the running wave

It's a few weeks since the dogs and I strolled around the grounds of Gosford House.  It is the most peaceful and relaxing place to be.  Every time I go, there are new things to see - today speckled wood butterflies, young herons, the mass of white flowers on a Chinese dogwood tree, Cornus Kousa 'China Girl', and a pond covered in water lilies.  We came back through the woods to see the foxgloves in bloom.  I have watched them growing since early spring.  A parent heron above, and a young one below.

Just before eleven o'clock last night, looking across the Firth of Forth to Fife the sky looked like this and nine hours later, just before breakfast, the sun has come back from Australia and is shining brightly on us today!  A real summer's day.

The dogs and I walked around North Berwick Law yesterday.  Lots of lovely things to see, near and far - a great assortment of wild flowers, moon daisies, richly purple tufted vetch, greater bird's-foot-trefoil, wild thyme beloved of bees, and views across to the North Sea and Fife. In the photo above you can just see Tantallon Castle in the distance, and below the last few remaining beech trees, planted in 1707 to commemorate the beginning of the Act of Union between Scotland and England.  It is believed locally that once the trees have fallen, the Union between the two countries is broken.  The trees are hanging on by a thread - and these days, so is the Union!

The cold weather of early June prevented the roses in the garden from blooming in time for wedding guests arriving on 13 June, but as soon as they left a few days later, the buds burst open!  Very frustrating because this is the time of year when the garden looks its best!  Hey ho! Outside the garden the roses I planted earlier in the year have become completely hidden by the long grasses!  I excavated them and was amazed to find two of them were actually in bloom, along with the Aldi alliums!  We haven't strimmed along the drive in recent weeks but now that the cow parsley has finished blooming the time has come, but I have rescued the roses for now! The moon daisies I planted a couple of years ago have multiplied which I am happy about!