Summer Blogging!

 As promised some pics of our recent holiday to the Loire Valley in France......this was the lovely gite we stayed in I expected a cottage/bungalow but got a fine two storey house instead,very spacious!We rented through www.holidaylettings.co.uk/210136.Our hosts were lovely people,and very helpful in every way but not intruding on our holiday!

 Our gite was a gardeners paradise,lots of colourful hanging baskets everywhere!

 This and the following two pics were of a home and garden in the vicinity of where we stayed,we used cycle past most evenings,what a stunning garden,no detail overlooked.

 Hubby and myself by the banks of the Loire in Saumur.

 Sunflower fields

 The chateau in Langleais(spelling?)

 Chateau in Montserou (spelling?)

 Found this much wanted swimming facility nearby,a beautiful Municipal park,La Capiteine.

 The train station in Tours

Me indulging in my favourite french passtime,sampling the coffee and pastries!We returned here a few times to this little patisserie in Borgeuil!







More next time,
Happy Gardening!

Back to Blogging

Chelsea Flower Show London May 2013

The Baron Kings playing at Chelsea

 Hello all!
After a bit of a holiday from the blog I am catching up again slowly.I blame the Ipad I was given at Christmas for a present!I have nearly forgotten how to use the keyboard and as I cannot use blogger and upload photos onto it the blog was on holidays! Its like learning all over again.As the Ipad is touch screen I have been dabbing every electronic device I use with my finger,habits form quickly!

Bloom Festival Phoenix Park Ireland June 2013

Irish Ferries ship Oscar Wilde ready to depart Rosslare,Ireland for Cherbourg France July 2013

Rural Gite in the Loire Valley July 2013

Montserou Chateau  Loire Valley

Anyway just a little snippet of what I have been up to since last March, sis and I visited the centenerary Chelsea Flower Show which unfortunately for us decided to rain on our parade for the day we were there,Fri. However it was still brilliant and we got to see Alan Titchmarsh and Chris Beardshaw up close and personal!







A week later we paid our annual pilgrimage to our own excellent flower show,Bloom held in the Phoenix Park,Dublin,which was good to us weather wise and proved a great day out again.

Mallow Homes and Garden Festival was next on the agenda,a 30 min.car journey from home,I must locate some photos,which was also another great gardeners delight!






After all that I needed a holiday so France it was......again......I never get tired of it!
This time we travelled by ferry to Cherbourg and onwards to the Loire Valley for two weeks R&R,we travelled to Tours and Saumur and other little towns and villages and saw some chateaux!

Back soon with more photos when I get into the groove of Blogger again!

St.Patricks Day!

 Irish Coffee

 Gaelic games on TV(hurling)!

 Wearing something green!

To everyone who wishes they were Irish today!    Happy Gardening!

Spring has sprung!

 A few pictures of whats blooming in my back and front garden at the moment!
Snowdrops at their best now.

 Tete a tete all over the place brightening up the garden.

 Paperwhites about to bloom!

 Tete a tete

 Hellebores

 Wild primrose

 More tete a tete

 And yet more

 Campanula peeking through

 Violet primrose

 A solitary camellia with plenty more to come

 Heather in the front

Plants surrounding the pond on their way









Happy Gardening!

Snowdrop Season

 Well the first signs of Spring are visible all around,with little colourful heads of crocus and snowdrops coming up! Last weekend I was lucky enough to catch an open garden visit,held in aid of our local hospice,where these beautiful snowdrops and some hellebores were well up over ground and in full bloom.
My snowdrops are barely breaking the surface at the moment but these are not your common or garden snowdrops maybe they are hybrid and respond of course to the care and attention given by the gardener of the house!There were so many varieties,all named with their individual stickers.The day was not too kind weather wise but I was fortunate to go early in the morning before the rain arrived in the afternoon!

 These cloches featured all over the garden too.

Stone troughs.

A New Year!

Well Christmas 2012 has come and gone,thankfully it passed off well with no disasters! We enjoyed our turkey and ham dinner with all the trimmings! My gifts this year included an IPad which I love!I also have a day spa to look forward too!

Happy New Year to all,may it be healthy and peaceful!

Onwards and upwards now to gardening matters and the coming Spring!My snowdrops are well up over ground now and I planted lots of daffy and tulips out front too so I am looking forward to a colourful show in springtime!

happy Gardening!