MUSINGS FROM THE BOWER 56

The garden is beginning to look a bit tired now, a bit worse for wear as the plants begin to turn to seed, the leaves droop and the slugs are rampantly chewing the stems. But what a summer – the garden has been a delight. July was amazing, and though August was not as hot and sunny as it could have been, the combination of sudden downpours and – when the sun did shine – warmth, created humid conditions in which the flowers thrived. The bower has been so pretty, a mass of blooms this year, while the rest of the garden was a froth of lobelia, pinks, clematis, ox-eye daisies, antirrhinums, marigolds and pansies.  A gorgeous, golden coreopsis purchased earlier this year in spring, has been in full flower for months and is still going, as is the chocolate cosmos.

Once the buddleia came into bloom, its fragrant arched lilac, white and pink blossoms were busy with bees and butterflies, and though now most of the blooms have faded, the later yellow variety is just beginning to flower. So there will still be a ‘fast food source’ for late butterflies, along with the Michaelmas daisies and sedums. There has been quite a bit of controversy lately about buddleia, with some extremists insisting we dig it all up as it is blighting the countryside. While I can understand their point of view – just like the rhododendrons that also can become rampant, these plants impinge on the native wild flowers – the benefits that they bring to the insect population must surely be of great value. I can’t imagine my garden without its buddleia ablaze with small tortoiseshell, red admirals and peacock butterflies every summer.

 

Mottistone Manor

 

I spent a week on the Isle of Wight, one of my most favourite places, visiting such places a Osborne House, Mottistone Manor, Wildlife Encounters, Shanklin Village, and the Zoo. There I ended up with a meerkat on my head, and later was taken ‘behind the scenes’ to view the tigers. The gardens at Mottisham are particularly beautiful, while at Osborne house, once home of Queen Victoria, the Swiss Chalet has been revamped. This large chalet, built for the children to learn ‘housekeeping’ is surrounded by small garden plots – there was one for each child. Obviously, when they were on the Isle of Wight, they were expected to work, not relax as those of us on holiday were doing!

I stayed at a Seaview, with a large grassy area behind the chalet, looking over towards the nature reserve. The grass was alive with rabbits, geese, gulls and jackdaws. Magic! Always something new to see.

Last month I went to the Rutland Bird Fair, or the ‘Birder’s Glastonbury’ as it is sometimes called! Thousands of people go, to wander round the various marquees which are filled with books or photographic equipment or bird hides or outdoor clothing or bird feeders. There are stands manned by various conservation groups, and others by people who organise holidays with a natural world theme. My favourite marquee is the one filled with all types of art and sculpture. If you wish, you can spend the day just listening to talks by interesting speakers on all types of wildlife. This year, naturalist Chris Packham received a standing ovation for his hard-hitting, brilliant talk on the Malta Massacre, where, in spring, hunters take pleasure in shooting all kinds of migratory birds, many of them en route to Britain. Plenty of other celebrities and presenters from the natural world go along to Ruland too, such as Simon King, Bill Oddie, and the One Show’s Mike Dilger. I managed to chat to both Chris and Mike, two very friendly, interesting people.

With Mike Dilger

 

On the writing front I have been very busy with my book ‘Cornish Shallowpool Dolls’ which is published later this year. These small, 8” dolls, were made in the 1960s through to the 1980s by three ladies in Looe, and many of the dolls were made to resemble Cornish workers such as tin miners and fishermen.  I am also working on a sequel to my popular novel ‘Nelly’s Knickers’, to be called ‘Nelly Makes a Bloomer’. The doll magazine that I own and publish four times a year, Doll Showcase, celebrates its tenth birthday this month – when I began it in 2004, I never believed I’d manage to carry it through for so long. One of the best things about writing is that it can be done practically anywhere, so you can take advantage of a sunny day to work in the garden – the bower is perfect – or even on the beach or in a park.

Now, an Indian summer is predicted – I do hope they are right, because with planned breaks in the New Forest and Suffolk this autumn, I’d like to be able to wander around in the dry!