15 March 2015

Dahlias for Mr France.



When we were young and bought our first house in 1965.
it was a new build  on a small estate, in the north of England.
At that time, when the builders had finished building,
the garden was not landscaped ready for the new owner.
 We had a lot of preparation to do, before it even resembled a garden.
We were both very young and didn't know much about gardening then.



Then one day, my husbands father who didn't visit us very often,
arrived with a big brown paper bag full of Dahlias.
I wasn't  familiar with the different varieties.
So didn't know what to expect.
I must admit they grew quickly, but those huge flowers 
which were mainly the big blousey cactus type,
were not to my liking, and since then I've never planted them again.



There are not many flowers I don't like.
but these are not one of my favourite flowers.
~~~~~~~~~~
I'll let you into a little secret.
Until a few years ago Mr France didn't know a weed from a cultivated flower.
However he's now started to take an interest in the garden.
and during that time he'd asked me several times
' What was the name of the flowers my Dad planted in our first garden '
and because I didn't like them, I told him ' I couldn't remember'



But I've been caught out.
as he now comes with me to the garden centers,
He saw the bags of Dahlia tubers with the image stapled to the bag,
and said 'these are the flowers I mean'
~~~~~~~~~~
After all these years, I've only just told him I knew
what they were. but as I didn't like them I said
' I couldn't remember what flowers he meant.'

We made a compromise and chose another variety.
So he's happy.
These are the variety we chose and we both like them.

I quite like the look of these.
( Looks like a nice flower to paint in my Garden journal )


He immediately put two bags into the trolley.

Back to my first garden.
Looking at the old photos we had lots of colour from the 'Nemesia'
but my planting left a lot to be desired.
I can also see some other plants there
that's NOT on my list of favourites  'Gladiola'
I think that's because it's tall and spiky and only has one flower stem.



As I've shown some photos of our first dog, 'Ricky'
I thought I'd tell you a little about him.
He was a miniature poodle and I may add nothing like a posh poodle.
 At that time Mr France worked shifts and thought it would be a good idea
for me to have a dog for company, as he worked late hours
and sometimes during the night.

 When we arrived at the kennel to choose our new puppy
he was a bit surprised when he saw the breed of dog I had set my heart on,
 Something small and as we thought would be easy to look after.
 But who could resist a little ball of black fluff.


But he was nothing like a poodle in character.
As he grew he liked nothing better than to roll in anything that smelt nasty.
which was usually just after he'd been to the poodle parlour.
So we soon put a stop to that, and he only ever went to have a quick trim
around his face and feet  as we couldn't manage that ourselves,
and we trimmed the rest and shampooed him.


I hope you enjoyed my little trip down memory lane.
and you forgive me for keeping my secret from Mr France.

He's looking forward to summer, to see the Dahlias growing 
in the big stone pots we have on our sun deck.

Do you keep harmless secrets from your husband ?

à bientôt
Barbara Lilian





10 March 2015

1st Splash of Colour

I know Spring has well and truly arrived
when the garden is popping with yellows and purple.


The back of our house has sun all day and is sheltered 
from the severe frost we've had this winter.
Even when it's cold if the sun is shining this is where we sit.
Making plans for what we need to do in the garden.
The garden was neglected last year due to my back problems and 
now Mr France has recently had surgery on one of his knees
we make sure we both stop for a rest.


Mr France and I have been busy in the garden today.
We knew that the arbour needed a repair job. However when 
we cut back the old Honeysuckle, we found it was past repair. 
So it's gone and will be replaced with a new one.
I'll show you later when the new one is in and we have been to 
our local ' pépiniériste '  and chosen some new climbers. 
I've managed to save a few long strands of Honeysuckle. I'm hoping 
they will throw out some new shoots & will mix in with the new climbers.
Not sure yet what to replace the old ones with.
I think I'll take a look at my rose book.
Any ideas Shane you are a rose expert, if you don't know Shane 
take a look a her lovely blog, her Roses are beautiful.


I've tidied up my potting bench.


and added a few more hanging baskets planted with miniature daffodils.


I have three hanging baskets full of dwarf daffodils.
All of these bulbs had been stored in a box in the shed 
 for two years and forgotten about. 
I planted them in this basket to see if they would flower
and they are as good as the new ones.


I cut a few flowers and brought some inside.
No fancy arrangement just popped them in a small glass tumbler
and placed them on the dining table,
I know they won't last long, but they look pretty.


These other Daffodils have been in the grass for a long time.
I notice over the past few years, there are fewer blooms.
We have an abundance of voles so I think they must be eating the bulbs.


After a beautiful weekend of warm sun,
this is the first pale yellow one to come out in bloom this afternoon. 
I don't know variety, but the trumpet has a frilly look about it.


 These are new bulbs planted in Autumn under an old apple tree
 by Mr France , he planted the whole bag in a small area.
  so they will look much nicer in a few more days, when they are all in bloom.


In Autumn I planted a few  Crocus bulbs in a basket,take a look here
Now I can move it around to give a splash of colour where I want it.
By mid morning the flowers have opened 

and
 the Bumble Bees have already been visiting. 



Another Bumble Bee  collecting pollen.

My grandson took this photo on his phone yesterday.
and sent it to me last night.

I hope you enjoyed your time in my garden.
This is where I'll be spending my time.
Come back again soon
there will be lots more to see .

Thank you for visiting 

à bientôt
Barbara Lilian

01 March 2015

Nearly there

 It's Spring I'm talking about.


If the only way I can see blossom is by forcing it,
why not, give it a try.
Last week I cut some branches of Forsythia
put them in a tall vase and placed them on the window ledge
to force the flowers to bloom.
It certainly wasn't the sun that did it,
as we didn't see much of the sun this past week.
It must have been the warmth in the house.


I love the way the flowers appear before the leaves.


Something new to me, quick painting wet on wet
with a textured finish to the back ground using cling film.
I like it. I'll certainly do some more of this.



I used Winsor & Newton  12x9 in.
Cotman 300 gsm/140 lbs Cold pressed/Not
and W & N watercolour paint.
Still on the board, not quite finished.


Then I colour washed it.


I have Photoshop, but can't for the life of me master it.
Does anyone have step by step instructions ?
something like the books you can buy for 'Dummies'

Then I did this using Picasa.
Would you like this painting for a card ?



Time to reflect on where I'm going with my painting.

à bientôt
Barbara Lilian


23 February 2015

Painted Pansies & Primulas.

At this time of the year Primulas and Pansies can be seen in all
the garden centers. Their colourful heads shouting out
 to be bought and planted to give some instant colour
Whether you choose vibrant colours.
 


or these pastel pinks.


When I first learnt how to paint in watercolour in 2008
I was terrified learning the technique of wet on wet, especially for flowers.
I learnt how to let the paint run along the paper I had just wet,
not realizing that the paint would only run where the paper was wet.
After a few mishaps, I loved what I was able to do, knowing I was in control.
 I continued my painting at home using books I'd bought and one
I borrowed from a friend written by a French artist Maryse de May.

One of her pansy paintings from her book.
She paints in a style I particularly like and fortunately in her book there are lots
of diagrams so I am able to follow the technique and adapt it to my style.



I have seen some of her paintings at an Aquarelle Exhibition which is
 held every year in a small town not far from where I live.
St Yriex Aquarelle Exhibition.
 Exhibitors  come from all over the world.
I have the date set in my agenda, as the previous two years
I arrived on the last day about half an hour before it closed

I used the Maryse de May  'L’aventure avec les fleurs ' book as reference
 and practiced a lot that winter.



I remember only too well, as we had a long cold winter
 so that was when I mastered the way of painting wet on wet.
 At that time, I gave everything I painted to family.Then when I got a bit
 more confident a gave them to friends.This weekend while visiting my daughter
 I asked if she still had the painting of the pansies I had given her.
Well here it is for you to see. (I didn't remember it being this good)
I feel quite proud of myself.



Which has given me the push I needed to get back into painting
instead of just dabbling .
So now my paints and favourite paper are out


 ready and waiting for ME.




I think these Primulas would make make nice painted cards.

These  are still in their plastic pots
but look a lot nicer in these decorative metal holders on a tray
which I've put on the wide window ledge, waiting
 to be planted in the garden when the ground warms up.


I have promised myself and Mr France I will do more painting.
 I'll be showing more frequently 
So if you like to see my sketches / paintings please come back soon.



à bientôt
Barbara Lilian

19 February 2015

Guess what I'm Waiting for ....?






 
 
Yes  Spring.

A few days more of sunshine and we should have some more signs of Spring.
 


 
I love the formation of the petals on pansies.
When I first started  watercolour painting I enjoyed learning the technic

of  wet on wet watercolour painting and painted several pictures of pansies.
I gave each one as gifts to friends and family. At that time I didn't take photos of my paintings.
 

 
A few little spring flowers in an eggcup.
 
 
After last weeks cold frosty mornings it was a pleasure
to walk around  the garden today in the sunshine
it thrilled me to see lots of new growth,

This vintage egg basket is full of cones with Sedum growing through them.
 
 
Bright red shoots on the Photinia ( Red Robin )
 
 
and the catkins or what we call lambs tails on the Hazel trees.
 


  .
The birds are flitting about singing their courting songs.
Then I found a discarded blackbirds nest from last year.
 


 
 These Sempervivums always survive the cold frosts.
Some will die off but I always manage to keep enough to
 replant them in small terracotta pots. Then I can move them around
to fill in an empty space while waiting for plants to resurface after the winter.
 

 
 

I see lots of my followers are still having snow storms.
How are you feeling ?
You must be more impatient waiting for Spring.
 
à bientôt
Barbara Lilian