Flowers always

Flowers bring me joy. How about you?

It has been almost a year since I posted and I don't know if there is anyone out there, but I am ready to blog again. I am not sure what it is that makes a person stop blogging, just too busy, burned out, or lacking something to say. I am not sure what made me stop, perhaps a combination of all these things.
I do however enjoy blogging, sharing ideas, discussion, reading other people's blogs and making connections. I hope you will have me back?

These are some simple flower arrangements I did throughout last year. I am really looking forward to seeing things appear once again in my garden,as there is not too much going on at the moment. I love simple posies arranged in jugs and jars scattered hither and thither, making me stop in my tracks to take in the beauty and scent.

A long day in the garden.

On Saturday we had a really beautiful day. I wasn't working, Paul wasn't working and Lois was off school, so we spent it in the garden, and it was glorious. I felt as if I had been given a gift. I did'nt come in until 11.30, and went to bed tired and happy!

 Lots of work got done....weeding, planting, staking, brushing, cleaning, dead-heading and loads of moving. Then there was feeding, watering, re-planting. I even managed to paint some more pots for the shop. There was also some eating, drinking, admiring, sitting, talking, relaxing. A very good day was had by all!

The next little gift I receive will be spent fence painting, hopefully I won't have to wait too long.
I hope you had a lovely weekend, and managed to have a little time in your garden or in the park, or on the beach, and if not, then it's your turn next! Much love to you all, and thanks for stopping by, Linda x.

Have phone cover...will travel!

Just a quick little post to let you see the phone covers we got from the talented Wendy at 15 Coast Road. Initially I got the camper van for my husband because he loves them, and the red phone box for me. My daughter was not to impressed that she was left out, so I asked Wendz if she could make one with a dog on. No sooner had I asked, she was on the case and whipped up Fred the scottie dog, so everyone is delighted. Thank you Wendz! Check out her wonderful blog, full of wit and wisdom and great charity shop bargains, and her Etsy shop for all her wonderful makes.

Also, I thought you might like this idea for plant markers from Martha Stewart Magazine.

Wishing you all a wonderful week, with love, Linda x

Secret Garden

picture from Graphics Fairy

Vignette is a word that Bloggers seem to like, to describe a little still-life area in a room or on  a table. I rather like the word myself so I looked it up in the dictionary. Mine is quite old so it didn't refer at all to the modern meaning of it, but rather talked about art or decorative illustration on a page, and this bit appealed to me ' to make a vignette of, by softening away the edges'. I thought I would soften away the edges by making a little display under my stairs, on top of a chest of drawers with a 'secret garden' theme.

It is really a bit too wet and miserable to go out into the garden at the moment, so I thought a little display would keep me going until I can get out.

I have a lovely pop-up book of 'The Secret Garden', illustrated by the Artist and Muralist Graham Rust, the detail in it is superb and it is a joy to look at. The  magnetic calendar at the back was a present from a friend as was the little bird in the nest. If you take the bird out, there are tiny eggs inside. I usually keep this by the side of my bed, as it reminds me of my dear friend who just loves everything to do with nature. The paper fairy, you may have seen before, is from my fellow blogger Lynn at Sea Angels. Mr. O.K. made the birdhouse, which I love and it normally lives outside. The wreath of eucalyptus is left over from Christmas, as are the toadstools which I made from papier mache (and rather cunningly I thought, garlic stalks!!) So there it is, I hope you like it?

I am also planning to plant some tulips for inside, and I loved these ideas I saw for Terrariums.......

 Martha Stewart magazine has a tutorial on how to make a Terrarium here.

The above image is from Martha Stewart, all the rest, apart from my own are from Pinterest.

Wishing you all a happy and productive week. With love, Linda x.

Powerscourt County Wicklow

As promised, the rest of our holiday snapshots. We were very lucky with the weather and were able to spend a large part of the day in these wonderful gardens. Those Landscape Gardener's from days of yore had such vision didn't they? They knew how to put a scheme together! These gardens are really lovely and the scenery around is so lush and green and mountainous, truly spectacular. I especially loved the walled garden, with its wonderfully full borders, lilly ponds and gorgeous gates. We took several photos of the gates but my husband spoilt them all with silly poses, so sorry I am not including them.

Lois looks like a little Leprechaun in this! She took the 2 pics above which I think are rather good.

Afterwards we went to 'Johnny Foxes Pub', supposed to be the highest pub in Ireland. It really is geared for the American tourist and was a little O.T.T. in it's Irishness, we were tempted to run away before ordering but had been told on good authority that it was renowned for it's Seafood, so we stayed and it really was very good.

I adore my honeysuckle just outside the kitchen door, it smells so sweet and the standard rose is scented too and there is lavender underneath.

Now I am no Capability Brown and neither is ny husband, we aren't really gardeners at all, but we are triers, and we enjoy trying! I kind of view the garden as another room and so colour plays an important role, and I like the cottage garden style. Thats about as far as the knowledge extends, it's a case of the blind leading the blind, but it's fun, and we do get enormous stisfaction out of seeing things grow.

The Passion flower is new and so I don't expect it will do a lot this year, but hopefully next, if it doesn't get blown to bits!

Crabapples are early this year, I think it's jelly making time!

The first raspberry...yum!

A little cottage garden posy.

Hope you all are having a lovely summer. I hate to tell you this, but Autumn is coming, whilst out walking today I saw Hawthorn and Blackberries. I love Autumn, though, not at the start when the weather is still warmish and you don't know what to wear, but when there is that nip in the air and you have to get your tweed and woollies out of the closet,and you can wear boots . I love the freshness in the air, and I always get the feeling that I can acomplish great things, there is an energy about Autumn. All the seasons are wonderful in their own way and I would miss them if I went to live in a milder climate. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend, love Linda x