Picton Castle

It was the last day of June and we decided to spend and afternoon at Picton Castle

It was a miserable afternoon

and threatened rain.

To my mind the best time to visit is May

when the Azaleas etc are blooming but we did see the occassional azalea and this lovely white Rhodo

We walked through the gardens

to the Walled Garden. 

This has really been changed and replanted



but I still really enjoy visiting it...

trouble is, that with the poor weather this year, the plants don't seem to have grown so well!

                
               The dogs looked pretty fed up.......
          whilst their owners examined the plants!!

  These are some of the medicinal herbs with plaques
                declaring what they can heal

          I thought that this rose was just lovely!!
                      Perhaps this should be
                            for Beverley
           as well for her.......Special Birthday!!



This pink rose is for Beverly for her Pink Saturday

       We decided that the Fernery was a must!

                        Isn't this a lovely tree?
            Just made for climbing on...so we did!!

            We headed back towards the castle

          
           and took one look backwards towards....
                         the Walled Garden

             and then into the courtyard for.....
                   a drink and an icecream!!



Coffee Anyone?

  



The other day I decided to make a pot of coffee.

So I got out the pot...

                             and the cups...

                     ....the ones that always look
            so bright and colourful..and cheer me up....

                 (do you have any that you use to
                             cheer you up??!)......

    That was when I dropped one of them on the floor!

It had a chip in the rim..

and the handle had come off!!

I had been given them by a friend so I was really disappointed!

What a shame as  I only had the two!!

 

The company changes it's designs frequently....

and had, already,

 stopped making that particular design! 

It was then I had my " Brilliant Idea"..........

I got  my wonderful hubbie...

.....to drill a hole in the bottom...........

 I filled it with soil..

and a put couple of cuttings...

into it ...

et ...voila...

my latest planter!!

My little vase of Albertine roses

insisted on being included in the pictures

I agreed

as my lovely Albertine

are coming to an end for this year!

I love them on the table

as their fragrance is incredible!

That was when....

the Cath Kidston coffee pot.... 

decided it wanted to join .... in the photo opportuntity

I agreed but decided

it was time to call a halt....

for who knew....

 what else might decide....

that it was a photoshoot not to be missed!

I'm sharing withTreasure Hunt Thursday

and

I'm joining Sandi at Anne of Greengables Tea Party

and

Marti at Table top Tuesday

The Visitor

My daughter's cat

is staying with us for a few weeks

as she prepares to pack up home and move.

We're not sure how long she's staying

but I'm hoping that her presence will chase off

some of those rabbits!

She's a Bengal

and you can see the tiger markings on her

I fancy you can really see the tiger in her as she walks.......

She was out with me

as I pottered in the back patio this afternoon

and it was nice

to have undemanding company!!

When I sat down

she jumped up and stretched out next to me.....

on the old garden bench.....

I think I'm going to miss her when, eventually,

she goes!

I'm joining with Your Sunday Best

Pink Orchid

This is the orchid....

that one of my daughters gave me last weekend 

as part of my present ......

for my birthday........ isn't it beautiful?

I just haven't been able to get my act together

so well

these last few days

I had intended to blog about my trip to

Picton Castle Gardens

with my grand daughter.....

...... but I haven't been able to do it!

My twin 5 year old grandsons......

chose this little lady for me...

at present she sits

on the bottom step of my stairs ......



but who knows where she might go......?


I'm joining Seasonal Sundays


I'm joining with Beverley's Pink Saturday



Bosherston Lily Ponds

Last Friday a friend and I decided

to take a walk

round Bosherston Lily Ponds.

I haven't been there for some time....

and knew that I couldn't walk far...

but really wanted to go

while the lilies are at their best!

The lily ponds are

a series of flooded limestone valleys

and are beautiful to walk around

at all times of the year

It takes about an hour or so

to walk right around at a reasonable pace.

Half way round there is a beautiful bay -

Broad Haven South

Once there

it is a job to tear yourself away

from the soft sand and rolling sand dunes

I know....

that I cannot manage to walk that far

at the moment.......

but will probably visit it from the other side

......another day

We take the narrow path

across the first pond

and enjoy looking at the lilies and wildlife around us

There was just so much to see.....

The swan and then baby moorhen!

We climbed the path up beside the pond

and stopped to look

at the profusion of wild flowers

We reached the top and looked around 

Our eyes were caught

by something moving in the water

...a pair of otters!

It was difficult being quick enough to take a photo!

The Moor hen

and her chick..hopping along the lily pads!

Looks as if she's decided to join him

I only managed to do about a quarter of the walk

but so enjoyed it

and wanted to share it with you!

I'm joining Nancy and Lisa at Rural Thursday