All in (2) Day's Work

Sometimes I don't know how the weekend got here and then I'm not sure where it's gone but in this one we managed to re-plant the Beatrice Emily's I very lazily put in back here.  Note to self, a hole in the grass does not a flower bed make.

The Beas are already looking much chirpier.

More importantly we started the makeover of the backyard.  Methinks the plants may as well get a head start on the renovations.  My beauty gift to the planet is this - I will be  covering every urglee inch of our colorbond fence with hedge.  You're welcome.  As of yesterday, the magic has begun as we've started putting in more Murrayas (Orange Jasmine) around the circumference of the yard.  I love their shiny dark green leaves and their scent while flowering (which they do numerous times a year) is quite exotic.  More to the point though, along with our Gardenias and hopefully the baby Beas, they are the ONLY plants we have managed to keep alive in our 6 years in the house.  Green thumbs we are not.

On their way to the backyard.

Of course at this time of year it wouldn't be a weekend without a last minute dash to the shops and naturally as my Christmas motto is let no stone be left unturned in the hunt for new and fabulous ornaments, I didn't.

So much fabulosity.

This morning I spent a pleasant little while adding them to our flailing tannenbaum, there's starting to be some serious weight in there.  Because I'm a sharer I'll tell you where just in case any of them are speaking to you personally:

1. Little gold bear & aqua sequin ball are from Freedom.
2. Clear glass pear is from Country Road.
3. Miniature bells star is from Witchery.
4. The cute little birdhouse & gold butterfly are from Bed Bath N Table (and with the birdhouse coming in at $6.75, I am a saver!).
5. The silver teardrop (that opens),  big-eyed dog, vintage glass scenes and initial ornaments ($3.95, did I mention SAVER) are all from Domayne.

Then it was off to my regular Monday after school date with a quick cuppa before ballet...

...and tonight I'm looking forward to catching up on my new favourite shows.

The day is done.  Hope you've all had a lovely weekend and this week is shaping up OK too :)

Nicolex

Architectural Digest: August Issue

The August issue of Architectural Digest features a home in the country side of Belgium and it's safe to say I was more than a little transfixed by the gardens.

Apple and pear trees in the estate's orchard.

Image from Architectural Digest

A narrow moat to the north of the main house (your house doesn't have a moat? Unacceptable).

Image from Architectural Digest

The moat's footbridge.

Image from Architectural Digest

Outdoor dining under linden trees.

Image from Architectural Digest

An enormous hornbeam hedge provides privacy.

Image from Architectural Digest

Chinese wisteria climbs an arbour.

Image from Architectural Digest

A pergola with more wisteria.

Image from Architectural Digest

The 17th century house while quite something to admire from the outside felt like quite another story from the inside.  But as always it's in the eye of the beholder so pop over here and decide for yourself.

Image from Architectural Digest

Image from Architectural Digest

I will mention one thing about the house, it has an underground art gallery.

Image from Architectural Digest

Of course it does.

Nicolex

Inch by Inch

Because we've decided to extend and stay in our current home for a few more years, I've been thinking a lot about gardens lately and what plants I want to be able to enjoy while we're here. One of the things I think I got wrong when we first bought the house was starting the internal renovations first before sorting out a plan for the lawn and gardens.  Just because it takes so looooooong for plants to grow.

Second time around, I'm a little wiser.  We don't start the house extension until next year (have I mentioned that it's NY or bust this year?  No?  A story for another time clearly), so I'm devoting the rest of this year to getting the gardens and landscaping sorted.

I now know it took almost 2 years for our morayas to grow from nothing...

...to this.

Here they are waiting on a final autumn prune before winter.

In going through my scrapbook (remember those from the time before we collated our ideas on blogs) of gardening pictures, I came across these and am once again studying how I can apply them to our home over the coming years.  (Many of them are tear-outs from old mags so no image credits!  If you know where they're from let me know and I'll update).

 

I'm obsessed with lawn leading up to garden beds, garden boxes, pavers, stepping stones.  Much to Mr. B's chagrin I don't like any sort of edging so it means he has to be a bit more aggressive with our temperamental whipper-snipper to keep the desired look in tact.

A few inspiring gardens to help me on my way,

                                                                                 Image from here                                                                                                          Image from here

I plan to grow some Japanese Wisteria as a climber against one side of a shed.

                                        Image from here                                                                                                                       Image from here

I'd like to get a vegetable patch going too and would love something like this at the bottom of the yard.

Image from Elle Decor

My parting words of encouragement to myself take form in John Denver's Garden Song that I cannot get out of my bloody head:

Inch by inch,

Row by row,

Gonna make this garden grow,

All it takes is a rake and a hoe,

And a piece of fertile ground.

As you can see, I have managed to give my gardening hopes and aspirations a soundtrack which you can listen to here if you too would like a chirpy little song stuck in your head for the next three weeks!

Nicolex