Showing posts with label Photographs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Photographs. Show all posts

10 March 2015

1st Splash of Colour

I know Spring has well and truly arrived
when the garden is popping with yellows and purple.


The back of our house has sun all day and is sheltered 
from the severe frost we've had this winter.
Even when it's cold if the sun is shining this is where we sit.
Making plans for what we need to do in the garden.
The garden was neglected last year due to my back problems and 
now Mr France has recently had surgery on one of his knees
we make sure we both stop for a rest.


Mr France and I have been busy in the garden today.
We knew that the arbour needed a repair job. However when 
we cut back the old Honeysuckle, we found it was past repair. 
So it's gone and will be replaced with a new one.
I'll show you later when the new one is in and we have been to 
our local ' pépiniériste '  and chosen some new climbers. 
I've managed to save a few long strands of Honeysuckle. I'm hoping 
they will throw out some new shoots & will mix in with the new climbers.
Not sure yet what to replace the old ones with.
I think I'll take a look at my rose book.
Any ideas Shane you are a rose expert, if you don't know Shane 
take a look a her lovely blog, her Roses are beautiful.


I've tidied up my potting bench.


and added a few more hanging baskets planted with miniature daffodils.


I have three hanging baskets full of dwarf daffodils.
All of these bulbs had been stored in a box in the shed 
 for two years and forgotten about. 
I planted them in this basket to see if they would flower
and they are as good as the new ones.


I cut a few flowers and brought some inside.
No fancy arrangement just popped them in a small glass tumbler
and placed them on the dining table,
I know they won't last long, but they look pretty.


These other Daffodils have been in the grass for a long time.
I notice over the past few years, there are fewer blooms.
We have an abundance of voles so I think they must be eating the bulbs.


After a beautiful weekend of warm sun,
this is the first pale yellow one to come out in bloom this afternoon. 
I don't know variety, but the trumpet has a frilly look about it.


 These are new bulbs planted in Autumn under an old apple tree
 by Mr France , he planted the whole bag in a small area.
  so they will look much nicer in a few more days, when they are all in bloom.


In Autumn I planted a few  Crocus bulbs in a basket,take a look here
Now I can move it around to give a splash of colour where I want it.
By mid morning the flowers have opened 

and
 the Bumble Bees have already been visiting. 



Another Bumble Bee  collecting pollen.

My grandson took this photo on his phone yesterday.
and sent it to me last night.

I hope you enjoyed your time in my garden.
This is where I'll be spending my time.
Come back again soon
there will be lots more to see .

Thank you for visiting 

à bientôt
Barbara Lilian

06 February 2015

Rustic houses in rural France.

I frequently pass through this hamlet, how it's changed from the way it looked 25 yrs ago.
Most of the houses were ruins, the roofs had fallen in and very few people still lived here.
Then we began to see scaffolding being erected and the sound of cement mixers whirring.
some years later it was alive again. We met an English couple who had bought a ruin and 
 renovated it for their holiday home, but they helped to bring life back into the hamlet.


25 years ago, I have memories of a little old man sitting on a stool 
outside the front door of this little cottage making baskets.




Mr France was driving and I had remembered to put my camera in the car
so I was able to capture the roof tops with my pocket Panasonic DMC TZ 4

How different the roofs looked today, as if they had been painted white.


The houses are surrounded by forest of mainly Pine, Chestnut. and Oak.
Here the famous Bolets de Cèpes - Champignons grow
These mushrooms grow in abundance in this region. 
However I still find it hard to find them.


 The hamlet now has street lighting.which is still rare in most rural places. 




This is France of bygone years brought back to life.
I hope you enjoyed seeing the rural region of France where I live.
 I can show you lots more.
Let me know.

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian