Nature dealt us a doozy of a blow last week. She is now redeeming herself with warm and lovely spring days, gentle overnight rain, lush growth (particularly of the lawn and weed variety), and a general air of promise and hope.I went to Timaru last weekend. The trip, to visit with family and friends, was already planned, but the timing ended up being perfect for a much needed break from the city of shakes. Travelling south, the road was flanked with camellias, forsythias and glorious magnolias. Front yard gardens overflowed with the brightness and exuberance of spring - daffodils, flowering cherries, aubretia, primroses and blossoming hedges of all descriptions. I took quick snapshots from the windows of the car, both for inspiration's sake and to try and take something fleeting and hold onto it forever. Spring passes too quickly.
I also took some photos for a new feature that will soon debut on this blog. It will be a monthly feature called Real Gardens, and will profile real people's gardens: beautiful gardens, of course, but real - gardens with washing lines, compost bins, cats and car parks. My aim is to show how real people deal with all of these real needs and assimilate them into a beautiful liveable outdoor space. I'll be gleaning inspiration and ideas for my own garden, and I hope you'll be inspired too. Check back next week for the first installment!
(The photo at the top is my heliotrope which I put in the glasshouse to overwinter. It's thriving in the warmth, and filling the glasshouse with it's vanilla fragrance.)
Oh, I am so looking forward to the Real Gardens. I've been missing Christchurch a lot lately. Glad you weathered the shakes well.
ReplyDelete~Erin
'Real Gardens' sounds great. I stumbled accross an English blog once that focused on front gardens, anybody and everybody's and it was inspiring. It seems awfully obvious but it has only just occurred to me that I need to put my succulent pots in the g/house if I want them to survive the winter. Good garden housekeeping I guess. Anyway the heliotrope has rewarded you for its care.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments you guys - I'm glad you are looking forward to Real Gardens!
ReplyDeleteErin - I didn't know you've been to Christchurch, are you from here originally?
Miriam - I put the heliotrope in after it had been frosted and luckily it came away again. Even when you know a frost is coming you don't always remember to put the tender things away!
Ruth,
ReplyDeleteNo, I'm not. I'm from the States, Ohio to be exact. I've visited friends and spent a few months in Christchurch, with short trips to Wellington, Kaikoura & Akaroa. Always wanted to make it to Dunedin and Queenstown, but didn't manage it.
I just so very much enjoyed my times there. The places and people were just so wonderful. I think of it often and wish I were back there.
~Erin
Hi Ruth,
ReplyDeleteMy next little project is to plant some wee flowers around my clothesline. Thanks for the idea. I hope you don't mind me borrowing it.
Tracy