In an English Country Garden

  1. Eddie Sheehy
    How many kinds of flowers grow in an English Country Garden? Played on a Fylde Single Malt mandolin.

  2. Michael Pastucha
    Michael Pastucha
    Thanks Eddie! The English Country Garden song took me way back to childhood when we kids used to sing that song with my mother. Your "Single Malt" is sure smooth too... I'll have another please.
  3. Tosh Marshall
    Tosh Marshall
    Fantastic Ed! I had to have a go myself. Here's the ABC for it:-

    X:28
    T:English Country Garden
    T:Country Dance
    Q:120
    M:4/4
    L:1/8
    R:Reel
    K:C
    AB |: c2 cB A2 A2 | GA GF E2 EF | G2 C2 D2 F2 |1 E3 D C2 AB :|2 E3 D C4 ||
    | cdcA BA G2 | cdcA BA G2 | cdcB A2 dc | B2 A2 G2 AB |
    c2 cB A2 A2 | GA GF E2 EF | G2 C2 D2 F2 | E3 D C4 ||

  4. Michael Pastucha
    Michael Pastucha
    Very nicely done,Tosh. Your video looks really good. Did you do something different?

    Here's some lyrics to this tune. I'm reminded looking at the words that our tongues would stumble over all the big words (we were pretty little when we sang it) and my mother would laugh and laugh at the nonsense words that came out.

    How many kinds of sweet flowers grow
    In an English country garden?
    We'll tell you now of some that we know
    Those we miss you'll surely pardon
    Daffodils, heart's ease and phlox
    Meadowsweet and lady smocks
    Gentian, lupin and tall hollyhocks
    Roses, foxgloves, snowdrops, forget-me-nots
    In an English country garden

    How many insects come here and go
    In an English country garden?
    We'll tell you now of some that we know
    Those we miss you'll surely pardon
    Fireflies, moths and bees
    Spiders climbing in the trees
    Butterflies drift in the gentle breeze
    There are snakes, ants that sting
    And other creeping things
    In an English country garden

    How many songbirds fly to and fro
    In an English country garden?
    We'll tell you now of some that we know
    Those we miss you'll surely pardon
    Bobolink, cuckoo and quail
    Tanager and cardinal
    Bluebird, lark, thrush and nightingale
    There is joy in the spring
    When the birds begin to sing
    In an English country garden
  5. mculliton123
    mculliton123
  6. Tosh Marshall
    Tosh Marshall
    Thanks Michael, the only thing I've done different is change my usual position to sit on a stool facing my window so the natural light comes at me. I also have the q3 on concert lighting instead of auto because it was too bright. Jimmie Rodgers lyrics are quite amusing as some of the plants he describes are not native, but will probably be found in Kew Gardens! As you say, it's a great simple fun tune for all the family to enjoy.
    Michael Mc, thanks for doing the TEF.....
  7. Gerard Dick
    Gerard Dick
    That song always reminds me of Allan Sherman's parody about life in suburbia.
  8. Daci
    Daci
    This tune works perfectly paired with cockles and mussels.
  9. Simon DS
    Simon DS
  10. Ginny Aitchison
    Ginny Aitchison
    Nice tune Simon, Did a local motorcycle gang invade your lovely garden?
  11. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Ginny, it was the three mile dehydrating hike up 1200 feet to the top of the hill with thirty pounds of equipment, only to remember that there’s an access road to the top.
    I heard screaming kids -they sounded relieved and happy, motorbikes, mushroom lovers, racing cyclists shouting to tell you to get off the footpath -they can’t stop, the storm, the wind noise in the trees and finally 5 Quadmen.
    I had fun, that’s for sure, and it really was like an English Country Garden.
  12. Martin Jonas
    Martin Jonas
    Very nicely done, Simon (motorbikes and all).

    I recorded this back in 2015 -- not sure why I didn't put it in this thread back then. Trio of waldzither, tenor guitar and mandocello:



    Martin
  13. Christian DP
    Christian DP
    Two fine versions of the English Country Garden. Simon almost gives it a reel feeling and Martin delivers a nice ensemble rendition.
    I played this song only in an ukulele arrangement by Colin Tribe.
  14. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    After an 11 year hiatus, three new versions all come along at once - just like waiting for a bus, gents. Very different but equally enjoyable versions, and great to hear a uke picking out a melody line, Christian. Congratulations, all.
  15. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Nice Martin, and CC so that’s what the tune’s meant to sound like. It’s been such a long time since I last heard it.
  16. Brian560
    Brian560
    Three nice versions. I do like that Simon's was recorded En plein air, simply and competently played. I have been on those hikes up a mountain only to be greeted by a parking lot. Martins arrangement seems to step back in time. For Christians I also like the melody played on the ukulele.
  17. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Thank you Brian, yes there are some geographical, chronological and ornithological incongruities about this tune/song.
    Here’s the guy who was playing the tune when Cecil Sharpe picked it up.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Kimber

    Jimmie Rodgers (a North American) wrote the educative lyrics.
  18. Frithjof
    Frithjof
    All five recordings nicely done.
    Of course, … Simon shows how to make in adventure out of playing a simple tune …
  19. Ginny Aitchison
    Ginny Aitchison
    These are all excellent. Today I was going to record English Country Garden in my back yard and have my husband go by with the leaf blower so I could compete with Simon. But, it's raining, almost snowing.
  20. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Ginny you’d get 99.4 points just for sitting on a chair smiling in the snow, no mandolin required!
  21. Robert Balch
    Robert Balch
    Great versions of this tune. I am enjoying being able to listen again!
  22. Gelsenbury
    Gelsenbury
    Three very nice performances there! Simon, well done for playing through all those distractions.
  23. Christian DP
    Christian DP
    I've finally learned this song on the mandolin. That was an instructive process. Not only did I work on my third position playing, I also learned some strange names for flowers or birds like heartsease ( wild pansy) or bobolink (New World blackbird).
  24. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Pleasant arrangement and video, Christian. Good sound too in the higher register.
  25. Ginny Aitchison
    Ginny Aitchison
    I too thought your high notes, especially clean and crisp here CC. A perennial favourite too, always nice to hear it.
  26. Simon DS
    Simon DS
    Very sweet CC, very authentic.
    Verily tis a delicate, pretty third position tune.
  27. Frankdolin
    Frankdolin
    Very pretty Christian ! I totally forgot about this tune, that I remember every note and is deep in my head. But I cannot remember why or when I heard it, hopefully it comes to me.
  28. Sherry Cadenhead
    Sherry Cadenhead
    Christian, I love how the video changes with the melody. Nice playing, too, as always.
Results 1 to 28 of 28