I came indoors and my thoughts drifted back to my very first garden in 1965. When we purchased our first house there was just a lawn and 2 apple trees so we set about producing some colour with flowers. In those days Alan had a passion for Dahlias so he did his bit and I raised seeds and planted around them. I was none too keen on the Dahlias as I do not like Earwigs but they did create a good show with many measuring 12 inches across. They can be seen here slightly faded as the photos have been scanned from transparencies.
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Whilst thinking of old photographs I thought I would include these 2 of Stonehenge in 1976. The interesting thing here is that at that time one could just park the car and walk around the site, sitting and touching, picknicking or whatever. Not like today where everything is fenced off and one can only look from a distance as well as paying an entrance fee and driving into an enormous car park. One of the downsides of mass tourism.
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My children can be seen here with Jane 'holding up the pillar!'
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37 comments:
Wonderful pictures. I can't wait until spring so I can work in my garden again.
I have always wanted to visit Stonehenge. David and I were married in 1976
Sometimes it seems just like yesterday and sometimes it seems like forever.
Willow
Lovely photos from long ago, Barbara. I do love dahlias myself and can understand Alan's interest in them.
I'm glad to hear that the snow is disappearing and you can walk down to your garden again.
Lorrie
I love the border of your garden.
I love the purple and white border showing in the pictures with those beautiful dahlias. It is so good to see the color as here will be quite bleak til April. Now is the time to start planning for what we'd like to do.
I always wanted to visit Stone hedge. The post is great..
stay warm.
yvonne
Hi Barbara,
What a magnificent garden you have or had! Plenty of colour and those dahlias look great!That must have been a lot of hard work to keep looking like that.
Remembering is so much fun. I loved to grow the big Dahlia's in my past garden.
Patsy
It's good to hear the snow is receding and you can once again get out into your garden. You were so lucky to experience Stonehenge the way you did. Visitors that go there today won't experience the same thing.
Dahlias--
a great Essex staple, always did very well in my parents' garden I remember.
I never
went to Stonehenge
and would be interested to!
ps being a granny is great!
I love that purple and white border. You must have good soil Barbara.
Love old pictures -- we went to Stonehenge in between -- you couldn't walk around but there wasn't an enormous car park (although there was a car park) -- and on the same trip we went back and saw Stonehenge in the snow -- that was fantastic! I'll have to get out my old pictures!
You've brought back many memories!
Barbara
You have a beautiful garden. I am hoping my husband will plant a nice gaden this year--we moved into our house last May and did not have time to do a garden.
I have always wanted to see Stonehenge--I find it to be a mystery.
Best
Tracy :)
So does Allan still raise dahlias? I love them for their color and longevity and didn't realize that they presented a problem with earwigs. (I don't plant them every year.)
Just watching the weather news this morning and it appears that we're all in for much more nastiness. May the garden rest well until you're able to get back to it in the spring.
Interesting about Stonehenge...the way you describe it now is the way that I would've imagined it to have always been. It's kind of nice to know that it was so accessible before.
Stay warm and cozy...do you read seed catalogs?
Wow!...wow...your garden pictures are fantastic, and what I would give to have such a beautiful garden and get to experience Stonehenge!AMAZING!
Wow, you aren't kidding about those huge dahlias! I like the opulence of them but have never grown any.
Very interesting Barbara! You must be sorting through old photos these days.
I love your dahlias, I mean your husbands. I have never seen a 12" dahlia or even an 8". I had some in my garden last summer and they are nice. Here we won't be walking into the garden for a while yet. Planting is generally done in May. Mary Horst
I love your dahlias. Have never seen a 12" one though, not even an 8". They must do well in England. I had some last year and they were lovely though. Mary Horst
Ah... the year I was born ;) I love those dahlias! One of my favourites. The ones in the trial fields at Wisley are amazing in September'ish.
My garden is looking dreadful so I'll be glad when the grass starts thickening up again. I'm with you on earwigs- my least fav critter.
I am too scared to see Stonehenge these days- I think it would the ruin the memory of how it used to feel. LOL I've never been keen on "progress". :-)
The dahlias do put on such a beautiful show. They were my grandmother's favorite along with glads. I'll bet you are excited to get out there and do some gardening again.
Yes, Stonehenge is not the way it used to be....such a shame!
The dahlias do make for such a beautiful border. My grandmother always raised them along with glads and they were so colorful.
Yes, it's so sad that Stonehenge is not what it used to be.
Barbara,
The dahlias are gorgeous!
I've been inspired! I don't have a single one in among my flowers. My Mother used to grown them when I was a little girl.
She told me after I was grown that one year way late in the spring to set the dahlia bulbs out as a little girl I insisted on planting them. She didn't think they would do anything...they made the prettiest blooms she had ever seen.
On second thought if it doesn't stop raining we may have rice beds in our yard rather than flowers!
So thank you....Barbara and Alan
I always love seeing photos from earlier years. The garden was wonderful... men make wonderful gardeners. I know a few who really have a knack for it and wish more would take an interest. I loved seeing the photos of Stonehenge before fences. Hope you and Alan are doing well and enjoying the indoor time.
Blessings,
Christi
Whenever I see dahlias, I am reminded of my grandmother who loved them and planted rows and rows of them in her garden along with corn, peas, beans and carrots!
Stonehenge in 1976 is like Avebury is now.
I love dahlias - I'm not good at growing anything but sometimes I buy a dahlia plant and it survives for one summer at least!!!
Hi Barbara. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I hope you will check in often. As for your dahlias, my jaw dropped. When I think of the scraggly few I had in my flowerbed, you put me to shame. Isn't digging in the dirt the best fun! and with such rewards.
How did he do it? they look perfect
I happened on to your blog while visiting Sweet Cottage Dreams blog..I love your blog. The stories, the photos, your thoughts. Thank you for sharing you with us.
I had to click on the garden photo's to see what else you were growing. The sweet peas must have smelled heavenly! I am not crazy about the earwig thing either :/
I had to click on the garden photo's to see what else you were growing.
The sweet peas must have smelled heavenly! I am not crazy about the
earwig thing either :/
I had to click on the garden photo's to see what else you were growing.
The sweet peas must have smelled heavenly! I am not crazy about the
earwig thing either :/
Do you know, I had no idea what size were the stones at Stonehenge because I've only seen them in photos and they never have people standing beside them! Thank you for the perspective!
p.s. I also love the striking purple and white border. You are brave! I always avoid symmetrical plantings--a lesson learned--because if one plant dies, it's all messed up!
In the late sixties I visted Stonehenge as a young teenager for the first time. I remember how impressed I was at that time and how disappointed when I returned some years ago with my husband. Everything changes...even the particular liking of plants ;-) !
Winter greetings,
Barbara
The dahlias in your garden are just lovely! Thanks also for sharing your pictures of Stonehenge. I hope to visit someday.
Beth
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