Blossom

 We've meant for ages to go to the Japanese Garden, which is less than an hour north of here, and one day last week we got round to doing so. It was created at the turn of the 20th century by a wealthy woman who'd visited Japan. I don't know how much physical work she did on it, but she commissioned a Japanese woman garden designer, so it's presumably fairly authentic. 

However, she died in 1949 and left the garden to her nephew, who didn't have the money for its upkeep and it gradually reverted to nature. Then in the 1960s, two schoolboys broke in (wearing their school uniforms!), burnt the pavilions and threw stone lanterns into the lake. So it wasn't till 2014 that the garden began to be restored, and it's now lovely and well worth a visit. 

Some of the plants aren't yet mature, so I imagine that in another 20 years it'll be even nicer. We may not be around to see it...

Mr L takes a photo. 

There was a group of very excited Japanese (I think) people there, who seemed to be enjoying themselves, with many shrieky giggles. The current chap in charge is also an eminent Japanese gardener, so I assume the shrieks of laughter were joy, not hilarity. 

We drove home past the Kelpies, huge horses' heads which almost loom over the motorway. I would think they'd be a bit distracting if you didn't know to expect them. 

Back in Edinburgh, it's cherry blossom time.

On Sunday we went to the Botanics, where Big Grandson had fun pretending to "hide" behind things. 

I'm a bit concerned about their camassias, which are blooming, while mine aren't. I only planted them last year and currently can't think where I put them; probably lurking under the masses of forget-me-nots. 

I'm hoping mine are a later-flowering variety.

Today's walk featured this wonderful rhododendron, on the road side of a rather neglected garden. The pinkness!

And these surprisingly large potentilla blossoms. 

Ah, it's all about the flowers at this time of year.