I have just spent a wonderful week with my daughter and “the boys” in Bristol. The boys include my son in law, two grandsons, and Finn, the dog! When I arrived and looked out of the back window, there was the most amazing splash of orange berries at the top of their garden.
Orange berried Pyracantha at the top of the garden.
The birds are enjoying all the berries.
I don’t think they’ll last very long, mine at home have nearly all gone.
I love their beautiful bird feeder.
I also like their pretty little bird box.
I noticed some nice foliage combinations.
When our grandsons were younger, any plants had to be football proof!
Salvia Hotlips is doing well by the steps, a bit of girly colour for my daughter.
But the whole garden was set alight by thousands of orange berries, just the right colour for Halloween!
My daughter did a beautiful arrangement with a small ceramic pumpkin, I wish I had photographed hers as it was better than mine! This is in my garden, my real pumpkin is a tiny one which I will hopefully enjoy eating for my lunch tomorrow!
I had intended to drive to Bristol myself, but my daughter came and collected me as I had a tiny stroke a couple of weeks ago and am not allowed to drive for a month, so frustrating! I had a scan on my brain (yes, there is one in there) and neck and everything is fine, I feel fine in myself and now that I’m home once more, I’m looking forward to getting into the garden again, weather permitting. OK, I won’t do too much, I’ll be sensible – yes, I will!
So sorry to hear about your stroke but am glad that you’re doing better and that the scans found a brain! Must be very frustrating not to be able to drive for a month. Beautiful arrangement and great orange berries just in time for Halloween! Funny, the birds seem to leave my red berried Pyracantha alone until late winter when food sources are much more scarce. Take care of yourself!
At least the scan found nothing wrong Peter, I was very relieved at that! I really feel fine, and was thoroughly spoiled when staying with my daughter. The orange berries were magnificent in her garden, the pigeons were enjoying the feast!
So glad to hear it was a small stroke and that you’re already doing better! Not being able to drive would put quite a damper on my life. Your daughter’s heavily laden Pyracantha is very impressive. She must have a green thumb, like you.
Just a small one, called a TIA over here Alison, no damage was found thank goodness and the medication will make sure that it never happens again. The Pyracantha is stunning and yes, she is getting more interested in gardening now that footballs are not needed any more!
It sounds as if you have been in the best place Pauline, where no doubt your daughter and family have no doubt been administering much loving care. I’m sure that a month without being able to drive will be frustrating but it will soon pass. So glad to read that you are feeling fine in yourself. Your daughter has obviously inherited your genes when it comes to planting combinations and what attractive bird feeders grace her garden. Take care and do be good xxx
Being looked after by my daughter was wonderful Anna, I wasn’t allowed to do anything at all! I’m half way through my month of not driving, friends are being so good ferrying me around. The foliage combinations in my daughters garden show that she has inherited my love of foliage!
Hi Mum, guess who?!!
It was lovely to have you here to stay with us last week, I just hope you’re behaving yourself now that you’re back home …
We’ve still got lots of orange berries and as for the pumpkin, ours was real too (not ceramic) and had a great name, it was a munchkin pumpkin!
Speak soon Mum, love R xx
Hi Rachael! I’m still behaving, you don’t need to worry!
Strange, I tapped your pumpkin and it sounded ceramic, I wonder what you will make out of yours, something exotic I bet, mine will probably go into some nice soup!
I’m so glad to hear you are back to full fitness, albeit, taking it easy! It looks like you and the undergardener passed on gardening genes to your daughter. I do love your pumpking display and it’s inspired me to have a go though I’ll have to use a blue squash as the pumpkins are too big!
Yes, I’m fine Denise, maybe not quite back to full fitness, but as near as I will get at my age! The little pumpkin came from Sainsburys, I don’t know how much flesh I will get from it for my soup, it is so tiny! I think that now footballs aren’t being used in the garden any more, my daughter is getting more interested in gardening and seedlings and cuttings are finding their way up to Bristol from down here.
Good to hear that all is OK after your stroke, Pauline; hopefully the month will go quickly and you will be able to drive again. Are you on a bus route where you live? What an amazing pyracantha thas is in your daughter’s garden – making up for all its green-ness in the rest of the year. You could have linked your pretty pumpkin and foliage display to IAVOM…
Thanks for your good wishes Cathy, I really am feeling very well indeed and am sure that it will continue now that I have had treatment. Only 10 days more then I can drive again. No, we aren’t on a bus route, except for one a day to Exeter, any where else, there is a walk of nearly a mile up a very steep hill! I think you would have had to change the name of your meme Cathy, no vases were involved, it was just plonked on the outdoor table and is now on the wood burning stove which I haven’t had to light yet as it is still quite warm here, more of a nature table than a flower arrangement!
So glad you are on the mend Pauline and you are so fortunate to have your daughter close to look after you. Her garden looks lovely too with all the colour combinations; have you ever given her advice? Take care and take it easy for a while and then you will soon be back to driving.
My daughter is an hour and a half away Anne and with working full time, getting down here isn’t always easy, but she comes whenever she can. I suppose bits and pieces of advice might have been uttered from time to time and I think some have taken seed and are now bearing fruition! Thanks for your concern Anne, I will take it easy, just getting myself back into doing a few jobs each day and only 10 days to go now until I can get behind the wheel again!
It is wonderful that your daughter has been looking after you, and that you have had some healing times under her watchful eye. Gardening and nature do bring joy. You will soon be back in full swing…take care.
Daughters are wonderful Noelle, thanks for leaving a message. I was out in the garden today in the autumn sunshine, sweeping up the leaves, I found it quite therapeutic.
I’m pleased to hear all is well with you and that you have meds to prevent any future mini strokes. Those Pyracantha berries are so vibrant, perfect, as you say for Halloween! Your daughter has a creative touch! I did like your arrangement.xxx
The Pyracantha berries at my daughters were fantastic Dina, my orange ones have all gone now, I have such greedy birds! The arrangement has been brought in and is now on the wood burning stove, not cold enough to light it yet, so it makes a nice shelf. Thank you for your good wishes, I’m feeling really fine, nothing to worry about now.
Sorry to hear about your stroke, Pauline. Take good care of yourself – it seems as if your family are doing so! I love it when relatives who often read but don’t comment emerge and actually write something. Your daughter’s pyracantha is superb – wonder why yours were eaten quickly and hers not? Although I see to remember that you live in a quite a wooded place, so maybe that’s why? Anyway, all the very best!
Thank you for your good wishes Cathy, the family certainly are looking after me. I think our berries have vanished already because we have so many birds here, we live in the countryside next to fields and with our little woodland, ancient trees and all our shrubs, the garden provides plenty of food for them. Plus of course I feed them their breakfast every day!
Really pleased to read that you’re on the mend, Pauline. Must have been a very scary moment. I often wished that I lived closer to my parents over the last few years, to care for them and make sure they were alright. Lovely that your daughter came to collect you, sounds like you had a good visit with them. It’s been a good year for berries; there were lots around here, very vibrant, now mostly picked over by birds! Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Thank you Caro, yes, it wasn’t very pleasant, but I’m so glad it wasn’t any worse. I feel completely back to normal and can’t wait to be driving again in a weeks time! My berries are fast being gobbled up by the birds, not many left now, what will they eat then?
Oh Pauline I’m so sorry to hear that you have had a stroke; a shock I’m sure even if it was small. My father had a tiny stroke and carried on with no re-occurrences. Do take care and be sensible. I think you should be able to enjoy your garden without doing too much. I’m pleased to hear you were able to spend time with your daughter and family. She has obviously learned some great gardening skills from you. My very good wishes to you. Christina
Thank you for your concern Christina, I’ve been told that as long as I take my medication and am sensible, it should never happen again. My week away was lovely with the family, I wasn’t allowed to do anything! I think my daughter likes foliage plants nearly as much as I do, flowers are slowly beginning to be planted now that football has ceased (it’s now basketball!)
Pauline, I want to add my best wishes as you recover. So glad the medication promises to keep future events like that at bay so you can enjoy your family and garden. Your daughter’s pyracantha is beautiful.
Thank you so much for your good wishes Susie, hopefully everything will be ok from now on. The Pyracantha was stunning, I’m sure the birds in Bristol are enjoying their feast!
Please be careful and take it easy. At the same time, I’m convinced that having a good time is vital for proper health – so do that too! The orange berries on that Pyracantha is phenomenal! My parents grew them in their garden near New York City, but they are not hardy here in Chicago.
I will try to do everything you suggest Jason, many thanks! I always thought that Pyracantha was tough as old boots, but apparantly not from what you say, maybe I ought to take more care of mine!