Thursday, July 10, 2025

Colours and scents

 Ah, Blogger has uploaded my photos backwards again. Still, never mind. 

 

Today we took the Edinburgh Two to Lauriston Castle, a big house (with a medieval tower house incorporated) in lovely gardens, given to the city by its last inhabitants. Look at the length of Big Grandson's hair! It's very nice hair, but I'm not too keen on its length. However, it will eventually get cut. I hope. 


It was a beautiful day and they're such good company. A croquet club meets in the grounds. 


You can see over the water to Fife. 



I've finished my rainbow quilt top. I didn't design it, but copied it from a photo that I saw somewhere or other on the internet. Well done to the designer. My brain could never have thought that up. It was fun to do, but I still don't like orange. I've still to put a border on it, piece together the back (much less elaborately than the front) and quilt it, so there's a long way to go. 


It's been warm, and the doors and windows have been open a lot, and the garden smells divine, especially at night. I've planted night scented stocks and nicotiana - what a lovely scent. 


This astilbe hasn't got any scent but I love the colour - however, the thalictrum has, after many years, suddenly taken off and entangled itself among several other plants. My day lilies have also gone rogue. I shall have to Take Steps. 


This clematis is doing well. 


And, back to scent, this trachelospermum jasminoides, just outside the patio doors, fills the house with perfume. Son gave me it, years ago. 


And here again are the night scented stock, nicotiana and (unscented) cornflowers, all annuals. The others have somewhat overwhelmed the cornflowers, but hey ho. 

In a few months, I'll have to cut it all down. I'm getting a bit old for this... 75 last birthday, which was July 4. Hope you celebrated it in style, Americans. 

4 comments:

  1. Belated happy birthday! Your garden is rewarding all your hard work.
    Boys go through a stage of having long hair and their hair is often beautiful. So long as it's clean it looks fine.

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  2. Long hair in a man can be seen as a sign of strength and health in many cultures....and fashions change.
    His hair is lovely and a far more attractive style than the sides shaved an inch above the ears!!
    Your garden is looking exceedingly floriferous ❤️

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  3. That quilt is looking great, and the orange is t overwhelming, just holding its place where it needs to be. Your garden is looking so bright and colourful - unfortunately the miracles of the internet don’t extend to perfumes yet - won’t it be fun when it does! Your grandson’s hair is long, but at least it’s shiny and well managed. The ‘we don’t believe in shampoo or brushes’ brigade are a whole different kettle of fish! My family is in Vietnam presently, and the photos show the ten year old boy, who keeps his hair very, very short, looking far cooler than the seven year old girl who has lovely long, very thick hair. With high heat and humidity, the difference would be substantial!

    75 is a noteworthy number, congratulations! I’m shortly coming up 73 and I’m blaming the extra few years for taking longer to recover from surgery than I did in my 60s. I read this morning that the Bayeux tapestries are coming to the British Museum next year … my new resolve is to be able to get across to see them! We have done France a couple of times, but never got to see them. Will you go? Are you interested?

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  4. I love the quilt; all the rainbow colors are so cheerful! My middle grandson has long hair too; he hates it cut but it's now in his eyes so something will need to be done. That photo of the water to Fife is spectacular. I will soon be smelling my Stargazer lilies; it's become the scent of this stage of summer. Your flowers are beautiful!

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