Where is my shoe ???

This is one of the pear trees, trained horizontally, and planted against the garage. So amazing to follow how quickly the blossoms turn into fruit. It is not precisely a herb or vegetable garden where the three Doyenne de Comice and Conférence trees are planted, but there is a bit of everything in that corner. This year for instance artichokes at the background are an experiment. Not every day, but often I step in between the plants to see how the seeds are doing. What was this strange surface at the bottom of the pear tree?

It appeared to be my shoe. The dog had pinched it the day before from the garden settee. Look how he buried this: even a little twig of the just cut yew trees placed on it! First he digs a hole with his front paws, then he hides his trophy and covers it all by sand with his nose.
When putting on my Wellingtons at the kitchen door I had left the shoes on top of the settee, never thinking of the dog. He accompanies me all the time, is always close, sniffing the air with his long nose, listening to things that I cannot even hear and from time to time telling me how he is enjoying himself by giving me a kiss on the nose and asking for a hug. At a certain stage he was away and I missed him, but he cannot break out of the garden so sooner or later he returns and no need to worry..

When my back was aching, my duties for that day in the garden done, it was time to stop, take off the Wellingtons and to put back on my normal shoes. But where was one of my shoes ??? I would have loved to see how triumphant he had carried it away sneakily, with composed and careful steps, searching for an appropriate place to hide it. He has done this before, the most gorgeous sea green summer shoe was found back all discoloured of the mud and the rain a few days later. Once a garden glove was sticking out of the soil as a hand .... So far I had not missed it and seeing this really startled me

!

He is clever. He knows all his toys by name, so I wondered if he could find me the shoe. I told him to go and find it. Off we went, he took me through the whole garden, like a guide in the jungle almost - just adorable. But no shoe! By now I know his hiding places, but no luck this time. He has learnt me a lesson: to be careful the next time where I put my things. 

How I love my dog, shoe or no shoe!

Mother's Day

It is Mother's Day.
My mother and I used to share our plants. She lived on 'sand' and we live on 'clay', which meant that the plants from her garden thrived so much more than the ones in hers. Despite all her care it would never become what she saw later over here. With disbelief she would stand there and watch, would pull her skirt in the for her so typical manner and then say: 'I do not understand it ...... it is fantastic how the plants do so well in your garden, your soil is so good'.

This pink strawberry is from her garden. It is potted up to share it with others this spring. So pretty! Bright and colourful, just as she was.

My father was really in charge of the garden and would do most of the work. When he could no longer do it my mother took over. She had a different 'touch' to the garden. My eldest sister could not always appreciate how she planted the perennials like soldiers lined up next to each other. A systematic mind and so disciplined which became visible in her garden approach!

How I miss her, but she is there in the garden - I hear her, I can almost touch her, and touch her plants, but I cannot talk with her anymore. And that we used to do so much, talk and laugh together!

Happy Mother's Day!

by Jessie Willcox Smith

Wisteria and a warm 'hello'

The wisteria originated in the United States, China, Japan and Korea. Over here they are blossoming at the moment: against facades, porches, along flag poles, just anywhere where it feels free to curl up and take over the place. It is a big favorite in just any garden, small or big.
We have a wisteria in this garden. It carried many blooms, but part froze over and now a new part has to grow up. No blooms as yet this year. Before we know it will have made its way underneath the woodwork of the house, such a rampant growing plant, you really have to watch it.

Where are you going, my friend?

Wisteria on its way in the Hibiscus 'Oiseau Bleu'

In 2010 I posted this story, about the wisteria along the river, dangling from one tree to the other and forming a swing. So romantic and such a beautiful sight. The new owners of the house nearby changed their garden dramatically, as happens so often unfortunately. Mature and fully grown gardens are taken down to scrap and altered to new and modern ideas.  One of the two trees covered with wisteria was cut down. So sad..... it ruined this fantastic scene created by nature, the wisteria entangled in the arms of both trees.
The picture of the shoes in this former post disappeared for some unknown reason. It is not possible after all these years to access and edit the post. Well. here is a pair of Marie Antoinette's shoes, found on Pinterest, it suits the story nicely. Sometimes one wishes to be able to travel back in history!

Today no tea visit along the river, but a creative visit to Quiltshop Vlijtig Liesje in the polder.

The wisteria forms a gorgeous purple welcome along the path beside the private car and bycicle parking shed. The flower bunches are so long, truly amazing!

Binky, the beagle of the shop owner, forever knows exactly which customers arrive with cookies in their handbags. His welcome at the front garden is loud and enthusiastic, he then runs around the house speedily and repeats his warm greetings at the entrance of the shop, hoping the treats appear from our bags. On leaving the same ceremony and the promiss next time there will be more cookies. For him, and for us a treat - the shop in these beautiful surroundings is such a creative place.

See you next time, Binky!

'May flowers always line your path'

'May flowers always line your path

And sunshine light your day.

May songbirds serenade your every step along the way.

May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that’s always blue.

And may happiness fill your heart each day

Your whole life through’.

- Irish Blessing-

'MAY flowers always line your path'
'May FLOWERS always line your path'

..... like they lined my path today .....

Lilac 'Sensation'

Guess it is high time to blow new life into my blog - it is 5 years ago since the last blogpost.
For a long time for some unknown reason my account was inaccessible despite the good advise at the forum. Anyhow, a miracle and here we are back in 'Les Trois Jardins'. Enjoy!

This time of the year all around us the prunus, malus, laburnum and lilac trees are blossoming abundantly. It is a wonderful sight. In such a short time the garden has burst into life: from dark and brown to all these lush blossoms and greenery.
It is polderland here, trees root superficially. We lost a few trees in the severe storms over the years that we have lived here. Some fall over because they are tired of their lives, but the ones still present are eye candy for everyone who passes by or lives next or opposite our garden.

Syringa sinensis 'Sensation'

'Sensation' was the latest acquisition in the row of white, purple, and mauve lilac trees in the garden. About 5 years ago it was planted as a tiny plant and has now turned into a big shrub. It will grow 2,5 meters high. A few blossoms were put on a vase, their perfume filled the room. This was not a good idea: the next day they looked sad, and the third day they had shrunk altogether. So that is a lesson, you might as well leave them on the shrub and enjoy their blossoms longer. Eventually you have to cut the shrub back though, so it is not all that bad to take cuttings for a vase. It was such a sad view though to see them loose their beauty so quickly in the vase.

'Sensation' and Silene dioica or Sticky Catchfly

The bouquet is a happy mix of lilacs and a variety of the cuckoo's flower. The plant is possibly named after the forest god Silenus, because of its fat belly. They bloom all over the garden, are easily removed if you are not happy with it. By then they have already happily spread their seeds. Personally when I talk about 'Silenus' that is a white bloom with a much fatter round belly, often seen along the roads, another variety.

Lilacs forever take me back to my grandmother's garden, where the lilac tree bent over and touched the ground, forming a spectacular view on to the back garden.

It also takes me back to the teahouse of my friend's mother along the river. The teahouse was hidden and surrounded by lilacs. Having no garden at one time it was forever a wonderful surprise to receive a huge bouquet of lilacs from her garden through my friend. She would ring the door bell and would have this large bunch in her arms. One can only gasp at such a moment: so much beauty, and the perfume of the flowers! May! Spring!

'Tea drinker' - Société Céramique Petrus Regout

Happy reading, happy May!

Reaching out to the blue sky and growing taller and taller