Back from Italy. And suddenly, have you noticed the evenings getting shorter, the mornings just that little darker? If you are in the Southern Hemisphere, you will suddenly be feeling the longer days now, I think. Up here, we’re shifting a gear in the other direction.
We’ve had misty days, cool and green…
but then sunshine too, and now the heat – a late, beautiful summer week. Last weekend was the Dorset County Show. Charlie has triumphed, of course…. I loved this mole in animals made from Veg section, always a favourite. And this – only highly commended? But strangely this little dachshund with so much character might have been my favourite! Shaun Vallard’s extraodinary begonias. Charlie’s gladi. Inspecting tomatoes. Mark Read’s prize winning potatoes, perfect.
And his perfect geraniums. Charlie’s rhubarb – a hotly contested class. And roses.
My one contribution was to install the flowers in the floating bowl – art direction by Charlie, needless to say.
Second in marmalade was a welcome addition to the roster.
And the usual beautiful views of the show, in progress. Sheep judging: The main arena, for the Grand Parade – all the prize winning animals. I find this so moving – so much hard work and dedication, and care for animals and for farming. The prize winning pig leaves the ground…
Back home, the cutting garden is beyond beautiful. The veg garden has gone mad. Pumpkins in the compost heap…. No room to sit down. Then the real heatwave arrived.
The lake has a hint of autumn in the trees.
Back to the grand parade, Day 2 – rare sheep. And prize giving in the horticultural tent…. Neil Hatch and his many fantastic dahlia entries….
Charlie with an appropriate shirt. Ron Benfield, gets the onion prize too. Mark Read, happy as ever. And then yet again it was the end of the show. We broke down the tent and tables as quickly as we could, in sweltering heat – and headed to Caddy’s for a drink and a gossip about it all….. Caddy’s amazing pumpkin tunnel! And her garden, looking beautiful. When Charlie had to dig up his dahlia border a couple of years ago (because of the shade of the ancient copper beech tree in the garden), the tubers made their way to Caddy’s garden – her border is amazing. Early morning in the garden.
Back in London – the last of the dahlias that Charlie had brought up the week before. There have been some astonishing mornings. I had an early train to catch down to Winchester… St Paul’s looking astonishing in the heat haze. Back up that night for the Pentreath & Hall launch, with Lyndsey Ingram, of Kate Friend’s beautiful new book of flower portraits. A lovely evening – the street never felt better. At dawn the next morning I was down in Hampshire, photographing this house which I designed about ten or more years ago now – looking very settled in its landscape, I was glad to see and say. Back down to Dorset. We’ve had a quiet weekend. Breakfast, lunch and not quite supper in the garden (although we did cook outside). And yesterday afternoon the beautiful beach at Burton Bradstock, for a swim, and a pint on our way home…. And an amazing sunset. It feels just ever so gently like the end of summer now – what a magical week of late sunshine it has been.
17 comments
Your newsletters are the best! Keep coming back to look again. Thank you.
Been a bit slow keeping up recently Ben but glad you are both well Charlie’s successes and a glimpse at Venice just wonderful as you say you approach then end of summer while we get a glimpse of warmer days to come.
Wonderful to see the show and all of Charlie’s prizes. Flowers and vegetables he arranged was nice. Loved Charlies Shirt. Your neighbours Dahlias were fantastic. Wonderful pictures of the beach and your lovely table set outside for lunch. Beautiful pictures of London and of course your shop also. So lush where your home is in Dorset and looks like paradise. Charle’s garden again was magnificent this summer. Sad to see summer go, but do enjoy the brisk mornings and cooler evenings, although when it gets dark just after 7:00 pm not so accepting. Thank you again for your beautiful blog, just amazing.
I’m in love with the pumpkin garden.
I love seeing all the photos of the animals & especially Charlie’s entries & winning 🥇 with his outstanding flowers & vegetables, he is a master gardener.
Goodness, I love receiving your emails and reading your blogs. They are so comforting, somehow. Don’t change.
What a delightful shot of the young chap lying / leaning back onto his cattle beast
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A wonderful blog. The county show and Charlie’s amazing wins. He is so clever in the garden, I’d love a few tips on how he does it. I guess hard work and treating the soil right. Fabulous blog to receive and once again makes me want to live in the UK or visit my son there.
your photos of the show and the summer season are wonderful – balm for the soul.
I do believe this is my very favorite blog of all. My favorite time of the year.
So enjoy this blog & the fantastic photos, thank you very much indeed. Well done to Charlie! What a star!
Thank you for this wonderful pictures. As always it is beyond words what you share and after following you for quite some years you are like an extended part of family for me♥️
Such lovely photos. I think my favorite is the one of Charlie in his radish shirt blending in with all this flowers and vegetables. Thanks for sharing them all with us.
You really should turn some of your incredible photos into CARDS!! I am sure they would sell out every time. I would certainly buy them! As always a lovely respite (reading your blog) during a busy day. Enjoy the ends of summer:)
Congrats Charlie, you are an awesome gardening person! I loved the parade of animals!
I am so glad you take us to the Melsplash and other shows. My birth home, Virginia and my chosen home, Maine, have strong traditions of county agricultural fairs but those vegetable portraits England does! I love them so. Thanks for taking us to the fair.
Magical! Thank you and congratulations to Charlie!