Month: March 2019

Early spring in Sidmouth

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Winter in Connaught Gardens, Sidmouth, a little area that’s usually that will soon be surrounded by plants and sunshine.

The gardens are looked after by East Devon District council and they do an excellent job.

There’s a wonderful range of plants, stunning views and through summer the bandstand often rings with the sound of live music of all kinds.If you’ve walked up Peak Hill,  to where I took the photo above, or even further to see the daffs,

you deserve a treat. See the white tower above Jacob’s ladder? The building beneath is the café in the gardens. They have lovely food, I have no idea how they make such huge cakes and if you’re lucky, you  might be able to sit at one of those windows.

Pointy Art

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My hope for today is to relax and catch up with some blogging, as I’ve had a busy week. Does anyone else feel like life in general is getting busier? I’ve toyed with the idea recently of giving up blogging, but I would miss so many people in this magical world. I could try posting twice a week, perhaps that’s the answer.

But then there are so many challenges that are hard to resist, like Becky’s March Squares! There’s lots of pointy sculpture in Barcelona, the one above is at the Park Joan Miro.

 

 

Around Cezanne’s Neighborhood

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I’d wanted to check out Cezanne’s neighbourhood for ages and last year I finally made it to Aix, on a bus from Marseilles.

I’m fire fighting at the moment so only have time to post a gallery.

But I hope you like it anyway.
If you haven’t seen them, Tina has beautiful photos taken of Seabrook Island, South Carolina for her challenge of ‘Neighborhood’.

In the shade of the prickles

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Gunnera Manicata are one of those plants that became trendy in gardens open to the public a couple of decades ago. A plant big enough to stand under that makes a bold statement beside water, it needs a lot of space. In fact it may need far more space than we’re prepared to give it. A similar variety, G, tinctoria appears to be the worse culprit, but both manicata could also be invasive. Last summer I saw a gunnera, which looks like a giant rhubarb, in the mill leat close to the Exe.

This photo was taken at a National Trust garden a few years ago. I could easily stand under the leaves, but had to be careful of the prickles. Becky’s spikes are unusual today, check them out here.

A Prickly Sunday smile

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Goose grass, cleavers, or Galium Aparine can be found all over Europe. My childhood favourite name for it was sticky buds. Hands up who’s crept up behind some unsuspecting soul and thrown it onto their back, or worse, realised someone’s done it to you and you’ve been walking around with it for hours.

Last weekend I was playing with my biggest grand daughter on Tree Island when she decided to crown me  with a mound of cleavers and a feather.

This may seem like a stretch for a spiny, pointy, spiky square, but up close they have millions of tiny prickles!

Becky has mega thorns today, not the kind to brush against, a bit like me when I’m tired 🙂