A rainy English afternoon tea, Moss Cottage, Didsbury 2010
Better late than never as it’s been a busy old week, I’m finally getting around to posting some of my images from the Didsbury Open Gardens afternoon on 13th June. I bribed Mr M with beer and Steppy 1 with cakes to join me on a wet afternoon in South Manchester, exploring some of the public and private garden spaces open for the day. In fairness Steppy 1, even though he’s an 11yr old boy mostly obsessed with football, is wonderfully open to new experiences and the cupcakes and treats laid on by the home-hosters helped 😉 As usual we left it to the last minute, then couldn’t find where to buy the £5 brochure gaining admittance to the gardens, but as we came out of the Food Market there before us was a wellie-clad couple looking at a map, a dead giveaway as fellow garden hoppers. They gave us one of their brochures, we donated a fiver and off we set at 2pm with 28 gardens to visit in 3hrs and storm clouds gathering overhead…..
Our first stop was Churchwood Road, two secluded gardens here.Churchwood Road - somewhere to sitChurchwood Road, even somewhere for the birds to feed!
The flower below is called an Allium and the bees loved it. These blooms were ubiquitous at Tatton Garden Festival a few years ago and they are all over Didsbury now, some may say a little overdone however as they are clearly so beloved by the under-threat bee, that can only be a good thing.
Didsbury Open Gardens - Bee on Allium My boys checking out the map for our next port of callLidgate Grove, a long narrow garden with pergola and screensAndy Burgess, chainsaw woodcarver, taking a breather at Broomcroft HallGetting a bit wet now at Moor Cottage on Grange LaneAfternoon tea being devoured behind the potted plants at Moor Cottage
Moor Cottage, Grange LaneA quiet place to sit at Moor CottageImage of cactus at Moor CottageA bit of gossip round the back!Grange Lane designer planned garden by Anne Britt, plus proud ownerOver to Parkfield Road South - fancy pants here, huge gardens and even fish!Fruit trees, secret paths and walkwaysBy the end of the afternoon, we were as wet as the flowers 🙂Foxgloves on ParkfieldElm Road vegetable plantingElm Road - large mature garden with mixed planting, herbs and vegetablesElm Road, visitors taking the time to chat with the owners about their gardenBarlow Moor Road - fabulous mature garden with tall trees, shrubs and perennialsBarlow Moor Road - hidden paths and streamsBarlow Moor Road - the owner, plus keen young gardener taking snaps!Taking tea over at Cranmer Road, a lovely long garden with Acers and some unusual treesCranmer Road - nice garden, great cakes!Last but not least on Brooklawn Drive, garden designer Anne Britt's peaceful space. The above is not her house, incidentally. Tipping it down by this point, but even torrential rain couldn't spoil Anne's gorgeous, cottage style garden
I’m looking forward to Tatton already now, got lots of tips and hints from the garden owners, and so want to do my garden so it looks pretty instead of just like a football pitch! Congrats to all who organised such a lovely event, which raised funds for local charities as well as being just an all round nice Sunday thing to do 🙂
Love the photography Sian – you’ve made a wet Manchester afternoon look beautiful 🙂 Helen x