I know I am hideously boring lately (as indicated by comments and my complete inability to post everyday), but I'm rather like a BBC news alert these days-I'm off most of the time, with only the occasional flash showing I am indeed alive.

I could tell you that work is shit, that I am a bit blue, and that health-wise I continue to struggle. I could mention that I don't really visit other sites these days and there are some sites that I can no longer go to at all for certain reasons. I might go into detail about my thoughts and feelings, but as I'm gearing up for the Grand Nationals in therapy, I think I'll save that for next week. So instead I bore you with moving vans, details on visas, and hangovers.

But now! For the penultimate in boredom, I bring you our garden (I know! Doesn't it just get you wet/hard? Doesn't it though?) Hang on! It just doesn't get any more interesting than this! (This was my first ever paragraph with complete exclamation points! I have achieved some kind of compromise in my life, truly!)

Being a city chick, I've never really had a garden. In Stockholm I had one for the first time, where I had both a flower garden and a vegetable patch. The flowers I did well with, only because I had thrown about 5 packets of Snapdragons at the recipient earth, where somehow they took light and the garden exploded in the things. The vegetable patch I worked hard on, only once I realized it needed daily activity and that I had some kind of obligation to then eat the damn veggies, I balked. I hate being forced. Obligation does my head in.

I refuse to do vegetables now.

Part of the draw of this house was the garden. The garden was sculpted and spectacular, the woman who owned it spent her time dwelling in it, planting in it, weeding it and loving it. It showed.

Now that we moved in, things are happening in the garden. Things are growing and I have no fucking idea what half of them are, and not even Alan Titchmarsh (yes, he's really called that and yes, I have juvenile laughter about it) can tell me what half of it is. Everywhere you turn, something is coming out of a bulb, flowers are exploding, and a bush looks like it has caught fire with flowers.

I love the lilacs.

I love these things, called (I think) Grandma's Bonnets.

Then there's the pale clematis, growing up the side of the house.

There's a bush laden with snowballs, and I love to sit beneath them.

The peonies are about to explode. I fucking love peonies, and I can't wait to see them. I planted about 5 other peonies myself this year, but they seldom flower in the first year, so I suppose I've just made an emotional investment in my garden for next year, which is weird as I can't commit to vegetables.

Everywhere, there are roses. I am not good with roses, but I am going to learn.

But there's this thing-a walkway that I found out is laden with roses. The whole thing is dripping with rosebushes that must be older than I am.

And I saw that it is getting ready. The buds are forming, and the flowers are coming, and when they come the entire thing is going to explode with roses.

In fact, the top of the trellis is already blooming.

And my cold bitter heart is excited about the roses coming out, so watch this space as I will continue to bore you with a rose-covered walkway (and I planted jasmine and sweet peas down the sides, so it will be a true assault on the senses.)

By the back door, a rose bush is in bloom.

I was never promised a rose garden, but the house is going to give me one, anyway.

-H.

Posted by: Everydaystranger at 08:00 AM | Comments (15) | Add Comment
Post contains 678 words, total size 5 kb.

1 Babe, just take some time to smell the roses ........ we'll all still be here. With fondest thoughts of you.

Posted by: Mia at May 26, 2006 09:43 AM (5Qkf8)

2 i've heard that roses are hard to grow, though i've never tried them myself. i'm told my grandmother used to have her house surrounded by almost 100 rose bushes!

Posted by: geeky at May 26, 2006 12:10 PM (ziVl9)

3 Stunningly beautiful garden. If you've ever got any questions, I've always contemplated ditching the career in law to be a botanist - and flowering plants are my true love. My peonies are just about to be finished for the year.

Posted by: April at May 26, 2006 12:21 PM (MSB13)

4 No ownder you fell in love with Blackberries. I would have too. A garden like that is an awe-inspiring responsibility, Helen. I hope you are up to the task - or are willing to learn. The lilacs and the hydrangeas are fabulous and I look forward to seeing all the roses.

Posted by: kenjukenju at May 26, 2006 12:42 PM (2+7OT)

5 thought you might like to know .... the "Grandma's Bonnets" are also called columbine (aquilegia). What a beautiful garden ... I am literally green with envy!

Posted by: lambchop at May 26, 2006 12:54 PM (0bhhP)

6 I read your blog every single day and it is never boring. I love the pictures of the garden, what an amazing space to have for your very own! I love the Gorby pics too, keep em coming and take care of yourself

Posted by: Cheryl at May 26, 2006 02:16 PM (msF2q)

7 God damn that is a beautiful garden. The roses are especially gorgeous. I can't wait to see the pics after they bloom!

Posted by: Teresa at May 26, 2006 02:47 PM (2DdEi)

8 Good gravy, those snowballs are beautiful. The whole thing's amazing. Amazing, and not boring at all. The dust, sand, dirt, rocks, etc. that I live with, now, THAT's boring.

Posted by: ilyka at May 26, 2006 08:58 PM (FJvMX)

9 at least you don't have to eat the peonies, lol. me too green with envy but thank you for the gorgeous photographs

Posted by: mei at May 27, 2006 08:54 AM (SGbeH)

10 Boring? Never. Always intersitng. Always insightful. Always educational. Photos are always interesting and beautiful.

Posted by: Foggy at May 27, 2006 01:41 PM (WlHuv)

11 the white bulbs love are hydrangea. and wait they might change colours on you, or if you wanted you can make the change colours. Really

Posted by: stinkerbell at May 27, 2006 08:06 PM (fiWIK)

12 Oh, honey! the pink rose blossom is absolutely exquisite. . .the most beautiful views await you. I can't wait for you to share with us.

Posted by: Margi at May 28, 2006 08:50 AM (BRtaN)

13 Helen my dear, there are those of us out in the world that have been reading you for years. To us, you are that weird combination that only blogs can produce - a close friend we've never met. We come flocking to this page every day, ready to read about the latest triumph, tragedy, or television show in your life. For us, it's never boring. And now that I sound like I'm about to start single white female-ing you, I end with DAMN! Those are gorgeous flowers.

Posted by: amy t. at May 30, 2006 02:49 PM (zPssd)

14 Hi. Yes, it's been a while since I was here, but I must say I love what you've done with the place! I was in a similar situation when I bought my house. The husband in the couple I bought the house from was a consultant with the Botanical Garden here, and close to a hundred rosebushes came with the purchase of the house. In the first year we managed to kill about 10 of them before we figured out what to do. Now we've settled in, and the spring and fall rose care routines have become a part of our lives.

Posted by: ~Easy at May 30, 2006 07:50 PM (qS726)

15 Oh Helen, you are anything but boring. I haven't visited in over a week because well, it is spring, my children and garden and husband need attending. These things go in cycles, don't cha know? Love ya. Don't change a thing. You are a sweet smelling rose!

Posted by: Marie at May 31, 2006 11:36 PM (nI0rU)

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