David Austin Roses - So Perfectly English!

My neighbour encouraged me to get out of the house a couple of weeks ago. I have been, more-or-less, a shut-in for the last three months, and so it was decided we would travel to Shropshire to have a visit with some fabulous company - English roses.
A friend of hers offered to drive and the three of us began a journey to tease all of our senses.
I was expecting to visit a nursery that specialised in roses. You know what I mean: the typical lanes of shrubs, with row after row of plants, all set out for you to select and buy the best one of the lot. My, was I mistaken!At David Austin Roses you drive in on a lane that lies between fields of roses all in bloom, and it is a heady, breathtaking, experience. Once your car is parked, you are directed by signs on which way to enter through the sales gift shop, but then - oh my!

You wander out from the shop and into a dreamland of roses. Roses, roses, everywhere.
They are in pots or growing up the side of a wall. They greet you under canopies of wooden lattice that are so covered with their vines, it is actually dark beneath them.

Some formal, and some less formal, gardens of shrubs, ramblers, and climbers of many varieties.

Queen of Sweden

We sat for a bit to rest beneath a beautiful portico overlooking a gazing pool, perfectly centered to look ahead into the depths of the rose-covered pergolas.

It was a day of feasts for the senses- seeing, smelling, touching, listening, and even tasting as when took a wee lunch break on the patio, just outside the tearoom, on the premises.
We watched as people walked around discovering new 'friends' and old favourites.The heady scents of so many different roses all mingled together and hung in the afternoon air, making our outing ever-so fragrant, too.


We saw children accompanied by grandparents and watched as they tentatively touched the heads of the roses, all the time worrying about the possibility of being pricked by a thorn. All the while, their youthful voices were chattering away, asking one million questions of their companions.Tiny sparrows kept us company while scurrying about collecting crumbs from the pavement and swooping up to their nests under the eaves of the buildings.

It was a gorgeous sumer day, a bit overcast, and very breezy. The rain held off until we were headed home so our day was just perfect in all ways!After our garden walks, I had decided to return home with A Shropsire Lad, a hardy climber, with a fabulous scent.

I guess other people had the same idea; it was all sold out!

A Shropshire Lad

So I decided to purchase my second choice, The Generous Gardener, but it was not to be!
Suddenly I was, (not surprisingly), taken with, Penny Lane.
As a child of the sixties, naturally, I had to have it! Who wouldn't want a rose bush with the same name as the famous song from the fab four?

Penny Lane

Penny has been planted in a special spot in my 'instant garden' that, you may recall, I wrote about earlier in the year. With a bit of luck she will climb over and around a corner of the wall and bring a bit of beauty to a drab space.
She is holding her own right now, and you are sure to be reading more about my little Penny in upcoming posts.

If you are in the area, plan a visit to David Austin Roses - you will not go away empty-handed or disappointed!
xxx
Maggie

Bringing Home the Tree

I recall nostalgic images from the past . . .
gorgeous sleighs filled with people, smiling faces, and warm blankets, being pulled by horses through the snow. And perched on the back, poking out in all its glory, was the Christmas Tree.
What a lovely way to collect the family Christmas tree and to travel in such a brilliant fashion!
Such were the times of our grandparents and great-grandparents.
Today, we have different methods of bringing home the tree.

So it happened yesterday, we went out for a ride to Church Lench to attend the tiny village's Christmas Fayre. It meant a ride through the barren countryside on a gloriously sunny day.
With so many leaves off of the hedges and trees, it is a good time to garner a glimpse of country houses and estates that you normally cannot see when all is in full bloom and blossom.

Seeing the rolling hills and the peaceful sheep in the fields, was like stepping back in time when Christmastime meant a different holiday, celebrated in much simpler ways than we celebrate today.
We had a lovely day out and about and on our way home, the clouds began brewing and a sprinkle of rain danced on the windshield now and again.
We happened upon a Christmas tree farm, very near our home, behind the hill where we live.
Even though it had not been our intention to buy a tree on Saturday, we decided to go in and have a look.

Upon driving into the car park, we knew there were some stares and some smirks - in fact - the young lad who approached us was outwardly laughing - he just couldn't help himself.
He asked us what we were interested in looking at, and Jim responded with something like, "A tree, naturally." To which the lad replied with a laugh, "What size?"
By then of course everyone there was having a chuckle, but we didn't care because we knew better.

Our darling little car had taken home many unusual things in the past so we knew it was wrong to try to second-guess whether or not something was going to fit in it.
Why, my boxwood bushes and pots and soil had all come home in little Smartie so why wouldn't a tree?


We selected our tree, and popped the roof open, and dropped it inside the car just as the rain really began pounding down. We closed the roof enough to keep our heads dry and motored off.
We knew the folks in the car park were still having a chuckle, but we also knew it cost us much less for petrol to collect our tree than it dod for our jolly counterparts in their big Land Rovers!
I only wish we had had some sleigh bells, hot chocolate, a blanket and some carols playing inside, too!
The modern age is upon us - we say, "Let's make the most of it!"
xxx
Maggie

YART SALE!

Oh my! Where has the time gone?
First, my apologizes for not visiting your blogs of late, and for not keeping up with my own!
I promise to be by for a visit soon!

I have been remiss while time gets the better of me.
My days begin with promise of a long list of things to get done during the day and night, but somehow, at the end of the day, it seems I find myself playing catch-up with my own agenda!
I never seem to have the time to finish all of the many projects I have going on, and just wish I had a lovely workroom with loads of storage and works areas. It would be so nice to have everything organized just so!
But, I usually work out of the guest bedroom and EVERYTHING is in there:
twin beds, closets, computer, 2 printers, 2 sewing machines, tons of fabric and sewing supplies, paper, board, pens, trims, tissue and wrapping, envelopes, patterns, books, graphics, oh my!
And it seems lately it is all just taking on a life of its own and dragging me along for the ride!
I have now emerged from the room to take over the dining room table with my trimmers, and cutting boards and slicers!
So with that said, I know it is time for a clear out and also time for some cleaning up and organization.
Which brings us to the Yart Sale on Etsy this weekend.
Etsy is sponsoring a sale this weekend and everyone is invited to participate.
One of the conditions of the sale is that the seller includes free shipping.
So do stop by for a peek and get some bargains!
It is NEVER too early for holiday shopping and Father's Day is soon upon us, too.

I have already listed and relisted some items in SweetScarlett for the sale but I am getting tired.
So it's bedtime for me but I will be back on-line tomorrow, listing more things for the sale.
Ooooh - I have some fab vintage buttons and fabric to list in EnglishPreserves, and some other unique finds, too. So please stop by and have a browse, won't you?

xxx
Maggie