It is hot here today – too hot to be in the garden – come walk with me, we will go to the woods where it is cool and shady and catch the last of the bluebells before they vanish until next year.
The road to the woods is lined with wild garlic (allium ursinum), a foam of starry white flowers in the dappled shade beneath the trees. The smell of the garlic hangs in the air – pungent, pleasant, a familiar woodland smell. You either love it or hate it.
Please click on the pictures for a larger view
The first path is between stone walls – we can peep through in places to see an ancient woodland. Large oaks, large boulders. The air is lush, the tang of woodland rich and deep.
A stream runs here – we will give that a miss to-day – the heat and the thunder has raised clouds of midges, they make me feel so itchy!
Walking deeper into the woodland – as VP so rightly said – the very air is a haze of blue
Bluebells are everywhere – and I find it so hard to capture them on film – where to look, where to focus.
The tree canopy is alive with bird song.
Some tree trunks are covered with moss – as are the boulders. Here and there ferns;- from tight curls – to lush fronds.
Moving along to another favorite spot of mine – over this style …
And into an area which has stone walls on all four sides – perhaps it was a pasture, but trees have grown here. To me it seems like a walled garden, a wild walled garden. Overhead a buzzard is circling and calling. It just feels magical.
I have to leave you now – and I will be away for a few days. You may remember that I went to one of my sons weddings a few weeks ago – this weekend my eldest son is getting married. I am so looking forward to it. It will be a wonderful occasion for all our family.
Fabulous; you caught the atmosphere exactly right in your photos. The coolness of the woods. It does indeed look a magical place. I love bluebells too.
Have a fabulous time with your Family and I hope your son’s wedding is a very special day for all of you; many congratulations to him.
Best Wishes,
Zoë
Beautiful. I would love to go walk through those woods. I have never seen woods like that. Whenever I go walking there are only a few flowers here and there and nothing covered in moss. What a magical scene that looks to be. All those alliums are beautiful along with the bluebells. Congrats on your sons wedding. Have fun!
What a fantastic walk. I love your woods. How beautiful, green and serene it all is. Thank you for sharing such a wondreful place with us.
jenn
Hi Karen, More lovely bluebells- I love the idea of a wild walled garden. Have a great time at the wedding, lots of love to you all, Linda
I love the garlic. Have a great time at the wedding.
Beutifully written and photographed. Zoe is right, you caught the atmosphere to a T. I could almost have been walking with you.
What a wonderful walk, I felt as if I was really there, thank you for sharing that with us. Fab pics.
Have a lovely time at your son’s wedding.
Loveliness.
And it’s cleared up for me that Wild Garlic isn’t the same as the Garlic Mustard Barbee is struggling against.
The walled bit of the wood reminds me of a Quaker Greveyard – tombstoneless.
Esther
It all makes me sigh.
Lovely shots of what looks like a pleasant and cool retreat.
Hi Karen, this is the garden of my dreams, wild, walled and full of bluebells. Thanks so much for showing us. I love the style entrance to it, it adds to the mystery and magic, you are entering another world as you climb and walk through. Have a wonderful time at you eldest son’s wedding. We will miss you and await your return.
Frances
Thanks for the wonderful walk through the woods. What a peaceful looking place.
I sure hope that you are having a wonderful time this weekend. I can’t wait to hear about your trip!
Hi again Karen, what a wonderful walk
Thanks for sharing such a beautiful walk with us. I have never seen a sight quite like that – it must really be quite special. There is an opening not far away from my today that you have just reminded me of. I am now very tempted to go – perhaps an excuse to try my new video camera out too
I hope you have had a great weekend with your son’s wedding too
Thank you for the lovely walk!
A great walk I love bluebells.
Zoe, Priscilla, Jennbenn, Linda, P, Dobby, Sharon, Esther,
Nancy, Frances, Cinj, Shirl, Sheila and Susan.
Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments. I enjoyed writing the post, and walking the woods to do the photographs. I was delighted to share the walk with whoever cared to walk with me.
We had the most wonderful weekend at my sons wedding – everything was so fabulous – and I am very proud and happy with all my sons and their partners, opps sorry wives!
Thanks for stopping by
Karen
Your woods are an enchanted fairyland. They couldn’t possibly be more lovely and magical! Have a wonderful time at your son’s wedding
Lovely pics – if I was hot I would feel very refreshed now but I’m cold. Amazing how quickly the weather changes.
Amy – thanks for the comment, the woods are indeed magical.
My sons wedding was also magical
Karen
Patientgardener – Yes I was cold at work today too – amazing what changeable weather we are having. Thanks for stopping by
Karen
I’ve just turned my heating back on, but the thermostate doesn’t seem to agree with me that it has turned chilly. The boiler is remaining in the standby position!! Why does it always feel so cool after a few days of sunshine?
I’m sitting here at my desk in Canary Wharf, surrounded by concrete, and your blog took me, for one glorious moment, into a completely different world. Thank you!
Those are lovely photos of the bluebells in the woods; it is so serene.
Victoria – sorry about Canary Wharf – the plus side is that a least you have shops in London (lol)
Terra Thanks for the visit – the woods are very serene you can feel everything just slow down when you are there.
I walked with you every step-I missed my bluebell walks this year but your description more than made up for it. Thank you.
Glad you had a good trip – Thanks for the lovely comment.
Karen