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A few of my favourite things

29 comments


The merry month of May was nigh.
There was no clue that the coming weeks would be so incredibly dry, producing the least rainfall since records began …

… and I had no idea that, for me, a scary event was ahead, with a dangerous-driver truck appearing out of nowhere, and backing into my front garden causing damage to my trees and plants ..

It has been a stressful experience, but thankfully things are somewhat sorted now.

Here is my evening back garden at the end of April.

……………………………………………………………………..

Maytime began with lots of little birds getting ready to nest …

I placed plenty of Shetland Sheepdog combings around my rockeries, ready to furnish the new bird nests with comfy cosiness for the eggs and hatchlings …

Some birds selected so much hair in one beakful, that they could hardly gain altitude to fly up to the trees !

……………………………………………………………………..

My spring flowers were displaying pretty colours everywhere …

Clematis …

Lilac …

Robinia …

another Clematis …


……………………………………………………………………..

Pots were cleaned, sorted and stacked, ready for cuttings and other baby plants …

……………………………………………………………………..

My contented veteran terrier sought out the heat, delighted to bask in the warm sunshine …

Fluffy dogs and fuchsias thrived better in the cool shade …

……………………………………………………………………..

Gradually I started to adjust from the shock of the front garden invasion. The incident could have been so much worse, injuring or killing someone.

Working in my gardens, day after day, in the hot sunshine was good therapy for me.

Finally, as we reached the month of June, the weather changed, bringing much-needed rain for our gardens and for farmers and growers …

Raindrops on roses ..

… and whiskers on moggies …
… bright pink dianthus …

… and VE Day doggies …

……………………………………………………………………..

When I don’t sleep nights
… scared what the day brings,
… when I’m feeling sad ..

… I simply remember my favourite things …
… and then I don’t feel so bad !

Happy gardening everyone !

More blog posts by terratoonie

Previous post: Unaware

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Comments

 

What a shock for you, TT, but you're right, gardening is good therapy, especially in sunshine. Your plants look as bright and healthy as I remember as do your lovely companions. So good to catch up with you. 😊

11 Jun, 2020

 

wow no wonder you were shaken up. did the van lose control or just misjudge the distance. main thing is neither you or the dogs were injured. Plants can be easily replaced.

the garden is looking beautiful as usual.

11 Jun, 2020

 

An interesting blog. I'm glad no one was hurt & hope the damage to your garden was not too extensive. I don't suppose that in the panic that you took a photo of the truck in situ? I love your Clematis & the other similar coloured flowers. Have saved the beautiful rose to my Rose folder.

11 Jun, 2020

 

What a lovely set of photos and well done on not letting the possibly awful incident upset you for too long. Thank goodness everyone is okay and thank you for sharing in such a cheery way.

11 Jun, 2020

 

Lovely cheering blog Terra - so glad you’ve found plenty to keep you smiling. You must have been very shaken, but now you are being wonderfully positive πŸ™‚.

11 Jun, 2020

 

What a very nasty shock for you Terra. That was a terrible thing to happen.

However it has been so nice to see your lovely photos of your very pretty garden and your very precious pets.

I hope that you are feeling safe and happy again now. xx

11 Jun, 2020

 

What a dreadful shock! Thank goodness no one was hurt Terra. What damage did you get? Loved the Robinia, and very impressed by your very organised plantpots!
Good to hear from you again.

11 Jun, 2020

 

What a shock, glad no one and I include dogs were hurt. I love your photos, particularly that Rose, it looks like porcelain.

11 Jun, 2020

 

What could Whiskers be thinking about? He looks so pensive. Love your bright colorful garden.

11 Jun, 2020

bjs
Bjs
 

Lovely insight into the month of May in your garden x

12 Jun, 2020

 

I am envious of your beautifully organised plant pots. I can never find the size I want, and as for washing them all...(I know I should.)
Glad you have recovered from a horrible shock.
The plants are beautiful: the lilac is a very subtle colour and the pic. of the rose is stunning.
Dogs and wildlife all look very much at ease. We used to leave cat fluff out for visiting blues and greats.

12 Jun, 2020

 

Thanks to those who've made time to visit my blog. Much appreciated.

I did take lots of photos of the truck and of the damage, and even of the idiot driver, who was both careless and incompetent, because he was supposed to be driving to a house much further along the road than mine. Maybe he was on medication or drugs... who knows ..

But I wanted to make this a happy blog .. no point in dwelling on sad things, and so I haven't included any of the 'invasion' pictures ... just photos of flowers etc, which I hope people will enjoy and like.

12 Jun, 2020

 

So sorry to hear about the truck and your front garden. Being a truck driver myself I see lots of so called professional drivers doing idiotic things.
Your garden looks lovely and healthy, I wish I could be as organised with my pots too. The hot weather was lovely for us folk with gardens but I am glad for the rain. Love the photos of all the animals and your gorgeous dogs.
Bill.

12 Jun, 2020

 

Thanks Bill ...
This chap in the truck was not acting like a professional driver ..no road skills and no good manners.

He had been sent out from a company depot some miles away, but several neighbours commented that it looked like he had never driven that type of truck before ... and I've since found out some dodgy things about the company also.

I've spent past couple of hours emptying water butts to make way for hopefully more downpours ... yes, you are right ... the gardens need the rain. Some super roses in bloom this summer.

12 Jun, 2020

 

Oh my goodness TT, what a frightening experience. I'm so glad no one was hurt. Your garden looks amazing as always and I can't believe how neat and clean your collection of plant pots are.

12 Jun, 2020

 

Thanks Waddy ...
I'm still edgy when very occasionally a large lorry visits the quiet road here, but otherwise okay .. am gradually sorting out the shrub/tree damage. I made the shed shelves from pieces of wood I found, and the pots fit very nicely on those.

12 Jun, 2020

 

Terra , I just love your blogs and they always make me smile ! Your garden is lovely and so neat and tidy as is your shed with the plant pots!
It was such a shame what that lorry did, but as you said..no one was hurt!
Take care and keep safe !

12 Jun, 2020

 

Always a delight to see your garden Terra, naturally its a joy to see Truffle and Neptune and any visitors as well, everything so colourful and always looks neat and tidy.. Lovely photographs .....
Sorry to read about the lorry, that must have been quite scary, thank goodness no-one was hurt, must have been so upsetting, I hope the company has been in touch to see if any damage has been caused....

12 Jun, 2020

 

Thanks for your comments Rose .. good to know you love my blogs .. they certainly take a long time to write and add the photos. The truck invasion incident has left me exhausted, but, yes, no people were hurt.

Hi Lincs .. thank you... the company which owned the truck were not pleasant to deal with. I've already filled 2 wheelie bins with damaged tree trunks and branches .. more to do this weekend. Glad you appreciated that I did my best to write an up-beat blog which readers would enjoy.

13 Jun, 2020

 

Great to hear from you again. This is a lovely blog with all of our favourite plants which raise our spirits when things go wrong. Good to see the other members of TT are not bothered by the 'accident'. I hope you take time off from the garden tidying to enjoy this tranquil back garden.
We had a van driver coming from the drive opposite who had a heart attack and came straight across the road, over the village green and ended up hitting our garden wall. A passing motorist who managed to stop before the van hit him came and asked us to phone 999. The police and ambulance were on site very quickly. The driver was unconscious. He died in the ambulance on the way to hospital. I was grateful to his boss who came to see if we were alright and I managed to reassure him that he could let the chaps wife know that I stayed with him and held his hand and spoke to him until the medics arrived. It was very sad but handled well by everybody and we did not feel rattled because of their kindness. I hope you can put this behind you soon. They say a problem shared is a problem halved but as I write I can see your blog has multiplied your joy by a factor of fourteen for other members already. Well done and keep safe.

13 Jun, 2020

 

Scotsgran...

... thank you so much...
... you are very thoughtful ..

I've been a GoY member for almost 12 years, and I feel that your comments above are the most kind, insightful, and generous that I've ever seen on the GoY forum. I was in tears reading your words.

Yes, I was terrified.. I could have been mown down, having been kneeling, tending my plants only a short time earlier, in that very place the truck invaded.

This incident happened when I had been in lockdown for months, without meeting anyone. For about 10 weeks, I had been working all day, every day in my gardens, feeling assured by the Government guidelines, that if I stayed home I would be safe ...

The truck company was far from helpful. Maybe the driver had been on his mobile phone instead of watching the road.. who knows. And I've since found out illegal things that the company have been doing for the past 8 years, so not trustworthy !

Yes .. I was in shock, so I waited to write my blog till I felt I could do it in a positive way, with lots of pretty photos, and readers would not feel guilty about giving a 'like' to a story which contained details of dangerous driving ! And, yes, I am so thankful that nobody was hurt and my pets are safe.

My beloved Berberis tree took the brunt of the damage, and I feel thankful to him, because, with his arms outstretched, he protected my beautiful Ballerina rose, and she is now in full flower. I've done my best to nurse my Berberis. Sawn off his most damaged trunks. I hope he will survive and at least produce some of his stunning orange flowers again next springtime.

That was a tragic accident near your home. Very kind of you to remain with the dying man, and to make sure his wife knew that you stayed close to him for reassurance.

You are a very thoughtful person and we are lucky to have you on GoY. x x x

13 Jun, 2020

 

I'm glad nobody was hurt TT.
Hopefully your Berberis will recover.
Brillant from you wait to write this blog.

And, as always your garden is inspiring and your flowers a joy to see.
Keep yourself safe
Love XX

13 Jun, 2020

 

Thanks Aleyna ..
Yesterday I worked hard on the wrecked section of my front garden ... sawed another large trunk off the damaged Berberis. I appreciate your kind words. x x x

14 Jun, 2020

 

So sorry to hear about the damage to your garden Tt, I hope you'll get over the shock in time. Thank goodness for your perfectly beautiful back garden and lovely dogs to help take your mind off things.. This blog must have taken you ages, I love your reworking of My Favourite Things and the accompanying pictures ...brilliant! I particularly love your robinia, I had frisia for some years , which was foolish of me in my small garden, I pruned it and annoyed it so much that it sent out runners all over my lawn. It had to go. Your blog Is certainly uplifting so thank you for overcoming your own problems to raise our spirits X

15 Jun, 2020

 

Thanks ba ... these days writing a blog takes me about 7 hours or more, by the time I've sorted photos etc. I'm glad you like it. .... But would it be better to just write something short with no more than 3 pictures ? That's what members seem to prefer these days, when they are busy with their gardens.

My pretty Robinia was a kind surprise present several years ago from lovely Arlene (GoY member from early days) ... I had it at first in my back garden, and it wasn't happy ... disease appeared on leaves etc... Then I planted it in my front garden and it perked up immediately. You are right .. some shrubs do send out shoots underground if we don't keep vigilant, and small gardens definitely have extra challenges in choice of plants. x x x

15 Jun, 2020

 

When I had my old pc it was easier to write blogs and down?upload? photos. Now it is far more trouble on my laptop. I am something of a technophobe though. I appreciate the long blogs and the way you link your pics with a narrative, always amusing. x

15 Jun, 2020

 

Thank you Ba. Glad to know you like my style of blogs. My new pc is much slower than my previous one.. nothing to do with GoY. So I do understand your troubles and I don't think it is because you are a technophobe. It seems the designs of some newer internet gadgets have changed, which results in their taking ages to react to keyboard commands. x

16 Jun, 2020

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