Wednesday, April 15, 2009

White Time

We've had some lovely Spring weather over the last weekend which ended only with this morning's thunder storms. After it was all over I went into the garden to check on the plants fearing that some of the more delicate ones may have been dashed by the heavy rain and hail.



At this time of year the garden turns from its early Spring yellows and oranges to green and white - the daffodils are fast disappearing now as are the mahonia flowers - just the orange of the Berberis flowers glow in the milky morning light. Later the garden will turn to pink, lilac and blue with the aquilegias, hardy geraniums, rhododendrons, buddleias and lavenders but for now it has that crisp freshness of late spring.



The plum tree is full of blossom, the white heather has spread considerably in the last year, the bridal wreath is perfect at the moment.



Over the Easter break we spent a lot of time edging the lawns and splitting and moving plants around.



I'm not a natural gardener although I love gardens and visting them I find I still make lots of mistakes in our garden and we are both guilty of planting things in the wrong place so we have been busy rescuing smaller plants that have been hidden by larger ones - one day I'll get it right!



The lawn still needs lots of attention but at least it has had its first cut of the season. Well, I call it a lawn but really lawns should be lush, green, well shaped and striped - so really it is just grass with daisies, dandelions and moss thrown in for good measure.



The tomatoes, beetroot and lettuce are growing in the greenhouse and cauliflowers and brussels sprouts have been planted in the raised beds.



Still on a white theme I was interested to read that 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' by Procol Harum has been declared the most played record of the last 75 years. I still have my copy! Although it hasn't been played for years. I decided I had to find it and got out all my old records and went on a nostalgia trip.



So there it is, the bottom orange Deram records cover, nestling alongside, 'This Wheel's on Fire' by Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity, 'Where do you go to (my lovely)' by Peter Sarstedt, 'Go Now' by The Moody Blues, 'Waterloo Sunset' by The Kinks and many others that remind me of the 60s, school discos, the youth club, the amateur dramatic society, Ready Steady Go on TV, films staring Terence Stamp, Julie Christie, Glenda Jackson and David Hemmings, Petticoat magazine, boutiques and minis - both skirts and cars and longing to look like Francoise Hardy. I've put some of them on my playlist in amongst the Bach, U2 and etc so you can listen if you want.

Edit 18/4/09 - I've changed the plum blossom photo to one I took this evening - whilst trying to photograph the bee.

12 comments:

  1. The blossoms down here in Devon have been beautiful this year.
    Our Berberis, too, is very vivid.
    We have a lovely Amelanchier which is now blooming ...the best since we planted it , three years ago.
    ;-)

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  2. Ive still all got my Mum's old singles, all from the early to late 60's, but hers are a bit more "pop". I havent got anything to play them on, but I can't throw them out. Is it my imagination, or is the blossom better this year? Great to see your garden.

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  3. You have a lovely garden Rosie. I really wanted to start off some raised beds this year but the weather has been so awful this week that I haven't been able to get out in the garden and do much. I love 'A Whiter Shade of Pale'!

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  4. That's so funny. I heard that about Whiter Shade of Pale yesterday and thought it was a strange song to be the most played in 75 years. But, then they played it...and it made perfect sense. It is a great pub song! And I love the organ.

    Such pretty flowers in your springtime garden!!

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  5. It's a lovely time of year in the garden isn't it? Everything looks so fresh. I remember all the songs you mention - always loved 'This Wheels On Fire' and 'Go Now' and never missed Ready,Steady,Go. Remember Mary Quant and Biba? On the music front I was always a great Motown fan, always preferred that music to the British groups. I'm probably the only person in the world who wasn't a huge Beatles or Rolling Stones fan! I liked some of their songs but never had more than a couple of their records.

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  6. I love this time of year with the spring flowers and the beautiful blossom.
    You brought back some memories tlaking about when I was growing up. My best friend had her hair cut just like Julie Driscoll and painted her eyes to look the same. We read Petticoat every week and whilst listening to Peter Sarstedt and The Kinks dreamed of one day moving to London and being famous fashion designers like Mary Quant, Barbara Hulanicki(Biba) and Ossie Clark.
    I believed anything was possible in those days.

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  7. Those where the days my friend..:)
    Happy weekend in your lovey garden..hope the rain will stay away!

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  8. I love the waves of colour that transform gardens as spring progresses. We are just starting the yellow wave of forsythia and daffodils here.

    I just finished reading The Enchanted April and I really enjoyed it ~ a wonderful book choice for the season.

    Marie x

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  9. OMG I can't believe you still have your 45 records. I don't even know where mine are much less have a player to play them on.

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  10. I think your garden looks very well kept and your season is much ahead of ours here in BC, Canada this year. Your flowering plants look wonderful - especially the Bridal Bouquet!

    Gillian

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  11. Sal and Diane - yes, the blossoms have been gorgeous this year.

    Simone and Gillian- thanks for your kind comments about the garden - I haven't shown you the worst bits:)

    Pamela - yes it does seem an odd song to be most played; it was very popular at the time but you'd think The Beatles or Elivs Presley or something like that would be the most played wouldn't you?

    Rowan, yes I remember Biba and Mary Quant - also loved Mowtown and wasn't a Beatles fan - only ever had one record of theirs - only one song of theirs I like - Here Comes the Sun.

    Rosie, we too used to dream of moving to London and living in Chelsea and shoppings on the Kings Road - got as far as Nottingham:)

    Dutchess - they were indeed the days:)

    Wild Rose - glad you enjoyed The Enchanted April:)

    Melody - we do have a little player again now for transfering music to the computer but I haven't played many of the records for ages - some of them are so scratched they won't play.

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  12. You've taken me back with your records, I have a lot of those too.
    Your white blossoms are stunning, your garden is very lovely.
    x
    sumea

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