Saturday 15 February 2014

Over the wall

There was a nice break in the attrocious weather this afternoon, so we wandered into town and then home past the church and the castle.



The boys hunted for a geocache by the church wall.


I wandered over to join in, and was amazed by what I saw in the churchyard.


Literally thousands of snowdrops.  I don't think I've ever seen them growing so densely before.  They took my breath away.





On our way home I took a sneaky photo of this lovely shrub.  Can anyone tell me what it is?  I thought it was Christmas Box, but it doesn't look like the pictures I've seen.  It's lovely though, I'd quite like to get a little one for the front garden, assuming it doesn't mind shade.



I know the photos aren't great, I just had my little point and shoot camera with me, and I'm not quite gutsy enough to stand pointing my camera into someone's garden for very long.  No doubt someone will instantly identify though, I know what a clever lot you are when it comes to plants.

Just a short post today, I've been frying my head trying to make a simple little website for other half and I need to go and look at something other than a screen.  Some wool maybe.  We had a birthday this week - the middle boy turned 8, so hopefully tomorrow we'll go to Cotswold Wildlife Park, which was his choice.  I'm hoping for nice weather.  Enjoy the rest of the weekend.  CJ xx

30 comments:

  1. Wow, that churchyard is stunning; no wonder it took your breath away! I think the shrub is a Viburnum Tinus? Have a good Sunday - forecast to be sunny!!

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  2. I don't know that shrub. The flowers look a little like my Red Robin photinia, but the leaves are different. Happy birthday to your son! He's just a few months younger than my son. Enjoy your family outing celebration. Those snowdrops are incredible. I think I'd like to be buried in a place like that.

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  3. Oohhh yes! What a church yard...always find snowdrops there, but like you, never so many!! xxx

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  4. Oohhh yes! What a church yard...always find snowdrops there, but like you, never so many!! xxx

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  5. Oh my gosh.. such a wonderful historic looking place.. and the snowdrops are outstanding in that old graveyard.. thanks for sharing and ..

    *H*A*P*P*Y* * *B*I*R*T*H*D*A*Y*!*!*!* to your son!

    ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  6. I'm from Goulburn, in New South Wales Australia, bit that shrub looks to me like viburnum tinus, I love your photos and descriptions of walks, thank you

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  7. I'm hoping for nice weather for you all too!!! A very happy birthday to your son friend! And those snowdrops are just gorgeous!!! I think the shrub is a viburnum....I will have to look up what type of viburnum but they do like shade! Have a wonderful weekend! Nicole xoxo

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  8. I have a viburnum in the garden like that and it does really well in the shade and flowers over the winter. Those snowdrops are wonderful. Julie x

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  9. Beautiful snowdrop carpets. Sees you have your answer re the plant. Forecast for today is good so have a great time at the wildlife park with birthday boy.

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  10. What stunning showrooms. I'm hoping for sunshine today too so I can get outside in my garden.
    I think it's a vibernum tinis too - they grow well in the shade. X

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  11. I can understand why you had your breath stolen - just beautiful. I agree with the viburnum identification.

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  12. If the weather is as lovely there as it is here you're having an ace day! And wow, those snowdrops!!! There is a churchyard here that has a lot, but nothing like the display you've pictured here. Such brave little flowers ... that fourth photo lifted my heart!

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  13. What a lovely surprise to find those snowdrops! The shrub is a Viburnum tinus, and it does well even in my garden (very damp, poor soil, windy and never much sun being on the bogs of Ireland...). It flowers about now, and is evergreen. We grew ours from a cutting and it is very sturdy even in bad weather, no damaged leaves from the odd frost or storm. I keep it in shape a bit by trimming after flowering. Hope you can get one, it's definitely worth it!

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  14. Snowdrops are stunning when they're growing en masse like that. Hope you've got good weather today for your trip to the wildlife park.

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  15. How cool is it to say that you walked past the castle on your way home! The castle! We do not have those in Pennsylvania! And what a beautiful almost spring surprise - thanks for sharing.

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  16. I wish I could go for a walk and pass by a "Castle" OH, how I love England. The "snowdrops" were stunning. They must of been there for many many many years. Truly beautiful.. thanks for sharing such a lovely photo. Hugs Judy

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  17. A most enjoyable post, and lucky you seeing snowdrops on mass like that. Churchyards are such interesting places for fauna and flora so always worth a walk round.
    Happy birthday to your middle son and hope that he, indeed all of you, enjoyed visiting the Wildlife Park today.

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  18. Happy birthday, Middle Boy! Have a good time at the Wildlife Park. :-)

    Your pictures are beautiful. Snowdrops are such a nice surprise.

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  19. Those snow drops are breathtaking, thank you for sharing them with us. I don't know when I've ever seen so many. Happy Birthday to your middle boy! x

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  20. Oh wow, those snowdrops are amazing. A whole churchyard full of them. Snow drops are my favourite flowers at the moment. What is a geocache? Must google it, I am intrigued. Enjoy the wildlife park with your Birthday boy and happy Birthday! Cx

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  21. Yes, I'd go along with Viburnum tinus. The snowdrops are stunning!

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  22. The snowdrops look such a fantastic sight! My husband's grandmother is buried in a church in the New Forest and her grave too is covered in snowdrops at this time of year. We have had a viburnum tinus for many years - they are wonderful plants as they stay green, grow well and are easy to take cuttings from. Sarah x

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  23. The snowdrops are beautiful, and as you say so densely packed, I have never seen them like that either, they have obviously not been disturbed for many many years. My first thought for the shrub was a Viburnum as others have said, but when I saw the flowers closer up, I did wonder if perhaps it was some sort of Daphne, but a Viburnum would be more likely. It is lovely whatever it is!! xx

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  24. Those snowdrops are simply stunning.

    Leanne xx

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  25. Thank you for sharing the snowdrops with us. How beautiful. I'd love to see them in real life. I guess the rain has been good in this way.

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  26. I can't imagine having those castles to walk by on a routine basis! So magical. I tend to think things we have in the US are old, but it is nothing compared to the history you're surrounded by. You're such a nice wife to help him with his website. I hear you about being in front of the computer screen too long. I hope you had a nice break:)

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  27. What a wonderful sight to find over the wall. We have a few places round here like that and I love them. One of our local churchyards is a mass of crocuses right night which is stunning too :)

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  28. The snowdrops look amazing, especially amongst the gravestones. I see you got your Viburnum answer, we have a large bush that came with the garden, it provides great greenery over winter and the flowers are quite pretty, my mum always used to comment on how she wished she had one for flower arranging in colder months.

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  29. Stunning snowdrops, I have never seen them en masse like that!
    Gill

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