What a gloomy morning

Wednesday morning I woke up, opened the curtains and saw this gloomy view down the valley facing west.

Oh No, I thought, not another overcast miserable day – perhaps I should turn on the SAD light.

Then gradually the clouds cleared, the sun came out and by mid morning the view had changed to this.

My spirits started to lift so I took a walk around the garden to see what splashes of colour were still about.

In the orchard there were a few small cooking apples left on one tree, rosy pink skin – I’ll probably leave these for the birds to eat during the winter.

 

In the hedge some primroses were flowering, sheltered from the elements by the elder bush growing next to them. I love their delicate blooms and scent, they are so pretty.

 

Surrounded by a low growing box hedge this Catananche Caeulea Major and a neighbouring Salvia Apricot Sprite were enjoying the morning sun.  Both of them are slightly tender up here and it will be a difficult decision to make when to cut down and mulch them.  But right now I think their colours are so bright and cheery I haven’t got the heart.

 

Down on the sunken terrace a little eryngium was glowing cobalt blue, just like lttle pin cushions.

 

 

As I walked towards Julius Caesar I could smell the scent of Coronella glauca Citrina, it seems to have been flowering non-stop since spring – a good purchase from my local branch of B&Q.

 

I love taking photographs of the round and shiny Sea Buckthorn berries, lovely aren’t they.

On the main lawn, I thought my large cast iron urn made a handsome portrait in the dappled morning sunlight.

 

On the pink border I found several plants basking in the sunlight - a delosperma

Salvia Hot Lips

 

And lastly I found a little Tulbaghia violacea

 

With the warmth of the sun seeping into my joints I made a cup of coffee then sat outside and enjoyed the rest of the morning.