Sunday, April 10, 2011
The red cliffs of Devon
Whenever I drive to the south of the county, I try to spot the point where the soil changes from black to red. I would love to find a farm with both types of soil but to date I haven't seen one. I love the beautiful red sandstone of South Devon and I spent last week enjoying the sunshine and spectacular views along the red cliffs near Exmouth.
We have had exceptionally warm weather for early April and returned home to find the apple blossom, magnolia and lilac filling the garden with colour and perfume. I rushed out with the camera to record them because we are told the weather is about to change. Last year the apple blossom only survived for two days before high winds arrived to demolish all hopes of a good crop of apples. I am hoping that this lot will survive a little longer.
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Beautiful photos and flowers. I sure do envy you your English garden.
ReplyDeleteFunny story about that. When we moved down here to Florida, I told the nursery man that I wanted an English garden, he laughed and said -- you're on the wrong side of the pond for that.
On a happy note, my bougainvillea, brought low by two consecutive winters of prolonged freezes, is coming back.
Ain't Mother Nature a great gal. I hope she smiles on your apple crop this year too.
Thank you, e. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the apples. There were dozens of bees in the garden today so I hope there was lots of pollination going on!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that your bougainvillea is recovering. We have had two severe winters in our normally very mild bit of England and surprisingly few plants were killed off. Mother Nature, as you say, is a great gal.
I enjoy reading your blog and hearing your news from the beautiful area where you live. My husband and I "discovered" the joys of Devon cream tea in the little tea shops years ago, and spent one May Day in Padstow. Now that was fun!
ReplyDeleteSo, THAT'S where spring's hiding - on your side of the pond! We've had record cool weather here. Enjoyed your photos.
ReplyDeleteTerra
ReplyDeleteI love cream teas but have to restrict them to very rare occasions - all those calories! Thank you for your kind words about the blog, I just don't get much time to keep it up these days.
Jodi
ReplyDeleteToday it has been foggy and now raining! I hope Spring has reached you as it has left us.
So glad you enjoyed your break, M. Whenever I came down to Devon from London as a teenager, I always thought that the holiday had really begun at the first sighting of the red earth . . .
ReplyDeleteThanks for those glorious views. We've just planted a plum tree - first fruit in our current garden. Too much to hope for plums this year, but we are hoping they'll be worth the wait. Best of luck with the apples.
ReplyDeleteAliB
D, I drove to Exeter at least once a week during the 20 years that I worked for the LEA and the sight of the red earth never failed to thrill.
ReplyDeleteAli, good luck with the plums. The apple blossom is still on the the branches so I am hopeful.
Lovely photos and blossoms !
ReplyDeleteI think our pussy willow is at last bursting into life and the snow is fast becoming a thing of the past as dry grass starts to be revealed...I better not speak to soon though and tempt the fates