5 Beaches from my Childhood.

 Hello me dears. with London going through it's third heatwave of the year my thoughts have have taken me back to the lovely seaside trips I used to have with my family over 50 years ago. 

My home town calls itself Britain's Ocean City. it does have a rich maritime history, a stunning waterfront, and the UK's first National Marine Park. It also has it's own beaches but nothing to compare with these nearby beaches which we visited often.

 

 

The twin villages of Kingsand and Cawsand on the Rame Peninsula In Cornwall. When I was young my family used to catch a ferry to this beach which always made it special. Famous for it's Smugglers and the fact that until 1844, Cawsand was in Cornwall, while Kingsand was in Devon. 

Bigbury-on-Sea and Burgh Island, Devon. Burgh Island is a tidal island At low tide, you can walk across. When the tide is in it submerges the sand, the only way to cross is by riding the famous high-wheeled Sea Tractor. The island is also famous for its Art Deco hotel with connections to Agatha Christie. The beach itself is the most wonderful golden sand and is probably my favourite.

Whitsand Bay, Cornwall. Features dramatic cliffs and a three miles long sandy beach popular with surfers. Accessible mainly via steep cliff paths

 Talking of Surfing next is Fistral Beach Newquay Cornwall the home of British Surfing. In case you were wondering, it was a 'New' Quay in the year 1439 when Edmund Lacy Bishop of Exeter built a new quay to help land pilchards. Cornwall was under the dioceses of Exeter until 1876 when the Diocese of Truro was created.

Slapton Sands is a narrow strip of land and shingle beach which separates the freshwater lake of Slapton Ley from Start Bay in Devon. Idyllic in the summer and a very scary place to be in the Winter Storms. a crucial World War II training ground. In 1943, 3,000 residents were evacuated so Allied forces could use the shingle beach to rehearse for the D-Day landings. On April 28, 1944, German E-boats attacked the fleet during 'Exercise Tiger', killing 749 US servicemen in a tragedy kept secret for decades. 

Hope you enjoyed my little trip down memory lane.

Toodle Loo

and 

Pip Pip. 

  

The Delargo Gardens June

Gosh What a month that was! The hottest June on record and at last our stubbornly pink Hydrangea has turned blue.

 The lilies are gobsmacking this year. This is Lilium 'Muscadet'. It's scent is so powerful it will blow your socks off.

I know people who say that they don't like Begonias. This is the fabulous Santa Cruz. What's not to love!

The extra sunlight in the garden has been welcomed by the Hemerocallis 'Crimson Pirate' (day lily)   

Stately, stunning, very very tall and very strongly scented - Lilium 'Eastern Moon' (a Lilium longiflorum hybrid)

the lovely 'Queen Fabiola' (botanically known as Triteleia laxa, formerly Brodiaea laxa) 

Begonia Bellavista Red 

The salvias are starting to kick off -  this is Salvia 'African Skies'. It is lovely but it's parentage is unsure.

The must have salvia = Amistad, Which is also of unconfirmed parentage.

Thunbergia - Black eyed Susan.

 We adore Garden phlox ( Phlox paniculata ) and it has been a mainstay and a joy of the Midsummer garden despite the shade we had - this is 'Nicky' 

 and this is Phlox paniculata 'Blue Paradise'. More sun = Less blue but still fab.

That's it then me dears for the June highlights - now tiz time to jump up into the Land Rover and tour the rest of our vast grounds

As a Summer treat we are adding the view from the tea-room's kitchen window.

The profusion of flower and colour from Clematis 'General Sikorski' has been extraordinary and would brighten up any back passage.

 Clematis 'Comtesse de Bouchaud' 

our devoted team of gardeners and their apprentices have been working hard on sowing and growing on the bedding -

 for the Grand Parterre and the Long Drive.

There tiz then me darlins - please make use of the VIP Refreshment tent on the South Lawn this month, kindly sponsored by Moët & Chandon

Donny has been busy helping the gardeners planting out the parterre but wanted you to see his choice for the Fuchsia Fest sneak preview.

Fuchsia 'Cliantha'

Well there tiz me darlins. There are more heatwaves to come in July apparently but hey ho, I will get through it stinko by my pool.

 So all that's left is, Ttfn From Donny

and Ttfn from me.

Toodle Pip. 

Cookery Book number 355

 Having just catalogued Cook Book 355 I though a Book post was in order.

#355; The Art of Home Cooking, by the Stork Margarine Cookery Service. This is a replacement for my mothers copy and is the what she used when she taught me to cook when I was just knee high. Published in 1954 it is actually older than me. I wonder if any of our chums remember it in their Mum's or Granny's kitchen drawer.

 

 

It joins #354 Court Favourites Recipes From Royal Kitchen by the wonderful Elizabeth Craig also published in 1954.

 

 #15 The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook

some delight from  #342 Dame Edna's Coffee Table Book A Guide to Gracious Living  

there is an index so if you would like to have a go at any of the dishes I can post the recipe for you.

 What better to end with other than gratuitous photos of 'Fanny' #283 Fanny and Johnnie Cradock Cookery Programme the Book

 

 

please send a stamped addressed envelope to receive the recipes of your choice

Toodle Pip

The Delargo Gardens - May

Wow 35.1°C recorded at Kew this month. We have had to do a bit of extra watering but the garden has loved it and grown like topsy.

 June should be the month for roses but for us it is late May this is our Essex Rose and below is the wonderful Gertrude Jekyll.

 

Both have been fabulous all month but Jon's cutting has now taken off and wants to conquer the world.

 We choice our three Clematis from the three different groups to spread out the flowering through out the summer. Hey Ho they are all in flower now and that is fine and fab

Clematis 'General Sikorski' - Group 2

 Clematis 'Nelly Moser' Group 2

 Clematis 'Rouge Cardinal' - Group 3

Clematis 'Comtesse De Bouchard' -  Group 3

 Hey Ho they can flower when they like and I will get the same pleasure. As does Thalictrum aquilegiifolium

 

Tradescantia

Veronica with Mexican Fleabane

 

 We love our Geraniums and they are all about to kick off

 

as are the Salvias we have some newbies to show of latter in the season

 

So much to look forward to but till then lets enjoy what we have now and take a tour of our vast estate.

 

the Mound

The Terraced Garden

Wine Time

if you have a look up our back passage you will see Scilla Peruviana if you can get this then get it and grow it. It is amazing.

 

I thought you might be interested to see how the Taro is doing. It had another hard unprotected Winter but it is back ! 

 And our Cymbidium orchid is still refusing to stop flowering. I think it will get into June and then it will be off for it's Summer holiday in the garden

 

 

Donny is reminding me to mention the Fuchsia Fest Sneak Preview. This week it is the tiny Jewel like, 'Just Pat'

 

Well there we are then me dears May has been amazing and I am looking forward to seeing what is going to happen in June. We Hope to see you then but till then -

 

It's Ttfn from Donny

and Ttfn from me

Pip pip