A Garden Seat at Landhydrock with tales to tell

I was admiring the view of the glorious countryside around me. The birds were singing loudly on this beautiful spring day. My friend the Blackbird arrived first & stood on the grass looking up at me waiting hopefully for a titbit. I told him to wait, someone would come along with a picnic soon.

Sure enough a glamorous blonde girl arrived & chose me, of all the lovely seats & positions. She had a sad look about her.  She immediately got out her mobile phone & started texting. Of course I could not read what she was saying.  She stayed awhile looking at the beautiful Rhododendron opposite me, sitting so peacefully, as though waiting for a reply. A lover?  A friend? I will never know. No pinging back from her phone of messages received. Poor girl. Or perhaps I was imaging too much. A true romantic, I wanted everyone to have someone to love.

Then an elderly couple arrived carrying a hamper of goodies. I could smell the Cornish Pasty & the tomato soup. The man stared at my blonde beauty, but she took no notice. She was in another world. The Blackbird, no fool, arrived quickly looking up at them.  The woman, obviously a bird lover, got out her Pasty & broke a tiny bit off. The Blackbird grabbed it in a flash & flew off to eat it behind the safety of the Rhododendron. Then a Robin arrived & another. Oh yes they knew all about picnickers. The woman was delighted by such bravado.  She would have no lunch left if this went on. They seemed happy enjoying a glass of wine & admiring the beautiful Magnolias. Their petals dropping like snow flakes, littering the ground with pink colour.  The girl got up quietly & walked away without acknowledging them, much to the man’s sorrow. He loved to chat to everyone. Other couples came by, my oldies discussing them. I wont tell you what they said. I am a solid & secretive Seat & I want everyone to love me. After all I have one of the best views in the Park, 160 degrees of beauty, Camellias, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, daffodils, countryside, the little church, the Grand house, too much to mention.  Particularly noisy little boys arrived climbing all over me, I wanted to say ‘I am for sitting on’ & not for jumping on & off. They soon got bored as the young do & moved on. Eventually after a good tuck in my oldies moved on, eager to see everything on this sunny spring day. They were talking about buying an ice cream each, a rum & raisin for him & strawberry & clotted cream for her.

A moment of peace & reflection & then along came a group of walkers with heavy knapsacks, cameras & walking poles. Of course they chose me because I am the biggest seat with a lovely curve. They discussed the plants & where they would walk next. Down to the river to see the wild Jonquils with their little yellow heads & perhaps a Kingfisher if they weren’t too noisy. I was happy when others are happy, after all it is my job. They moved on eventually as everyone does, making the best of the blue sky & so much colour to capture with their cameras.

Then a family with small children arrived. A Hawk hovered above & they shrieked with delight. The Robins chased each other nearby but kept their distance. My friend the Blackbird knew how to hide. Soon the family would be gone & perhaps another couple with a flask & sandwiches would arrive. Tomorrow was another day & I had had this place to myself all through the winter’s storms. Too much sleeting rain & cold wind and even a frost. I worried for the Camellias but they seemed to survive. Now the season was starting, the sun shining, the birds competing for the loudest song & the guests will pour in. They don’t all chose me to sit upon, but I am one of their favourites.