the gate and see the bandstand area overgrown and missing its usual fantastic display of annual flowers. The shell caves in the adjacent Gyllngdune gardens are still accessible, but some scamps had bagsied them.

The succulents are thriving on the seafront and the wild, salt laden blackberries are ripening.

This is Falmouth Bay, looking towards Pendennis Castle which was constructed by Henry VIII (1542). Here's something interesting I found in my local history book - the Spanish princess, Catherine of Aragon, stayed at the nearby Kings Arms in Penryn. A tempest had forced her convoy to take shelter in the bay (1489, pre-castle days!). Catherine was on her way from Spain to London, to marry Henry VIII, poor girl.  I wonder if she had a pasty, a pint of ale and a fight. I doubt you'd get a modern day princess staying in the Kings Arms... but the pint drinking would make a good photo opportunity!

***All historical corrections welcomed***

Here are a few pictures from my garden this morning -


Succulents in terracotta pots

The world's smallest Sunflower, Hawthorn tree berries, Brunswick apples, St Johns Wort

Verbena bonariensis and Geranium 'Rozanne'

Gardening does appeal to my thrifty nature. Below: a skip dived swan planter, a potted avocado tree (grown from seed), hand-me-down patio table and chairs, a freebie greenhouse (from a kind neighbour) and Feather Top Grass - grown from seeds for mere pence.

That's all for today, better go, there's a cake with my face on it....

(Actually, I've promised to take the kids to the park)


 
 

Hope you have a good week,

Lulu xXx

p.s. Please consider dropping me a message if you are passing. 

I've been finding some great blogs over the past few weeks. If you have one I will enjoy taking a look.

 

Latest posts here - https://longmizzle.blogspot.com

Comments

  1. Vix1 September 2020 at 06:26

    The dress your mum made you is fabulous, I love the colours and the print.
    I've got such garden envy, yours is absolutely stunning. x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lulu1 September 2020 at 09:40

      Hey Vix, thank you! Yes my mam did a great job on the dress. She probably got the material whilst out wombling at a charity shop or carboot sale in Manchester. It is a good fit too so I'll have to see if she still has the pattern (she can't make me another one, as I still have her sewing machine!) xXx

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