Fairy Wings

Having spent yesterday watching the skill of the tree surgeons efficiently and safely topping out my tall eucalyptus tree in danger of taking a neighbours roof out, I needed a day out in search of flowers for Flower Friday, despite the damp forecast. The afternoon was due to be drier in the south, so I headed down to Hinton Ampner near Winchester, owned by the National Trust. 

I had a lovely afternoon (no rain) viewing the house and gardens, and even managed to get into some nearby woodland to see the last of the bluebells (extra).

My main image is of some epimedium, which is apparently in the same family as berberis and mahonias; I know this as I was coincidently reading about them in my RHS gardening magazine this morning.  They are also know as "horny goat weed", but I definitely prefer "fairy wings"!