Besides that slight obsession with 18th century France…
I live in the past with old photos of my garden acting as placeholders
until the next season is in full swing…
These are the rose covered arches to my lower garden last Spring…
I rotate several of my favorite photos as screensavers to
help me through to the full flush of Spring.
Here’s a hedge of peonies from several years ago…
a particularly cold winter’s reward…
And the lavender just budding…probably late April or early May
By early summer…
this was 2009…
So…here I am at 2011…thrilled to have cleared the weeds
out the planting beds and off the pathways…
The lavender hedge I replanted in 2010 still hunched down…
waiting for late Spring to take off. I had so many poppies I was
weeding them out from between the lavender and peonies.
The reddish foliage in the front is one of the peonies
that has started to leaf out. They’ll only have buds if it
was cold enough for them in Northern California this year.
One of my many garden projects this year will
be to upgrade the dining room courtyard.
I think I’ve found a good sized crew willing to drop by and
move the huge cast stone table…..
I have assembled a few good pieces
to structure to the area…and
of course always keeping my eyes out for new pieces..
Looking for a pretty set of garden gates…
The Restoration Hardware zinc planters will hold tall
standard orange trees..the scent is intoxicating….
the metal planter in foreground will be uprighted and planted…
Here is an earlier photo of the metal “planter”
found it for @ $60 at The Alameda flea market…
Love good deals…and pieces that can work in or out!
A mostly green, white and gray landscape
Calm, cool, fragrant, and less labor intensive than the lower garden…
Just a rough view for now….
Have a wonderful, busy weekend!
Looks promising!
You’re a lot farther than we are. Every day inches a degree or two warmer, but frankly we are getting impatient! I did manage to plant pansies in a client’s yard- the soil finally was workable. The soil smelled good!
Oh Trish, I can’t believe this! I do the same, scroll through all the old garden pics to keep my soul nourished every winter. It is still so cold and gray here. When will the sun decide to stay at least for two days running??? I poke around every day in the garden to see what is happening. So far just little blades of daffodil and hyacinth bulbs in the woods, and it appears the Japanese peonies are starting to make an appearance.Your garden is a treasure, truly a labour of love. I can’t wait for the upcoming months for your posts, they will truly be an inspiration for me, while waiting for mine to unfurl.. Nella xo
I loved the climbing roses, the peonies, and the lavender…wonderful..I can smell them from here. Thank you for sharing your work in progress. It is never done…My roses are budding in Cardiff by the Sea…So Cal.
Hi JoAnne. I find myself whispering “hurry up” when I go check the garden in the morning. Counting buds and blossoms!
Beautiful views. Love seeing your structures and artifacts!
Just love your garden. The old, established look of it is so appealing. And I love all your garden pieces. So perfect!
Karen
Photos of your garden are what drew me to your blog originally. Absolutely beautiful! Of all things for me to ask- where did you find the beautiful candle lantern hanging above your chair?
Hi Kerry. It is one of a set that I got from Clars Auction Gallery…an East Bay auction house. Originally rust and drk green.
Like you, I am a peony, boxwood, lavender and roses FAN! Love that combination! I am new to your blog and with the lack of good magazines these days was so happy to discover you. And like you ,I am constantly on the lookout for French furniture. Thanks for sharing my interest and taking the time to post. Beauty is a balm to the world. Thanks.
Your reflection on your garden and the many memories you create there is inspiring. It is very empowering to realize that we are in charge of creating some of our future memories through our everyday acts. The simplest things that we do, when done with passion and appreciation can become fond memories that can be enjoyed, especially when we retain something tangible. It could be a dry flower from our garden, a shell we picked up on a beach, a rock we collected during a hike, or a photograph that brings back the feeling of that not-so-fleeting moment. Through images we are able to relive that sweet moment. We can engage all our senses and smell the air, feel the breeze, see the colors, hear the birds, and definitely savor the moment again and again…
See you soon,
Trinidad
Camera packed and ready to go!
Trish,
I love the glimpse of your yard and its various rooms, it inspires me to get started on my own ambitious plan for my secret garden. I love the lattice fence and the planters you’ve collected. Truly reminiscent of gardens I’ve seen in England and France.
Happy Friday, have a wonderful weekend!
Karen
Love all of your comments. It’s amazing how a bit of good weather (and new orange trees) can set a gardener’s heart aflutter with big dreams and plans!
Your rose arbors are gorgeous! Can’t wait to see your Peonies bloom.
I love everything in your outside, also the baskets and frame on the inside! I also keep images of our gardens on my desktop to remind me that everything will be green again. Love your blog.
I love your gardens and I can’t wait for ours to come alive. Love your dining patio, can’t wait to see what you will do there. Everything about your place is stunning, you should be so proud.
what a beautiful and soothing garden, oh to live in california!
love the place card idea, brilliant. can’t wait to see your garden emerge
best
debra
5th and state
Your garden looks wonderful. Here in the south of England I read your post and think of my house and garden in France. I miss my hedges of lavender, and my citrus trees. Here, the winter has killed 2 lavender bushes, but my peony is about to burst its buds. I have a huge wrought iron gate (just one side of a double) in France but I’m going to sell it as we are going to put our wonderful Maison de Maitre on the market this year. Life is now in England, ah well plus ca change.
Lovely already, but well be watching for the changes. I still covet that stone lion trough.
I do the same thing here staring at my garden during Dec-Feb thinking how could this scourged place have possibly held so much green, but sure enough, it does grow back!
Trish, thanks for that lovely breath of fresh, lightly perfumed air as my weekend commences! So, so lovely..
Thanks for the garden memories and future visions. It’s gorgeous. I love the vintage French iron console/table in the patio. Have a wonderful week-end.
Your garden is so pretty and relaxing and inspiring me to work more in mine too! The pictures make me feel like I am in the South of France or maybe even in Italy. I can’t wait to see more as your garden grows and you add your new items too. I just found these old wrought iron garden gates that were from Bel Air Estate here… http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/atq/2299875055.html They are a bit pricey, but would look lovely in a beautiful garden.
I’ve wanted to grow peonies since we moved here from Seattle where they flourish, but was always told it’s not cold enough. I’m sure this winter it was, but your plants look like you’ve been successful at it for years. Always so inspiring Trish!
xo
Serena
Trish, your French garden is just awesome! Love lovelove it! I have a similar iron table base as you showed here.
Enjoy the weekend !
xx
Greet
Everything is already so beautiful I can only imagine what it will look like at the end of this season. I’m excited to watch your progress. Have a fabulous weekend. Mona
Trish, I am completely overwhelmed with the enormity of your garden projects…all beautiful. Everywhere you look shows your love. xx’s
I have missed visiting your beautiful blog! So much to see that I’m not even sure where to comment. I love your eye for beauty. I’ve been in a gardening kick…planting things we can eat in wine boxes. I’m loving the $60 planter you found!
Blessings to you!
Linsey
PS – Your poppies are GORGEOUS!!! We don’t have anything like that in Houston!