more on trees ....

The weather having taken a turn for the better, we went to the Royal Horticultural gardens at Wisley Gardens. We spent several hours visiting such things as the Rock Garden, the Wild Garden, the Herb Garden, the small model gardens, finishing with a ramble round the rhodedendrons. I had not realised there were so many different kinds. The big ones, sure, I knew about, but there were some truly tiny ones that would not look out of place in a rockery.



But what I most enjoyed was a Japanese garden, in which I took several photos for my eldest daughter, whose birthday it coincidentally was. She now works as a gardener at a National Trust property, and one of her particular tasks is looking after their Japanese garden, so I took these photos for her.

The entrance to the garden, with the only large tree in it:


Here a forty-year old bonsai, only about three feet high!





A section with stone sculpture and a piece of naturally sculpted wood:

This, I suppose, is what most of us think of as a Japanese garden, but oh so beautifully done:

In fact, we enjoyed the day so much, we have taken a year's subscription as 'Garden Explorers', which means we get special books for my grandchildren, and can take them along any time to spot things, learn so much about gardens, and enjoy a day outdoors!! And I even managed to knit a few rows when we had a rest!

time flies when you're having fun ...

Once again I have been peripatetic, helping post-op daughter, minding grandchildren, etc. Which has left me with little time for blogging and often little access to the internet. But all of which is great fun, so no complaints.

It has not prevented me knitting, however, which is just as well, since a dear friend has just given birth to a darling daughter (a first baby), for whom I produced this surprise jacket and heart-shaped hat, also courtesy of the great Elizabeth Zimmermann. This was the first time I tried the hat, so rather experimental, but it seems to have worked out well – although I’ll have to wait for the recipient, or rather her mama and papa, to give the final verdict. Best of all, it was knitted with STASH!!! Maybe that's why I felt I could buy some new knitting books, as a reward. Unfortunately, the cost of the books was way out of proportion with the value of the yarn, particularly since I had bought loads of it for 25p. per skein in a sale (Rowan's Lightweight DK, for those who need to know)!

And now to trees! I love old and gnarled trees, and captured a really fine specimen recently whilst visiting the wonderful gardens at Kew.

This one, with its wonderfully twisted branches is not bad either. Although now, a week later, I wouldn’t mind betting that they’re both covered in foliage. Suddenly spring has sprung, blossom and leaves everywhere, a wonderful time of year.

oh dear, has it really been that long ... ??? !!!

Somehow the time has scampered past without my blogging for nearly a month! Not without my noticing, because I have certainly done that, but I have been much too busy to grab it, whether by the forelock, or the tail! Visiting grandchildren, helping my youngest daughter, who had to have a foot op. and can't drive her daughter to and from nursery. And so on and so forth.

It has often been my observation that one either has time to write and nothing to write about, because one is doing nothing much! Or, one is doing lots of interesting things which one hasn't got time to describe, because one is too busy doing them!

Knitting-wise, things are still coming on. I have finished my son's jumper, but omitted to photograph the finished product before I gave it to him, so it'll have to wait until I see him again. The Princess grows slowly, as I am still knitting the second lot of edging points. And my kimono-style jacket had to be completely ripped back because I was using too much yarn, even though I thought I had got the tension right. I have now finished the back on 3.5 mm instead of 4, and am halfway up a front.

In the meantime, spring has sprung, as I write I am looking at a beautiful forsythia in full fantastic yellow bloom in the garden next door to my daughter's. Although I like all the seasons, even winter, which I look on as a season of rest and recuperation, an indoor time to spend building up resources for the New Year, spring is undoubtedly my favourite, full of new life and hope. I should not like to live somewhere which did not have all four seasons, even if it were warmer than the British Isles. The constant variety and contrast is so delightful. Anything less would, I think, be boring.

So my 3 Beautiful Things for today are:-

the back of my Kimono-style Jacket:

the forsythia:

and these lovely celandines: