I am very aware that it is several weeks since I posted here – and that my image box is laden with pictures from Chelsea Flower Show, Queen Mary’s rose garden, the heath, the cemetery and even my developing garden here….. So, this is the start of a quick catch up.
A family picnic a few weeks ago at the height of the rose season took me, via the lake to Queen Mary’s rose garden in Regent’s Park. The roses were in full flush – heavy white blossom garlanding central beds filled with gloriously vibrant bushes and hybrid teas.
How about this for a throbbing colour – next door to such a subtle delicate pink.
And then this lovely splashed red and white rose. I had one like that in my garden at Lawn Road and definitely plan on one in Hampstead Lane.
In competition – a few days later, on my way to an afternoon performance of Carmen at Holland Park tented opera, I met this beauty.
Enough of roses…. Back on the heath – or more specifically in Golders Hill and the Hill garden, it has been more weeding – but not just weeding. We spent one very satisfactory morning in Golders Hill mulching all those beds we had weeded the previous week. (The theory is that the mulch will keep the weeds at bay for the next two years. We shall see….)
Here is the mulch being unloaded – followed by Tony and Mark looking rather pleased with their efforts.
Over in the Hill Garden, earlier weeding wellie had definitely paid off in this bed at the bottom of the big lawn where the roses and the foxgloves were having a ball together.
Meanwhile, in the cemeteries we were following the strimmers. The policy in the East cemetery is to divide the area into blocks and to strim alternate blocks. This allows visitors to actually see some of the graves in the strimmed blocks but protects the wildlife’s habitat in the other blocks. (The cemeteries are nature reserves.) However, strimming is quite agricultural and only cuts off ivy and brambles at their base. So it was our job to peel the ivy off each grave to reveal the names of the people buried there. But this has to be done with care as if the ivy is very well embedded, just heaving it off it can pull off the lead lettering on the grave stones.
Here are two of my fellow voluteers at work, followed by the graves of the Tiffin family as I found them and then after half an hour’s careful peeling.
And finally, down near South End Green – one of the heath’s resident herons. This one so cool with the human fellow visitors that he (or is it she?) completely ignored me until I was almost within touching distance.
What a refreshing lift of nature. Especially after yomping around the A&FF Show all morning at Excel! Lots of missing faces this year. The new home has not necessarily been a force for good. Missed seeing you all.
I can imagine, Janet! Hope you found some good stuff one the less.Cressida adn Nicki were there for the FreeFrom Food Awards but on teh floor rather than in a stand. Afraid I am in the middle of the judging for the FreeFrom Skincare awards.
Glad to see this back again. And I can never see too many shots of fine roses!
Sorry – been a bit of a hectic few weeks moving myself back downstairs. I shall now bombard you with pictures of the developing garden, the heath and as many roses as I can fit in!!
Wonderful photos and lots of hard work. I’m delighted that the cemetary is getting some care and attention. Walking through one here in Devon last week, my friend and I were wondering if anyone is responsible for tending to it any more.
Looking forward to the following photos of your garden, lots of love, Emma x
Lovely to hear from you Emma. Highgate cemetery was little cared for many years – which is why the ivy is so rampant – it has had it all its own way. This is of course part of its charm – although it is nice to be able to rediscover some of the graves that have been lost for many years.
Garden photos coming up soon….