and Rosa Mundi was being choked by the small and pretty, but very invasive everlasting sweet pea.
Some of the edging plants had suffered but I'd brought up some new lavender seedlings, a new variety for me, with a fern-like leaf. Hopefully they will soon clump up and release their perfume as we brush past them to the door.
As I was bending down grubbing out the buttercups groups of cyclists were coming through the village, the leaders calling back to the other riders giving them information about the places they were passing through. One man called out, "This has become a very expensive village, but it's the middle of nowhere." I stood up, emerging from the vegetation and shouted after him, "What do you mean, 'the middle of nowhere'!" The leader had gone ahead and didn't hear me but all the other riders laughed and waved.
Our neighbour, Jim, wasn't staying around to watch the Tour de France. His attitude, to mis-quote Orwell, is 'two wheels good, four wheels better'. He was off for the weekend to race his 1930's Alvis.
This charming hare on the petrol cap is the Alvis mascot.
Himself looks rather envious!
In the village the old hall and its outbuildings lay in ruins for many years but have recently been beautifully and sympathetically developed. The garden of one of the former outbuildings has been equally well thought out, with wild flower planting
and a meadow lawn.
It looks just right!
The old dales houses are very beautiful, especially so at this time of year when everything is lush and green around them.
We've driven past this old caravan for a great many years. It's becoming rather frail and I thought I'd better stop and photograph it before it falls apart.
Doesn't it look snug!
I love all these pictures.
ReplyDeleteIt's the place I think of as 'home' although I've now lived out of Yorkshire for far more years than I've ever lived in it!
DeleteYour garden is lovely and rambling. I honestly don't mind these sort of colourful 'weeds'.
ReplyDeleteI was so pleased to arrive and find the delphiniums standing tall and not eaten by slugs. Because it's such a tiny garden it isn't at all overwhelming to find it overrun because just a little attention gets it back to being almost under control.
DeleteYou might easily guess it, seeing what my "name" is, but love your overgrowth & the wildflower landscapes of this village. Thanks for sharing once again. I shared last post of Tour de France with hubby. He loved it! (And had to explain the significance of all those knitted little jerseys hanging about...)
ReplyDeleteI'm with you in that I like to see a garden teetering on chaos - but those buttercups needed telling who was the boss!
DeleteTell your man that the actual race bit was over in a flash but the party atmosphere went on for hours and was great fun.
It amuses me to think of the Middeham ladies sitting by their fires last winter knitting little jerseys!
Unfortunately, my buttercups are mercilessly always bossing me around. Nostalgic, but never an end! Can't get a handle on them!
DeleteLove their cheerfulness, but hate that they mean my soil is very wet & less than adequate!
OK, now back to simple enjoying -- and pulling constantly!!!
Looks wonderful, if I see open ground in the garden it is a trip to the nursery and quickly fill it in.
ReplyDeleteJust my type of garden. I love your overgrown garden. Where I live in rural France neatly trimmed edges would look out of place. I now think that a flowering weed is just a plant in the wrong place.
ReplyDeleteI just like gardens I like to look at everyones yours are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteMerle..........
Beautiful photos, I so wanted to walk through your gardens and those in the old village hall area. I especially loved the "Meadow Lawn" as I just blogged yesterday about we waste time with mowing too much, especially here in the States.
ReplyDeleteLove this! Middle of Nowhere indeed! He had obviously not glanced over at your garden!
ReplyDeleteHello again, I have a link to you from my blog now so been popping in a lot. Truly an addict... & Jonesing for a fix!
ReplyDeleteHope it is going well with you.
Nice garden, wish I could get mine to look like that. Love the old Alvis though I would have thought he would be Hillclimbing it not raceing, little more relaxed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my Blog. Do come back and visit again