:: rosa xxvi ::

 the morning walk is not so very long, but there are so many lovely gardens to admire...

...this delicate apricot climbing rose, which I suspect may be the 'crepuscule' rose, has been left to ramble unrestrained on one of the still to be resolved, empty, post-quake properties - the house and outbuildings long demolished and just an incredible riot of nature taking over...

the bud - remarkably cerise

:: fragaria vesca ::

alpine strawberry

:: laburnum ::

golden chain tree

:: cosprosma ::

A surprisingly popular choice for many native plantings, given the meaning of the name coprosma is 'smelling like dung'! 

(apparently, only some of the species and you need to crush the leaves to get a whiff of the methanethiol!)

:: weigela ii ::

 and on my morning walk with Miss O...we found another weigela shrub in full swing...

 being fully appreciated by several charmingly fat (abundant!) bumble bees...

:: weigela ::

Generally, a plant needs to have a couple of good reasons to stay in this garden...being edible and a perennial pretty much guarantees its position, edible and pretty is a yes, but pretty and perennial starts to be a bit shaky!

This is an example of the latter and I only let it survive because it lives under the apricot tree in a spot I haven't really given very much thought to yet...

...I do admire it in the Spring, though :)

:: posie from Mrs Bottomley's ::

how lucky was I to receive this darling posie of rose, lilac, stock, freesia, curry plant, sage and geranium? 

Stunning...and such a bright note this afternoon for me...with gratitude :)