We have spent more time in Somerset since the lockdown rules were eased in May than we have spent there in the last few years added together. Who would have thought we had wanted to sell to make our lives less complicated and now have fallen in love with Somerset again. Especially as we have been unable to travel.

We arrived in May after a five month absence. Five months for the weeds to party. A sad looking garden at the rear. The joy of the tulips to come at the front. So from May until now we have spent our waking hours either in the garden when we are there. Or at a nursery restocking. I say we as it has been a joint effort. Ian has found a new interest in the garden and is suggesting plants when we go to the nursery. Another lockdown bonus for me instead of hearing do you really need more I now hear. What are these. They would look good.

It’s been hard work and still we turn our back and up pops up more bindweed or ground elder with a V sign. It’s a never ending battle. Which at the moment we are not winning so don’t look too closely. Or I might cry.

But. This last few weeks we had decided that we couldn’t jus get up. Garden. Afternoon nap. Garden. We also needed a few days out. It was school holidays after all ~ I’d forgotten my life since retirement has been a never ending holiday. Of sorts. Those words still echo in my head constantly ‘ Won”t you be bored? ‘ they asked. Bored. I haven’t had time to be bored. Tired. Exhausted maybe. But never bored.

So with the lyrics ‘ Didn’t we have a lovely time the day we went to ‘ —— ringing in my head off we went on a few little visits. Who recalls who sang it? It was decades ago and despite its popularity was new ever number 1 in the hit parade. No 3 yes. Ask you mother about the hit parade. Pre streaming. Pre downloads and sitting around the radio awaiting the BBC charts on a Sunday night. Maybe recording it on a cassette tape. Only for the thing to get tangled in the cassette player or your Walkman which was the size of a brick and then trying to unravel the tape using a pencil. I digress trust me. Some things weren’t easier then.

Do you fancy a coffee and a walk around the Piet tomorrow? Do I. let me think about it. Yes. I love the Garden at Hauser & Wirth. Particularly at this time of year. Or I should call it by it’s proper name. The Piet Oudolf Field.

Entry booked and arrangements made and a glorious sunny day ~ and a catch up with the Flower Farmer.

Now I don’t have many criticisms of this garden. But the one thing I would have loved is for the open space in the Radic Pavillion to have been positioned to look down the garden. You would have got a great aerial view of the planting. Looking at great swathes of glorious colour. Hats off to the gardener. It’s looking fabulous.

The joy of getting there early meant it felt we had the garden to ourselves. Which is just as well as we talked non stop wandering through the garden. Talking plant. And often talking pants. Nonsense talk but catching up of months of only virtual conversations. That’s me and Georgie. Ian and I have actually talked in lockdown.

A bonus of a walk through the gallery _ where we could be silly for 5 minutes when seeing the exhibition. We are mature adults aren’t we?

So. Didn’t we have a lovely time the day we went to the Piet Oudolf field at Hauser and Wirth Somerset. Doesn’t quite fit the music. But…..

There’s a lot of green about. The wet weather has certainly greened everything up. Including Ian’s rain coat. We bought these ~ One green. One blue in a trendy little shop in Greenwich. Served by a trendy young man to whom I replied to one of his questions. “ No I’m buying it to go to Chelsea’ oh he replied. “You follow Chelsea Great team” No I replied “ Chelsea Flower Show “. His response was typical and made me feel old. “ oh. My mother loves the Chelsea flower show too”. The truth was I was old enough to be his grandfather. Just. I digress yet again.

Dunster Castle. A National Trust property. In. You’ve guessed it Dunster. We had been to Dunster before when we travelled from Taunton on a steam train. Before you ask or even suggest it was not when steam trains were in normal service. It’s a lovely route along the coast to Minehead.

Used as a private dwelling until 1976 it was bequeathed to the National Tryst and it is one of the nicest properties I have visited in a long time. I would love to see the areas not open to the public but that’s the nosey in me. It’s set high up on a hill with amazing views.

The rooms were lovely and light and had amazing views across the channel to Wales. I forget how close the Welsh coastline is. I haven’t forgotten the day trips with school from Penarth pier to Weston Super Mare. I used to hate walking the pier at Weston as I thought the gaps between the wooden boards was too big,

The gardeners had been busy. I loved that each room had a display of flowers from the gardens. All different and fresh. Oh to be able to pick as much for the house. My dahlias are just in bud.

I could have sat in the garden room for hours. Reading. Listening to music looking out at the magnificent views. Wondering why the handle on the door to go out into the garden was almost at knee level. Important things like that.

Down in the basements. The pool room. The gun room with the gun cabinets. The muniment room. No not a spelling mistake. The munimemt room. a room to store the family legal documents. I have a draw for mine.

But it was outside that was a delight. The gardens have a tropical feel. Large banana. Massive ferns on the riverside walk to the Mill. Wide sweeping perennial borders. Acanthus as far as the eye can see. Enourmous gunnera by the gorgeous bridge. Ian has always wanted a gunnera. Have a look at that one _ he’s changed his mind.

The riverside walk leads you to the mill which is still used to mill flour having been renovated and a new mill wheel installed. It also leads you to the tea rooms. You have to stop for tea and cake don’t you. It’s the rules of visiting either a National National Trust property or a National Garden Scheme garden.

So didn’t we have a lovely time the day we went to Dunster. .

We need to get the benefits out of our National Trust memberships It’s a case of use it or lose it. The rule is if we don’t use a membership then it won’t get renewed. Last year was different. We didnt use any of them very much so as things have gradually reopened to various degrees we are determined to make the best use of them.

So. To be continued. This is quite long enough and if you have made it this far take a gold star.

If not there may be questions.