Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire

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The exceptionally fine and mild autumn weather plus the fact that today school was closed for the little gardener meant an opportunity for us to explore Hardwick Hall at autumn time.

There are two Hardwick Halls to be precise. The old one is now a ruin which can still be visited (the above photo shows the view from it) and the "new" one, a fine Elizabethan mansion complete with extensive grounds.

More blues - Iris

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Still being plagued by a head cold, there has not been much gardening for me this week. I have however given the quest for good blues some more thought and found this gem.

 

Feeling blue - Hardy Plumbago

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My recent posts and your comments have prompted me to look out for some more blues for you.

Looking forward to March....

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You could be forgiven to think that this is something that got stuck to my shoe when walking the dog, but I can assure you, it is not!

Weekend Eye Candy

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Dahlia 'Bora Bora'

Cloches - second attempt

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The recent cold spell has led to some air frost at night and I have been lucky that my salad has not been killed off yet.

High time to think of protecting it.

After my failed attempt with a commercial variety, see here,

Sent to Coventry ! Ryton Gardens

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The sunny weather tempted the little gardener and me to visit Ryton Gardens, the home of Garden Organic, on Sunday.

Weekend Eye Candy

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Ghislaine de Féligonde

 

The Rectory in October

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I was chatting with the owners a few weeks ago about what they want me to grow in the two small kitchen gardens and the answer was "lots of onions and garlic".

This made me laugh out loud. It is easy to do and I had already ordered two sorts of garlic and three types of onion sets for them. But also because I found it funny in a subversive way.

Lilac

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Just when my white climbing rose 'Mme Alfred Carriere' has finished for the year to entice me with her scent, out pops a little fragrant surprise.

In the bag

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Another non-gardening post but very much close to my heart.

Footwear

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A few months ago my trusty Le Chameau wellies finally gave up. I must have had them for close to ten years and only about a year ago or so, the rubber had started to crack which I could repair myself with an appropriate product.

Earlier this year though the Vibram sole, chosen for heavy duty walking and digging, cracked and that was the end of the boots.

Since I became self employed my work footwear has consisted of the Le Chameau wellies for wet weather and some lace up safety boots for anything that could damage my feet or where I needed extra support, think operating machinery, lugging stuff or climbing ladders.

My main beef with the lace ups was that they did take long to dry out when wet and when researching wellies, the picture was dire: the quality of most makes is now incredibly poor, and if you can trust farmers reviews, even Hunters are no longer what they used to be.

So what is a girl to do?

Buy a fashion forward pair of wellies that will last me a few weeks?
Spend a fortune on Hunters and risk disappointment?
Buy those £££ Ilse Jacobsen boots and look like Sarah Raven?

The postman always rings twice - part three

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You may have guessed that the postman rang twice indeed, please allow a little poetic license to also include the very nice men from John Lewis and the chap from UPS.

Of course all the items mentioned arrived on the day and I truly felt like a child at Christmas, heck make that Christmas and birthday rolled into one!

The mystery garden

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I last blogged about this garden about a month ago here. Because the lower part of the garden, which is still very much a work in progress, is so baffling, I am labelling this the "mystery garden".