Summer hols :: Fountains, Flowers and Foliage

Northumberland has some wonderful locations to find the three F's, and today I'm sharing some of my favourite images of Fountains, Flowers and Foliage.

However, it appears I have temporarily forgotten how to string words together, don't ask me why but my brain is refusing to co-operate and I cannot for the life of me think of much to say. I've been trying to write this post all morning and it has just not been happening. So I appologise in advance for the large volume of photos in todays post...actually, no scrap that...I do NOT appologise at all. Sometimes pictures are better than words.

Magnificent water features seen at Alnwick gardens. A beautiful (if expensive) place to visit.

Not a lot in the way of Flowers when we visited, but Fountains, yes they excel themselves with these.

There are also some impressive Foliage structures to enjoy.

We loved these dappled green leafy tunnels, especially good for running through.

This stunning planting was part of the Bog Garden at Howick Hall, and was my favourite part of the gardens here.

It was inspiring and beautiful, with the additional bonus of making the Little People laugh their heads off saying the word "Bog" over and over again.

One of our absolute favourite places to visit in Northumberland is the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Its a truly magical and very special place, and I'll tell you more about it later in the week when my brain cells have woken up again. For now, let me show you a little bit of this beautiful walled garden which is part of Lindisfarne castle and was designed by the famous Gertrude Jekyll.

The Flowers in this small garden is fabulous, generous and cottagey. Lots of roses, sweet peas, and marigolds.

A traditional kitchen garden bed of mixed flowers and vegetables, with espalier fruit trees against the warm stone walls.

Gloriously lofty hollyhocks remind me instantly of my childhood.

And these are the gardens at Cragside.

I loved these gardens very much. They were old fashioned (Victorian) and beautiful. There were enormous rockeries, a Victorian Fernery, a lily pond and a fantastic glass house full of Mediterranean fruit trees. The Little People loved this amazing carpet bed which contains a staggering 25,000 plants.

We were here early on this day and were fortunate enough to be able to wander around this beautiful flower garden with no other visitors around.

I drank in the colours of the flowers, they were intoxicating.

And that was before I came across the Dahlia Walk. Oh my, folks, I got myself so intoxicated I very nearly came unstuck.

I am not particularly good with the camera when in such situations, as I think I've mentioned before.

I get so unbelievably giddy faced with such powerful  colour that I cannot even walk straight,  let alone take crisp, in-focus photographs.

I was soooooooooo giddy in fact that I actually managed to fall right into the dahlia beds not once, but twice. 

To me, dahlias really are magnificent.

I can't think of enough words to describe them, they overwhelm me.

There was an article in the September issue of Country Living magazine about dahlias. It described them as "Floral Fireworks" creating "....late summer displays..an uplifting seasonal spectacle...."

"....from late July, their wonderful, spiky blooms fill the beds, putting on a show to quicken every garden lover's pulse". No wonder I fell into the beds, my pulse was obviously racing away making me incapable of remaining upright.

And whilst I was swooning with excitement in the dahlia beds, it suddenly came to me what they reminded me of ::

:: my crochet flowers.
Good job I can sit still while I crochet, or else I would be a liability.

Comments

[quinn]

Hello...I am a newcomer to your blog, and after poking around and enjoying random posts I have finally begun reading right from Day One. It may be Some Time before I catch up to 2012, but I have to ask a question here and will wait to see if you will somehow know. (I don't have a blog, and such details are a mystery to me!)
In the first picture, what are all those front-end-loader-type dealios lined up at the base of the fountain/pool? Are they toys? Tools? Either way, why are they there?? I LOVE all your photogs of flowers and water and ripples and rooflines and such, but those odd little trucklets have jammed themselves into my mind and I can't seem to dislodge them without help. (Please help? Thank you!)
Quinn
(from New England, USA)

[Rachel]

I'm backtracking again on your lovely blog as I sip earl grey, you falling into the dalias made me laugh!

Beautiful photos.

I'm making a Granny stripe blanket atm and loving the colours. It's challenging my colour comfort in an enjoyable way.

[jane]

Fab pictures...know what you mean about a addled brain...I think 6 weeks of kiddiewinkles at home has seen to that! Pictures are beautiful. I to love Dahlias they so remind me of my grandmothers country garden. Looks like you had an amazing summer visiting such lovely places.
Jane. x

[Alice]

The photos (and the colours in the photos!) are just amazing!

[Alice]

The photos (and the colours in the photos!) are just amazing!

[Alicia]

So pretty! I love the blue trim on that house.

[Jen]

You're nuts, Lucy, your garden photography is great. LOVE LOVE LOVE the dahlias---esp. the ones with the cupped petals (the pink) ones. They look otherworldly or something. I wish they were perrenials!

[http://lavenderhouse.typepad.com]

Hi Lucy

Fab photos. I love dahlias darling (something a few friends of mine say to each other). What camera do you use? Looking to change mine. It is gradually falling to pieces - yet only just over one year. I have taken loads of photos though so I feel like I have actually had my moneys worth. Love Emma x

[kitschen pink]

I'd pass you the smelling salts but I need them myself! I'm in Dahlia heaven! t.x

[Felicia]

Wow! Completely gorgeous fluffy flowers. Loved them. I think that first set of blue ones were Lily of the Nile (Agapanthus). I enjoyed my visit to your blog :)

[Tamar]

Dearest Lucy, the photos are amazing!!!! I referred to you on my blog today, please check it out. xox Tamar

[Solveig]

Wonderful colours! The Dahlias are fantastic. I would have liked to walk through those gardens too.

[Cele]

Wow! The colours are fantastic.Your crochet is so cute and the colours do reflect the beautiful gardens. just the refreshing images I needed on this drizzle day.

[mandy]

your crochet flowers are beautiful, what are you planning to make with them?

[simone]

Beautiful and vibrant photographs. I especially like the one of the fountain that looks like the stem and bowl of a wine glass! I can't believe that dahlias ever went out of fashion. They are so vibrant and very now. If dahlias look like 'floral fireworks' then your crochet flowers look like catherine wheels!

[Sarah]

Your photos are a delightful burst of colour that has brightened up my coffee break those Dahlias are so stunning and I love your crocheted flowers.
Sarahx

[cathleen]

Lucy, I am loving these scenery photos. I'm especially drawn to the close-ups of the flowers. You do such an amazing job capturing the details with your camera. What a delight sharing your crocheted flowers to the real flowers. Very, very pretty.