Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Seeking Snowdrops

Having seen from the local weather forecast that Tuesday and Wednesday were going to be the better and least wet of the days this week we decided that as it was February we would seek out some snowdrops. 

 
It was a bright, sunny day yesterday so we set off to our nearest place for snowdrops, other than the woodlands, Rode Hall which is north of the city and just over the county border in Cheshire

 The statue in the formal garden was dancing with the joys of what felt like a spring morning.

 Yes, we did find snowdrops - lots of them - but they are so hard to photograph aren't they? 

I think this one took several attempts before I could reach any kind of clarity.  
Even with mirrors placed underneath to reflect back the hidden, secretive  inners of the flowers.


We walked down the path to Rode Pool

 Down there we also found daffodils and crocus  - so lovely to see and so cheerful too

 Under the trees were spring flowering cyclamen is various shades of pink

 I'm always drawn to taking photos of doors and gates and there are plenty here to choose from

 Over the gate was the path below

 The walled kitchen garden was open

 I love walled gardens even at this time of year there is plenty to gladden the eye.


 We found many hellebores too and again the gardeners had placed a small mirror tile so that you could see under the drooping heads of the flowers.

 As well as the walled garden the other interesting area for me is the ruin of the old Tenants Hall.

 
The plant below was at the top of the old hall and its scent wafted all over

 Apparently it is called Daphne Bholua Jacqueline Postill.  The queues for the cafe were quite long so after visiting the ice house and then looking at an interesting and colourful art exhibition in the stables we drove the short distance to the local church of All Saints at Scholar Green.

 From the car park over the road from the church was a lovely, sunny view of Mow Cop, a place I've written about in several posts.

Inside the church was quiet and the church ladies were serving wonderful tea or coffee and cakes as well as selling home made preserves.

Our cups of coffee and chocolate and orange cake were very tasty and very welcome after a morning out in the fresh air.

Well, we did find snowdrops and much more too on such a lovely sunny day in February



36 comments:

  1. Beautiful seeing the spring flowers on a dry and pleasant day too. I also love gates and doors and often wonder what lies beyond! The mirror tile is a good idea. I may even put some around my own garden! x

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    1. The mirror is a good idea isn't it? I think we chose the best day of the week to visit the garden, the weather hasn't been as good since:)

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  2. It does look like a lovely place to visit, a beautiful setting x

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    1. It is a lovely garden and well worth a visit:)

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  3. Beautiful photos. I had been hoping to visit Rode Hall this weekend but Dave's made plans to go away and visit his friend and the weather forecast isn't too appealing! Hopefully the snowdrops will be out for another week or so yet - maybe I can make it the following weekend! If not, I enjoyed seeing them here!

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    1. I think there will be a few weeks left yet, Louise - hope you can make it for a visit soon:)

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  4. When can I retire! I would have loved to have done this whilst the sky was blue. You did well with the photography - you do have to get down low - then back up again! Mow Cop looks interesting. xx

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    1. It's difficult when there are so many people there to keep getting down and not being in their way. Luckily most people are trying to do the same thing so are quite tolerant - there are always a few who barge about as if no one else is there. Retirement is great - you can chose whatever day you like to visit places:)

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  5. It's an interesting idea to use mirrors under the snowdrops and hellebores. And daffodils out already! Mine are really late this year.

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    1. It was good to see the daffodils and yes the mirror idea is a good one especially for the delicate snowdrops:)

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  6. Oh my! What a lot of snowdrops !! We don't have them down here in So. Cal. so I always get my feast from my British blogging friends.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the snowdrops, Chris - there are plenty about at the moment so there will be loads of blog photos for you to enjoy:)

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  7. I got pins and needles after trying to capture a shot of a snowdrop yesterday and just when it was just right I realised my washing was in background!! What a fantastic walk you have taken us on with all the newly awakened flowers ready to greet spring. I can't wait for the blossom to colour the landscapes :-) Take care xx

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    1. Oh, no, not pins and needles - it's always my knees that hurt when bending up and down. It is so cheering to see the first spring flowers isn't it?:)

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  8. That all looks gorgeous. I was planning to go snowdrop hunting this weekend until I saw the weather forecast! I guess I'll just have to make do with the couple of clumps in my garden.

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    1. Hope the weather is not as bad as predicted and that you get to see some snowdrops - I'm sure your garden ones are lovely - we've tried so hard to grow them here but no joy - they don't like our waterlogged clay soil:)

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  9. Rosie, you were just around the corner, the next time you visit maybe we could have a cuppa? We plan to visit in March, I hope the snowdrops last till then.

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    1. I hope they last till then to Valerie, I'm sure they will as there were plenty more to come. It would be lovely to have a cuppa with you one day:)

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    2. Hi again Rosie, we went today, the snowdrops were beautiful and plentiful. I know what you mean about the very perfumed Daphne Bholua Jacqueline Postill- so beautiful! I think the "castle" on top of Mow Cop was built as a folly for Rode Hall.

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    3. The scent of that Daphne is amazing isn't it? As far as i could see there were two or three bushes of it. Yes the 'castle' was built as a folly for Rode Hall - it looked wonderful in the sun from near the church. So glad you found lots of snowdrops I expect they are at their very best now - I hope today's wind and rain doesn't dash them too much:)

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  10. A lovely outing in search of snowdrops. You chose a good day and all your photos are gorgeous. I'm going to do a post about snowdrops, but we didn't actually visit the places where snowdrops can be seen in large numbers due to being put off by the cold weather.

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    1. The weather hasn't been that favourable has it? We were lucky to get that one day. I was worried that the sun was too bright for photos but I only lost a few to brightness and shadows:)

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  11. How beautiful were the snowdrops that you sought!! And all of the other lovely flowers too. It is lovely that they placed mirrors so that you could see the inside/underside of the flowers! Beautiful photos of them too! xx

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    1. Thanks Amy - snowdrops are so special aren't they? The mirrors are a great idea:)

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  12. Oh my goodness! What a wonderful trip and beautiful flowers and, to think, they put a mirror underneath so you could see the good stuff. I am afraid that our first spring flowers will show up May 15 if spring is early here on the mountain top. If not, well, June 10. When you are deep into summertime.

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    1. Hello and welcome, thanks for your comment - the mirrors are such a simple but effective way of seeing inside the flowers without having to touch them and possibly spoil them. It sounds as if you have a long wait for spring in your part of the world:)

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  13. Oh my goodness look how green everything is.
    And how I hunger for snowdrops and daffodils. They are here... hidden under 2 meters of snow.
    Thank you for a lovely post to brighten this snow covered day.
    Susan

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    1. Hello and welcome and thanks for your comment. I hope that snow melts away and that your snowdrops and daffodils appear very soon:)

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  14. What lovely gardens and so many snowdrops. I love that little cottage my idea of a perfect home. So much to see on a lovely day.

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    1. I loved the cottage too - it looked lived in perhaps by one of the gardeners? How lovely to live within the walls of the garden:)

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  15. What a lovely trip out for you. I did think about talking hubs into a trip to Rode Hall but as we've seen quite a few around now on our various trips I think we'll pass this year as I'm quite happy with the ones I have seen. You are so right about photographing them, mine turn out ultra bright usually and I have to try and tone them down a bit in photoshop. Your photos of them are really very good, so well done! Suzy x

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    1. It is nice to visit the gardens but I do love seeing snowdrops in woodland and in churchyards too - they are always a good place to see snowdrops. I too quite a few photos but only managed to get a clear one a couple of times for close ups:)

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  16. I took my mum there last February looking for snowdrops, it was a much duller day than the day you went, you captured some lovely images. xxx

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    1. Thanks, Lyn it is a lovely place to visit because of the other flowers and buildings too. I did wonder if it would be too bright when we visited and some photos I took are too bright or caught in long shadows:)

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  17. What a pretty place! Must have been a wonderful morning.
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. Hello Amalia and welcome, thanks for your comment. It was indeed a wonderful morning:)

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