TRAVEL WORDS

Beth Chatto Reservoir Garden

The heavy clay soil of the Reservoir Garden was improved by Beth’s team and replanted in 2017. The garden showcases a variety of ornamental grasses and prairie-style plants offering late season interest with an exciting new display of perennials, accessible via winding pathways.

There are plenty of benches on which to sit and contemplate the garden.

Asters were a feature of this September garden

And seed heads. Phlomis russeliana are particularly effective

Beautiful flowering grasses soften the borders

When I visited Beth Chatto’s Gardens in 2016 this area was a complete blank canvas. My favourite zone then was the gravel garden, but this year the Reservoir Garden with its naturalistic prairie planting, grasses wafting in the wind and the pops of colour from the asters, heleniums and rudbeckias intertwined with dramatic seed heads was by far my favourite area. In fact I sat here for a good half hour simply enjoying the peace.

Lens Artists Photo Challenge # 364 |Quiet Moment

Bench Challenge Anniversary

Way back in 2015 – yes that really is ten years ago – I decided to post photos of the numerous benches sitting in my folders. It seemed that I was not alone and suddenly it turned into the Bench Challenge where I set a particular criterion each month and people joined in posting their bench photos. It was a lot of fun and I met a lot of wonderful bloggers through it.

Pretty tiled bench in Colchester Park, Essex

This year I am returning to mark the occasion by posting a bench photo every Sunday. There will not be any particular theme set this year so it’s not really much of a challenge, but if there is anyone out there who still has a bucketful of bench photos and would like to join me, then please do so by adding a link in the comments or a link to my post in yours (a pingback) and I will happily pop along to admire.

Beth Chatto’s Gardens

No Six on Saturday post from me today, but here is one view of the planting scheme in Beth Chatto’s gardens in Essex. More to come later.

(Please click image to enlarge)

The Reservoir Garden replanted in 2017 so after my visit to these gardens in September 2016. The garden showcases a variety of ornamental grasses and prairie-style plants offering late season interest.

Bench Challenge Anniversary

Bench in Beth Chatto’s garden 10 minutes’ drive from Colchester, Essex

Sports, Fun and Games

I haven’t really been a sporty person since leaving school where I was involved with hockey and athletics. With four children to bring up there was never really any time, nor money and my physical activity has been limited to gardening, household chores and walking. Not exactly sporty! Though I did once do line dancing. OK not a sport. Though pretty physically demanding. I don’t suppose board games count? Thought not.

Fortunately other people are. Sporty.