spring is here

I write this on a beautiful spring morning which gives encouragement that the better weather is now definitely here. Our visit to the gardens of Staffordshire at the weekend was a great success and once again we were blessed with wonderful weather.

Staffordshire certainly has a lot to offer and you will be able to read all about it on the reckless website shortly. We visited Shugborough, Weston Park, (picturte right at top) Biddulph Grange (picture left at top) and paid a call on David Austin Roses.

Visiting David Austin was rather like being let loose in a sweet shop, or in my case, cake shop!
To see all those wonderful rose trees lined up just waiting to be adopted was sensational. The great thing about going to Austin's centre at Albrighton is the vast availability of their stock. You can also order direct from Austin's by email or phone but the chance of actually going there and picking my own rose trees was just too good an opportunity to miss. The staff were terrific and we really enjoyed ourselves.

I won't talk about our other visits as they will be posted on the website but needless to say if you want to find yourself in quiet country lanes leading to lots of properties with really wonderful gardens then you can do no better than head for Staffordshire. It really is a county of hidden talents - very enjoyable.

The Camellia trees are still flowering and I am amazed that we have had three full months of their wonderful blooms. Everything is coming to life now in the garden and it is, in my opinion, the most exciting time of the year. Every morning there is something new emerging or budding and the early Spring and warm sun is bringing on everything even sooner than usual.