Roses

This  summer has been perfect for roses and we had some beauties in our garden thanks to the previous owners.
There is a dedicated Rose garden, well, a patch really which had become very over grown with weeds poking through the layers of bark laid  down to stop the weeds, LOL.
Here are a few photos starting with a variety called Blue Moon . Very Very pretty and had lots of flowers.

 

Then I was given a beautiful bouquet of Roses from our local supermarket. They were simply stunning.

Here are few close ups

I just love Roses

Our New Home. Part 2

( don't know why but space is limited using Blogger for iPad so here are more photos)

The big Rib was tied to a mooring.

The crew swam ashore!

They looked in need or rescue themselves.

The smaller Rib being hauled up the beach.

This is on my wish list for Christmas.

As you can see, the wind got up, the sand was blowing in our faces and the clouds were threatening. Time to go home for tea.

Knighthayes court

Knightshayes court  near Tiverton, Devon.

We struggled finding the place despite putting the postcode in the Satnav. We had to back track quite a long way. However, as we turned into the drive lined both sides with old iron fencing it took my breath away. 

Majestic trees surrounded us in open parkland and we were told there are 280 acres. Huge!

As we progressed up the drive the house came into view, quite imposing, not beautiful but very grand. 

We then passed the old stables where there is now a shop, cafe and plant centre and continued on looking for the car park. 

After enjoying a generous cup of tea, one pot would have been more than enough, we made our way to the House only a few minutes away.

The entrance is quite imposing and you find yourself in a large hall. After watching the video we then went upstairs and admired the very unusual decor, not to my taste but certainly different. there are loads of rooms to explore, my favourite was the Library.

We then went into the gardens and a huge vista opened up looking down to the town of Tiverton. 

Many of the plants had gone over due to the recent very hot weather and they were a little disappointing. We were told there are 46 volunteer gardeners and six regular ones. A huge task to keep everything in pristine condition.

Hedges of Yew, neatly cut and a large pond with Koi Carp and covered with water lilies in flower.

The walled in kitchen garden was full of various flowers and vegetables, all organically grown and there were large numbers of butterflies and bees. 

Here are a few of the flowers

We then made our way back to the old stables 

As  in other NT properties, there are many plants on sale and I bought 3 looking strong and healthy and only £6 each. A pink Echinacea and two Rubeckias, one orange and one yellow.

We will go again as  we would like to explore the parkland. There were several families enjoying picnics and the grounds are so large you can easily find a quiet spot to sit and reflect.

Devon Delights

WA



Since the last week of June, when Wimbledon started , Summer has arrived in Devon.
Over the last few weeks it has got hotter and hotter and this weekend we have had temperatures as high as 30c, that is 90+ in old money.
We have been out and about visiting some of our favourite seaside towns and here are some photos.
First, driving under  the leafy green leaves forming arches over the roads to Budleigh Salterton with it's long pebble beach which shelves steeply down to the sea.

Winches are needed to get the boats up the beach and safe from the water's edge. 

Each Hut below has a wooden box housing a winch.

A trip on the Ferry from Starcross to Exmouth.

Exmouth town is not very big but is well kept as you can see from the photos of the park and the flower beds. We had to catch the ferry back from the Marina boasting some very expensive apartments painted in bright colours. Reminded us of Norway.

Some lovely yachts moored in the river , made us very envious.

I particularly liked this old fishing boat.

Home safe and sound

JJ

June in Devon

It has not been the best month, after a miserable wet and cold Spring did not really .... Spring!

Everything was late, the daffodils, the primroses and the bluebells were all weeks behind and not as vigorous as usual due to the inclement weather.
But, it has improved, we have had a dryer spell but temperatures have been way down. Until last Wednesday, which I have officially declared SUMMER 2013!
On that beautifully hot Summers day we went up the Teign Valley for lunch to a pub in the tiny
Village of Trusham, The Cridford Inn.
Very attractive from the front with magnificent roses  climbing up the whitewashed walls to the thatch above.

Sadly, the food was very disappointing. The lunch menu was small, expensive and unimaginative and we did not want to spend over £ 10 per head. Never mind, we sat outside in the very hot sun, enjoyed a glass of Pimms and made the best of it.

There is a fine dining restaurant attached to the pub which has a good reputation but far too dear for lunch.

We ended up going home for tea, having a pizza and salad outside on the patio all washed down  with a glass or two of wine and vying for a place under the shade of the umbrella.

Today, dull and overcast we took ourselves off to Killerton House in Exeter, a National Trust property.

We had a coffee in the old stable yard thoroughly entertained by several swifts dashing hither and thither and disappearing into a hole behind a drainpipe.

The sheep were expecting rain, see them all huddled under a tree. They were wrong!

We Enjoyed a couple if hours walking around the house and the gardens and we bought a thornless rose I have been looking for for ages and a passionflower. Both good strong healthy plants for under £10 each.

The house was not very inspiring, but the gardens were better. Some interesting plants.

Here are some photos.

The following flowers looked like cultivated wild orchids and, indeed they were

All in all a very pleasant few hours in this very green and pleasant land in deepest Devon.