A selfie taken this morning at #CalkeAbbey Walking in the autumn sunshine was good for the soul.

Some of the dahlias we saw at Calke Abbey today. #gardening #gardeninglife

Some pics from NT #CalkeAbbey that we visited this morning. We treat it as our local place to wander.

In other news: I’ve just succumbed and put the heating on!

Finished off by adding manure and blood, fish and bonemeal and mixing it all in. Now there’s a gap waiting to be filled by something easier to handle going forward. It will likely be bulbs in the first instance. #gardeninglife #gardening

Just spent an hour removing a rambling rose, a clematis Armandii and removing half isn’t a ‘creeping’ Sorbaria from the White border. It’s all part of my plan to make the garden more easily manageable as I age. It was definitely a gardening #workout #gardening #gardeninglife

Good morning everyone. It’s a sunny but much cooler one here. I’m back from the gym after a hard but good #workout & enjoying a coffee while Aud is visiting her bestie who has just come out of hospital. I hope Monday is good to you. Pics show Cyclamen Hederifolium in my border.

My #SevenOnSunday

Progress. #gardening #gardeninglife

First job of the afternoon was to empty these pots of summer bedding & root bound standard holly (trunk already cut off ) & ferns. The latter will be a particular challenge. #gardening #gardeninglife

Good morning everyone. Happy Saturday folks. Have a good one. #SixOnSaturday #gardening #gardeninglife

Brunch today: Berry Pancakes

Good morning everyone. It’s a dull but dry one here. Later we’re off out to brunch with one of our oldest friends. I hope Friday brings you some joy. Pics show my Lady of Shalott & Grace roses. They enjoyed the recent rain. #FlowersOnFriday #gardening #gardeninglife

Managed to empty more pots so I’m quite pleased with this afternoon’s efforts. #gardening #gardeninglife

Coffee break. #gardening #gardeninglife #coffee

Hi everyone. First job of the afternoon is to start emptying pots of the Summer bedding in readiness for bulb planting when my order arrives. #gardening #gardeninglife

My acer bonsai group is showing off its autumn tints. #gardening #gardeninglife

Added violas to this trough for some autumn/winter colour. There are already bulbs below that I planted last year. #gardening #gardeninglife

Good morning everyone. It’s one of those wet, darkish autumn mornings when your inclination is to continue sleeping when the alarm clock sounds. However, I persevered and headed for the #gym & carried out a full body #workout & am feeling good because of it. Have a good day. #gymlife #gymmotivation

Added violas to this trough for some autumn/winter colour. There are already bulbs below that I planted last year. #gardening #gardeninglife

Good morning everyone. It’s one of those wet, darkish autumn mornings when your inclination is to continue sleeping when the alarm clock sounds. However, I persevered and headed for the #gym & carried out a full body #workout & am feeling good because of it. Have a good day. #gymlife #gymmotivation

First job after lunch was to put the summer patio chairs and parasol back in the garage for storage over autumn/winter. I’ve just completed the sweep up. Now for a bit of planting or coffee or both. 😂 #gardening #gardeninglife

First job after lunch was to put the summer patio chairs and parasol back in the garage for storage over autumn/winter. I’ve just completed the sweep up. Now for a bit of planting or coffee or both. 😂 #gardening #gardeninglife

How come we’ve lost the ability to load videos?

We often visit a Leicestershire garden centre near that wonderful actor #StephenGraham ‘s home. One day he & his family were sitting on an adjacent table having lunch. We loved Adolescence & the fabulous acting & are damned proud of their #Emmys2025 success. Congrats 🍾🥂

Good afternoon everyone. After my a.m. gym workout I headed out on a mission to a GC to buy these two obelisks that I’d seen yesterday at a special price but didn’t buy. Bought these & the violas & heathers too. Used a gift voucher from my son for Father’s Day. #gardening

Happy Sunday everyone. Have a great day. Here’s my #SevenOnSunday #gardening #gardeninglife

Thought I’d try and continue my front garden tidy up while the sun was shining. I’d just managed to remove a patch of bergenia that haven’t flowered for 2 yrs, cut a berberis back hard to rejuvenate & removed dead leaves from the phormium. Plus added blood, fish & bonemeal…

Good morning and happy Saturday everyone. It’s a sunny, breezy one here. We’re enjoying a slow start to the day with a lie-in followed by coffee and me catching up with Social Media. Have a great day folks. #gardening #gardeninglife #SixOnSaturday

Some more signs of autumn are afoot in the garden:the Cornus Midwinter Fires and my Incisa Kojo No Mai Japanese flowering cherry are displaying colour changes. #gardening #gardeninglife

After a good morning firstly working out at the gym then a nice meal out it was followed by some more gardening at the front. Removed an old rose, rampant persicaria & stachys. #gardening #gardeninglife Have a great weekend folks.

Yesterday’s purchase. I bought them to replace two standard hollies in pots that were looking a bit sad. It’s my first purchase of olives so let’s see how they do. Great prices at B & Q presently and I used a discount code to get a bigger saving. #gardeninglife #gardening

With discounts and a free voucher because of a purchase elsewhere I got all these bulbs for £3 instead of £24 Love a bargain buy. #gardeninglife #gardening

Good morning everyone. It’s a sunny, breezy one here. Shortly I’m off to my first choir session of the autumn while Mrs H has to face the dentist. (Broken tooth. Ouch!) I hope today brings you some joy. Pics are one of my Nerine Bowdenii. #gardening #gardeninglife

In the end rain stopped any chance of gardening but at least it’s helping to embed the plants I planted or moved yesterday. I also used the time instead to buy two 3/4 standard olive trees and some bulbs. ‘No flies on me!’😂 #RoseWednesday

This afternoon’s job is to dig up encroaching Japanese anemones and Persicaria in the front garden add manure, mix in then replant anemones and move the odd thing to make the balance of plants look better come next year. I’m always tweaking things as the year moves on. #gardening

One of those days when you start watering the garden with your shirt off but end with your waterproof on. 💦😂 #gardeninglife #gardening

Good afternoon everyone. It’s been a busy day so far: a workout at the gym first thing then lunch out before a trip to the tip to take a car full of bags of hedge cutting debris. Now it’s coffee time before I set to and water a very, very dry garden. #gardeninglife #gardening

The front garden autumn tidy up continued yesterday though there is more I intend to do with some plants coming out, some being moved & some new being added along with bulbs (🤞the local fox leaves them alone though he seems very partial to a nice bulb). #gardening #gardeninglife

I removed the trailing white petunias as they had ‘gone over.’ #gardening #gardeninglife I’ll soon be removing the Senecio Angels Wings in readiness to plant bulb lasagnes. The seasons move ever onward.

Continuing the autumn tidy up. It’s lovely and balmy today so I’m making the most of it. #gardening #gardeninglife.

Looking back to what was flowering in the garden on February 7th 2025 #gardening #gardeninglife #bulbs

I removed the trailing white petunias as they had ‘gone over.’ #gardening #gardeninglife I’ll soon be removing the Senecio Angels Wings in readiness to plant bulb lasagnes. The seasons move ever onward.

Continuing the autumn tidy up. It’s lovely and balmy today so I’m making the most of it. #gardening #gardeninglife.

Looking back to what was flowering in the garden on February 7th 2025 #gardening #gardeninglife #bulbs

Because of hedge cutting demands and holiday breaks I’ve missed 6 gym sessions over the last month so I’m looking forward to working hard at the gym tomorrow and getting regularly back to making more gains. 70 but no excuses. #gymmotivation

Saw these cards in a great arty shop in Grasmere and thought of all you dahlia lovers. #gardening #gardeninglife

Good evening everyone. I’m pleased to say that we have arrived safely back from our breakaway despite some poor driving conditions on our way south on the M6. The garden is at least well watered after the downpours & my Lady of Shalott rose was there to welcome me. #gardeninglife

Last evening photos from Bowness On Windermere which has been our base for the last three days. Despite some dodgy weather we’ve had a good time. We’re homeward bound tomorrow calling at family graves & a favourite GC on the way. #LakeDistrict #gardeninglife

This evening we enjoyed our second meal of our holiday at a great Italian restaurant (we always book in advance) round the corner from our hotel. Utterly fabulous food & service. I’d tell you which one but then I’d have to kill you. 😂Sorry about my terrible photo. #LakeDistrict