Tulips from Wensleydale

 

Experience suggests that the weather is always somewhat disappointing on a Bank Holiday weekend. The last three days have been no exception. We've had a couple of minor rain showers but mainly it's because of the way temperatures have plummeted after last week's magnificent highs. Not that I've ever felt particularly affected in retirement, after all there's always the week before and the week after to revel in, with the genuine prospect of some good days amongst them. Whilst a dismal Bank Holiday Monday was a source of grief when working, in retirement it hardly matters especially as generally we try to stay put and avoid the crowds.

 

With favourable albeit cooler conditions outside, I've been trying to bring a sense of order back to the rather overgrown wilderness that is our garden. Of course, it's not the best time for pruning with birds nesting all over the place and digging over borders has been a non-starter as the ground is currently like concrete from the lack of rain. Instead I've been gathering weeds and tidying up inside the greenhouse which had become something of a dumping ground and, despite the door being closed, had failed to escape the tons of earth that were thrown around by the contractors. 

It's been pleasant too to watch the Spring blooms in the garden although sadly the field mice appear to have greedily gobbled my tulip bulbs during our absence. Consequently, missing the sight of those beautifully coloured, cup shaped flowers, I decided to visit the display in the grounds of Constable Burton Hall today. The photographs are from there and sadly not of my own overgrown garden borders or more modest sized accommodation!

 Obviously it was nothing like the extensive gardens at Keukenhof in the Netherlands let alone the bulb fields that surround them. This was a mixture of formal planting close to the hall and along the pathways, as well as clutches in woodland clearings. 

 

 

Under the trees bluebells and wild garlic were in full  bloom and blossom in the trees added to the vibrant display. Rhododendrons were just beginning to join in the flamboyant exhibition and clematis clambered amongst the trees. Hostas were standing proudly, the dry weather presumably protecting them from the ravage caused by slugs and snails or maybe it was the smell from the skunk cabbage nearby.

There was no need to rush, there were no crowds and there was plenty of space to wander. It was a perfect opportunity to appreciate and immerse myself in the scents and beauty that make up Springtime and to remember that even in retirement we need to relax, embrace nature and just breathe.