Spring and Another Place

I was on holiday last week and therefore there was no update.
The day we left there was snow on Saddleback which was in sharp contrast to the bright blue sky.

Blencathra locally known as Saddleback part of the Lakeland hills

After only a week away I have returned to find the gardens in full colour. All the daffodils are in full bloom as are the grape hyacinths and pomp pom primulas.

Bonny blue grape hyacinth bonnets

I love the tonal hues of this primula

The primroses are now in flower.

Pale yellow with a golden centre

This beautiful camelia looks majestic.

Exquisite beauty in shape and colour

The yellow gorse is now adding golden clusters to the countryside.

Acid yellow that brightens up the hillside at Portmeirion

On my travels I visited Crosby beach near Liverpool on a blustery day. The sand was blowing in drifts making some wonderful flowing patterns which reminded me of long grass when it is blown by the wind.

Swirling sand on Crosby beach

I went to see Anthony Gormley's 'Another Place'. This is 100 cast iron life sized figures spreading out along 3 kilometres on the foreshore and almost 1 kilometre out to sea. Each figure weighs 650 kilos and is made of a cast of his own body.

It is wonderful how the sand interacts with the sculpture

Each iron man has a unique number

A complete torso

All the figures look very passive and thoughtful

It was amazing to see how time had eroded the iron and created some fascinating patterns on the 'skin' surface.

The salt water and sand interacting with the iron creates interesting textures

I visited Barton Grange Garden Centre in Garstang. I loved the ingenuity of this archway. I will have some more intriguing photos next week taken at this garden centre.

A potty archway

This metal bison was at the entrance to the Rhug Estate farm shop in Wales.

Made of sheets of metal 

The weather has interacted with the metal 

Back in the Artful Garden I have been weeding the raspberry bed and planting some summer bulbs.
I have sown some more flower and vegetable seeds in the greenhouse.


Charlie Barley was delighted to receive a brand new yellow poncho fit for a man of his size.

Yo to yellow

The Artful Garden is getting ready for the big Easter display. Currently an Easter chicken is in the hatching stage in the Ravenbridge Stores window in Kirkoswald.