Early Morning I Dropped Diana Off At Work,

at 04.45 AM as it happens,

arriving home I played with a few photographs and later posted the blog, then just after midday I picked up Diana and we were off, to visit Coombe Wood, as it happens we have visited here many times before, 

looking at some of the rhododendrons in the Foxgrove Lodge that have been in flower for the past few weeks, we thought we would pop along to see the ones here that when they flower are so impressive, 

a quick look at the pool,

with a large willow tree gracing the far side, 

not many spring flowers in these beds, 

just a few grape hyacinths, (Muscari),

as usual I was snapping away, 

as we passed the small waterfalls that feed the pond,

a quick pose,

and another waterfall,

it was here near one of the small pools that we saw a few white flowers, that looked like snowdrops or lily of the valley, but they were, Summer Snowflake, (Leucojum aestivum), each petal with its tell-tale spot of green on it, 

in the dappled sunlight these Marsh marigolds, (Caltha Palustris) were just so bright, 

through the rockery, with super sized rocks!

our first magnolia,  

but these were not what was had come to see, 

but as it happens there were so many camellias in bloom,

which gave us a clue, 

that we were too early for the rhododendrons,

and we were, we had been fooled by the early flowering one in the garden of Foxgrove Lodge, I guess it was in such a sheltered position it flowered early, note to self, call back in a months time when they should be in flower,

we walked to the top of the hill, no deer today, although in the several times we have been here we only caught a glimpse of one, once, we live in hope of seeing another every time we visit, 

no undergrowth here, nothing seems to grow under the pine trees, it be the sap I guess, that drops from the trees that stop other plants growing here,

well I just had to,

down the steps, 

carefully! it is a long way down,

to the gully below,

on the other side of it steps leading up the other side,

another magnolia,

this one, 

pure white, 

I tried to capture how red these berries were in the sunlight, and failed miserably, 

they were just so red,

on our way back to the car, past the euphorbia, a pine in the distance, 

a close up of the euphorbia, 

next into the car,

in 10 or so miles we were here,

 at the statue of General Wolff, it was thanks to him that Canada ultimately became British, 

looking across the green,

a quick pose, 

as we cross the road, 

but before I did I had to photograph this scooter, it was the most vivid daffodil yellow, 

and this is where we were headed, the Tudor Rose Tearoom, a quintessential English tearoom on the green,

2 latté coffees and a huge slice of cake for Diana, to start, 

then Diana's ham & cheese panini and my prawn sandwich arrived, 'Cheers!', the meal came to £24.00,

our snack finished we were out, 

for a walk into town, 

for tomorrow we decided to buy a few things for a salad, 

then a walk to the church, 

through the graveyard, 

making our way back to the car park, before we were winding our way back home, arriving home it was feet up for The Chase, after which 3 back to back episodes of Deadly 60, all based in Brazil,

Steve Backshall and the Deadly crew head into the flooded forests of Brazil, one of the many countries I would love to visit, after which a Poirot it was, Diana was then off to bed, for myself a couple of Bangers & Cash before I too was off to bed.