Six on Saturday – 9th July 2022

So we have just returned from a trip to Wales to see family and friends. When in Wales it is always a joy to visit the botanic garden. We spent a lovely day there with family and friends and so I dedicate this Six on Saturday post to those special people. You know who you are.

The only problem is it is very hard to chose just six images. There was a beautiful display of numerous day lilies in many wonderful shades of yellow, orange and reds.

Day lily

Next a calendula – almost metalic copper in colour found in the herb garden.

Calendula

There were some stunning roses – I wish I could share the scent of this one.

Rose

In the tropical greenhouse there were some amazing pitcher plants.

Pitcher plants

I didn’t actually go into the domed greenhouse – too hot for me. But it looks amazing even from the outside.

Doomed greenhouse

And finally for now, I am not sure what this was – but I am guessing maybe some kind of salvia.

Botanic garden

Thoroughly recommend a visit if you have not been. Thanks to The Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday.

Silent Sunday

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  Against the sky

Six on Saturday – 27th June 2020

So today it is raining and they tell us it will rain pretty much continuously till Monday night!! So a slight tangent for this week’s Six on Saturday. We had the opportunity to visit The Organic Centre, near Rossinver in Co. Leitrim this week, so I am sharing my six from there as opposed to our very wet garden.

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  The Organic Centre

The Centre was founded in 1995 by local organic growers, farmers and supporters. It comprises of a 19 acre site and includes gardens, polytunnels, community garden and orchards.

1. The garden area has raised flower beds against a stonewall containing geraniums, Rosa rugosa, and nice willow structures in the background

2. The polytunnels were jam-packed with very healthy looking vegetables, and totally weed free (not like my own).

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3. Companion planting was evident throughout the garden.

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4. These poppies were particularly stunning. I have these in my garden too but mine are a much more a pink that red (do you see the bumblebee?)

5. I really liked their orchard which had apples, plums and pear. The orchard was well sheltered and I noticed that they had much more fruit on their trees than I do.

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6. And finally I love this fun garden fence.

I would certainly recommend a visit if you are in the area. The centre hopes to begin delivering their varied courses again very soon. More information can be found here.

Thank you to The Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday.

Flower Displays

Again I find myself reminiscing about last summer. The day we visited the National Botanic Garden of Wales was probably the hottest and sunniest of them all – so not the best day to photograph the amazing displays of flowers in the gardens.

Botanic Gardens, Wales

Botanic Gardens, Wales

Botanic Gardens, Wales

Botanic Gardens, Wales

One of my favourite areas was this planted wheat field with traditional “weeds” – in other words flowers – this is how wheat would have grown in the past before chemicals.

Botanic Gardens, Wales

I used the pop setting on the camera to get some interesting affects.

Botanic Gardens, Wales

Inspired by Lens artist photo challenge – on display

 

Filling the frame with flowers

Summer is becoming a distance memory as autumn takes hold, so I decided to fill some frames with flowers for this week’s lens-artist photo challenge.

Waterlily

poppy

opppy

Lily

Cosmos

Clematis

Geranium

Six on Saturday

After a week with little rain, the wet weather has returned and so my own garden is showing little new, bar a little aster. However, I was at the biodiversity day at Enniscoe House today near Crossmolina, Co Mayo, giving a talk on pollinators and managed to get a few wet photos from their lovely walled gardens – they have a formal garden and vegetable area.

1. A rather weathered dahlia.

2. I have this Japanese anemone but their’s (unlike mine) was putting on a great display of flowers despite the rain.

3. A lovely sunflower

4. Rosehips – not sure what the rose is but the hips were quite big and long (and a little blurred!).

5. There was still roses in flower too.

6. And finally apples – they had a quite a few varieties.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Thank you to the Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday

National Botanic Garden of Wales

On a recent visit to Wales, we visited the National Botanic Garden of Wales – always a great place to spend a few hours and marvel at the beauty of plants. It was a hot sunny day, not ideal for taking photographs so I played a bit with the pop setting on my camera, to create some more dreamy affects.

National Botanic Garden of Wales

National Botanic Garden of Wales

National Botanic Garden of Wales

 

The domed greenhouse at these gardens is particularly spectacular, but it was too hot too go in!

National Botanic Garden of Wales

 

National Botanic Garden of Wales

National Botanic Garden of Wales

National Botanic Garden of Wales

And of course when in Wales you have to be on the look out for any dreamy dragons.

dreamy dragon

 

 

Charlotte’s Garden

We have just returned from our annual trip to Wales to see my husband’s family. When there, I always like to include a garden visit, and this year we were in for an extra treat as we stayed at self-catering accommodation at the Old Oak Barn, near St Clears, where we got to enjoy Charlotte’s garden every day.

Charlotte’s Garden

Charlotte has the most beautiful flower garden, but she also grows vegetables (which we also got to enjoy). Her garden is a riot of colour, form and scent.

Charlotte’s Garden

So I thought for this week’s Six on Saturday I would share some of the highlights from her garden.

1. A pot full of pink cosmos greeted us.

Cosmos

2. Charlotte grows in mixed beds of flowers and vegetables. Every looks so healthy. And the lettuce and peas were delicious.

Vegetables

3. She had a couple of different poppies, which self-seed around the garden including this dark one and this really flouncy one.

Poppy

Poppy

 

4. She has beautiful roses, here are just two examples.

Rose

Rose

5. And her lupins, like my own, are popular with the bees.

Bee on lupin

6. She also grows teasel, which is another great wildlife plant being good for bees and later on for birds who will eat the seeds.

Teasel

So that is my six and to finish just a few general photographs of Charlotte’s lovely garden. We all really enjoyed our stay at the Old Oak Barn and would recommend it for anyone looking for Self catering Accommodation in Wales. For more information you can following the link:

Old Oak Barn

Charlotte’s garden

Charlotte’s garden

Charlotte’s garden

Charlotte’s garden

Charlotte’s garden

Belvedere Walled Gardens

If I whetted your appetite with my flower pattern’s post yesterday form the walled garden at Belvedere House, Co Westmeath, here are some more photos. The garden slopes, so some of the photos may seem to be a a bit of an angle.

Belvedere – Walled Garden

Belvedere – Walled Garden

Belvedere – Walled Garden

Belvedere – Walled Garden

Belvedere – Walled Garden

Belvedere – Walled Garden

Belvedere – Walled Garden

Belvedere – Walled Garden

Belvedere – Walled Garden