Hello! We’re entering June splendour and as it’s been a while, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to take you on a little tour of the garden, meeting you at the front gate, ambling slowly up the path and then round the corner for a little surprise. Starting at the gate, spilling out onto the pavement is a mound of campanula, all abuzz with bees. Just … Continue reading A Saturday stroll up the garden path
I’m back after a lovely trip to Spa last weekend, where, like Victorians of old, we took the waters. A genteel town nestled in a wooded valley in the Ardennes, with thermal baths housed in a beautiful building among the trees. Like a mix of Japanese forest bathing, and actual bathing; inspired. But onto more practical matters for this week’s Six on Saturday: 1 Houseplant … Continue reading Six on Saturday: 12 Feb 2022: too many children
After a short break in the Ardennes last week for my birthday (snowy treks, a visit to a war museum, an unexpected detour to Luxembourg, but no parties, absolutely no parties, not even ‘work’ ones, not even the ones where you send someone out with a suitcase to get booze, not even one held during a national lockdown when nobody else is allowed a party! … Continue reading Six on Saturday: 15 Jan 2022: party time
Gardens Illustrated recently published a post on Facebook detailing things to do in the garden in December, with the headline that December is ‘a busy, optimistic month’ for the gardener. The author of the article, Rosie Fyles, is the head gardener at Ham House, England, where things may indeed be busy and optimistic. I have to say, in all honesty, it’s very cold, wet and … Continue reading December thoughts: Six on Saturday (04 Dec 21)
Well that was an awful lot of rain. You will have no doubt heard about the floods in eastern Belgium and seen the devastation on the news. Towns that we drove through in spring when we went to that region for a lovely holiday have been reduced to mud, upturned vehicles and rubble, it’s quite astonishing. Here in the centre of the country, perched on … Continue reading Six on Saturday: 17 July 21: Après le déluge
Well the sunglasses, suncream and flip-flops are all getting decidedly dusty through under-use, as the weather hasn’t been cooperating with the idea of summer and all it brings to mind. It’s been a dank, wet week, that has emboldened the slugs but dampened my spirits. Along with some 3 million Brits who live abroad, we’re heading into summer with the added uncertainty of not knowing … Continue reading Six on Saturday: 26 June 2021: Harvests
Wishing everyone a happy May Day: a significant festival for gardeners, as the first celebrations marked the festival of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, during the Roman republican era. Ah such a lovely morning to bring in the month of May, full of promise. I love this time of year. I decided to take a few pics of how the back garden is looking … Continue reading Six on Saturday: 01 May 2021: Festival of Flowers
