New adventures

Hello!

It's been ages since I wrote last. I hope you are still out there, and well? Sorry it took such a long time for this post to appear, but once I put my laptop in the cupboard, it was difficult to get it out again.

The last couple of months I made some major decisions. One of them is to sell my garden. We spent nine happy years there, but it's time for a change. The garden really is too large for me to handle, and although the girls help me my out as often as possible, it's not enough. So it's a few tears, but a smile as well for New adventures are to begin.

The photo's in this post were partly taken in Delft, one of my favourite towns, on a hazy day about two weeks ago. The town looked magical with the December decorations already up.

The cake on my photo's is a Pistachio coconut and lime cake. It's an easy bake and absolutely delicious! You can find the recipe here.

As you know I have a love for vintage dresses. The ones in my photo's are from the late sixties/early seventies. I found the brown dress with the golden pattern in a tiny shop in Haarlem. I wish I could tell you the name, but I simply forgot. The dress with the black and brown graphic pattern and black belt was bought in Edinburgh (Armstrong & Son). I think they are both late sixties/ early seventies. Do you have a thing with vintage clothes?

Wishing you lovely days ahead!

Love,

Madelief  X

If you would like to see more, please check out my Instagram account 'madeliefblog'

Happy Summer!

Hello,

Thank you all for your kind comments on my last blogpost. I enjoyed reading about your gardens very much! 

It's only a few more days before my two youngest daughters and I are off to the UK. Our favourite holiday destination. Those of you who read my blog regularly, probably know that by now :-)

This time it will be The Lakes and The Peaks. My middle daughter made a list of places to visit. Among them are the homes of important people from the art and literary world. We will be up to Hill Top, Dove Cottage and Brantwood. In The Peaks we will make a stopover at Lyme Park, and perhaps pay another visit to Haddon Hall, which we all loved so much during our last visit. We are open to suggestions though. If you know any places in the area I haven't mentioned yet and are worth a car ride. Please let me know!

My middle daughter and I have  been busy in the garden. I always try to leave it behind as tidy as possible, but this time I won't manage. The thing is, I am terribly behind, and there is only so much one can do.

A lot is happening in the greenhouse. All credit goes to my daughter. I believe her fingers are greener than mine. It must be all the love that goes into as well.....  My daughter grows several tomato varieties, like St. Pierre, Big Daddy, Tigerella and Pommodori. They are all doing splendidly. I am afraid that during our holiday we will have an explosion of ripe tomatoes. Lucky neighbours! We have a bumper crop of gherkins too this year. There are already three pots of gherkins in our cupboard to eat in winter, and that is only the beginning. The cucamelons (new this year) are doing fine as well. They are delicious in salads and quite pleasing to the eye. We tried eggplant again, but no, not much is happening. The peppers are a bit disappointing as well, but you never know what may happen the coming months. Summer has only just begun and autumn may bring some surprises.

With little time on my hands, I focus on the weeds and flowers in the garden. Although there is not much colour, there are always some beauties to pick and take home with me.

Wishing you all a Happy Summer! Have a good time.

Love,

Madelief x

All is pretty

One of the publicity posters for the first retrospective exhibition of  Andy Warhol's work in Sweden in 1968 read: 'All is pretty'. Although you can't compare mr Warhols work with my garden, I thought I would use his words anyway, because I think in June my garden looks it's best. 

It's the month when the leaves are still green and disease free, when the soil is moist, the plants haven't taken over yet, and there are roses everywhere. In combination with foxgloves, lupins, aliums and ladies mantle, they add romance to it all. I am so glad I chose the greenish grey colour for my little garden house all those years ago. It makes the colours of the flowers stand out. 

It's one or two weeks at the utmost that the roses in my garden are in flower all at once and look most alluring, but to me it's one of the highlights of the year. If you would like to see more, please have a look at my Instagram account. I posted a film of my garden on the 8th of June.

Is all pretty in your garden too, or has the warm weather of the past few weeks taken it's toll?

Wishing you a good time in the garden!

Love,

Madelief  X