It seems just a few weeks since I blogged about my highlights for 2018, but here we are again on New Years Eve and at the end of a decade! Deciding on a top ten is no mean task when it comes to gardens and gardening, but I’ve whittled many joyous experiences down to my absolute favourites. However, apart from the first, these highlights are in no particular order!

A Wedding!

Our daughter Sophie married Tobei in April at a stunning location with fabulous gardens and many early blooms. The flowers were designed and arranged by Lavender Green – spectacular! What a wonderful day it was..

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Butterflies and Bees

We take great care to make sure there are butterfly and bee friendly plants in our garden – and we were certainly rewarded in 2019!

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Poppies in Walsall Arboretum

There’s a fabulous wild flower meadow in Walsall Arboretum, with so many different blooms – but these poppies were such a treat for the eyes this year, so beautiful and I can’t wait to see them again this year!

Dahlia ‘Bishops Children‘

I grew these gorgeous dahlias from a seed mix this year – and although I belatedly read the instruction to leave them in pots for the first year (after I’d planted them out in the hot border), they didn’t disappoint. I just hope they bloom again next year, but I will be sowing more seeds just in case…..

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Springtime at Aberglasne

I love all the seasons, but when you’re confronted with a splendid sunny springtime scene like this one, it’s hard to beat!

Hidden Gem

A hidden gem indeed, I hadn’t visited this stunning local garden for a while and so new treats greeted us along with a warm welcome from Maureen and Sid Allen. Definitely in the calendar for next year!

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Fun with Friends

A few of our friends joined us at Aberglasne in June, it was a great weekend, with a highlight visit to Dinefwr in Carmarthenshire – not only the parkland and gardens, but a food festival too! This was also one of the warmest days last summer and it didn’t rain at all!

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A Windy Day with the Fairies at Trentham

I don’t like strong winds (I don’t suppose many people do!), but although parts of Trentham Gardens were closed because of the gusts, Sophie, me and Ollie spent a lovely afternoon in August, strolling through the formal garden. With access to so little, it was possible to take our time and concentrate on the finer details. Swirling and drifting, the ethereal creatures along the Fairy Trail (sculpted by local artist Robin Wight) had no trouble catching our eyes!

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Middleton Hall Gardens

How I would love a walled garden! Middleton Hall in Tamworth has a delightful example, it’s a wonderful place to be on a sunny afternoon – a riot of cottage garden plants all juggling for space – delicious!

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Hibiscus

We enjoyed a lovely warm break in Portugal in September (no rain!). The glorious colours of the blousy hibiscus adorning the public flower displays in Val de Lobo were enough to light up anyone’s day!

And so, onwards into 2020 and it all begins again, Happy New Gardening Year to all!