Several walks

Walk number 1 on Tuesday was with my neighbour, We went along local pathways and little winding roads that I'm not yet familiar with. There were some lovely unexpected patches of colour along the way.

This lot had sprung up against a wire mesh boundary fence.

Hollyhocks.

On my way to meet a friend for a cuppa yesterday (we had a lovely time) in West Wickham I was surprised to pass a building being rethatched.

Afterwards I wnt on to meet my daughter's mother-in-law for lunch in the Coach House Cafe. After a very nice lunch we had a walk in Coombe Wood. 

Buds are forming on the silk tree. I need to watch this one on future visits - I don't want to miss the unusual flowers. 

Hydrangea - I love the contrast between the lilac coloured fluffy looking middles and the silky smooth petals around the edge.

Hebe - looks frothy and bubbly as the buds are all appearing.

The candyfloss tree is going through a variety of colour changes.

I was surprised at the shape of the petals (bracts actually) on this hydrangea - I don't remember them being this distinctive before.

Looking closer - middle bobbles (very technical!) 

The petals (bracts) - the actual flowers are inside the bobbles in the middle.

The gardener was watering the herbaceous borders. 

There's a little patch of astrantias - a bit too far away to get a decent photo. I think they're gorgeous - such an intricate structure. I discovered that the common name for astrantias is Masterwort. I wondered what the suffix wort means in relation to plants and found out (thanks Google!) it's a Old English word which originally meant plant but later came to mean root and it was often used in the names of herbs and plants that were used for medicinal purposes. It's a word that was beginning to fade from common use in the 17th century!

Not long ago there wasn't much around the Spindleberry tree trunk but now it's not even visible as everything around it has shot up.

Spindleberry flowers.

There are a couple of little patches of peachy colour in the herbaceous borders.

Single peachy rose peeping through all the cat mint. 

Alliums getting fluffier. 

Looking along the herbaceous border now spilling over the edge of the lawn.

Tiny flowers in the beds near the gate - gorgeous colour combinations.

Early morning walk today. Arriving at 7.30 I wasn't entirely sure I'd be able to get in. It felt a little bit naughty -  the notice said the gate opens at 8 - but the gate was already open.

The flower beds are filling out well. Not long ago they were empty!

So many changing colour combinations as new things spring up...it also changes as you view things from a different position.

Yellow cosmos.

Red and purple.

Antirrhinums (snapdragons) and soft floaty grasses.

The white hebes bubbly buds have opened up since yesterday!

Looking across the prairie planting. 

Verbena bonariensis - with Thallictrums in the background (meadow rue) 

No idea what this is called - a sort of grass-like thing with deep red flowers.

Thallictrum (meadow rue)

These might be Gaillardias (Blanket flowers) Lovely range of colours on one plant.

Tall daisy flowers. 

Very tall plants around the little foxglove tree. 

Wandering along bark paths among the prairie planting.

Quaking grass seeds glitter as they shake in the breeze.

Hydrangea. 

Morning glory - such a glowing centre. 

Looking across the plants behind the little hut. 

Korean pine cone developing. 

A froth of little white flowers on tall slender stems has shot up all around the foxgloves and in many other places.

The sun came out and lit up a patch of beans (?) 

Hydrangea middles opening since yesterday. 

Lovely pale purple flowers lighting up a dark patch. 

Different type of spindleberries - further advanced. 

Abundance in the herbaceous borders. 

Echinacea.

 Rich mixture of colours. 

Lovely patch of purple. 

Sunlight shining through pale yellow petals. 

Reds and purples. 

Bee on a sunflower. 

These create a wonderfully rythmic pattern. 

More patterns created by being able to see through the white umbelliferous flowers to the tiny flowers behind.

 Grasses and flowers - prairie planting. 

Thistle like flowers in the wild flower area. 

These might possibly be wild orchids? 

Looking up towards the top flowerbed from below. 

The next two photos remind me of peaches, apricots and meringues!

A sea of reds and pinks. 

Shades of pink. 

I can't resist another look at the snapdragons and grasses.

A walk around the beds near the gate looking at this bigger pink plant and the various smaller inbetween plants.

Thank you very much for joining me.