Gardeners learn by trowel and error

I have 3 loves apart from family and friends.  That is art/craft, music and plants.

Over the years I have had allotments, window boxes and front and back gardens. I was lucky enough to grow up in a house that had a massive back garden and parents that liked to grow their own fruit and veg.  

So, this weekend my Mum and I went on a coach trip (haven't been on one of those for many years-but handing the driving and organising over to someone else was a delight!) to Blenheim Palace, Gardens and Flower show.

I warn you that this is a photo heavy post and nothing to do with craft, but if you fancy a nose around then pull up a chair and grab a pimms (well, it is summer!).

 The show was not too big which meant we had plenty of time to wander round and take lots of photos.  The flowers were stunning.  This one is a fuchsia called Eternity. 

 This little maroon firework is Centaurea Sordy, I think it looks like a little catherine wheel whirling round.

 Persicaria Purple Fantasy reminds me of a snakehead.  A real vipers nest of a plant

 The lillies on this stall were HUGH (hence my hand for scale)

 This one was called "African Lady".  I did wonder if they were made of wax they were so big!

 No idea what these were.....I was in need of a coffee by now!

Coffee and maybe a shared cake (well, it was a day out!) later we continued round the show.

 I love these dew plants.  Hubby loves carnivorous plants so I took quite a few photos of these weird specimens

 

 This display won a gold, I could see why-stunning

 There were quite a lot of cacti stalls and I even bought myself a small trio in a china pot for the craft room window sill.

 This Hydrangea was called Kardinal Violet and was a beauty.

When my Dad was alive he was a keen Bonsai cultivator and spent several years growing and pruning several beautiful trees. So whenever I see some I always think of my Dad (particularly pertinent as in the UK this week end is Fathers Day).

 There were some fabulous alium displays

 The miniature flower arrangements were made with such precision.  This one in a broken egg shell!

 

 We were lucky enough to catch garden designer and TV gardener Joe Swift on his free talk about designing your back garden.  He was SO funny, a natural performer.

 There were several different poppies that I have never seen before, this deep wax like purple one particularly caught my eye.

 This tickled me!

 Once we looked round the show we had a look around the house and some of the garden (they are SO large there is easily enough to fill another visit).

 The ceilings are stunning

 Whilst everyone was looking up I spotted this dragon

 and the library was stunning, floor to ceiling shelves of old books in leather bound covers.

 The formal knot garden

 and finally there was a garden depicting the war, complete with some of the ceramic poppies from the Tower of London (I was lucky enough that last year my mum bought me one).

 

A great day out, now I just need to get out into my own small patch and weed!!

Happy horticulture!

Kyla