Come away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o
Today I went to one of my favourite gardens. In fact I believe it is one of England’s loveliest, so wonderful that I plan to return really soon! I’ve posted about it before, so I won’t say anymore now, I’ll just let the flowers speak. Click for a bigger view.
https://lucidgypsy.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/a-slice-of-saturday-at-coleton-fishacre/
Bella bloom
Flouncy peony
hiding in geraniums
shine forth your glory
The craft fair season has begun and today I’ve been to a regular venue at Beer, in east Devon. It was a glorious spring day with a cool breeze coming off the sea, and lovely for a stroll.
Plants will always strive to grow in the most unlikely places, including high up on the cliff face at Beer, the bright yellow and purple ones are wild wallflower. I think the more delicate yellow are a type of wild cabbage and the paler mauve are a mallow variety.
The beach at Beer is very special, unspoilt and traditional, with ice cream and crab sandwiches, pebbles and driftwood and the opportunity to try your hand at mackerel fishing.
If ever you’re in Devon, pay Beer a visit, try a crab sandwich and then perhaps a walk on the coast path to build up an appetite for cream tea!
It’s photo challenge day from the Daily Post at WordPress and the theme is spring.
I seem to have been posting photos of spring a lot recently but I can always find more. Spring comes early in my neck of the woods, the south west of England is warmed by the gulf stream, so it’s here by February -oh yes it is, as far as I’m concerned anyway, so that’s when I start looking for signs, in whatever daylight I can grab. February’s picture was taken on a lunchtime stroll close to where I work. 
Daffodils are sending up their elegant green stems and tiny wild violets are in flower. If you’re lucky and the sun is on them the perfume is lovely. March is a snakeshead fritillary, one of my favourite spring flowers – I know I have many, many favourites!
Doesn’t she look shabby chic in her printed spring frock?
April, and delicate little cyclamen shine out, among all the yellows and blues in a spring garden.
They look like they are waving with happiness in the sunshine.
May is here, the last month of spring, summer will be here before the month is out. 
Columbine, or Aquilegia if you prefer, are all over the garden right now. I like this colour but they don’t always come true and tend to revert to a pale mauve pink or white as they self seed. They are lovely little dancers whatever shade, and the bees love to visit them.
Will you join in this week? http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_photo_challenge/spring-2/
Bower blossom
Fragrant clematis
Most bountiful of blossom
draping the bower
Nature’s colour wheel
delicate muted in spring
gentle fiesta
Cotehele has beautiful grounds, with broad vistas of the river Tamar – which forms the border between Devon and Cornwall, off in the distance. 
The house is built from grey granite, lovely in sunshine but perhaps a little foreboding on a grey winter day.
But there are always fresh sights opening up.
They have a large variety of daffodils, some very old with wonderful fragrance.
Plenty more spring flowers.
And I don’t know how many favourite flowers a girl is allowed, but these are some of mine.
I only had time to see a small part of the beautiful gardens at Cotehele, so I must go back later in the year. Perhaps then I’ll take a woodland walk to the river bank.
Click on any photo for a clearer view.
Forget me not
Your tiny blue stars
fresh delivered from heaven
enduring treasures
I’m delighted to see the Sharon has written a Thursday Haiku, of course she’s not lazy but her haiku is lovely, http://newpillowbook.wordpress.com/2014/03/20/thursday-haiku-march-20-2014/
Fickle Gold
You may wonder why you’re carried
to a distant tropical shore
by fragrance like sweet coconut
rising golden over moors
from January til December
turn a woodland path
and you’ll know its kissing season
as you’re sure to see some gorse
but be careful where you romance
because if you are untrue
her flowers hide a secret
the most capricious thorns
Lucid Gypsy 