1 of 4: ten thousand worlds for the choosing

I was walking my dog {border collie, Phoenix-a most wonderful pup} two weeks ago and caught sight of an old canoe sitting in the grass. I immediately started thinking about taking photos of a friend of mine in the canoe with flowers and old suitcases overflowing with feathers and lace, as if she were a child who'd decided to go on an adventure and taken everything important to her.

I only had one day free to do it so last Thursday {stormy, windy, wild}, we set out to shoot.

3 of 4

Four very excellent things happened this week. For no particular reason at all I will start with Excellent Thing III: Begonia Wanderings.

I bought two relatively scraggly but lovable begonias at the flower markets one morning in January for $1.50 each. The guy didn't know what variety they were. The flowers are white and sometimes come out as singles, sometimes doubles. They look a little like helleborus at times.

mystery begonia

I started trying to find out what variety they were online, this lead me to discover the wonder and genetic diversity of these plants. They cross breed very easily so there are hundreds of varieties. They have such wonderful weird translucence. Often their leaves are more intriguing that their blooms. My internet begonia caper lead me to The NSW Begonia Society {yep.}. They meet monthly and in March hold their Annual Begonia Exhibition and Plant Sales. I went along to Annangrove, a gorgeously green area about a 50 minute drive from Sydney. The exhibition was held at Ross Bolwell's begonia nursery, the president of the society.

I was smitten the instant I arrived. When I arrived through the rain, I was the youngest person there by about 50 years {I could not have been more thrilled}. Everyone was so kind and charming and enthused about their plants. One man there called Alan was particularly sweet and said he saw me going back and forth and smiling at the plants so he invited me to become a member of their lovely coterie. Yes, I do believe I will join.

The breadth of begonia's diversity astounds me. I will stop writing now and post photos. I bought ten different plants. I'll photograph them in situ soon.

What a splendid way to spend a Saturday morning. 

Begonias are easily grown from cuttings, so if anyone fancies some do let me know I'd be more than happy to share them.

I thought I had summer blues, turns out I don't

I have had a weird suspended-in-time sort of feeling of late. I wasn't particularly enjoying it. I think it's because I have lots of little projects I wanted to get my teeth into but for whatever reason they were put on hold.

I did make a series of flower crowns [which may or may not be my favourite thing to make {they definitely are my favourite}] for a shoot.

I heard an interview this afternoon on fbi radio with a brassy blues band called Tuba Skinny from New Orleans. They played a few live tracks. So great. They nail that perfect laid back sauntering jazzy ragtime sound that I adore. Especially good to listen to whilst it's raining outside and you find yourself baking or arranging flowers or both.

Most of these blooms came from my garden. I am kinda proud.

this reminds me of easter for some reason

I've wandered gardens

In 2011 I had the great good fortune to go on my first European jaunt. I went to France, Italy and Germany. I traveled by myself for five weeks and met my mum and dad in the South of France as they had hired a barge and traversed the Canal du Midi. It was a splendid trip, I saw rural France in spring. It was terrifically indulgent. Driving around, past canola fields of the most vibrant yellow and green, lilac blooming everywhere. It was a dream.

canola fields

lilac!

growing wild and free

One highlight was a visit to Jardins de l'Imaginaire in Terrasson-Lavilledieu. A formal garden founded in 1996, it is a cleverly designed garden which plays on all your senses. There is a golden sculpture, an Ariadne's thread, which winds through the trees, weaving in and out of sight. Glimpses of it are supposed to ensure you aren't ensnared by any sprites, keeping you safe and on the right path.

Iris

lovely white wisteria 

The garden has beautiful water features, woodland areas, mazes and green tunnels with arching wisteria, rose gardens and many iris. One part which delighted me was where the stepping stones were too far apart {even to skip/hop} so you must gently walk on the plants, which were particularly fragrant ones {rosemary, lavender etc}. This released their lovely scent into the afternoon air. 

and of course, there were hellebores

all delighted people {raise their hands}

Yesterday I spent wondrous hours with plants, blooms and very good music playing {The Tallest Man on Earth's latest album 'There's No Leaving Now'} whilst the rain and wind howled outside. I really love a good storm, when there is almost electricity in the air {actually, there definitely was electricity in the air---> I think that's what lightning is?! Perhaps not quite}. Roses are so gorgeous at the moment and the older growth/later blooming hydrangeas are making me swoon with delight. The deep dark bluegreenplum hued ones in particular cause stirrings in my heart. I also had some tuberose pinned to my hair all day and it's heady musk driven sweetness was beyond lovely.

hydrandea, clethora and gum

When I arrived home I had a quick garden saunter and saw my skywards climbing Madame Alfred Carrier roses are blooming beautifully. Oh I adore them. So fragrant and delicate!

perfection

daliahs and a new plant!

I am a little obsessed with this fellow

I bought a new plant home it is called a New Guinea Impatiens. I'll try to take a clearer photo of it-the leaves have a beautiful rich wine underside and deep dark veins which show through on the top side. The have a nice deep green luster to them. I've never been that keen on impatiens until I saw this one. I think I'll add it to my bedroom collection which is mostly begonias and dichondra. And beans. On my windowsill.

window harvest soon

daliahs are fun to work with

bedroom begonia

                                                        Have a splendid weekend!

day three: Little Flower School

Nicolette and Sarah.

 We had an early morning jaunt to the markets on the Monday after the Wedding Symposium weekend with Nicolette and Sarah. We sought out such lovely flowers, beautiful deep pink garden roses, lilies, gorgeous daliahs, incredible dancing lady/oncidium orchids-colours I'd never seen before-a luscious black and a pretty pale cream.

pretty arrangement

The class began with an introduction to all the flowers. Something that delighted me was when Sarah and Nicolette described their wild excitement at discovering the green and faun tinged copper foliage you can see being used in the arrangement above. Nicolette said she spied it from afar and knew she needed it, the man who grew it was quite charmingly bemused and said it wasn't really worth cutting, that it was a sucker meaning it was a rebel branch growing from the rootstock.

 We did a clever chicken-wire-in-a-low-bowl for arranging. I set myself the challenge of choosing blooms I was not immediately drawn to, namely: anything too bright.

a dark version

white wall background

 I do love bright flowers but when I am making arrangements for myself I will always head for pale and pretty with something to offset it like crocea/spiny thorny twigs etc. I was pretty tired by the end of the day as I also went to work in betwix the market foray and the class but I was reasonably happy with the end result. 

My show and tell present to the girls.

 I found this on a morning walk with my dog. I've seen it for sale at the markets before. I can't recall it's name I think it starts with 'h'. I brought it in as I suspect it's a native and thought the girls might like to see it. They loved it and wanted to take it home, alas that was not possible.

upside down peach cake

to help with the long days