Red Scabious

Last day of my week off - where has it gone?

I didn't want to waste the day, unlike yesterday, so took myself off to Grey's Court, a smallish country estate near Henley-on-Thames, now run by the National Trust.

It's been a few years since I last visited, and there have been many changes - all for the better as far as I can see. The weather behaved itself and I had a lovely time wandering the house, gardens and wider estate.

The latter included a way marked trail across a field full of bullocks of varying ages. They were blocking the path at one point, and a couple stood trying staring at me with an evil eye - I decided to go off the path and give them a wide birth (I wasn't the only one)!

A less stressful stroll took me through the Kitchen Garden, with some interesting ideas on companion planting instead of insecticides - including wonderfully bright coloured marigolds and nasturtiums among the vegetables. Another idea was borders made up of 1m square raised beds with a single flower-type in each. My favourite was a bed of mixed Scabious, including this vivid red one.