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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

I TAKE TEA IN THE GARDEN

 After spending the whole morning pulling out overgrown, dead plants and weeds I thought I would treat myself to a longer than normal afternoon tea break in the front garden. So I took out the tray along with my book. The little book I am reading, Some Country Houses and their Owners, by James Lees-Milne, has me back in England during WWII, traveling around those stately English homes which will soon come under the care of the National Trust. Homes and gardens that I have had the good fortune to visit this summer. It is a delightful beautifully written diary of his war-time travels.


It isn't long before I am distracted by the goings on. I hear the high beating of a hummingbirds wings. Two wrens fly into the Lady Banks' rose. The tiniest lizard I have ever seen rushes across the gravel. Surely he must just have hatched and is too small to tackle that black beetle close by. Butterflies flit by but never seem to stop. Then I spot a flash of red underneath the rose. It is tangled among lantana that has seeded beneath. The Oxblood lilies are in bloom.


My attention is drawn to the potted gave, Agave augustifolia. I am relieved to see that it is making a comeback after the recent rains.


The gravel is a meadow of blackfoot daisies and their sweet fragrance fills the air. I start to feel that dreamy mood coming on. I really must do this more often.


5 comments:

  1. That last scene is to be savored over tea (or coffee) and nibbling on some fattening pastry. Can't wait to work out now, so I can delight in my fresh scone that way...too bad my scene is not a meadow of Melampodium and agaves...meadow here, ha!

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  2. Ah, yes, what a lovely place to enjoy a spot of tea on a beautiful late- summer afternoon :-) We are always so busy in our gardens that it seems that we seldom take time just to "be" and enjoy it. Good for you :-)

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  3. How lovely to take the time to sit and really appreciate the garden. I can see how much your garden has appreciated the rains this year.

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  4. Having tea in hat beautiful garden is such a treat! Those vibrant blooms are very refreshing.
    Thanks a lot for the share!

    Happy Gardening!
    xx

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  5. You are the most gracious person I've ever known! And to have tea and watch little creatures is the way life should be. I must have that agave and am ordering that book right now. My Scottish mother-in-law will treasure it, as I will.

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