Tea and cake sort-of weekend.

Hello! Lovely to see you!  I hope you all had a fantastic weekend?  (I'm a little later than usual today, because Typepad was leading me a merry dance, and going haywire, so I had to wait a few hours, and now things seem to be back to normal).

Sunday I enjoyed, visiting an open garden, and having the best tea and cake, of all the open gardens we've been to yet. We also met several people who own the same breed of dogs as us, Miniature wire haired Dachshunds. One couple who saw our dogs, went to their car and retrieved their little girl Dachshund, Katie, who was very bouncy and waggy tailed, and very, very adorable!


We had quite a full house this weekend. Lots of four-legged creatures, all wanting our undivided attention.

Especially this little girl, four month old Binky. Whenever she could sit on my lap, she did. She seemed to love human contact. One of the good things about our dogs, is that they don't moult. Jack Russells do. And they have a lot more energy than our two dogs. So as house guests go, they were high-impact!

Once we had returned our house guests to their home, we went off galivanting. To an open garden, at a house called Anton's Hill. Very grand and very beautiful house it was. I don't like to photograph the house when I go to these open gardens, I feel it would be too intrusive, and taking liberties.

After paying our entrance entrance fee, we headed straight to the tea tent. I think we're becoming seasoned open garden visitors now, and I'm starting to realise there are several do's and dont's, which are slowly dawning on me, the more I visit these gardens.

These houses are usually ENORMOUS. Grand houses really. And I suspect these open days are something of a social occasion. Of course they have to let in people like Hugo and I who aren't so grand. But I'm thinking that I might fit in slightly better if I didn't visit these gardens in jeans and t-shirt, with scruffy trainers on my feet. What I probably need to do to be acceptable to all these smart people is dress like them. For the ladies it's usually a string of Pearls, and most of the time, a long flowing skirt, or very smart and expensive trousers, you know, the one's that can only be dry cleaned. Smart, but flat shoes, never, ever high heels, (that would be vulgar). And a blouse, always a blouse. Hair emaculately coiffed, full on make-up, (well, I wear blusher, but draw the line at anything on my eyes, or foundation), and a hat is optional. The gentlemen are more casual, in a shirt, open at the neck, no tie, (but some do wear ties), smart trousers, and brogues or expensive looking loafers on their socked feet, hat has to be of the panama hat variety. I always enjoy this code of dress, I like it when people dress smartly, it gives a sense of occasion to an event. And I've decided that I will dress up, because if nothing else, it's showing a little respect to the host who has gone to the trouble to open his or her's garden, and lay on a tea. I think scruffy trainers and jeans are out from now on. I should get away with linen trousers. I must admit, all this dress code thing is obviously entirely optional, but I really started to notice it at this last garden we visited. It dawned on me.

There wasn't any croquet on the lawn on Sunday afternoon, the plants for sale were all sprawled over the croquet lawn. I happened to spy the hoops and balls, resting beneath a coat-of-arms carved into stone.

I thought these stone planters were beautifully planted.

Here's a better idea of the hot pink flowers, aren't they gorgeous, against the grey?

And these orange daisy like flowers, aren't they sizzling? I don't know their name. I loved the way the effect was doubled by their reflections in the green house glass.

What I found absolutely fascinating was the potting and propagating sheds. We were allowed into them, and they were immaculate. It felt like going into the inner sanctum of the garden.

Just look at all those seed trays and pots, scrubbed clean, and stashed away neat as a pin. Marvelous! I've got a vision of the gardener looking like Mr.McGregor from the story of Peter Rabbit, by Beatrix potter. His face lined by hours and years toiling in the sun, his great big spade-like hands roughened and ingrained with soil.

A place for everything. And everything in it's place.

 The house looked over a lawn, mown in perfect stripes, the size of a football pitch. The lawn swept gracefully down a gentle slope, at the end of which was a pond. This rather beautiful pond.

The pond reminded me of the famous water lily pond in Monet's garden at Giverny, France.

Oh I do love these gentle afternoons! My idea of near perfection, tea and cake, followed be a stroll round a beatiful garden. If the time was to be perfect, it would have to involve an extra ingredient, me sitting in the shade on a sunny afternoon, being served tea and cake, or homemade lemonade and cake, whilst crocheting. Now that, dear readers, would be perfection! I shall see you tomorrow, hopefully typepad won't be playing very (un) funny tricks on me.  Love Vanessa xxx

 

Comments

[Deborah]

Hello Vanessa,
I hope that scrumptious spread wasn't just your portion!!
Golly, I wish my potting shed was that tidy but then methinks they may have several pairs of hands helping out:-)
Deb x
(Order on it's way as of today)

[Gerry Hook]

Vanessa, I had not read your blog for several days and finally had time so I caught up with your recent activities this evening.
First off, you certainly must be a very happy gal as your blogging brings a smile every time I join your adventures and I'll just bet every other of your blog readers will agree. :^)
I'm with you about fitting in with the garden crowd [learned this on a trip to Patmos and Santorini] - but would have to draw the line at wearing Pearls and a hat suitable for the garden 'party'. Skirt and blouse and flats, yes for me.
I love the embroidered table cloths. I found one I really fell in love with in a secondhand/antique shop and just love it. I now holds a place of honor among our tablecloths.
Your crocheted ring is the the best ever, I know Bob will treasure it.
I'll visit the photo mosaic website tomorrow to see what is offered.

[Hen]

Ummmm, that looks lovely. Your photographs are fab as usual, I must confess I rather like the one of the pink pelargonium. Hope you are enjoying a rest now your doggy visitors have departed.
Hen x

[Helen Lambert]

Oh no Vanessa you have just described my weekend attire...a tweed skirt mind you with small tucked pleats at the front and I am never without my pearls...dont you know...mind you the garden looks lovely...bet they have a crunchy old gardener... and the sheds...wish I could get Petes shed to look like that...I have started my maggi knit shawl and I am in love with it...linen in so nice to knit with....love and hugs H

[Pipany]

Hi Vanessa. The orange flowers look like marigolds. Beautful photographs and I think you have just described my idea of a perfect afternoon too xx

[Cornelle]

Hi Vanessa. I enjoy your blog for many reasons - I agree with Gerry that your happiness is catching. And I do love your dogs. We have two long haired dachshunds and the breed is not well-known here. My brother-in-law and his wife have two Jack Russells and whenever we all get together, it is almost embarrassing to see how lazy my two are compared to the JRs! (Here is a pic http://lim0.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/die-handsak/)

[Menopausalmusing]

I'm with Pipany in as much as I am pretty sure the orange flowers are marigolds. My, but you have an eye for a beautiful photo shot! I can't believe how tidy that potting shed is. . . (she says wistfully, knowing that the tidy gene had not been passed down to her). x

[driftwood]

I'm sure we wouldnt fit in there, no pearls or dry clean only clothes for us, jeans plus 2 energetic and usually filthy children instead..... but then maybe they would sit quietly and eat cake - all that cake probably - which wouldnt do either.....xoxo

[sarah london]

love that gingham tablecloth, it's so cheery!!! and you take the best photos, superb!

[Maggie]

Hi Vanessa,

Ah yes, I can see you now in Princess Di mode, pie crust collared, finely pinstriped shirt, tucked into linen slacks, and a fine string of pearls, single of course, anything else would be vulgar! Hugo always seems to look the part to accompany such a refained lady! Personally, rather than Mr MacGregor being responsible for the pristine potting shed, I'd rather it were Monty Don, whose looks seem to go with the refained ladies and gents! Lovely, lovely to see the dogs too... I am a dog owner by proxy, not wanting to take on the responsibility of having one of my own, I revel in seeing friends' dogs and hearing about their antics. Lovely post as ever.

[The Curious Cat]

Once again gorgeous photos - do you have a flickr account? Those little dogs are sooo sweet too! xxx

[joanna]

Those cake look amazing! my sponges always are a little sad and flat. Lovely day. Your posts are always such a ray of sunshine.Thanks

[melanie]

Hi Vanessa, thank you so much for been so understanding and nice about the swap parcel. I should be able to post it off to you next week some time, once I've put the finishing touches to it. You are lovely, and I'm so thankful I have such an understanding swap partner, thank you so much. xxxxx

[Julie]

that spread for tea looks utterly delicious, you do find some lovely places to go (and share with us). Your photos really evoked a 1930s upper class country house vibe for me - tea and croquet on the lawn, with the gardeners doing all the hard work maintaining the garden to the necessary standard. I'm not surprised there's an unwritten dress code - it must be almost like stepping back in time.

[Karbee]

I love the colours and feel of the last photo of the pond.

[Laura]

The cakes look delicious!

Your idea of dressing more nicely for your outings is very thoughtful and kind. I like it!

[Pebbledash]

That Binky...I'd happily pick her up and sneak off with her...along with a large slice of cake...
What a wonderful weekend!

[Mazza]

Dear Vanessa Your photos are really lovely, they invoke in me a lot of nostalgia for England as I live in Southern Spain. Those flowers by the way are Osteospernum's (they grow like weeds in our garden here) originally from South Africa where they are considered a native wild flower, in the intense summer heat they stop flowering, enough of the horticulture! I read you most days, take care, Mazza

[quilt]

It's very exiting to find your doyoumindifiknit.typepad.com web site. I don't have much to add to the conversation, but I'm right here with you. This post said exactly what I have been thinking. Good to see you posting again.