Totem Pole

The girls have repainted the totem pole, formerly in the Secret Garden, and it has been repositioned nearer the Art Gallery at the South end of the garden.

Flaming June?

In these parts we expect our best weather in May and early June. This year, May was a desperate disappointment - cold and persistently wet but, despite this indifferent weather, I had the greatest number of May visitors ever. Let's hope the climate improves now that June is here.

I have many lovely comments from garden guests in my Visitor's Book but I thought these, from two young Edinburgh people - Kirsty & Gordon - who called in May, particularly special.


Kirsty - "All you need is time and pacience, and the life will come to you. In my case, a shrew bumped into my boot this is a trully magical place."
Gordon - "It is so good I don't have anything else to say."

and we know it's Spring when the hawthorns flower ....

Azalias

This has turned out to be one of the oddest starts to the Summer I have seen in over 35 years here. Late April was very dry and by the time I opened the garden on 1st May I was desperate for rain and fearful of losing plants on the steeper slopes. The rain started on 5th May and has barely stopped since! We expect May and early June to provide us with the best weather of each year: well, not this year! It really could stop raining now!! Nevertheless, the azalias on the driveway were a picture for a short while until the wind took its toll.

Sparkle Cafe has had something of a makeover for the new season:

.... and the wise old owl still overlooks and supervises everthing

The bunnies are still hopping about the place ....

The woodruff is in full flower

Murphy has moved to the High Road

The rhododendrons are at their best