Monday 5th July 2010

And so we finally stirred after a night of deep sleep, which was possible as the temperature had dropped. Although we look forward to summer, we sometimes forget the downside of all that sunshine; sweaty balmy nights, bugs and insects, sunburn and the like. So, a good nights sleep is always welcome. Normally we get up at six or thereabouts, and are out and about, so to lay in bed until after eight, and then have a lazy breakfast and not be ready for the outside world is a pleasant luxury indeed.
It was already getting very warm, but with a cool breeze sweeping in from the south, so we decided not to go too far; Jools had never been to Walmer Castle , which is just a few miles from us, and that was to be our destination. I had been there before, a couple of weeks before starting this job, and the garden was stunning in spring; so I thought it would be even better at the height of summer.
It took ten minutes to drive to Walmer, and then find the last parking space in the shade of a large hedge; in fact I almost parked inside the hedge so to ensure the car would not get too hot for our return. Walmer Castle is very similar to the one at Deal, made of layers like four-leafed clovers, giving fine defences, although centuries ago it had been turned into a fine house, mansion or small palace, really.



We showed our English Heritage cards and walked through the house to the entrance to the garden, and into a riot of colour. All along the side of the moat on one side was all lilac, looking wonderful in the sunshine. Down in the moat, now all grassed and many years since it saw any water, is planted many trees and bushes, some in bloom, others in bud; when the Buddleia comes out it will be a fine sight, especially with the butterflies.



The kitchen garden is full of fruit and vegetables, all looking fine and well cared for; in the hot houses exotic plants and fruits are looking very well too. I snapped them all. We walked up through wide hedges, past flower beds wonderfully layered to give a wall of colour, up through laws laid out for croquet and into paddocks and then into woodland, feeling wonderfully cool in the dappled sunshine. A squirrel collected food in the dead leaves, and barely cast us a look.



We came to an ornamental pond, and the air was full of flashes of bright azure blue, as Imperial Dragonflies flittered hither and thither, the females pausing on lily pads to lay eggs. I even get shots of them on the wing, it was tricky, but the shots are not bad, even if I say so myself. After stopping in the shade of a summerhouse to watch the world go by, we decide to head home for lunch and a relaxing afternoon. We get a loaf of bread and a few other nice things for lunch, and head back.