We walked past the lilac tree towards Orchard Walk. The round signpost on the right has a picture of a bicycle on it, this informs us that cyclists may use this path. Through the iron railings are the Chapel Street School playing fields. Our path lies ahead and under the  hawthorn trees, heavy with May-blossom.

Walking under the may-blossoms. The air is heavy with the scent of them. Buried somewhere in the thick hedge on the left is a gateway, when I was a boy it would have led you down a field to Hyam's Farm. However, the farm has not been in use for many years and the buildings lie derelict. We kids were frightened of the farm, one of the Hyam sons was reputed to have an appalling facial disfigurement, this acted in an adverse way on our vivid, young imaginations, and fear of meeting the unknown prevented us venturing down the field to the farm.

We emerge from Orchard Walk onto Church Street, across the highway the heavy yellow blooms hang down from the Laburnum tree in Johnny Cudworth's yard. When I left the military, a long, long time ago, I attempted to buy the ivy covered cottage on the left of the picture. Unfortunately, my circumstances changed at a crucial moment in the buying process, and I had to withdraw the bid. I guess I've regretted it ever since. I love that  house.

One of the gardens on Manor House Court. It contains all the regulars to be found in English gardens, pansies, blue lobelia, little dorritt, aubretia, snow in summer and hardy geraniums. Not to my liking, this is much too formal for my taste.

This is even worse!! What an eyesore!! Why on earth anyone would want to have this monstrosity in front of their house, I cannot understand. I guess we should move on very quickly. Are you coming?

This is so much better. The kind of a garden in which we could sit and enjoy some quiet contemplation. Restful to the eyes and the mind. A garden that will develop with it's owner  as the years pass. We always stop to admire it when we pass on our walk.

Another view of the same garden, looking down the side of the house. Much thought has gone into the planning and it shows in the placing of the beds and shrubs. This is a garden that has been developing for many years and is now coming to it's best.  I'm a personal friend of the house owners and know how proud they are of how it's all turned out.

Ah. Here we have a nice example of the white lilac (syringa alba) the flowers virtually unmarked. Beside it a clematis has decided to scale a telegraph pole. Looks as though we have to carry on with our walk if we're ever going to find a lilac coloured lilac. So let's go. You aren't getting tired, are you? Click here to continue the walk