My Blog is Moving

Unfortunately 'Blogger' is not updating its Apps to be compatible with the latest iPhone and iPad data  therefore making it difficult to continue with my blogs using the Blogger platform. 

Due to this I've decided to amalgamate my two blogs - 'Life Is For The Living' and 'This Way To The Garden' and have just one blog where I can write about a broader range of topics. 

I'm still going to keep both the old Blogs open for readers old and new, but will not be updating them any more.

My new Wordpress Blog, still named 'Life is for the Living', can be found on the link below:

My New Wordpress Blog: Life Is For The Living

Wymondley Woods

We visited Wymondley Wood for a walk the other day, after we'd been to The Fox at Willian for lunch. It was yet another glorious November day and still very warm and sunny after we'd had lunch, so we drove around the country lanes and parked up at Wymondley Woods. 

Wymondley Wood is a nature conservation and field study area adjacent to existing and newly planted forest environments. There are good variety of pathways that lead in and out of the woods and through grassy areas. The woods together with grassland and meadows, which fringe the area, provide food and cover for a wide variety of wildlife all year round. It's surrounded by beautiful arable countryside too, which provides a rich contrast. 

It was both a lovely time of year and a lovely day to visit. The trees were at their most glorious, looking so golden in the sunshine, the air was very still and sometimes we had a small flutter of autumn leaves falling... perfect.

Ashridge Estate

We visited the stunning Ashridge Estate in Hertfordshire recently, which is quite nearby to us.  It's owned by the National Trust and is an estate made up of ancient trees and woodlands, rolling chalk downlands and lush meadows - all in an area of natural outstanding beauty. 

It's a place that encourages walkers, dog walkers, cyclists and horse riders, with over 80 miles of designated footpaths, bridleways and cycle paths: a place of space, fresh air and freedom. There are also fallow deer and muntjac deer - deer have been on the estate at Ashridge for hundreds of years. 

It was a gorgeous and sunny November day and I'd thought the trees and woodlands might look stunning at this time of year and on a day like this. And they were - there's nothing like crackling leaves underneath your feet and the sight of colours changing form green, to gold, to orange and then red. There was a gentle breeze in the air and the leaves trickled silently from the trees - I love to see this. Beautiful. 

There's also a visitor centre and National Trust shop together with a lovely open air cafe, which is perfect for a rest and some refreshment after a walk. We enjoyed a warming lunch after our first walk and then treated ourselves to an afternoon tea after another explore around. I always feel there's something special about eating outside on a cold, crispy day, everyone wrapped up in cosy scarves and hats enjoying the fresh air and beautiful surroundings. 

Autumn, Wimpole and Pumpkins

The days may be shorter and colder now since the clocks went back an hour last weekend, but we've been enjoying some beautiful sunny days this last week or so, giving us chance to enjoy the last of the autumn and its spectacular colours.

We visited Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire and I was surprised at how many plants were still in flower and how many bright colours there were to still enjoy in the walled garden. There were huge dazzling displays of dahlias all around the garden in pale pinks, vivid pinks, golds, oranges and white. Bright yellow rudbekias were still going strong and the ornamental grasses shone golden in the late autumn sun.

We visit this garden regularly and at different times of year and it never fails to disappoint. I'm not sure if I've visited this late in October before, but it was as stunning as ever and offered much more than I'd expected for this time of year - very uplifting as the days draw in and we head into winter.

There were some glorious pumpkin and squash displays in the greenhouse too, as it's been Halloween this week - all those bright yellows and oranges together that ring of autumn. To round off our visit, we had a venture around the pathways of the estate to enjoy the sights of the turning trees and their splendid colours and then it was time to warm up and head off to the cafe for an afternoon tea - everyone was sat outside making the most of the sunshine.

On leaving the shops and the main courtyard behind, we were offered some free pumpkins. So homeward bound and carrying our pumpkins to the car, I was already savouring the idea of making pumpkin soup and enjoying a traditional Halloween evening...

Autumn Glory

It's autumn again, a stunning time of year as the colours of nature transform to golds, browns, russets, reds and yellows. A signal of change and that winter is coming, but a time of beauty before the days grow shorter and the long dark nights set in. A time for enjoyment, peace and tranquility before the mad rush of Christmas begins. 

It's lovely to watch the leaves flutter down from the trees in the breeze and to be able to kick and crunch through banks of colourful leaves already on the ground. The apples are ready and ripe for picking and making into chutneys and sauces. There's still an odd day when it's mild and sunny -remnants of summer before the first heavy frosts and storms begin. 

Autumn Flowers

It's October, but gardens are still alive and thriving with so many flowers.

I've been pleasantly surprised with the lovely hazy sunshine and mild weather we've been having and it's been lovely to still be enjoying the late summer flowers in the garden - it almost looks like it is still summer if it wasn't for the golden and red leaves turning the trees into that glorious autumnal colour.

There are still roses flowering and giving off their beautiful scents in the October breeze. I always enjoy seeing the verbenas swaying - even when they've passed their best of flowering, they always seem to stand tall at this time of year and add so much colour and depth to the borders.

I love seeing the hydrangeas, they are a strong and colourful plant during July and August and in autumn their flowers still look gorgeous as their colours fade and their lacy caps become tinged with shades of gold and creams. Again, they contribute so much to the beauty of the garden in autumn.

We also have so many salvias and wallflowers too, still bursting full of flowers - they've been flowering since early spring and are still going strong as we head towards the winter months. Cotoneasters full of red berries tipple over walls and rocks and of course the apple tree is laden with apples ready for picking and cooking. Bright pink sedums are always a favourite of mine at this time too - they never fail to liven up dull corners and spots around the borders.

My favourite of all at this time of year has to be the michaelmas daisy, as their delicate purple and yellow heads rise high towards to the late warm sunshine. One of our back garden borders has burst back into full bloom and they're looking stunning.

And, of course, there's still the last of those summer bedding plants - geraniums and begonias especially, squeezing the best of the milder weather before the frosts begin. It's soon going to be time to tidy up and redo the pots and baskets with winter bedding.

Roses at Wrest Park

Autumn rose