Wednesday with Nelly Moser... and Beryl and Jim

As I’ve mentioned before Beryl, my Granny, and her love for flowers and gardening has been a huge influence...

My Grandpa, Jim, was an expert lawn mower, tomato grower and pond maintainer, and as he had also trained as a carpenter, he made everything from Beryl's shed to the bird table...as well as the tortoise hut!

Today I was rearranging the top of my wardrobe and spotted this book...a gift from Beryl to Jim in  Easter 1941. 

These cups and saucers were also theirs; ‘Beryl’ by Woodsware...the extra large cup was always Jim’s, the saucer was often filled for Barker; their smooth haired fox terrier...

This was such a reminder of two people at the beginning of their gardening journey, during wartime, and who now seem to be accompanying me in the middle of mine...

When I decided to try growing a Clematis a few years ago, the only one I had really heard of was Nelly Moser...Beryl must have had one in the garden and I always liked the name, and as Nelly Moser is good for shady spots I thought it would suit my teeny North facing garden...

They are always so delicate and often only last a couple of days if there’s a bad storm, but if they stay attached for a few weeks they are stunning...

( I’m too small to get a good overhead shot...and yes, that is another snail on that petal! )

even when they’ve been snailed they still look pretty...

and the stems and seed heads have a real art nouveau feel to them...

Also out front, and loving the shade, are my neighbour’s amazing Arum lilies... ( they have 4 of these massive clumps! )

but loads of them completely collapsed after heavy rain yesterday...

however due to neighbourly generosity, the collapsed beauties are now standing proudly on my mantlepiece!