Celebrating gardens, photography and a creative life
Some of you may remember seeing the Santa Rita ‘Living La Vida 120’ Garden at RHS Hampton Court Flower Show a few years ago. Alan Rudden’s design won a Gold medal and Best World Garden. Boldly coloured burnt-yellow steel feature walls, chunky gabion walls of bright rough stone and seven pollarded strawberry trees (Arbutus unedo) were memorable features. Continue reading “Santa Rita Garden, Painting With Wine and Just Asking”
Let my first be a warning to expect rather a mixed bag as a hail and farewell to two challenges that have brightened and pinkened our April. Continue reading “Assorted Brights And Pinks”
One of many events cancelled this year was Hebden Bridge’s quirky, colourful street parade, Handmade Parade, named because the participants make the puppets, costumes and parade art over three weeks of workshops. I hope my pictures give some of the flavour of a special day. Continue reading “The Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade: A Photo Gallery”
I’ve been waiting to find out what Becky’s prompt will be for JulySquares, a daily challenge that will run for a month from 1st July. We are all welcome to drop in and out if daily posting is too much – whatever suits our style of blogging. In any case, most of the fun will be in seeing what everyone else has to share. Continue reading “The Big Reveal For July Squares”
A comment from blogging buddy, Derrick, reminded me to share this installation, created by Flowers from the Farm, a not-for-profit network of sole traders, micro businesses and smallholders who grow British cut flowers and sell them at farm gates, markets, craft fairs and online.
Prompted by the theme of movement at the Chatsworth Flower Show in 2018, it was a quirky, floral recreation of Fragonard’s 1767 oil painting, The Swing. Continue reading “Floral Pastiche of The Swing By Fragonard”
In normal times, a permanent collection of Barbara Hepworth’s work can be seen in the St Ives garden she so evidently loved. Although the garden remains on shutdown, a wide range of material is available online (see the links below). Her work fits wonderfully well into its Cornish setting, within striking distance of ancient standing stones such as Mên-an-Tol, Lanyon Quoit and the Kenidjack Common Holed Stones. Continue reading “Nine Barbara Hepworth Quotes (With Pictures)”
Having stored up some brownie points by offering you a virtual treat yesterday, I thought I might get away with tormenting some of you today.
I found this rose growing on the land surrounding an art park in Austin, Texas, with its leaves spray painted blue and red. I could imagine this as an alternative greeting card, but there’s something of plant cruelty about it, assuming you agree with my sweetheart that there is such a thing.
If the rose was wearing an expression, I imagine it would be like the one old Rusty had that made us laugh so helplessly when he came back from the dog groomer looking like the spaniel version of a Chinese crested dog, closely shorn in some places and fluffed up in others, crowned with a bow. Continue reading “Trick Or Treat?”
