The Flowers That Bloom in the Spring, Tra-La!

Spring has sprung in merry olde England, and the flowers are a-blooming!  I thought you might like to see some of the gorgeous flora that I’ve encountered over the last few weeks during my visit to London, as well as in and around Oxford.



First, in London, Tiff and her friend Christian and I went to Regents Park, which is a very large green space in north London.  The beds were overflowing with beautiful flowers.  It was a bright, sunny day, and the garden staff had set out lawn chairs; people were sitting in them, soaking up the rays.



One of the lovely beds

 

A black tulip!




Too early for blooms in the Queen's Rose Garden

Tiff also showed me a beautiful little garden in her neighborhood.   It’s called Albion Square.  I was amazed at the depth of the colors – especially the blue flowers.

A couple of Sundays back, my friend Sharon and I went to Oxford’s Magdalen (pronounced Maudlin) College gardens, which were open to the public that afternoon.  We got in for free on my Bodleian card!  There were lovely flowers and lots of green space, including a fenced-in deer park.

Then, last Thursday, Sharon and I went on a Midsomer Murders (my favorite TV mystery, remember?) tour of south Oxfordshire.  It was a beautiful day, and we saw many of the towns where they shoot the TV murders series.  Of particular note was the wisteria.  I heard on a British garden show that wisteria like lots of sun, particularly afternoon sun.  The vines we saw must have had lots of afternoon sun!

We also came across the grave of Dusty Springfield (“Son of a Preacher Man”) in Henley-on-Thames, which is the home to the world’s most prestigious rowing event, the Henley Royal Regatta (June 29 – July 3).  Someone had laid fresh flowers on her grave.  



The only one who could ever reach me was the son a a preacher man...