Gardens & Countryside - Hampshire in May

Our holiday began simply enough for me and my Mum - a few days in Hampshire to fully recover from the nine hour plus flight to the U.K. and resulting eight hour time difference, and the chance to visit with dear friends and family.  Of course, I was not going to pass up the opportunity to observe and photograph the many gorgeous gardens and countryside that can be found throughout this lovely part of the world.  I adore cottage gardens - set amidst thatched cottages and idyllic villages - there were plenty to choose from...

 ...but first we had to get there.  I won't go into details regarding our first rental car, but needless to say - we had quite an extraordinary and exciting time, especially when the side mirror and an extremely large piece of metal scafolding  chose to fight it out in the tunnel leading to terminal one at LHR.  The car rental company staff appeared a little sceptical when I explained that their sat nav had sent us down the bike lane ('tis true!) but fortunately they were able to provide rental car number two, and thanks to my premonitions of doom (and tons of extra insurance) no harm was incurred - either financially or bodily...  Things did not get any better with the sat nav after this - as it appeared that someone had programmed it to avoid all traffic whenever possible!  We toured many lovely villages that afternoon in the surrounding counties - but I began to despair of ever arriving at our destination.

 

Finally in a fit of frustration, I turned off the unhelpful Tom Tom - and armed with "your guide to a smooth journey" and some excellent directions from passers-by, we arrived at our B & B.  These photos are all taken in and around the villages of Selborne and Upper Neatham near Holybourne. 

Simply amazing countryside, and gorgeous gardens greeted us at every turn.  I especially loved the weathered fences, wrought- iron gates, and stone walls which provide the perfect backdrop to the tidy yet prolific folliage and flowers which appear squeezed into every corner. 

Thanks to the extremely warm, dry spring experienced in the U.K. this year - early summer flowers were out en-masse.  We were also fortunate to have excellent weather during our stay (just one short but fierce thunder shower) which meant that Mum and I could relax outdoors and truly appreciate the beauty around us.

Splashes of red and yellow mixed with the soft tones of lilac, blue and violet were some of my favourites.  Cool whites contasted with shades of green.

Woodland paths tempted us to follow their lead - we were careful to watch out for the stinging nettles!

Blue flowers, lush green lawns and weathered fences are in plain sight, as well as stone walls with locked doors leading to secret gardens beyond...  So much to see and discover in such a short passage of time.



This wall hides Gilbert White's house and garden.

Possibly my favourite cottage flower if I had to choose...

Another gorgeous thatched cottage with pleached limes.

The river Wey in Upper Neatham offers a tranquil setting for both humans and wildlife.

This view of the Hanger in Selborne is so gentle and peaceful - the perfect antidote to our rather stressful arrival.  Following a perfect few days of rest, recuperation, including excellent company combined with local pub food and drink - Mum and I set off on the next leg of our journey - armed with a copy of the fully revised and updated "Trucker's Atlas of Britain!"

End of month view - April

This month's post should be called "the garden awakens".  Finally, after months of unseasonably cold, wet, windy and downright miserable weather, we have been treated to some warm days of spring sunshine.  The garden has responded - and it is as though everything is bursting into bud, blossom, and flower.  The last of the early spring bulbs are putting on a show, and the late spring shrubs and flowers are ready to burst!

Although the early flowering plums and cherry trees have gone over - there are still more showing off their lovely blossom.  Our 4 in 1 grafted cherry tree (ranier, bing, lapin, and one other that I can't remember) is loaded with delicate white blossom.

Tiny saxifrage flowers line the gravel pathway

 ...and the rhododendron is ready to bloom any day now.

Huge buds on the grapevine signal the beginning of its annual growth spurt.

Forget-me-nots (myosotis) basking under the brick in the sunny front border, have produced their sweet blue flowers.  These escaped my transplanting aspirations, and appear to have grown extra tall to compensate!

These fancy double narcissus are some of the bulbs remaining in bloom throughout the garden.

Flowers in many shades of blue and lilac blue (my favourite!) can be found in the garden at this time of year.

The new growth on the native ferns unfurls in fascinating curly fronds.

I found a checkered lily (fritillaria) growing happily in the border with the roses.

The pond goldfish and koi are swimming up to the surface, hungry and ready to be fed.



Not too many views of the front border this time around.  Little has changed other than the daffodils beginning to die back, and lots of new growth on the roses.  The rather chilly (and a bit mildewed) cosmos can be seen in the back, and the newy transplanted nigella in the front.  I had no choice but to plant them out very early on thanks to the need to make more space indoors for even more tender seedlings than these.  The green loopy plant supports are to prevent the cats from taking a short-cut through the fragile young plants - and will be removed shortly!

More lovely blue - this time one of many scilla scattered in the woodland.

Finally, a view of the erythronium self-seeded in the woodland garden - demonstrating once again that nature is the finest garden designer in these parts. 

This is the view of the garden that I will carry with me for the next few weeks as I venture out with my mother for a little vacation - the chance to re-connect with family & friends, see new sights (hopefully some gardens too!), and experience a world away from ours.  I leave Artgarden in the trusty hands of our other family members, and I will be interested and excited to see how much everything has grown when we return.