Decorate with flowers

Hello!

After two weeks in the UK (the Peak District and North York moors) it feels good to be home again. The girls and I had a lovely time, visiting quaint villages, country houses and gardens. We made some beautiful walks across wild moorland, with far reaching views of the countryside. We felt privileged to be able to enjoy the beauty that Britain has to offer. Hope you had a good time too?! If you are still enjoying your summer holiday, have fun! In the coming months I will take you with me on our adventures.

In my last post I told you about the book Decorating with flowers or Wohnen mit Blumen by Holly Becker and Leslie Shewring, which Callwey publishers kindly permitted me to giveaway. 

It's an absolutely beautiful book! It's colourful, pleasing to the eye and filled to the brim with creative ideas of how to display your flowers best, either home grown or shop bought. The book is a combination of modern and vintage style. It has for instance a chapter on flea market finds, whites and pastel and neon colours. If you would like to see some photo's, please have a look at the website of Callwey publishers.

The book inspired me to go into my garden and make this post for you. If you would like to participate in the draw, please say so in your comment. I have to tell you though that the book is in German. So please bear that in mind. Anyone can participate. The giveaway will end on Saturday the 15th of August. I will announce the winner in my next blogpost. 

Wishing you good luck and a lovely week ahead!

Love,

Madelief x

* Thank you for your sweet comments on my last blog post and suggestions on places to visit.
  

Dreamy spring days

Only two more days to go before my summer holiday starts. I am looking forward to spend some time with my daughters.

My two youngest daughters and I will be off to the UK soon. We rented a cottage near Bakewell in the Peak District and another near Thirsk on the North York moors.  If you have any suggestions of special places to visit, fun events, good antique centres or hip cafés, please let me know. They are very much welcome. 

Today's photo's were taken during a short trip to Cambridgeshire in May, which I made in the company of two sweet friends. The countryside looked dreamy, with large clouds of cow parsley swaying in the wind. The photo's show what I think is important in a holiday: to spend it in the company of people that you love, to enjoy the beauty of nature, to roam the countryside, to discover new places, read a book or two or to just lay on the grass and let your mind wander and imagination fly.

Wishing you all these things and more. Have a good time. See you in a couple of weeks!

Love,

Madelief x


* Callwey publishers kindly permitted me to give away one of their books 'Decorate with Flowers' by Holly Becker and Leslie Shewring. The book is in German and absolutely beautiful. I will tell you more as soon as I get back. So stay tuned!

The photo's above the text were taken in Cambridge, the photo's below the text at Wicken Fen nature reserve and at Anglesey Abbey and Gardens.

A garden snob

A good friend of mine sent me an article from 'De Volkskrant'  last Friday, about The British garden snob. I found it quite amusing. The article is about William Hanson's view on British gardens. The name was unfamiliar to me, but apparently he is the UK's leading expert on etiquette.

According to the article a British garden snob is someone who's garden looks non formal, as natural as possible, with rolling lawns cascading into flowerbeds or lakes. Think: organised chaos. Some flowers are not acceptable, like chrysanthemums, asters, gladioli and begonias. Garden gnomes and ponds are not allowed, but a lake is fine.

An interesting thing about articles like this is that you are inclined to compare your own garden to the characteristics mentioned. Although I am not English but Dutch and have an allotment garden, which is probably considered as terribly bourgeois, I think I may be a bit of a garden snob myself. If only for the natural chaos in my garden, the fact that my garden has it's own stream (yes it has!!!), I have a summerhouse (it's a shed, but only you know that), a lawn which is perfect for playing croquet (perhaps a tiny bit too small) and a huge selection of classy teacups for my stylish tea parties in the
garden ;-).

What I would like to know is: do you consider yourself to be a garden snob? For those of you who can't read Dutch, I found a similar article in English.

By the way, if you would like to know how to hold your teacup, or stir correctly, please have a look at this video. It may come in handy.....:-)

Have a fun week!

Love,

Madelief x 



* Dear Ina, Thank you once again for the lovely vintage wicker basket. xox