In a quiet garden . . .

In a quiet garden
Where birds and flowers abound,
Speak gently and tread softly,
You walk on Holy ground.
For unto every garden
God cometh secretly
His presence there disclosing
To all with eyes to see . . .

"And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." ~Genesis 3:8

It is raining again today . . . the sky is leaden and it pelts against the window panes . . . I can hear it splashing up from the tires of a car which just passed by the front of the house.  It will be a rather boring day for Mitzie I'm afraid . . . she does so love to go out in the back and run up and down the yard, keeping it safe from those feline interlopers that try to gain entrance to the drive through diner at the bird feeder from time to time . . . today, she will just have to be happy here in the house.

I thought it would be fun to show you some of the flowers in our garden that I took photos of the other day.  I often used to do that when we lived down in Brenchley, but I haven't done it here very much. 
 

 

 Todd has a whole area planted in the back with a variety of rose buses.  He remembers that his father had a rose garden and I think that roses have an extra special place in his heart.  We have these lovely pink ones . . . I think they are so beautiful . . . 

 

We also have some very beautiful yellow ones that are climbing roses.  They are growing up over the metal arbor we put out in the back garden last year.  They are not quite to the top yet, but in a few more years they shall be and that will be so beautiful.  They are looking very lush at the moment . . . with beautiful big blooms and lots of buds filled with promises to come . . .

 There are also these lovely red ones . . . I know they each have names . . . but I can't remember names of these kinds of things.  I am not a real gardener in that sense . . . I only know that they are roses.  Now Todd's brother . . . he studied horticulture and he can tell you the name of every plant.  He has made his living as a gardener, and he is a very good one too . . .

 They're all so very pretty . . . I suppose I should try to make some rosewater or rose petal jelly this year . . . I will have to look up a recipe for that.  We have so very many that it would be a nice thing to do . . . or maybe we will just enjoy looking at them . . . 

 

 

A lot depends on just how lazy I am feeling I suppose.  We have lots and lots of these yellow and orange daisy type of flowers growing . . . I have no idea at all what they are.  They were here when we moved in and just come up every year, both at the back of the house and in the front.  They seem to grow wild and spread each year.

The bees in particular love them.  They were all over them the other day.  I tried to get a photo of one of them up close.  (I know!  I was so dancing on the precipace of danger and being so brave!  So unlike me!  Oh, the sacrifices and chances I take for you, my beloved readers!!) 

I don't know what those little white puffy things are . . . again, I'm not a horticulturest! 

The sage is looking particularly beautiful at the moment . . . and also very popular with the bees, as you can tell.  It was just humming with them, and I was able to get a pretty good photograph of one pretty close up!  Next year we plan on putting in a lot more herbs. At the moment we have the sage . . . and some mint . . . two varieties of thyme , sweet woodruff, lemon balm, oregano, basil and flat leaf parsley.  The mint needs to be replaced though . . . it's rather old and isn't doing well . . . 

 

 

We also have some chives . . . I love chive flowers.  They're so pretty and remind me of my favourite batchelor button flowers . . . but those are in the front garden and we are in the back right now . . .

 

 

We also have lots and lots of pansies . . . one of my absolute favourite flowers of all . . . I especially like these tender blush coloured ones . . . they are overflowing out of the troughs and planters at the moment . . . 

 

 

As well as some sweet pale violet ones . . . and of course yellow.  Out front we have other colours . . . deep purples and reds . . . but here in the back . . . just tender colours . . .  

 

 

I do believe though . . . that the slugs love them as much as we do . . . which is not a nice thing as they eat them.  We don't like to have to do it, but we've put out slug pellets finally.  With all of the rain there are just too many of them.  Snails and slugs . . . not good in gardens . . . they really annoy me with their voracious appetites. 

 

 

We have little fucsias just waiting to come into bloom . . . oh, I do so love baby anything, don't you??? 

Cosmos are particularly beautiful don't you think??? In a delicate sort of way  . . . the bees love them too.

 

 

And the lavendar is coming into bloom as well at the moment.  Every year I say I am going to cut some to dry . . . and every year I let it go . . . the bees do love it so . . . and I am far too afraid of being stung! 

 

 

The columbine are particularly beautiful as well.  I have always loved them . . . they remind me of little Court Jesters with their jaunty hats atop their heads . . . they make me smile.  

 

 

Then too, we have geraniums, which are not yet in bloom, as well as loads of sweet peas, filled with great promise as well as a late blooming clematis that should be blooming in a few days now . . . it's purple I believe.  We also have fox gloves and larkspur which is just showing promise as well . . . then there are our fruit bushes and trees . . . 
 

Out front we have a lot more . . . hydrangea, holly hocks, poppies, more pansies, dahlias, lupins and the like . . . but I shall save them for another day.  I do so love being surrounded by God's beautiful wonders don't you??? 

In God's garden you will find
No formal paths for you to tread . . .
No ornaments of lifeless stone,
No plan, no trim and tidy bed.
It has no fence to close it in;
No privet hedges and no wall.
No bolted gate to keep you out.
The countryside is free to all . . .
Flowers of every kind and colour here
Grow wild beneath your feet;
Clover, poppy, honeysuckle,
Pimpernel and meadowsweet . . .   

  

We are off to the temple today  . . .  I am always nervous about going up there in the rain. I really dislike motorway travel at the best of times, but in the rain  . . . its worse. 

I will leave you with a though for the day  . . .  

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.To plant a garden is

to believe in tomorrow.

~Audrey Hepburn  •。★★ 。* 。 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Angel Cake.  A triple layered cake of delicious sandwiched together with vanilla buttercream.  

Have a beautiful day. Don't forget along the way  . . .

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And I do too!