7/12/2009

Taking time to smell the roses.



July in my garden always induces a mild panic attack, especially when the weather is rainy and warm. These conditions make everything grow twice as fast as they should or so it seems. I try very hard to keep on top of things but somehow nature overwhelms me and all I can see are jobs to do, ivy to trim, weeds to deal with, roses to dead head, the list goes on.

We have had quite a few people to stay recently and they see things through very different eyes, most of them see a small but beautiful garden and are oblivious to the effort it takes to keep it at least halfway under control. I am now trying to enjoy my garden a little bit more and to let the weeds and black spot and overgrown hedges etc. etc., matter less!

The rose is one of my David Austin roses, which seem to thrive despite my neglect. I love their old fashioned, cabbage like appearance and wonderful smell. This one is named after the gardener “Geoff Hamilton”. The image is a photograph which has had filters applied to make it look like a painting. If you click on it you will see it in more detail.I think that it still looks like a photograph but the filter has softened it a little. Does it look like a photograph to you?