Garden Clean-Up

October 05, 2025

Agatha Christie's Greenway (Devon, England) - The House

I can think of two places that we visited where I enjoyed the house more than the gardens. The first was Greenway, not for the house itself, which was surprisingly small and cramped, but for the history behind it and the fascinating mementos on display. Agatha Christie and her husband Max Mallowan were enthusiastic collectors. You can see their collections on display throughout the house - European and Oriental ceramics, pottery, African tribal masks, Egyptian artifacts, Tunbridge ware, china, trinkets, and books. The Morning Room has a portrait of Agatha Christie as a child and her doll Rosie, sitting in a chair - The Drawing Room was where the family would gather in the evenings. Christie would entertain guests by reading chapters from manuscripts of her latest books. Agatha Christie's bedroom. Max always slept on a smaller portable traveling cot (you can see part of it in the foreground). It was his favorite bed and he carried it with him on all of his archaeological travels. N...

Pieris 'Passion Frost'

After an unexpected and lengthy trip to Alabama, I am behind in the garden. Normally I would have the roses pruned by now. I'm only a few weeks late so I'm not in panic mode yet. I love this time of year when the roses, ornamental grasses and the dead stalks on the perennials can be cut back and carted away. The neat and tidy appearance of the garden appeals to me and the bare spaces give the promise of what is to come.

Being out in the garden for an extended period after months of indoor idleness makes me realize how out-of-shape I am. I see exercises, especially back exercises, in my future.

And finding a weather-friendly day to do this stuff is challenging. It is rare to get a full sunny day and if the sun makes an appearance at all, it will be after 11 before it does so. The temperatures are not going to warm up until the sun appears. It never fails that beautiful, sunny days always occur on days when you have to do something else (dental and eye appointments have been frequent lately). On the days that you do have time to venture out, it will usually be damp and dreary. End of rant.

All of these photos were taken in the front garden, where 90% of the chores are completed. I've already started in the back.