The view across the garden last week
The garden is flourishing after a very warm start to the month of May, plus a few much needed downpours in the past fortnight.
If this is your first visit to my garden, you will notice that it is devoid of grass, and filled with a number of (mostly) raised beds, planted with trees, shrubs, cottage style perennials, bulbs and a small number of annuals.
I have designed the paths and beds at an angle from the house to give it more interest.
Membranes under the gravel paths keep the majority of weeds at bay. Although a few hardy specimens put up a good fight!
One of my favourite old fashioned perennials is Aquilegia, also known as grannies bonnets. I have a number of different varieties but I do not know all their names:
The pond area is looking a little more mature, after it was downsized back in March. I am still tweaking the planting:
The pond area in May
The photograph below is from my post The Garden in March There is a world of difference:
The pond area in March
Here are more of this months delights:
Purple Astrantia and friends – cerise Carnations and pale pink Geranium
Phlomis awaiting the emergence of her pale orange flowers, keeps Astrantia company on the other side of this border.
Meanwhile a number of blue blooms are emerging :
Purple Allium provide star quality:
Roses are flourishing – let me introduce you to “James Galway” :
Pink Fuschia are another JOY:
And a number of varieties of white and yellow Daisy have joined the colourful throng:
Happy Gardening.
Brigid P. Gallagher is a retired natural medicines therapist, passionate organic gardener and author of “Watching the Daisies- Life lessons on the Importance of Slow,” a holistic memoir dedicated to the art of mindfulness and healing from debilitating illness.
Wow! Beautiful garden you have there 🌸🌺🌻
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Thank you Liza. I Love pottering away outside. I am forever getting new planting ideas. 😊
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It looks the perfect garden to me, I’ve always wanted a country cottage garden like that – enjoy 🙂
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Bless you. I hope you get your Wish. 😊
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Me too 🌸
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May is such a beautiful month with all the trees and flowers coming into their own. Thank you for sharing such a beautifully colourful blog. Made me smile 🙂 🙂 x
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Thanks Judith. It is such a special month in the garden. There is so much new growth. X
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Stunning. So beauitful and well thought of, in terms of layout. Would you be able to a post on gardening basics? What is a annual etc, what to plant where? What to plant to give all year effect? Etc.. i dont know anything about gardening and i can see you know loads. May be i should reduce my grass ..
Regards bella
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I shall think on it Bella. Perhaps later in the summer. 😊
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Not a problem.. when ever.. no pressure..😊
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Gorgeous
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Thank you. 😊
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Beautiful color and flowers. What a difference from March to May!
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Thank you. It’s hard to believe the growth in two months! 😊
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Just so beautiful! I can smell the flowers and greenery. 🌸🌷🌹🌱
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Thanks Alexis. I am just heading outside now to my pink garden chair. 😊
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Beautiful garden!
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Thank you. 😊
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Fabulous garden .
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Thank you Gardening is my therapy. 😊
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Hello Daisies. What a beautiful garden. A total joy to walk through, I should imagine.
I have a question:
In the very first photograph, at the top of this post, over to the right hand side there is an incredible ‘fern type’ plant which is all feathery and almost like it has skeleton leaves. It’s green but seems to have a purple hue about it.
It’s quite beautiful and I’d love to know what this plant is called.
love ~ Cobs. x
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Cobs it is a bronze fennel and it comes up every year. It makes a lovely herb tea that is good for fluid retention…It needs no maintenance and dies back in winter. You should be able to grow it from seed. 😊
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Ohhhh thank you SO much Daisies. I just have to have that in my garden. It’s so pretty and I imagine that it has a gentle rustle when the wind blows it.
I’ll go and have a search for some seeds at my local garden centre. They have a great selection so fingers crossed.
Thank you for the help!
love ~ Cobs. x
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Good luck Cobs. X
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What a remarkable garden you have. So much beauty in one place. You can tell it is tended with great care and love/
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Thanks Ron. I would be so lost without it. 😊
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Your garden is a little oasis… so beautiful!!
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Bless you. I am going out there in a moment for my lunch and a Potter…
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OOh lovely post Brigid! I love to see before and after shots and your pond has changed loads! My pond needs a bit of tlc at the moment because I think we have a leak but it will have to wait until the Autumn when all the amphibians leave to hibernate i think. My favourite plant at the moment is Astrantia and I’ve just planted some Astrantia Major which I think is yours? I also love the purple plant -is that a chilean potato plant? I have one and it has gone bonkers and is rambling everywhere! Thank you for linking up to #MyGloriousGardens again. x
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My poor pond had several leaks last year. So it is much reduced. Which purple plant is it? There is the purple elder tree at the back on the right….
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The one with a yellow centre…I think its Chilean potato or something?
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Is it in the main picture? Which corner?
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middle of the blue pictures. x
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Just checked. Yes it is. I know it as Solanum. 😊The snails are very fond of it.
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Its a climber
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Beautiful garden!
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Thank you. 😊
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Your garden is beautiful! xxx
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Thank you. Xxx😊
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Great eye candy! Enjoy your summer spaces.
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Thank you Laura. I will…
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You have a stunning garden and beautiful star plants Brigid. Truly medicine for the soul!
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Bless you. It is such a joy to spend time outdoors. I am still tweaking bits yet…😉
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I got here through Di..and i am glad i found you..what a beautiful garden you have in there..
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Thank you. I just popped over to your blog and I am now a follower. We share a few lovely blog friends. 😊
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Thanks for the follow..and yes we have wonderful blogger friends
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Brigit.
Your gardens looks truely beautiful a santuary of colour. .I have the plants you have me last summer and they are coming on well…And think of you when i see them flourish.
Cogratulation on getting your book published..😊
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Thanks James. Are you visiting Donegal at all? Would be lovely to see you. 😊
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Lovely garden. Cosy, restful and romantic. I love aquilegias too. It is such a shame that mine seem to be dying out, so it’s very nice to see yours.
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Thank you. Mine are on their way too but I still have the yellow and blue varieties in bloom. 😊
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Brigid when it comes to see the efforts and hardwork through our eyes it gives such immense satisfaction.
So is your garden. When we can take such pleasure in seeing it, how delighted and happy you must be.
👍👌💟
Shiva🎶
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Thank you Shiva. I spend many a happy hour sitting in my garden now. Most of the hard work has been done. 😊
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It is beautiful! It staggers me the change from March to May. But nature herself staggers me … such perfection she gives us if only we can be content.
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Thank you Osyth. Yes the growth is truly amazing. Thankfully I am now able to spend lots of quality time sitting amongst my flowers. Happy days. 😊
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“Tag, you’re it!” I like your blog and nominated you for the next round of Blue Sky Tag. Tell more people about your blog by joining us this round.
https://oldhouseintheshires.com/2017/06/08/blue-sky-nomination-and-playing-it-forward/
Have fun!
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Wow! So pretty! How do you find time to write?
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The garden takes a lot less time now as the weeds don’t get much room any more😉
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Your James Galway roses are lovely. I have not seen a rose that looks like that before, the petals are so dense. I must look out for these roses when we are in the UK in August. Lovely garden, Bridget.
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Thank you Robbie. It is a David Austin rose which you should be able to get by mail. 😊
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I have the blue blooms too! Amazing color, isn’t it?
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Lovely. The blues are so vivid. They make my heart smile.😊
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most wonderful
gardener 🙂
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Thank you. I just love being outdoors. 😊
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[…] Watchingthedaisies […]
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Just lovely! Gardening is such a beautiful form of therapy!
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Thank you. Isn’t it just. 😉
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Hello! Breathtaking garden! With a garden like this who needs to go elsewhere?
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Indeed. I spend all my spare time in it. 😉
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It’s cloudy this morning and wandering through your beautiful garden has me eager to get out in the park again (we have 1,000 acres of forest & garden to explore just down my street!)! Thank you for sharing your ‘secret garden’ with us!!
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Thank you for reading. You are really blessed to have so much forest and garden on your doorstep. It is just wonderful to spend time in nature. 😊
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It’s so healing…I can’t get enough right now!
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Hello Brigid,
What a treat to see your garden. The sun certainly looks bright and warm too.
I love a cottage garden and this looks like such a beautiful one. I think your roses and daisies are my eternal favourites but everything looks wonderful. You have captured the flowers so well.
Wishing you a lovely weekend there,
Hugs from Di ✨🙋🏻💕
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Thank you Di. Gardening is such a great therapy for me and I am able to sit in it and enjoy the fruits of my labour. Hoping for some nice sunshine. It has rained lots lately. Happy weekend. 😍
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Everything looks so bright and healthy Brigid!! Do you have to replant every year?? Our next door neighbor took out all the grass in his back yard and has so many fruit trees and fruits and veggies growing. And we love when he comes knocking on the door with fresh squash and tomatoes! It’s beautiful!!! I know you must love seeing what you’ve done… hugs from here Brigid!
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Thanks Rhonda. Everything is pretty much permanent which saves on weeding and planting. I just need to keep things trimmed in places. X
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Well, it’s bountiful and beautiful Brigid! xox
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