An icy start to the day, if the matt white finish to the cars, road and pavement wasn’t enough evidence my neighbour sliding down the road without the use of a sledge reinforced this view. If it is an ice rink here in Ilfracombe it is bound to be twice as treacherous on the road to Lee so I played the waiting game. By 9.30 we were mostly thawed and Hero (being the Hero that she is) called to point out the worse patches in the village and Damage (being the great neighbours that they are) texted with reports of further afield. I was champing at the bit to get back to the garden to examine the ravages of the past few days so I ventured forth. Apart from the odd skiddy bit it was fine but just to be on the safe side I parked at the bottom of the hill, I’m not that intrepid.
As it turned out casualties were few, damage very meagre consisting mainly of a few floppy echiums and the Correa backhouseana fallen over again (bad staking by head gardener). Naturally The Monarch of the Glen had been chopping his way through the garden, now extending his diet to camellias and bergenia. All in all I can’t complain, especially considering what the vast proportion of the country is suffering. Mind you it is early days ….
This is Ribes laurifolium, the Laurel Leaved Currant, with its tumble of scented palest green flowers.
The Monarch of the Glen? What have I missed?
We have a deer/s that are munching their way through the garden. From how high one of them is reaching it seems it may be a big one! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch_of_the_Glen_%28painting%29
Oh, thanks, now I get it. Interesting about Pears and Glenfiddich using the painting as advertising. Camellias and bergenia, yum. Munch, chew, devour.