Flutterby Patch

Lilac time

For me Maytime has always meant lilac time. Since being a child and collecting the tiny fallen flowers to make 'fairy perfume' I have always loved lilac.

Just now the lilac is in bloom,
All before my little room...

These well known opening lines from the 'The Old Vicarage, Grantchester' by Rupert Brooke never fail to conjure up magical images of sunshine and spring gardens. The last two lines are equally well known and equally as evocative.......

Stands the Church clock at ten to three?
And is there honey still for tea?

We planted three young lilac bushes in the garden 12 years ago and they are now enormous and currently flowering profusely. The multi-headed beauty above is named Katherine Havermeyer.

Our single headed white is Mme Lemoine. She's the first to come into flower and is just beginning to fade.

And these paler flowers belong to Michel Buchner. Aren't they wonderful?

I love lilacs, the flowers, their shades and of course their heady perfume.

I love working with lilac coloured fabric...

and lilac coloured trims

and knitting with lilac yarn.

I love lilac gemstones

and making lilac patterns on paper.

My daughter gave me this wonderful book for my birthday and I can't wait to get into it!

Just in case you hadn't already guessed....I LOVE lilac!

Until next time
Eli

Sunshine yellows

The sun might not be shining all the time but the garden at the moment is full of warm sunny yellows that brighten even the dullest days. 

I knitted a little mauve sheep yesterday and intended to name her 'Lilac'. But with so many yellow blooms around the garden I have made her a tiny coat with flowers to match the yellow pimpernel plant which seems to be her favourite food.

A stroll around the garden and there is no escaping yellow azaleas, many of which are richly perfumed.

The garish tangerines are softened by the mellower butters and creams.

Follow any grassy path and you'll find more sunny shades.

It can be difficult to walk along the narrow paths but as soon as the azaleas have faded everything will get a good prune.

And as for Lilac the lamb... I think she's eaten her fill of yellow flowers for one day don't you!

If you knit a little sheep using the pattern in my sidebar, and post a picture of it on your blog, I'd love to see it. Just let me know and I will put a link to it in my next post.

Until next time,
Eli

A day well spent

Last Saturday afternoon was surprisingly warm and mellow and the garden beckoned.

Relaxing outside in the sunshine seemed very appealing. Perhaps even a little gentle weeding might be considered.

But there were bigger jobs to be done.

This path was crying out to be finished

The paving was laid last summer and the spaces in between needed filling.

So...out came the cement mixer and after several minutes of grinding and churning a sloppy concrete mix was plopped into ....

.... the wheelbarrow which was trundled to the place of work and emptied.

Pebbles of different shapes and colours were arranged in the concrete....

....and after three hours the job was complete.

There was just a little time to relax in the garden as the sun went down

and watch the vibrant blooms glow in the fading light. 

And so ended a perfect day well spent.

Until next time
Eli