Tuesday 20 July 2010

For Alys and Claude


The wistaria was tumbling over itself in its excess of life, its prodigality of flowering; and where the pergola ended the sun blazed on scarlet geraniums, bushes of them, and nasturtiums in great heaps, and marigolds so brilliant that they seemed to be burning, and red and pink snapdragons, all outdoing each other in bright, fierce colour. The ground behind these flaming things dropped away in terraces to the sea, each terrace a little orchard, where among the olives grew vines on trellises, and fig-trees, and peach-trees, and cherry-trees. The cherry-trees and peach-trees were in blossom--lovely showers of white and deep rose-colour among the trembling delicacy ofthe olives; the fig-leaves were just big enough to smell of figs, the vine-buds were only beginning to show. And beneath these trees were groups of blue and purple irises, and bushes of lavender, and grey, sharp cactuses, and the grass was thick with dandelions and daisies, and right down at the bottom was the sea. Colour seemed flung down anyhow, anywhere; every sort of colour, piled up in heaps, pouring along in rivers--the periwinkles looked exactly as if they were being poured down each side of the steps--and flowers that grow only in borders in England, proud flowers keeping themselves to themselves over there, such as the great blue irises and the lavender, were being jostled by small, shining common things like dandelions and daisies and the white bells of the wild onion, and only seemed the better and the more exuberant for it.They stood looking at this crowd of loveliness, this happy jumble, in silence.


taken from "Enchanted April" by Elizabeth Von Arnim

Claude Monet

"young girl in the garden " Claude Monet


she reminded me of lovely Alys - Giverny, Alys and Enchanted April all provided me with my inspiration for summer pots this year.
I wanted singing happy flowers
Joanne Short always paints in the most vibrant of palettes too



and here they are












I fancy a nice cuppa here but my faithful assistant has other things on his mind

walkies anyone?
love Mr. BoOdLe
xXx

19 comments:

  1. Thankyou for transporting me to that beautiful garden,a lovely tribute.
    A gorgeous colourful post!

    Bellaboo :0)

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  2. Such beautiful flowers and colors and thought...lets go walking! ;D

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  3. Love Mr Boodle and love your flowers! They are every kind of bright and beautiful, my garden really seems to be suffering from our random weather here in Suffolk but yours looks stunning.
    xx

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  4. Such a pretty garden...right out of The Enchanting April...love that book!

    xoxo
    Jane

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  5. Your garden flowers are a delight! And Joannes painting are just wonderful! Love the sunflowers! Enchanted April is such a good movie!!

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  6. awwww, Missy Sarah-Jane, you should let Mr. Boodle and I sit down and have a lovely cup of tea together!! =] Well, it sounded like that....heehee! Your pots are a riot of pretty and cheery color! I LOVE your bench, too!!

    Now, "Enchanted April" is one of my very favorite movies - absolutely! Silly me! I never stopped to think that there was a book! Thanks for sharing this excerpt. Funny, too, I JUST got a book in the mail (from my birthday money=]) that is about a lady who was looking to reignite her vision for gardening. She had a masters degree in horticulture and a growing business but felt like it would be inspiring to see some of the worlds famous gardens. She saw Monet's and was so in love that she volunteered to work there for a year - you know, for free! the book is about what she saw and experienced as she lived RIGHT THERE on the edge of the garden!

    Once again, great minds are thinking alike!

    Love, Katy xo

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  7. How I wish I had that garden... Right now I can only come here to dream of one...

    Thank´s for your sweet comment on my post =)!
    If I ever go to England (I´m sure I will), I will let you know, and we´ll have a photosession ;).

    Have a wonderful evening!
    Hugs/
    Luiza

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  8. What a riot of colour, absolutely gorgeous and I loved reading Enchanted April (and seeing the film too) many years ago. I've also been dreaming up earrings in my head for a while now with Alys in mind, but given the colours I shall leave it till the Autumn! Great to have you back.

    Kate x

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  9. What a beautiful post! I love Monet's Paintings and those lovely pots with a scramble of diffferent flowers colours tumbling out.
    Dianne xx

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  10. What a lot I've gotten out of this post. Visual delighted both by the paintings but mostly by your glorious garden pots.

    And a book suggestion. What luck I'm off to the library tomorrow!

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  11. ahh look at the handsome mr.boodle admiring the view :0) & what a lovely view it is too! your garden is full of colour! i love your garden seat - great spot to sit & enjoy it.
    smartie sends lots of waggy-tails to mb xx

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  12. Enchanted April? What a quote, straight off to the bookshop! Just discovered your lovely blog, and sharing your passion for gardening a corner of England will be following your fab and inspiring posts. Really enjoyed the snoop around Sarah Raven's garden, her eye for colour is astonishing! Thanks for taking the time and sharing it.

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  13. Oh that was such a lovely post . Thank you! Want to read more of the Enchanted Garden now. I wish the rain hadn't turned our pots of flowers into mushier versions of themselves. x

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  14. Thank you for introducing me to Joanne Short - was great paintings. Love your garden. xxxx

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  15. first time here and I love it! I saw Enchanted April as a film not long time ago and really likes it. I need to find that book.

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  16. I've not read EA, but I've watched the movie loads of times. Michael Kitchen, oh my oh my!
    You have such a wonderfully beautiful garden.
    Lisa x

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  17. Oh yum, yum, yum, soul food for me.

    Of course I love Elizabeth and her German Garden and have many old copies of it. Also, Enchanted April.

    Thank you, thank you. I needed this garden interlude.

    Love,

    Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

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  18. Flowers enchant me. I loved this post!Beijos!

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