Spring is here

 

Weekend was suprisingly warm for time of year with Saturday seeing some 18 degrees out so need for jerseys or coats even as I went about, talking with people while looking at how much of the blossoms had come back and if there was much acitvity by say bees or butterflies as normally I'd expect to see some and indeed about a few weeks back I did see one bee resting on the pavement.

Gardening was a passion of my late grandad and Mum too so we had many in large and not so large pots on the front garden like this example.

Biddulph Grange

Much of this weekend hasn't been very conductive towards exploring with it raining very hard with strong winds across much of the Midlands and yet normally it's a magical time to be out so with that I'll rewind the clock a little with a reminder from a lovely place just a few miles from here.

Biddulph Grange Gardens was developed by James Bateman, the President of the North Staffordshire Field Society in the nineteenth century near but not actually in the Biddulph Grange Country Park in the former mining town here in North Staffordshire which thanks to geography also has access to some fine countryside around Congleton Edge.

Each garden is a self contained area with plants flowers and structures that are representative of an area such as Egypt and Italy and the picture above is of the Chinese garden with typical structures including the Great Wall.

The actual garden designs were by James and his wife Maria.

Having been there several times, I have to say it, currently owned and extensively restored from the days it was a children's and then orthopedic hospital site by the National Trust is simply superb

The Majesty of Gardens

A different kind of exploration here compared with others is to take in the sights, smells and sounds of a garden in springtime and this, Bodnant Gardens in North Wales, U.K. is a good example of it with the blooms all out as you stroll around.

Identifying species of plant, insect and features fits around the broad heading of scouting even if it isn't stereotypical hiking armed with map and compass apart from being good for your mental well-being.

Nature even in a cultivated form is a marvel to enjoy and experience.

Photo from 2005 taken on film and carefully restored