Feeling a bit 'meh' and some nice things

 You know how sometimes you just have a day/week that is a bit 'meh'?  You can't necessarily say what is wrong, but you just feel out of sorts.  I had one of those last week.  I am usually a fairly content person, but things got to me a bit last week and I was feeling a bit down.  My lovely husband bought me these flowers to cheer me up, which was very thoughtful of him.  Sunflowers, agapanthus, lilies and some foliage.  I have been enjoying seeing the lilies open and although sometimes the scent can be overpowering, this one has a gentle scent, which is just there in the background.

To quote Winnie the Pooh, "Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon" (or flowers!).

I had noticed this self sown foxglove and was watching it grow.  It has surprised me as it is at the front of the house, growing through gravel and a weed suppressing membrane.  However, it seems to be doing well.

Also at the front of the house, in a pot, is this phlox, which is a division from a plant in the back.  I divided it earlier in the year and it had rewarded me with the biggest flowers it has ever had.  I have another division planted in the shadier border in the back garden and that is also starting to flower.  The other division is back in the original pot, but with refreshed compost and is also looking good.  

There are always good things to be grateful for, which is something I need to remember on those 'meh' days!

Tatton Park Flower Show (part two)

 There was an amazing stand of agapanthus - a plant I admire but have never managed to grow. 

 Another beautiful display of lilies.  I used to love growing lilies but the pollen affected the cats, so I had to stop growing them. I still love the flowers and the heavy scent.  I had 'Stargazer' in my wedding bouquet (19 years ago) and one of the strongest memories of the day was the scent that hit me when I went into the church.  That fragrance takes me straight back.  

 I liked this little brick path leading to a willow arch and was surprised to see yellow and white tulips, blooming away merrily in July.  (Ah, the wonders of cold storage).

 Another restrained and tranquil garden with limited planting - grasses and agapanthus.  We all decided that it would be a calm and meditative place in which to sit.

 There were some beautifully bright displays of vegetables - despite the rotten growing year so far.

 We saw the Gardeners' World Team (Joe Swift, Monty Don and Carol Klein) doing their end piece to the camera for the Friday night programme.  Carol's wellies had diamante buckles, to add some glamour!

 If money was no object and I had a large garden, I would definitely have one (or two) of these tree fountains.  The one above reminds me of 'The Singing Ringing Tree' - a rather strange foreign children's TV programme that I remember from my childhood.  It was a fairy tale about a beautiful princess who needed to learn a lesson about helping people and not being vain and proud.  There was also a large fish, a wicked dwarf and a prince who had been turned into a bear.  One of the strange programmes that stayed with me.

 These water sculpture trees also reminded me of the willow fountain (or 'squirty tree' as I like to call it) in the gardens at Chatsworth.

Talking about children's programmes, there were gardens made by local schools and they were bright, colourful and clever.  My favourite programme, Bagpuss, was represented by the beautiful garden above, with all the characters - Madeleine, Gabriel, Professor Yaffle, the mice and Bagpuss himself.  The pink and white themed planting worked really well and this garden was 2nd (I can't remember which came 1st, but this one was definitely my favourite). There was also a garden based on The Herbs, but I forgot to take a photo of that one (oops).

Finally, the Magic Roundabout garden, full of colour, happiness and fun.  I really enjoyed my first visit to Tatton Park, despite the grey skies, it was a lovely day.  On a sunny day, I think it would have been even better, but then more people would have been there, so that may have been a disadvantage.  Perhaps another visit next year?