FLOWER FRIDAY

We were both out in the garden by 8.30 this morning, determined to chop down the Pyracantha and then cut it into small pieces so that it could go in our green bin.  I was very pleased that from quite a large bush, it cut down to just one big blue bucketful, but as Mr. HCB explained to me, the smaller it’s cut, the more will go in the bin - as if I didn’t know that - so he cut the branches down and I did al the cutting to go in the bin - a good team!

Also intertwined with the Pyracantha were several Rosa Rugosa bushes, that had grown very tall too and which were equally as thorny, but in a different way.  The Pyracantha has thorns in different places up the stem or branch whereas the Rosa Rugosa has lots of tiny thorns all the way up the stems - so it has been a precarious job this morning, but I’m pleased to say we got it done.

In between times, I wanted to be a little creative with some of the Rosa flowers, so as I was cutting them up, I found a bud, part of a flower - which sadly then lost some of its petals when the branch was moved - one with just the sepals and then one with a large rosehip - in other words, the life cycle of the Rosa Rugosa plant.  The end shot was one that had obviously flowered and then died, just as the rosehips were forming, but this does how how thorny the stems are.

It got quite warm in the garden so we were grateful that our friend, Gill, came for coffee and brought a few groceries - she and her son, Pete, are very kind and get us anything we need from Aldi each week.  She has also lent me a very special thing - but it’s a secret until tomorrow!

We sat out in the garden and had our lunch - cucumber sandwiches - with the cucumbers grown by Mr. HCB’s fair hand - delicious.  The first tomatoes are turning red and we have lots more courgettes, runner and french beans - so the harvest is coming in!

This is short and sweet today because I have a lot more cutting up to do before we have afternoon tea with our neighbours.  We also need to discuss what plants we are going to put in the large space that is left after taking out the Wiegela, Pyracantha and Rosa Rugosa - I feel another trip to the Walled Garden Nursery at Brinkworth coming on!

“Gardening requires lots of water -
     most of it in the form of
          perspiration.”
Lou Erickson

P.S.  The extra is a selfie of us both in the garden this morning - we are so fortunate and grateful that the weather has been kind to us.