Fota Arboretum

 On our second day, we visited Fota Arboretum. I had been there a couple of years ago with my sister, but C had never been. The walled gardens had fewer wildflower beds in them than on my previous visit, but were beautiful, and the shade in the arboretum was very welcome on a hot, sunny day. 

We got lucky with our timing after walking round the walled gardens and the working Victorian walled garden (staffed by volunteers. (I came home with some basil and some lysimachia, which you can see in the foreground of one of the photos of the pond. The lady who sold it to me warned me that it spread, but I knew that already. ) There was no queue at the coffee shop, and a couple of empty picnic benches to sit at. The jam for C's scone came in the neatest little folded paper pot, very eco-friendly. 

Our borage seems to be very late - this was in full bloom, and also in my brother's wildflower bed. Mine is only just barely starting to come into flower. I think it might be swamped by the Chinese Lanterns!

Angel's Fishing Rod

One of the many tree palms

A swamp cypress (taxodium distichum), and it really was vivid green. 

The lake was rather smelly, due to the algal bloom, but still very pretty.

Although I had chosen the day that, from the forecast, looked to be more cloudy and hence a bit better for photography, it was very bright sunshine and a bit too contrasty to be ideal. But a lovely day out.