Loving early summer...

My little patch of courtyard garden has gone mad. Everything grows like crazy and it is so sheltered that it seems to be a few weeks ahead of more exposed gardens. I was lucky enough to be given this little table and chairs so it has been lovely to have some warmer days to sit out here and enjoy the abundance of early summer flower.

The roses are incredibly vigorous and much too big for this space really but they are so fragrant and flower so well I can't quite bring myself to lose them. I keep hacking them back and they seem very forgiving!

While I was out there this busy bee landed on my leg and was there for ages. I only had my phone camera and he spent most of his time with his furry back end pointing at me but eventually turned round! I wished I'd had my better camera to capture the moment.

Believe it or not I really cleared a lot of this patch earlier in the year but you wouldn't think so!

I love the sunny California poppies...

They seem to have seeded themselves everywhere but I don't mind. Their tissue fine petals seem to just glow in the sun between the lavender...

The roses are a peachy pink in bud and then get paler as they open. They smell beautiful.

Last weekend I took myself for a walk through mid Norfolk countryside. This is just past Buxton Mill - so peaceful.

Norfolk really isn't as flat as it is made out to be...OK these are not hills! But the countryside here does feel like it is undulating away from you...

 The hedgerows are full of briar roses...

Tucked away at the bottom of the lane is the rather lovely Little Hautbois Hall...

Love this garden rambler 'escaping' too the sunny side of the hedge...

The River Bure flows through here but there are lots of cuts reflecting the skies between the fields...

The path took me across a field with a 'cattle' warning. I was quite glad this hefty beast was behind a fence!

I don't think think this path is walked much. It took me through a tunnel of trees and shrubs...

Sunny buttercups in the meadow...

Heady elderflower opening in the hedgerows...

On the other side of the river is The Bure Valley steam railway line. You can't see it easily here...

But then the engine obligingly chugged into view!

It was a beautiful day and so pretty...

This is Oxnead Hall - I didn't even know this was there...

There was a huge pile of logs stacked by some woodland - I like the patterns and colours...

Blue skies, fluffy clouds and reflections. What not to like?

And as I arrived back at Buxton Station trains in both directions passed. Something very nostalgic about steam trains.

Hope you are enjoying this time of year too.

S x