miss marie's miscellany

Looking lovely in the garden this week

I was thinking how few photos I've taken this year of flowers in my garden, somehow up till now, there don't seem to have been as many as last year. But this week some beautiful colours have appeared .

Blue, blue anemone - this is sitting on the front doorstep, every time I go out, I have to stop and stare.

 

Pretty pink geranium

 

Frothy creaminess of this beautiful hydrangea

 

Lovely rose :-)

 

I love this two-tone geum, it's so unusual and the colours almost seem to glow, I find it mesmerising, especially when the sun is shining.

 

Green apples galore, it'll be a good harvest this year.

 

Cheery yellow calendula

 

All the bright and beautiful colours are having a good effect on my latest WIP, I thought I'd take a photo of it in the great outdoors.

 

Nearly finished! I'm loving how it's turning out, the random choice of colour is working a treat. I hope to be able to show you the completed blanket after the weekend.

 
 
 

 
 

 

 
 

Three gardens in one day: part 3

Last stop on this whistle-stop tour is Castle Kennedy Gardens, set on a vast sprawling estate, with a lake and tree-lined avenues. Castle Kennedy is a romantic ruin, covered in wisteria

 

Next to the castle is a beautiful walled garden

 

A lovely space to wander around
 

 

 

and enjoy the flowers

 

 

 

I have to admit the feet were starting to hurt a lot by now, so a big explore of the huge estate was not really going to happen. If you want to see Monkey Puzzle Avenue you will have to visit yourself! 

But through this gate..........

 

we found a lily pond to rival all the ones we'd seen before.

 

 There were so many water lilies you could hardly see any water

 

Monet would have been proud!

That's the end of the garden tour, I hope you've enjoyed this little slice of this beautiful part of Scotland.

 
 
 

 
 
 

 

Colour my Saturday

Some colour from the last couple of days to brighten up a grey Glasgow Saturday.

Purple primula, I love these flowers, they've been cheering up the garden beautifully for a couple of weeks

 

At my friends house - a line-up of all these lovely Russian dolls

 

Tulip, also looking very fine in the garden

 

 

And a peek at something I'm making just now, reveal will be coming very soon.                   

I wish you a happy weekend, with many good things:-)

 
 
 

 

Pleasing purple

Looking gorgeous in the garden right now is the pulsatilla or Pasque flower

 

So pretty- I love the wispy leaves and the delicate purple flowers with their orange centres.

 

A favourite at the moment. 

 
 

 

Colour my Wednesday

It's a grey, wet day here; I need some colour today. I bought these roses yesterday, just from the supermarket; they're such an unusual two-colour variety, I couldn't resist them

 

Velvety peach and deep deep red, lovely!

I'm liking this succulent houseplant I picked up in IKEA today, it was only when I photographed it that I realised the ends of the leaves were so pinky-purple. Purple and green, my favourites :-)

I started another granny square cushion cover in a cooler palette than I've chosen previously. Just for a change.....blue and green with bright white.

The front

And the back, so far. Eventually, there will be 9 squares in total.  

And I'm still making hexagons for the never-ending blanket. I got a bit bored with making these before Christmas, and put it aside for a while. And once all that snow fell, the blanket -so- far was pressed into service; it's been keeping cold feet cosy in bed for a couple of months. I kept adding hexagons here and there, sewing them on before getting into bed...... and this is how it looks today.

 
 I'm not sure when I'll get this finished, but onward and upward, I'm going to make a concerted effort to fill in the spaces so it is a proper rectangle next time I show it here! 

Hocus crocus

It's ages since I was able to post some gratuitous flower photos, but finally, things are happening in the garden. I love crocuses, especially these purple ones; the petals of these have such a gorgeous lustre.

 

It's cheering to think that this is the start of things growing and blooming, that soon, what is now dormant and uncared for, will be a feast of colour and scent. It's time to make plans, sow seeds, tidy up, ready for the coming months. Exciting!
 

 

New to me

There's been a little retail therapy going on here. A girl needs some new things for spring!

Firstly some new boots, which I've been eying up here for a while - now they're mine!

 

I think it was love at first sight!

And this bag was too good to miss; ideal for all my wool and crochet bits and pieces.

 

Shades of Cath Kidston, but it was a snip from Primark for £6 (and thanks to Lucy at The Antidote for the tip-off). I have managed to get an enormous amount of wool, notebook, 3 little pouches with hooks, pins, needles etc, and the latest WIP in here and there's still room for more. Brilliant!
 
 

Train trip

I've been away for a little break. Can you guess where from the pictures I took from the train window?

Leaving Glasgow Central

 

It's a bit grey and murky as we head east

Past Edinburgh and the sun comes out

passing through Berwick-on- Tweed

 

and Durham 

Nearly there, have you guessed yet?

 

That's right, it's York!

 

The Minster is stunning

 

 
 It was great to wander round and enjoy the unique atmosphere

 

 
so much history

 

so many beautiful and very old buildings

 

 
 One day was sunny and springlike

The next day freezing fog and chilled to the bone cold 

  

No matter, that's the best excuse for a day of shopping and cafe visiting anyone could ever need!

and to cap it all, I found the best button shop I've ever visited

 

Back home now, with the plastic put firmly away and cake off the menu for the time being!
 
 

  
  

 

Snowdrops

The first snowdrops of this year....... it was lovely to find these in the garden today. 

 

Slowly but surely, spring is making its presence felt. So much to look forward to.........

 
 

Sunset beach

Sunday afternoon at the beach near my dad's house.

 

Watching the setting sun

 

 

Beautiful  :-)