29 April 2007 - Restoration in France, Spring colour in England

We sat on Saby steps a few days ago as we closed up for the last time and drank a final coffee and felt we could be nowhere more perfect. The garden was tidier than when we arrived but still full of self-sown figs, lilac and Judas trees. They in turn were full of birds and butterflies and heady scents. The weather was warm but not nearly as balmy as England and frustratingly several blooms refused to emerge in our time there.

We have neighbouring friends on the case and they have promised to take photographs of the wisteria and the many varieties of orchids that are popping up in the grass. We felt rather self-satisfied as we surveyed the cottage we have worked on. Despite lack of experience we have cleared the canvas of unnecessary walls, restored a window, made shutters and started the plumbing. Admittedly the toilet in the middle of the sitting room is inconvenient and our French is still tentative when it comes to elbow joints and S bends but we have started. Most importantly we are beginning to 'see' how things could be.

The garden is dry and unfed. They don't seem to have taken to putting manure in the garden and we have to start by sourcing some good muck-producing animals. We have a lot of pruning to do but first we are enjoying finding new plants to rescue and breathing in the total tranquillity of the place. It is all exciting stuff and coming home was very hard. However, we are home now and the garden is truly gorgeous and being back is wonderful.

The trees are fully in blossom and the tulips are magnificent. We have a particularly beautiful arrangement in the knot garden where Angus planted our favourites and some new to us. Havran and Knight Rider are set against familiars such as China Pink and Arabian Mystery. Patches of stunning colour in the vegetable garden have made me see some that I was less sure about in a new light. Mostly the fringed varieties that I have previously found over man-tampered have impressed me. Cumins and Curly Sue are good enough to eat!

Actually the vegetable garden is itself a picture as the newly planted seed potatoes and broad beans emerge. Our wood chipped paths have remained mercifully weed free and give a formality to the walled garden, much like the hedges in the knot, that compliments the exuberance of the herbaceous borders and the generous growth of the roses and shrubs.

We seem to have missed the daffodils and the pulmonaria but the primula, including the wild primroses and cowslips are everywhere and the roses have greened up and are showing buds with early specials giving their first flowers in this oh so strange month of April. Bluebells and wild garlic are fighting for position in the woods. They both give off a unique perfume that is so typical of this time of year.

In France they seem to jump very quickly from Spring to Summer and it feels very tempting to be there all the time to watch a year in the garden but then we miss so much here.

posted by Barbara @ Sunday, April 29, 2007   0 comments (Post a Comment)