After two sunny and delightful weeks spent in an amazing old villa close to Paris and a converted barn in Normandy, we arrived home from France last weekend.
One of the first things we always do is to visit our garden. It's only ten minutes away from our apartment in town. My neighbours, who live on their allotment garden permanently during the summer months, took care of it. They did well, despite the bad weather our country suffered last week. Each time I open up the garden gate, I am surprised by the effect it has on me. The colours, the scent of the wet earth, the birdsong and the frogs jumping away as I continue my walk across the garden path. Although full of weeds, slightly overgrown and with two trees on the brink of capsizing due to broken branches, it looked good. The peppers, cucumbers, gherkins and aubergines in the greenhouse have grown a lot. There are yellow flowers everywhere. This must be a good year! Or is it my husbands home made compost that works wonders? It must be a combination of both :-)!
Along the stream the lilies I planted last year look lovely. The bulbs were given to me by my work to celebrate a successful move. I am not to keen on lilies in the garden, so I gave them a place behind our garden house. I must admit that I am surprised by their beauty. They look perfect between the yellow of the loose strife, with the green of the duckweed as a backdrop.
There will be lots of work to do in the garden the coming weeks, but I look forward to it very much. Can't wait to get my hands into the soil again and do some indoor decorating in the garden house.
Before I forget, I would like to thank Alice from the blog Le vrai bonheur, for the beautiful give away she sent me just before I left for France. Merci beaucoup chére Alice!
I plan to have a give-away myself soon, so have a look at my blog now and then.
Have a lovely Wednesday!
Lieve groet, Madelief
One of the first things we always do is to visit our garden. It's only ten minutes away from our apartment in town. My neighbours, who live on their allotment garden permanently during the summer months, took care of it. They did well, despite the bad weather our country suffered last week. Each time I open up the garden gate, I am surprised by the effect it has on me. The colours, the scent of the wet earth, the birdsong and the frogs jumping away as I continue my walk across the garden path. Although full of weeds, slightly overgrown and with two trees on the brink of capsizing due to broken branches, it looked good. The peppers, cucumbers, gherkins and aubergines in the greenhouse have grown a lot. There are yellow flowers everywhere. This must be a good year! Or is it my husbands home made compost that works wonders? It must be a combination of both :-)!
Along the stream the lilies I planted last year look lovely. The bulbs were given to me by my work to celebrate a successful move. I am not to keen on lilies in the garden, so I gave them a place behind our garden house. I must admit that I am surprised by their beauty. They look perfect between the yellow of the loose strife, with the green of the duckweed as a backdrop.
There will be lots of work to do in the garden the coming weeks, but I look forward to it very much. Can't wait to get my hands into the soil again and do some indoor decorating in the garden house.
Before I forget, I would like to thank Alice from the blog Le vrai bonheur, for the beautiful give away she sent me just before I left for France. Merci beaucoup chére Alice!
I plan to have a give-away myself soon, so have a look at my blog now and then.
Have a lovely Wednesday!
Lieve groet, Madelief
Hoi Madelief, wat super dat je zulke lieve buren hebt die je tuin zo mooi in de gaten houden. Je tuin ziet er trouwens geweldig uit ondanks al het water dat gevallen is.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenLieve groetjes Jannet
Morning Madelief, I hope you enjoyed your holiday and I look forward to hearing about it and seeing photographs. How lovely to have someone to look after your garden and yes like us you seem to of had LOTS of rain, so everything is growing well, the weeds and the grass!!!Lovely photographs. Welcome back to blogging, Jackie in Surrey, UK.x
BeantwoordenVerwijderenwow! the flowers on the table are gorgeous! I love going in the garden and picking up such cuties :-)
BeantwoordenVerwijderenhave a nive day!
nora
Lieve Madelief,
BeantwoordenVerwijderenWelkom terug!
Fijn dat je het fijn hebt gehad in la France!!
En wat heerlijk dat je buren voor je tuin zorgen, het ziet er wederom prachtig uit allemaal!
En al die groenten... héérlijk!
Een fijne week & tot gauw weer!
Bisous uit Versailles, Chantal
Hello Madelief:
BeantwoordenVerwijderenWhat a beautifully sunny post to greet us on a very wet and grey Wednesday, a change after weeks of almost too hot weather. Your garden, as always, looks wonderful, fecund and full [doubtless as a result of your husband's hard work in making the compost].
From our days of gardening we know only too well the excitement of the first walk around the garden after a period of absence. It is almost like looking at it for the first time all over again. And then comes the realisation of what needs to be done. But, as you say, even the work is fun and very satisfying. And how fortunate you are to have such good neighbours.
We do hope that you enjoyed Paris and will much look forward to hearing about it.
What a wonderful sight to greet you on yout return, there is nothing like a beautiful overgrown garden! Glad you hade good break and are fit and strong to do the work. Your flowers and veg look onderful a real bright spark on a rather dull day.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenJenny x
Mmmm, hoe lekker is dit thuiskomen. Fijn dat de buren je geholpen hebben. Ik zou ook echt wel ja zeggen om die prachtige tuin bij te houden. Dat is toch op en top genieten?! Heb je een fijne vakantie gehad? Liefs Janneke
BeantwoordenVerwijderenHello Madelief,
BeantwoordenVerwijderenyour holiday sounds wonderful! How lovely to back in your pretty garden!I have some of the tall yellow flowers but I thought they were called Lysimachia- Loose Strife, will have to look it up again!
Your Lilies look gorgeous!
Have a lovely day!
Rachel x
I'm just the same when I get back from a summer holiday, it is amazing the changes that take place! How does it work with your garden, Madelief, you live in an apartment and have a city garden somewhere nearby you say, is it like an allotment? I am interested...
BeantwoordenVerwijderenHa lieve Madelief. Welkom thuis. Wat ziet je tuin er prachtig uit . Fijn dat je buren er op gepast hebben.Ja het weer is hier slecht geweest maar daar hebben wij in Engeland niks van gemerkt. Het was er heerlijk.Je foto's zijn ook weer schitterend. Heb je in la douce France ook weer een hoop mooie foto's gemaakt? We krijgen ze vast wel te zien hè.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenLieve groeten van Riet
Wat is je tuin weer mooi Madelief.....heerlijk weer thuis......en genieten van je tuin......voor mij waren de afgelopen twee weken minder leuk....lees mijn post.....Liefs van mij....xxx...
BeantwoordenVerwijderenWelkom thuis! Fijn dat je buren zo goed voor de tuin hebben gezorgd, het ziet er allemaal weer erg mooi en verzorgd uit (dat is dan ook wel weer fijn van thuis zijn; genieten...)
BeantwoordenVerwijderenFijne dag,
Miranda
Good morning Madelief,
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI hope your holidays in my country was marvellous for you. Your garden is wonderful ! Wonderful ! A fairy garden ! It seems to Marjolein Bastin's watercolors and drawings... I like very much this Dutch artist.
Thank you to share these photos with us.
Have a nice day,
Amitiés,
Nathanaëlle
Hoi Madelief,
BeantwoordenVerwijderenWat fijn dat je zo goed met de buren omgaat, want het ziet er inderdaad prachtig uit!
Mooie foto's ook!
Hoop dat je lekker uitgerust bent van je vakantie.
groetjes van Ria
I would so love to be sitting in your garden right now and not staring out at the pouring rain...again! x
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI love yellow and your garden is sooo beautiful...again...:-), hughs Anja
BeantwoordenVerwijderenGood Morning Madelief
BeantwoordenVerwijderenA warm welcome home. Your garden is a delight and the colours spectacular. I spy an eggplant almost ready for picking and zuccini. There is nothing better than fresh picked vegetables from the garden.When we gardened, we would boil the pot of salty water and then slip out and pick the new potatoes from the stalk and pop them in the pot, the potatoes did not see the light of day and there is nothing to rival the taste.
Looking forward to hearing about your holiday.
Helen xx
Hi Madelief,
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI am glad you had a lovely holiday-look forward to your pics.
I can imagine the joy of returning to your own dear garden though-so pretty!
I love lilies but we have had such a problem with the lily beetle that I had to get rid of them-I have only one golden stargazer left.
Take care,
Carolyn
Your garden is so beautiful. I hope you had a wonderful holiday! Em xx
BeantwoordenVerwijderenDear madelief,
BeantwoordenVerwijderenwelcome back!
I can understand you very well! Every time I return home the first thing I do is opening my back door and have a quick walk in the garden - it is so tranquillising and refreshing.
Wonderful bright yellow colours you have in your garden at the moment!
Liefs,
Eva
wow wat heb je toch een mooie tuin, dat is toch wel weer heerlijk terugkomen in zo'n mooie tuin :D! Echt prachtig dat grote boeket in die emmer! Genietse en succes met werken in je tuin! Fijne dag nog!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenWelcome home Madelief. Your garden looks lovely. I feel the same way about lilies but well meaning friends keep giving them to us and we keep planting them:)
BeantwoordenVerwijderenExcited to hear about your holidays.
Too much rain over your way? Here it's too hot to go outside. Lose. lose.
xo Jane
Yellow was my mom's favorite color.. she loved yellow roses, and now I do to. It's funny how we pick up those loves that our mother's had.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenYour hard work certainly pays off.. your garden is a heaven. I can't imagine stepping outside to such beauty.
Congrats on the giveaway win.
I'll be watching.. : )
Have a great day.
What a lovely garden. Your photos are just beautiful, such pretty colors.
BeantwoordenVerwijderen-Lynn
Lieve Madelief!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenWat goed om te lezen dat jullie het zo fijn hebben gehad in Frankrijk en dat de tuin bij thuiskomst weer mooie verrassingen opleverde!
Ben benieuwd naar je Franse posten!!
Een lieve groet vanuit Ibiza (en bedankt voor je felicitaties)!!
Wecome back, Madelief! I always look forward to posts about your garden - it is one of the prettiest gardens in blogland. :)
BeantwoordenVerwijderenHugs,
Zuzu
Hi Madelief,
BeantwoordenVerwijderenHaha your garden sounds a bit like mine, except I haven't been on a real vacation:-)
I am glad you enjoyed your trip! WElcome home:-)
I loved peaking into your greenhouse, I love all the little details like the glove drying rach and tiny pots on the pole tops!
Hugs,
Bella
Liebe Madelief,
BeantwoordenVerwijderenschön, dass ihr wieder gesund & munter Zuhause seid !!!!
Ja , der Garten wächst schnell, wenn man 2 Wochen nicht da ist...schön, dass euer Nachbar sich um ihn kümmert ...ja, gelb kommt im Garten irgendwie immer , ich mag gelb ja nicht soooo , aber Wolfsmilch ( hast du auch wie ich sehe ) und Johanniskraut wachesen bei mir auch wie verrückt...
Dann wünsche ich euch viel Freude bei der Gartenarbeit, hier regnet es total viel....
Schick dir liebe Grüße
Sanne
Welcome back, and thank you for letting us see what a great welcome your garden gave you.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI always think that I do not like yellow in the garden, until ... I see how beautiful it can be. I appreciate your reminding me with these beautiful photos.
I love the idea of your neighbors staying at the garden allotment during the summer months. It seems a wonderful sort of summer camping!
Welcome back! I've missed your lovely posts and stunning photos. The garden is as gorgeous as ever! I imagine it was smiling in yellow flowers, happily awaiting your return!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenHope you enjoyed your holidays! I bet it was great fun!
xo
Klinkt goed, Madelief! Gelukkig heb je mooi weer gehad!! Heerlijk boeket...
BeantwoordenVerwijderenMadeleif, your garden is so stunningly beautiful i bet you miss it when your away- it really is so special- i look so forward to your posts xxxx
BeantwoordenVerwijderenWelcome back Madelief! Sound slike you had a wonderful break, and your garden looks as if it has been very well looked after in your absence.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenEverything looks so beautiful and your vegetables are flourishing!
I hope you enjoy getting back into your gardening!
Gill xx
he Madelief, dat is pas heerlijk thuiskomen, wat een bloemenpracht! Mijn tuintje was ook nog nooit zo mooi geweest toen we thuiskwamen. Vol met bloemen! We waren maar 1 week weggeweest maar toch:) De Loire was prachtig en het fietsen en kamperen super en voor herhaling vatbaar. Helaas waren de weersvoorspellingen voor deze week in Bretagne/Normadie niet zo goed dat we erheen durfden, we hadden gehoopt op strandweer en dat was het helaas niet, dus lekker naar huis en nu hebben we nog wat voor de boeg!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenAls ik je prachtige tuin (wat zijn die lelies mooi!) zie krijg ik steeds meer zin om het in het echie te zien! Lieve groetjes
Wat staat je tuin er weer prachtig bij. Heerlijk al die kleuren, lekker vrolijk en fris.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenEn leuk je kas, ik zou willen dat ik plek had voor zo'n mooie!
Leuk mijn aubergine is bijna net zo groot als die van jou, gelukkig loopt de mijne niet achter, wat wel het geval is met al het overige in de tuin bij mij :-)
groetjes
Dani
Dear Madelief,
BeantwoordenVerwijderenwelcome back and yes the first walk is to the garden :)))
Your's is fantastic, it looks like a jungle...green everywhere :))
The lilies are great, the colours are soooo beautiful.
Have a sunny :) week and lieve groetjes
Marlies
Hi
BeantwoordenVerwijderenYou have a beautiful garden!
Thank you for the wonderful tour in your garden:)
Hug Hanne
Hey Madelief,prachtige mensen die je tuin zo mooi hebben gehouden!kan je direkt terug genieten van al het moois bij je!!!bedankt voor de mooi bloemenfoto's weer en ik vind je serre super hoor!.....veel liefs...
BeantwoordenVerwijderenLove your garden... have I said that enough times yet? ;) I know you do too! Enjoy each moment.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenCielo
Fabulous garden and flowers colors Madelief, looks like a wonderful summertime.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenHUgs
Cecilia
Such pretty images...if only my garden looked like that. Hugs to you my sweet friend...we just got back from our trip! xoxox
BeantwoordenVerwijderenWelcome back, Madelief! I'm so glad you had a lovely holiday. It's wonderful to have a post from you again with so many beautiful garden images. I love all the summery flowers and the sweet painted table.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenHelen x
Hoi Madelief fijn dat je weer terug bent en een heerlijke vakantie hebt gehad. We zullen hier weer prachtige foto's zien. Allereerst al weer van je tuin. Fijn dat die in goede handen is achtergebleven. Wat een kleurenpracht. Geniet ervan!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenLieve groet
Madelief your trip sounded dreamy, I can't wait for the pictures....but what a welcome sight to come home to. your garden is growing so well, all your veggies look perfect! Glad to have you back!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenLiebe Madelief,
BeantwoordenVerwijderendanke für deine lieben Worte...und ja, bei uns beginnen die Schulferien übernächste Woche, wir werden mit den kindern in die USA fliegen, das erset Mal...die Kinder haben es sich gewünscht...ich bin ja nicht oso der Fan , aber Kalifornia, mit dem Auto von LA nach San Francisco, das wird ein Abenteuer..bin gespannt ..
Dir einen guten Einstieg in den Berufsalltag ( garnicht so leicht nach einem Urlaub, finde ich )
Schick dir liebe Grüße,
Sanne
Welcome back Madelief,
BeantwoordenVerwijderenYour holiday in France sounds wonderful - will you be sharing some photos - please !
We are having very unseasonal weather here too. It seems that April/May was our summer ...
I don't mind the rain, but of the soft variety as they say in Ireland! And where HAS the sun gone ...
Your garden looks lovely as ever, how kind of your neighbours to take care of it while you were away - I did wonder ...!
Jeanne
x
Hello Madelief,
BeantwoordenVerwijderenThank you for your visit. We also have terrible weather here! the garden is all wet and full of weeds, i can't even cut the grass! you flowers are beautiful, Good evening, blessings from Catherine
Hoi Madelief,
BeantwoordenVerwijderenwat leuk je tuinset. Sooooo leuk met de letters,Bedankt voor je visite op mijn blog.
je mag ook in het Nederlands schrijven als je wil.
groetjes Conny
Dear Madelief,
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI see that you have a lot more success with the aubergines this year! All your crop looks fantastic, a greenhouse is quite of an advantage. I hope that it will get a bit warmer soon, otherwise we won´t have a lot tomatoes and peppers this year...
Your holiday in France sounds marvellous - an old villa near Paris, what a dream!
I´m not too keen on lilies either, but you are right, they look very, very beautiful, especially in combination with the spotted loosestrife!
Have a nice weekend!
Liebe Grüße, Bärbel
Hi sweetie!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenThank you so much for your kind words-they are much appreciated on a day like this!
...it is so horrible. The bomb went off just 1 km from our apartment..the entire building where I live was shaking, i could feel the shockwave in the air and the horrible sound was so loud that I hear it linger in my ears for a long while afterwards....
....Still, I am so happy to be able to say that myself and mine are safe and sound! My thoughts are with those wounded, killed or who have lost their close ones today..the shooting is so incedibly horrible! Poor kids!
...again, thank you so much for your kind words! The support warms my heart...
Best wishes
by the way; Lovely photos! Such a lovely place!
BeantwoordenVerwijderen...lovely pictures!!!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenHey Madelief, welkom terug! Fijn dat je het zo heerlijk gehad hebt. Prachtige plaatjes ook weer!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenVoor jou ook een heel fijn weekend,
liefs van Maaike
Oh Madelief, it's so good that you are back safe and well and have had such a lovely holiday!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenIt is so grey and miserable here in Sydney, your gorgeous photos are just the ticket to cheer me up! The bucket full of flowers on the table is so beautiful - it's my favourite image!
Hugs and a happy weekend to you, Stephie x
Zucht..wat een schitterende tuin foto`s laat je weer zien,het is echt een klein paradijsje op deze aardbol,waar je alles om je heen eens kunt vergeten en echt kunt genieten en dan zo gezellig wat eten en drinken,ik tik wauww,lieve groetjes Joke.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenHi Madelief, your garden is wonderful as always. I love your description of coming in to it after being away. I must admit that my garden is becoming more and more important to me. It's a funny thing though, I really don't go for yellow, orange or red flowers and I'm not really sure why! Thanks for letting us in, love Linda x
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI used to have a lot of lilies, but they are gone now thanks to the weather and critters. A garden full of yellow can be just as beautiful such as yours. We are constantly having branches break here and fall down. A tree close to the house is also on its way out, and all of this is due to the stress of drought for so many years. Well, cool weather now, and hopefully rain in the coming days. Enjoy all of your beautiful lilies!
BeantwoordenVerwijderenTake Care,
Ulrike