Sunday, September 11, 2011

The Hawthornes Take A Trip To The Elizabethan Gardens.

Ever since Sunday, September 4, I've been spending about 6-8 hours every day cleaning up, in addition to doing everything else that needs to be done. I needed a break yesterday. I needed to get away from the carport crap. The yard mess. I just needed to get away. Since Miss Irene destroyed my herb garden, save for 2 rosemary bushes, I headed to the Elizabethan Gardens to buy more herbs. I needed to do something to make me happy. I'm selfish and self-absorbed that way.
First thing, we get behind these tourons who were renting a house down the street from us. As I've said, Colington Road is 2 crappy lanes with a speed limit of 35 mph. These folks are going 20 mph. The ENTIRE 3.8 miles of Colington Road.
Colington Road. More of Irene crap.
Now, we're on the bypass. Speed limit is 50 mph. This car, in the PASSING LANE, is going 30 mph. This is what all of us deal with down here. Good thing I'm not driving. I spent the first part of the trip to Manteo YELLING at people in cars in front of me. I am stressed enough already and these drivers are adding fuel to the fire. Get OUT of MY WAY!
Finally. Our Destination. I love going to the Elizabethan Gardens.
This is where I need to be.
Plants for sale!
I have two carts full! I know I came for herbs, but I ended up with so much more.
I've had this idea of starting a white garden. I found this beautiful white hibiscus to be the focal point.
Don't you love the beds here? They change seasonally.
I shot pictures inside the gift shop while Mr. Hawthorne took care of my plants.
They used to have a picture of Queen Elizabeth in here. Then they found out it was worth about a gazillion dollars so now it's gone. If you'd like some history of the gardens please check out one of my earlier blog posts.
Good bye, Elizabethan Gardens. Until next time. Back home now. Here's what my herb garden used to look like: Here it is now:
My bare, but just tilled, vegetable garden. Buh bye tomatoes, tomatilloes, peppers, squash, zucchini, beans, and cucumbers. Only 2 of my rosemary plants kinda made it. Maybe the others will come back. The pots of herbs are sitting in the garden, waiting to be planted. Pitiful. My herbs were so pot-bound. I had a hard time pulling the roots apart so they could breathe. Hope they make it.
I planted them. Heavily watered. I needed normalcy. Planting is normal. To me. The mosquitoes are worse than ever today. Now I have oregano, sage, and thymes again. Also some catnip for Dogwood when he comes to visit. So much more to do.

3 comments:

Marilyn said...

So glad to hear that the Elizabethan Gardens survived Irene. I had wondered about that. And even thought the car in the first video kind of resembles mine (but is a cheaper model), I swear it wasn't me holding you up.

Around here we have the students to contend with, not the tourons. Although, ours last 9 months out of the year. How long do yours last?

Rosie Hawthorne said...

Easter to Memorial Day. All summer to Labor Day - Thanksgiving.
I'd say peak number of tourons would be 250,000.

Rosie Hawthorne said...

Mar, what tiny part of the gardens I showed in this post was basically unaffected from Irene. It is protected. There's the orangerie and the fountain and the boxwood enclosed gardens. If you look at the one with the dark red in the center (coleus?) you'll see wind damage there. I imagine they had great damage on the north east side. From the surge.