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This is the time of year when I  am so sick of watering, I could scream. Last week's shower helped but the ground is very dry. Rain is predicted for Monday. It is noticeably cooler and it even got down into the 40s last night.  I've noticed trees changing color around town. Ours are just barely beginning to show some color. But change is definitely in the air. Plants I'm enjoying right now - A few weeks ago, I wrote about a gift of colchicum. I had not seen any trace of life until it rained. The following morning - magic! Cochicum 'Water Lily' Another gift from years ago is the autumn cyclamen. Always a nice surprise! Kinnikinnick is growing over it and I like the effect. Autumn Cyclamen I love asters and am constantly adding more to the garden. This is a recent purchase - 'Starshine' Aster ageratoides 'Starshine' This one is an unknown, given to me by a friend that I sometimes garden for. It is 6 feet tall! If anyone knows the name, I'd love to ...
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Wells Cathedral, Swan Hotel, Wells Street Market & Vicar's Close



After a day of touring Stourhead and The Newt, it was back to our hotel in Wells - The Swan. This is an older hotel with a bewilderingly complex floor plan. Narrow hallways, multi-level staircases, and endless turns, it was like something out of the Winchester widow's house. I was unable to locate my room after checking in and had to seek assistance. 


The previous night, I had dinner in the hotel restaurant, and had fish and chips with traditional mushy peas. It was delicious. 


Before leaving for Stourhead that morning, I walked down the street filled with quaint shops. A street market was in the process of setting up -

















Proceeding down the next few blocks leads you to Wells Cathedral and the surrounding area -









Down a side street to Vicar's Close, Europe's oldest street with original buildings intact. Dating back to the mid-fourteenth century, the 27 residences were built for Bishop Ralph of Shrewsbury. The houses are mostly occupied by students. I thought it was a bit of a shame as most of the houses had drab landscaping (the ones in these photos being the exception). I can just imagine this filled with cottage gardens -












Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. AnonymousSeptember 12, 2025 at 7:40 AM

    English Fish and Chips is delicious. Did you try any blood sausage for breakfast? Not many dare :-D
    I find those early morning strolls down the 700 year old streets are as much fun as visiting the gardens.
    Chavli

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    1. AnonymousSeptember 12, 2025 at 7:56 AM

      I did, not knowing what it was. When someone told me, I stopped eating!

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    2. AnonymousSeptember 12, 2025 at 1:13 PM

      Have you ever thought about how exactly this squeamishness really confirms exactly how rich we are as a country? LOADS of stuff we *choose* not to consume. We have extreme privilege. Obviously England isn't as desperate as it was way back when blood sausage was a caloric/nutritional necessity. It's choice there as well, now, but the existence of it as a normalized foodstuff still goes to show...

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  2. tz_gardenSeptember 12, 2025 at 8:55 AM

    This post brought back so many memories for me, not visiting this exact spot - but the UK in general. The fish 'n chips & mushy peas among them! Although I'm going to have to look up what a Flapjackery is? *Chunky oat bars, they look delicious.

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  3. Kris PetersonSeptember 12, 2025 at 10:17 AM

    Such a different "in town" experience from what one would encounter here. I've come to dislike window shopping but I'm sure I would've had fun doing it there!

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  4. JerrySeptember 16, 2025 at 8:56 PM

    Dang, that sign about the coffee shop and the view. Someone was feeling sore! Loved seeing the Wells Cathedral and Vicar's Close.

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  5. AnonymousSeptember 18, 2025 at 6:27 AM

    That fish looks like a whale!

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