Saturday 5 November 2011

EARLY NOVEMBER

As it was my birthday (no, I'm not saying!) this week, my daughter came over and she, Mr. G and I all went to try out the new Cafe at our local Garden Centre. It proved to be very good indeed, the food was lovely, home-cooked, and a great place to have a very pleasant lunch out.



Afterwards we wandered round the indoor part of the Centre. They had all their Christmas things out, decorations and presents galore, and although I think it was too early for such things, I enjoyed it very much! I was very taken with these tartan reindeer, who had a really perky expression on their faces!




Baubles, and all sorts of decorations looked very inviting put in baskets.




By the Gardening section we came across these model hens, which looked so realistic I could have bought them all! They were very expensive, though, and for them to look good you would want a group of them, and then you would have to have the right sort of garden (or estate, even!) There were also model dogs and pigs.




Outside, (but covered over, thankfully, as it had started to rain!) there were bedding plants......




.....and loads of beautiful cyclamen. I loved the really dark ones, but they would have been lost against the wall in our hall, so I bought a pale-coloured one with really pretty leaves!




There was a lovely display of foliage too. All told, it was a really good Birthday Visit!




From our upstairs windows, the park and our garden, are looking quite autumnal. (Sorry about the bit of clothes line at the bottom!)




There are some glowing late roses in the park, where they are sheltered from the north and east...........




........And the beech leaves make a gorgeous carpet. This part of the park will be covered with daffodils and narcissi in the Spring.

I wonder what sort of winter we will have this year?

10 comments:

crafty cat corner said...

I don't want to think about Christmas yet, although I did purchase pretty cards for my two young grand daughters yesterday, only because if I leave it until later there will be no choice.
Your garden looks lovely even though it is Autumn, I love the carpet of leaves.
In my tiny garden I have Blue Angel clematis with new flowers opening.
Very strange....
Briony
x

Hollace said...

Happy Birthday, Gilly! It sounds like you had a wonderful outing and saw beautiful things both natural and man-made. How nice to have the time with your daughter.

I am a huge fan of plaid and many of my Christmas items are plaid. I love it all year round--my eye always goes to it when I shop. Most of my husband's shirts are plaid because I pick them out =)

The photo of your garden running down into the park makes me realize what a lovely place you have. You are indeed an artist to have created that lovely stretch of garden flowing down to the park. It's like what they call an "Infinity Pool" only with grass. Can't tell where yours ends and the other begins.

I hope this year will be filled with many joys and good health for you, Gilly, and no more trips to the hospital, please! Do you have plans for projects or trips for the year?
Affectionately, Holly

Tracy said...

I wonder too because this certainly has been a strange year regarding the weather...

kenju said...

I love garden centers like that. It is always fun to walk around in one and see what all they have.

Happy Belated Birthday!

Diane said...

Whilst I love to get my Christmas shopping done and out of the way early, I hate to see Christmas in the shops before 1st December! I love the garden photos. so sunny. xx

Fat Dormouse said...

Those tartan reindeer certainly do look perky! Like other commentators it does seem early for Christmas goodies - but I'm having a stall at a Christmas market next week - so I can't talk!!!

Greener Pastures--A City Girl Goes Country said...

What a beautiful view you have! I don't know why but I personally like the look of a clothesline. If you noticed, there's a picture on the top of my blog that's the neighbor's clothesline! She'd probably be horrified if she knew I put it on there! But to me, clothes on a line brings me back to childhood and to a time when moms were home hanging out laundry and it smells so clean. Clothes on lines are almost as good as flowers. Of course if they're hung correctly...

Greener Pastures--A City Girl Goes Country said...

And happy birthday!

Glennis said...

Happy birthday! And I love those garden stalls.

Glennis said...

Lovely to contemplate the turning of the seasons! All that growth happening under the snow.