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China Girl blog 5th june 2017

The summer days pass like pearls on a string. The days have a dreamy quality, if only we could freeze time. June has become July and the roses are nearly all over, the repeat flowers shadows of their former glory. Ma thinks rose bushes are ugly shrubs except when they are in flower. Gone are the days of Edwardian rose gardens. At Cothay we plant them here and there in the borders where they are not intrusive, but look glorious in June when in flower.

Every day this week we had coaches bringing visitors to see the garden. On Tuesday a garden group from Argentina arrived, our first group from South America. We thought them charming, especially when they all kissed Ma and I goodbye!

A friend of Mother, Mathew Upham, gave us a stone slab for her dearest husband’s grave; he is buried on the mount overlooking the garden. It is going to be engraved in gothic script, dedicated to him for Mother’s wonderful life.

The tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera is in flower, a magnificent tree which can grow to 100 feet. There are two species, one Chinese and the other from America. The flowers are difficult to spot hiding amongst the foliage; their colour green, yellow and orange, mingling with the leaves. In autumn the leaves turn a lovely burnished yellow. A glorious tree to grow as a specimen.

Something of the charm of summer as it ebbs and flows reminds me of the nostalgic past; the days as bright as diamonds, a garden full of dreams and memories.