Stockwood Season End Colour

Before all the sunshine goes and the autumn winds bring the branches down, and flatten the blooms, I just had to get away from the computer screens for a break, especially as bright sunshine was casting strong shadows on my blinds.

My destination was Stockwood Discovery Centre Gardens and having sent some images of bugs to Jan, one of the gardeners, I thought I'd check she was able to download them safely, so I hastened to the far end where I spotted her. I asked was there anything of particular interest, and learned that there was indeed; it was a form of red lily, that had been brought in and planted somewhat in the shade of a climbing Morning Glory, and the gentleman who had originally brought it in had been somewhat pessimistic of it flowering – well I can report his pessimism is unfounded, for it has flowered strongly. Jan hopes it will last till the weekend for his visit.

I met an apprentice whom Jan is mentoring, who plans to learn enough to start up his own business, well, he has a good and generous tutor, so he is well-placed to benefit from his time here.

There was a dearth of visitors, so it was easy to get around and spend time sometimes for the wind to die down, at others for the sun to come from behind the clouds, but there was a surprising amount of colour, and numerous water droplets which always adds interest to closeups of flowers.

Whilst in the green house surrounded by scout wasps and apparently a single hornet, two calls came in, one that dashed my hopes of flying into Goodwood for the Revival Meeting, the other from Apple to help get to the bottom of problems besetting my iMac and Lion operating system – despite mentioning I was out photographing some five miles from home, I was asked was I close to my computer!