Trésors Retrouvés revisited

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My post earlier this week about Trésors Retrouvés was very much put together in haste. At work the next day my thoughts kept coming back to it - aren't you glad I am not a heart surgeon or maybe an air traffic controller; unlike other professions, for parts of my working day I can mentally drift off a little...

Trésors Retrouvés with Camellia x williamsii 'Donation'

Starting off dahlias

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Dahlias are stars in the summer and autumn border and the smaller varieties do well in pots, too. Although you can plant the tubers straight into your border, I prefer to start mine off in pots for planting out after last frosts.

Trésors Retrouvés

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It is Annie Faivre week on the scarf board and I had a quick look through the drawers and boxes only to discover that I have a few of her designs, including this season's Trésors Retrouvés.

This design is based on Afghan artefacts, hidden at the start of the war, now rediscovered and displayed in the National Museum of Kabul.

Wearing the marron glacé/vanille/violine colourway.

Weekend Eye Candy

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Soirée de Gala

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Perfect silk weather the last few days has given me the opportunity to try out various items in my wardrobe with my newest Jean-Louis Clerc scarf Soirée de Gala. 

My current criteria for scarf purchase is love for the design, a coloration that attracts and flatters my skin tone and a match for at least a few items in my wardrobe. All sensible and even then I often hesitate and don't buy immediately because I want to spend my money wisely and not regret my purchase.

On reflection I am even happier that I did not leave London with the red 70 but traded it in for this scarf because I absolutely love it and it fits into my wardrobe. 

A few pictures of Soirée de Gala worn with different knots and different tops. 

The budget garden in March

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There has been a lot of change in the budget garden of late. Now that the tree surgeons have completed the work on the apple tree (a magnificent and prolific Bramley), I have time to finish work on the borders.

A few happy snapshots taken during my teabreak. Yes, this may be a budget garden but if I time my visit right, then Mr Budget Garden will be present and will offer tea and biscuits.... :)

More serendipity

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This weekend gave me a chance to meet up with a few more scarf and bag lovers in London.

I was in the market for a red scarf and was very undecided between the Rendez-vous Rive Gauche with a pale yellow contrast hem or the J'aime mon carré with accents of yellow, blue and pink. I left it until after lunch before I settled for Rendezvous-Rive Gauche but I was not experiencing my usual sense of elation after a scarf purchase.

Hose Pipe Ban

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It was only a matter of time until a hose pipe ban was becoming a distinct possibility. Yesterday it was announced that for much of the South East of the country a hosepipe ban would come into force by 5 April.

Lawn renovation

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I won't beat about the bush: this is actually a job a really don't enjoy! To bring back a great lawn is back breaking and the amount of effort required to get a good result is totally out of proportion. I usually convince the client to get a specialist in but at a push (if the lawn is tiny and I really like the client), I may do the job myself.

With work at Mrs Privet back garden on hold due to forthcoming building works, she got very frustrated about the lack of progress. The front however is a different story. A lawn the size of a postage stamp, but more moss and weed than grass, it also features more holes than my colander. On top of that it is prone to flooding.

Sous le Cedre III

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As sure as Spring follows winter, the skeletons of shrubs and trees around here are just starting to change. 

No longer are the stems mainly just a sea of from grey and brown albeit some gardens have the good grace to feature a few silver birches or dogwood shrubs. 
Now the landscape changes nearly daily, and from a distance there is a greenish, barely olive haze on some of those bare shrubs, a sign that buds have formed and started to break open.

Gipsy Girl

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Last week I returned to the Budget Garden. A cheery sight greeted me as soon as I got out of the car: 

Aux Portes du Palais

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A problem with the gas boiler has necessitated some lengthy repairs, meaning I am at home when I would rather be out sowing salads. The silver lining on this particular cloud is that I get to wear a silk scarf and prepare the little gardener's birthday party during the day rather than in the evening.

Time to break out "Aux Portes du Palais".