For award-winning, internationally-acclaimed author Rosemary Sutcliff (1920-92). By Anthony Lawton: godson, cousin & literary executor. Rosemary Sutcliff wrote historical fiction, children's literature and books, films, TV & radio, including The Eagle of the Ninth, Sword at Sunset, Song for a Dark Queen, The Mark of the Horse Lord, The Silver Branch, The Lantern Bearers, Dawn Wind, Blue Remembered Hills.
April 15th Friday. Sheila bought some seeds from the ironmonger, and this evening Ray has gone off to Shopwyck to get a couple of clematis for the new fence. The garden must be wondering what’s hit it. Lovely show of tulips, the golden ones turning apricot under the dining room and bedsit window, but of course the cream and wine ones I got last autumn have been trampled out of existence when the fence was done.
5 thoughts on “The garden must be wondering what’s hit it … (Diary, 15/4/88)”
For anyone trying to make sense of the comments above, I hard originally transcribed : “… gone off to Shofswick (?) to get a couple of clematis for the new fence … Lovely show of tulips … but of course the cream and urine (sic) ones I got last autumn… I have updated my transcription to reflect Jane and Anne’s help.
Shofswick – could be Southwick? (two to choose from, one north of Portchester and one 3 miles west of Brighton) or perhaps more likely Shopwyke/ Shopwhyke just east of Chichester?
ROSEMARY SUTCLIFF (1920-92) 
For anyone trying to make sense of the comments above, I hard originally transcribed : “… gone off to Shofswick (?) to get a couple of clematis for the new fence … Lovely show of tulips … but of course the cream and urine (sic) ones I got last autumn… I have updated my transcription to reflect Jane and Anne’s help.
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I wonder if that should read “cream and wine” tulips? Though maybe they were a distinctive golden colour… :)
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you are correct “cream and wine”! (I was reckoning on the golden colour …)
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Shofswick – could be Southwick? (two to choose from, one north of Portchester and one 3 miles west of Brighton) or perhaps more likely Shopwyke/ Shopwhyke just east of Chichester?
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Yes, I can see now Shopwyck (as she has spelled it I think ). Thank you.
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