I stole a couple of hours out of a work trip to Oxford last week to stroll through the water meadows at Magdalen, carpeted with thousands of snake's head fritillaries - a truly memorable sight, as I've never been there at the right time of year before. There were primroses, violets and deer - a porter told me that he'd seen a couple of otters - and you wouldn't think that you were in the middle of a city (well, except for the hum of traffic). It was a gorgeous sunny day and I spotted what were surely the first rather self-conscious straw boaters of the season punting on the river.
6 comments:
Wonderful. I planted a few and a few is not enough to make any sort of impact. Lovely close up but mostly over or gnawed at before I get to them. I saw a goodly show at Great Dixter but not a patch on those.
They really are spectacular, Lucille. You're quite right, a clump isn't enough - I came across a few by the river at Ham recently, but I think the Magdalen ones have been growing for centuries - they've had a head start.
I have tried to grow these in the past but failed miserably, I think the slugs get to them as soon as they are in the earth.
I fail miserably growing everything, Toffeeapple - except hollyhocks, they do their own thing.
Oh the image of straw boaters and punting...it's chilly as anything here today and the skies are grey. You've reminded me of the punters I saw in Cambridge last May on a gloriously warm day, so thanks for that!
Not today, Darlene. Cold winds and grey skies here, too.
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