Yesterday, I woke up at 5am so I could take three buses through London to get to Isabella Plantation, located in lovely Richmond Park. It is a special area, where one can see the most spectacular plantings of azaleas and rhododendruns imaginable.

Even though the blooms are patchy this year, due to the drought from last year (yup, even here, the weather can cause mayhem) it was well worth the trip and I spent the early hours wandering ALONE which was a tremendous treat. Nothing but me and the glory of nature. I heard my first woodpeckers, and saw my first rabbits, along with revelling in acres of more colours than I could put names to. A few camillias were left as well, and for the first time I discovered a Handkerchief Tree, brought all the way from China.

It was a grand day, and even when the place became full of other people and I resorted to putting on my headphones and listening to classical music thanks to Radio 4 (Bless em) I became drunk as a skunk with all that is truly Holy to me...Nature!..xx..e