What a Thing of Beauty!

What a Thing of Beauty!

Hi there.

Thanks for popping in. Before I carry on watching “The Diplomat”, a Netflix Series which has me hooked, let me peep out of the window with you, and show you a thing of beauty which stands in the garden here…

What a wonderful magnolia! And such a glorious splash of pink! They grow so well round here. We planted this one about four years ago, and it has shot up. The gardens round here are of full of them. Huge ones too, which spill over the fences and create arches over the roads. But they’ve nearly had their flowering burst this year.

Soon to be replaced by their neighbours, the exquisite rhododendrons, which line the roads. We’ve got plenty of them in the garden too; old, established friends. Been here for a long time.

But not as long as the yew trees. They must be over 400 years old. I bet they could tell a story or twenty! When these were planted, the people that lived in this old house were so superstitious and wary of dark magic and witches, they planted the yews to ward off evil spirits.

It’s raining cats n dogs here. Has been all day. The puddle in front of the gates of the BIG HOUSE opposite is now a lake. I kid you not! A pair of mallard ducks have taken up permanent residence! Makes me laugh. Neighbour’s not happy, but you see, there has been way too much over-development in this area. So many hundreds of houses (and none of them affordable, unless you are a stock broker) have been squeezed in, including 4 very large, posh properties next to the afore-mentioned BIG HOUSE – now soon to be complete with moat.

There’s nowhere for the water to soakaway any more. It runs off all the roofs and driveways, finds the lowest point, and creates flooding. Old established trees, fields and meadows have been replaced by concrete and tarmac. The TPO’s were all introduced after the damage had been done. It’s all a bloody fiddle. A very old, large oak was cut down over the road, over a weekend, and simply disappeared. Now there’s a proposal for yet another BIG HOUSE right where the Old Oak stood. What a shame.

And then they’ve got the nerve to name the roads in the new housing developments Bluebell way, Woodpecker Walk and Badger Rise. Ridiculous.

Did you know that well-established badger setts – interconnected underground tunnels and chambers  – have been excavated by several generations of badgers, with some setts known to be occupied for centuries. And humans thinks it’s ok to dig em up. When will we stop? It is unbelievable and very sad.

Rant over. Going to watch The Diplomat. If this series has any truth to it – we’re doomed anyway! Did you get your 3pm alert yesterday? And I’m worried about going over the edges when I’m colouring in !!!!!

Quote for the Day:

Give Peace a Chance

John Lennon

Love always

Barb x x x

17 thoughts on “What a Thing of Beauty!

  1. Such a shame when the old trees come down and more and more houses go up. We are away in Scotland this week and although its cold, the sun is shining and its glorious! Beautiful views over the Lake of Mentieth and wildlife a plenty xx

  2. LOL, just took a peep at the blog whilst waiting for hubby to make a drink (we too are watching the diplomat)! On episode 6 at this moment in time. Had only a shower of rain here, so bedding out and dried. Did you know you can pickle magnolia flowers as they are edible.

  3. Thank you so much Barbara for that blog. ( and all your hard work). I am so sad when they chop beautiful trees down , for nothing only to make roon for building and suchlike . our magnolia is about over now, been beautiful too. I love the Shac, you have taught me so much thankyou again. Stay well, and go steady. x

  4. I was surprised watching Gardner’s World on Friday when the presenter (not Monty) picked off one of the petals of her magnolia and ate it. She said it tastes a bit like ginger, can’t quite bring myself to pinch one off next door’s ! It’s a bit like this around Oxford too much building of bigger houses (even the affordable ones are not!) being snapped up by people from London for an easy commute is the rumour but who knows who’s buying them. The old paper mill in Wolvercote has been built on now – roads are named around that including Collett Way, named after my Grampy, who was manager there for years. I’ve been to a Groovi get together, just the 3 of us today, and the drive back in the rain was hard work, so much surface water. Enjoy your programme I’ll have a look for that. We’ve been catching up with Series 1 of Race Around the World (think that’s what it’s called) been good and there’s a current one on now. Someone recommended it to us and glad they did. I’m getting anxious now to see which couple gets to the end first 😹 xx

  5. What wonderful magnolias you have, I am green with envy. My garden is not big enough now although we had three at our old home and I miss them lots. I had some similar to yours ( paler and silk ) in my wedding bouquet and made sugar paste ones for the cake. That takes me back, it was 25 years ago.

    I wholeheartedly agree with your rant. It is shameful what these developers get away with. And what a cheek giving the new roads botanical names!!!!!!

    We definitely need to give peace a chance in this crazy world.

  6. What magnificent magnolias! Isn’t nature amazing?
    Thanks for mentioning the Diplomat. OH is planning to watch I’m a Celebrity, which does not appeal to me, so I have been looking for something to get my teeth into. When I have caught up with Race across the World I shall give it a go, as it looks good.
    Thanks for the SHAC this morning – as always a good start to the week. Have a good evening. X

  7. I think that I have magnolia envy. I want to plant one in our garden but here in North Norfolk they just start looking fabulous and then the frost damages them, turning the petals brown and bruised. Hubby outright said no, so I just have to enjoy my neighbours one while it’s still looking pretty.

  8. The magnolia is beautiful & lovely colour. The ones round here tend to be cream with a hint of pink – perhaps it is the soil they grow in or maybe there are more varieties than I thought. Agree about the house building – none that the youngsters can easily afford when getting on the property ladder.

  9. Thousands of houses being built in Cornwall, acres of good land to dual the A30…, which we can do without, all spoiling what folk come to see! Cornish folk can’t afford the houses, no extra schools, doctors surgeries, hospitals. Madness, heaven help our young people.

  10. We had the most beautiful Magnolia tree in our next door neighbour’s garden, until they cut it down, along with anything else remotely green. Such a shame.
    And now they’ve cut down swathes of trees at junction 10 of the M25 to ‘improve’ the flow of traffic and to give cyclists a lane to ride in on the A3. I ask you! Thousands of trees have gone. It’s criminal. That’s my rant over!!

  11. We’ve had wall to wall sunshine for days now. Beautiful clear sky tonight so just waiting to see if I can catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights. They were visible over our Loch last night – late – and I missed them! Curtains open tonight just in case! Hxx

  12. Lovely picture from your garden. Did Dave’s box hedging borders survive the onslaught of the caterpillars? Remember you talking about in the SHAC but can’t remember if we ever got to find out the ending! Gardening and crafting are my two favourite pastimes, both good for the body and soul. xxx

  13. How beautiful. Not sure how well magnolias would fare up here with the wind? I think my ornamental grasses might need replacing too as they were damaged over the winter months. They are planting 3 oak trees for the coronation, grown on from an ancient oak sovthat will be lovely for the children to watch them grow over the years x

  14. Hello Barb, your Magnolia is amazing, I am still waiting for ours to flower. It is such a pity that so much of nature is destroyed to make way for homes. A fabulous quote, one to take on board. Take care everyone. Bx

  15. Couldn’t agree with your rant more. So many beautiful orchards, trees and fields around here are now covered in concrete and brick truly awful with nowhere for nature to go. As for the youngsters who need the houses being able to afford them don’t get me started……
    We’ve just finished watching The Diplomat and it was brilliant just hoping the bring out another series.

  16. Think we have lost our Magnolia but thought that last year but it survived. Mine has never flowered just grown leaves. Yours is beautiful. Talk about rain yesterday. Someone ‘ up there’ had the hose pipe on full. I got drenched. I agree with you about the housing. We have been battling for years to save our hospital. Take care.

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