Bridal Wreath

One of my favourite shrubs is in flower at the moment. At this time of year the Bridal Wreath (Spiraea Arguta) is covered in heavy white boughs of flowers which look beautiful during the day but look magnificent against the dying light of the evening. We have a bush in the front garden but the one below is in the back garden and was taken as a cutting from the one at the front.

The plant's name always reminds me of a scene in John Hadfield's novel 'Love on a Branch Line'. After finding Jasper Pye being kissed by one of her daughters, Lady Flamborough, asks him to help carry the Bridal Wreath all she wants is for him to carry a plant or two but he, of course, completely misunderstands. Jasper Pye, the man from the Ministry, has been sent into early 1950s rural Suffolk to close down a long forgotten ministerial unit set up during the second world war. It is housed at Arcady the family seat of Lord and Lady Flamborough. The eccentric Lord Flamborough who lives in a railway carriage on the old branch line railway, Lady Flamborough, a keen gardener and their three beautiful daughters conspire with unit leader Professor Pollux and his staff to beguile poor Jasper. If you want a warm, gentle, amusing read full of eccentric characters and finally resolved misunderstandings then this is a lovely book with a happy ending.

Above is a close up of the Bridal Wreath in the front garden. It is such a shame that it's season is so short and the beautiful white flowers soon turn brown and drift away in the breeze.