Wollerton Old Hall Garden.

Hi Folks!  Thank you for your wonderful comments and welcome back on my last post.  

I MUST also welcome two new followers to the fold, great to see you here :o)

As promised last time this post is about the fabulous private gardens I visited with my dear friend George's Mom.  Wollerton Old Hall Garden (the hall is a private residence and not open to visitors.)

They are open from 12 noon to 5pm on Fridays, Sundays and Bank Holidays From Good Friday until The end of August, and Fridays only during September.  At the time it cost just £6 entrance fee - let me tell you it's well worth every penny.

I realise that they are now closed for the season, but believe me it's worth making a note of them for next year.  It's also a brilliant place for any budding photographers ;o) (I took around 180 photos!)  As you may guess this IS a photo heavy post.

The magnificent Old Hall which dates from the mid 1500's that magically appears as you walk along the twisting, tree lined driveway to the entrance of the gardens.

As you enter the gardens through the gate 

this is the first courtyard with it's amazing topiary.

and around another corner the 'Old Garden'

leading to 'The Rill Garden', it took a long time to get a clear shot as there were so many visitors that day.

The flower beds are a most astounding site, and I've NEVER seen so many different types of very busy bees in one place.

and from the other end of this walk..

such wonderful shapes...

Like 'The Lime Walk'

colours,

and I was assured scents - I have no sense of smell :o(

The bees were intent on work and not bothering anyone.

I see 7 here, can you see more?

comin' in to land 

Some were even nesting amidst the topiary!

Butterflies galore!

 and curious caterpillars too..

The Well Garden

Just around the corner from here there is a very lovely tea rooms filled to the brim with luscious food and drinks.

and just at the far end of that shot the tallest hollyhocks I've seen, again covered in bees...

heavily dusted 

with pollen :o)

There is also an 'old' summer house, where I could have happily sat

and enjoyed more flowers.

before leaving by the other door,

and looking back

over these oak gates :o)

Yes, that was a most enjoyable day that I can highly recommend it.

Best wishes to you all.

x x x

Forgot to say, there's a brilliant plant nursery too - guess who bought a few back with her ;o)

She peeps round the corner...

Hello, is there anybody out there?  I'm hoping so as I've been away SO LONG. 
  

Admission time.  Dear Hubs got me up and running again with parts from a second hand laptop some time ago, but life got in the way and it's rarely been turned on.  We've had such a wonderful Summer that the days have simply whizzed by and I'd not realised it's been nearly two months since I posted.
There have been some problems of course, things that I don't feel I can discuss here just yet, because they all involve Mom - but thank goodness most of them have been overcome - for the moment anyway.

* * *

I've had a birthday - my 57th (aaargh)  

Mom still doesn't realise she forgot it :o(

* * *

There have been hedgehogs of course, lots of them giving us great joy - every night :o) 

I've made a couple of new videos for you to see.

(The nature camera is rigged up for 25 second videos with a 5 second delay before filming again, so the videos can seem to 'jump' a little - I really need to find out how to edit them properly...)

Here are the links - do you think I can remember how to put them on here? I'm an eejit!

Hog watching

Awakening from hog box #4

(I'm trying to source a power lead for the camera though as videos are eating up 8 x Duracell AA batteries up at an alarming rate.)

We have one small, visiting juvenile - a worry at time of year and so far an impossibility to capture it, I'm sure it's related to Lewis Hamilton as it's SO SPEEDY ;o) one crunch on the gravel and it's gone.  Here it is.

the bigger picture - spot the hog.

I've also had an amazing surprise from the nature camera, a visiting fox cub!  Sadly problems with uploading the next day lost the two videos - but I now have some software that could possibly find them again - fingers crossed!

* * *

I attended West Midland Hedgehog Rescues  fundraiser event on the 07th September.  Joan raised an amazing £897.59 during the event, which will be a great help over winter as she is self funded.   Joan told me that she has had very few monetary donations over the last twelve months, so if you have a wildlife/hedgehog rescue centre nearby how about sending them a donation to help out?

* * *

Then there was a bit of painting and improving.  Remember this?

Well now it looks like this!

The hanging baskets filled out nicely.

Much better!

We had another visit from a Sparrow Hawk

No casualties this time though.

Taken from the bedroom window, a bit dull as it was early morning and in the shade.

* * *

Five (pampered) tomato plants in the greenhouse have been a disappointment - as I'm still having to buy tomatoes!  The runner beans aren't exactly cropping lots either, I went out veg hunting one evening and came back with one runner bean and one finger sized courgette (zucchini) good job I have fat reserves - at that rate I'd fade away!

* * *

I managed a wonderful day out with George's Mom to Walcott (Ooops! That should have been)Wollerton Old Hall Garden private Gardens in Shropshire but that's a whole other post!  

They even had a resident hedgehog ;o)

and a preview ...

(Which somehow missed off my original post)

* * *

I've added another face to the garden - a charity shop find of course!  And you know I like weird things of course ;o)

* * *

Well, I think that'll do for now.  I hope you have had an excellent Summer.  Next time Walcott Gardens.

Sending you my very best wishes.

x x x

Oh!  Just a thought...what happened with Blogger Reader?  My list still seems to be there - did I miss an important announcement or was it all just hype?  Anyway, I registered with Bloglovin' too!