I believe we are allowed at least one “On Tour” Six on Saturday a year, perhaps many more. At the moment I am staying with my friend Dorcester Doris, in a town not far from where several of my SoS friends live. And whilst she slaves over a bacchanalian feast, I thought I would share our wonderful, but previous, day with you. I’ve omitted the extreme disco roller skating and ninja arm wrestling, dwelling purely on all things horticultural. To find out more about SoS, it’s perpetrators and it’s many complex rules and regulations, pop over to our leader Jim all will be revealed. The story shall begin.
I was thrilled when DD suggested a trip to Wells as I had noticed that a Rare Plants Fair was due this weekend. I knew that Torrington Tina was going and guessed that Noelle and perhaps even Graeme would be attending. Dan Cooper an old friend had a stall and others that I follow on social media. Surprise! I would cry when I bumped into them. Imagining their shocked/happy horrified face. Unfortunately I got the day wrong, the fair is tomorrow when I will be wending my way home. A cruel blow.
DD, Bertie the dog and myself visited the Bishop’s Palace gardens anyway, it was a gorgeous day and such an opportunity was not to be missed. And it did not disappoint. I could quite easily have produced Sixty on Saturday. It took much willpower and photo culling but this lovely Tulipa sylvestris was always going to make the cut. The steep banks up to the ramparts are carpeted with this understated beauty and native primroses. In the sunshine it was a treat.
This magnificent Quercus ilex was another star of the show. With newly planted beds below of ferns and hellebores and other shade lovers, it can only get better and better, year on year.
There was a jaw dropping start to our garden tour; several outrageous specimens of Edgeworthia ‘Red Dragon’ outshone their fragrant border companions of witch hazel and daphne.
Monumental tetrapanax are just beginning to shoot fresh leaves from their giraffe neck stems. Soon their exotic foliage will match the scale of their trunks. At the moment they look rather comical.
I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet any friends at the fair, hopefully there will be another time, but I have left a message for you to discover. The header shot is another clue. There is a chance, I suppose, that it will have gone by tomorrow, but perhaps it will survive, it might even have been added to.
Have fun, whatever you are up to.
Off The Edge Gardening 
I think I’ve found the message, but who are you saying Hi! to? Spring or sunshine perhaps? Very nice photo of the tetrapanax with its new shoots this year.
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Its to me Fred, I just live five minutes by bike away and am going to the Bishop’s Palace tomorrow for the Plant Fair, so I shall go and check I know exactly where this is, a place few people get to at the corner of the Silver Birch grove where I think ‘My Sis’ will have missed the planting of red tulips as they are a couple of weeks away from opening.
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Ha , that’s great !
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This made me very happy. I hope it is still there. The tulips are just showing colour, I’m sure they will be fantastic very soon.
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So pleased you finally made it to the Wells Bishop Palace gardens, and hope the visit has encouraged you to come again Sis. I have a spare ticket so let me know when you are this way. I’ll look out for the message tomorrow. I wonder whether we passed within a few feet, as I went up to the market today, and as usual there were lots of people with dogs…
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I bet we did. Were you there when the poor lady fell over?
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Oh, that was a bummer. Wells is a lovely place and I liked the Palace Gardens too. Edgeworthia ‘Red Dragon’ sounds delightful
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I was so excited! I’m such a dunce, dreadful with dates. It was a fantastic day anyway. Not too many people, which is a good thing.
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It sounds like a good trip even though you missed the plant fair and your friends. But think of the money you saved. I had Red Dragon and killed it so seeing it look so beautiful is very painful.
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I was lovely, sorry to rub salt into your Edgeworthia wound, these shrubs were outstanding though. Try again?
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I didn’t even know there was a rare plant fayre on! The Bishop’s Palace is a wonderful garden. The cafe is rather nice too. I really need to live in a town/village/county beginning with a ‘G.’
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It was probably just as well I got the wrong day as at this very moment I would be wondering how I was going to get several bags of plants plus my suitcase on the train 😂
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The Edgeworthia is gorgeous! Shame you missed the fair! I didn’t know about Bishop’s Palace Gardens, but looks like a great place to visit and probably just about a day trip away from me.
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It is really worth a visit and Wells is such a lovely place you should definitely make a weekend of it!
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Tetrapanax is a thing! I see it here, but don’t have one. The range is puzzling. Enjoyed your tour.
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Thank you, I think Mr T can be a bit invasive so perhaps one to avoid. Great to admire in other people’s gardens though. 😊
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I have developed a bit of a vine phobia since moving to Florida!
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What, no disco roller skating and ninja arm wrestling? That is a shame! Anyway, glad you had a pleasant event. The Magnolias are a glorious opener to the post. And thanks for sharing the Tulip, Oak, Edgeworthia, and Tetrapanax, too. (And “Hi!”) Happy six!
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It has been a lovely weekend away,
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Oh! What a thing to miss!
Well, your six are nice. That is an impressive Quercus ilex. That species is supposedly similar to the Quercus agrifolia in the wild.
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I know, so near and yet so far! I will look up Q. agrifolia, it’s not one I know.
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