I travelled for the first few days on my own, arriving in Birmingham and travelling up to Manchester, then over to Bradford where I stayed on a farm, a day out in York with child 3 of 5 and then collecting hubby from the train station in Thirsk.
We then drove down to South Wales where we were based for the rest of our stay with an overnight stay in Lyme Regis with friends.
I haven't seen any other weather other than summer for over 12 months, since moving from South Africa to Dubai in December last year, although winter in Dubai when we arrived it is very similar to a UK summer but without the rain. I visited the UK late April for my niece's wedding and the weather was wonderful and then spent 3 weeks in Canada. I'm off to South Africa next week where it's the end of spring and start of summer.
The gardens I've visited the past 12 months have been wonderful from the Dubai Miracle Gardens in Dubai, Catherine's Garden in Canada, Spring in the Western Cape and of course my Mum's garden twice this year in South Wales.
The towns and cities I've visited were still all in full bloom and looked wonderful.
Birmingham
Allotments in the car park in Saltaire, Bradford
Tewkesbury
Gloucester Cathedral
Bridport, Dorset
Beer, Devon
Thirsk, Yorkshire
York
The Gardens at the B&B in Bradford on the farm
The garden at the B&B in Thirsk
With our daughter on a stroll through Keynsham, Bristol
The Country Lanes of the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
Woodland walks and berry picking
These fir trees were planted by my Mum and Dad at our old house in York in 1976
The Crematorium in Newport where my Gran's ashes are
Log piles
Farmers Markets
My mum's garden
Some of my favourite places there especially Tewkesbury and Gloucester Cathedral. I'm loving autumn at the moment, such a seasons girl so any pictures of pumpkins and farmer's markets have me smiling. Love Bridport for the street markets.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't believe how many flowers were still in full bloom so late in September
DeleteSo many beautiful flower displays, I love the ones framing the blue building. I'd like to knock down our front wall and replace it with something like the stacked stones but I'm not sure where I'd start. Looks like a good trip!
ReplyDeleteit was a lovely trip and i really can't wait to move back to the UK now
DeleteIt's lovely how so many of the gardens and flowers have special meanings for you. And summer seems to have followed you on all your travels!
ReplyDeleteI'd love a bit of winter right now or just stay still for 5 mins and let the seasons catch up with me
Deletedon't even say the s word. summer. i've had eternal decades of it and i'm so happy to be surrounded by fall right now. love that last garden
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to move back to the uk and have some proper seasons again
DeleteWhat a fabulous round up of your travels around. I think the civil planting this year in many towns and cities has been particularly good.
ReplyDeletehubby and i are not sure if we failed to see the UK properly until after we left, 5 years ago, it seems to be far prettier than we recall
DeleteI too have a fondness for Gloucester Cathedral (being my home town and all) and the black and white buildings of Tewkesbury. I love that car park allotment - what a good idea! I especially love the photos of your walk :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for joining in again - enjoy South Africa x
the car park allotment is in Saltaire which is a World Heritage Site
DeleteOh my goodness, you have certainly visited some beautiful and vibrantly coloured places this year, looking forward to seeing what South Africa has to show us
ReplyDeleteI think South Africa will make up many, many blog posts
DeleteWow that's quite an adventure - you can almost see the seasons changing through the post. I love the look of those allotments in Bradford and Beer in Devon is a special favourite of mine, somehow it always seems so magical there :) #hdygg
ReplyDeleteI'm in South Africa now and arrived in Spring, I haven't had a winter since June 2014 in the southern hemisphere
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