Back to Felley Priory - gardens

Admission to Felley Priory bluebell wood is included with garden entry, so after walking to the first we decided to visit the second - though not for long as it was late afternoon and almost closing time.

Things had moved on in the garden since our last visit a few weeks ago. Some of the early spring bulbs had finished flowering, and early magnolias been replaced by later ones, but this is a delightful place with something of interest for every month. 

Later varieties of daffodil were still in flower in the orchard

Blossom appearing everywhere

Gorgeous tulips opening in the sun.

 There is an immense feeling of calm in this beautiful garden, with views out over farmland, despite being in the centre of a former mining area. 

I just wish I'd been a little earlier in the day, to be able to take my time, sit in the sun, and relax.

 

Back to Felley Priory - Bluebells

It isn't long since we visited Felley Priory gardens, but at the end of April and beginning of May there's an extra treat in store there - a wood filled with glorious bluebells.

It's separate to the gardens and reaching it involves an uphill walk (which certainly appears to get steeper towards the end) but it's not the strenuous hike to Lea Bridge bluebells  and totally worth the effort.

As you walk up there's not really any hint of the sight that greets you - a carpet of bluebells interrupted only by trees through which the track leads in a figure of eight.

Breath-taking doesn't capture how wonderful this place is, and neither do my multitude of photographs, but hopefully they've captured a feel of it.

 

Happy Birthday to Me!

It's the time of year again for birthday celebrations and cake. After two lockdown-disrupted years, I was hoping everything would go ahead as planned this time, but it turned out Covid hasn't gone as far away as one would like. 

With my birthday falling close to Mothers Day this year, and two celebrations seeming excessive, we'd settled on the earlier date to coincide with my Manchester-based daughter playing a gig in Nottingham. Then my elder daughter's family came down with Covid.

So ..... one weekend I went out (very daringly, I think) to a gig - my first in two years, as I'm very much a wuss about catching Covid, but my younger daughter was playing, she was the first act and not much of a crowd was expected that early in the evening. As it turned out there were more people along than expected, but i survived and it was good to get out at last. I'm not sure I'll be hurrying to do it again though.

The next day we had cake, and visited Chatsworth gardens which had just opened for the season.

The next weekend we had balloons (my grandson believes all birthdays should have balloons) and more cake (with candles this time) at my elder daughter's. 

By comparison, my actual birthday was a quiet day. It rained which didn't help, but in the afternoon we went out for a short visit to Swan Lake. It's rather quiet there now, which I hope is due to the birds heading elsewhere to raise their young rather than bird flu which is in the area.

 Onward now to another year, hopefully filled with fun things. I feel my 65th year should be marked in some way so I'm making plans ...

Springtime at Felley Priory Gardens

I've been to Felley a couple of times before but always at bluebell time when the wood in the distance is carpeted with their blue flowers. 

This time (using my RHS partner gardens pass) I decided to go a little earlier in Spring.

It's a remarkably peaceful oasis in an area of quite high density housing, and on such a warm Spring day it was lovely to just sit and relax, and take in the view.

The stars of the garden at this point were the magnolias, just coming into flower in every shade from white to deep pink, and looking glorious against the clear blue sky.

Wander through a gateway, and there's something new to be seen - formal beds of tulips waiting to flower, drifts of daffodils in the orchard, a mix of familiar and rarer springtime bulbs, topiary birds, scented shrubs.