dinsdag 14 augustus 2012

Cutting flowers











































Just came back from two lovely weeks in England. We put on our hiking boots, walked through 'pastures green', enjoyed the glorious gardens of Sudeley Castle and Hidcote manor and had a stylish cream tea in the orangery at Sezincote.

A large part of my time was spent in antique and charity shops. I admire my husband, to whom my vintage shopping must have been absolute hell :-) The boot of the car was filled to the brink with vintage china, handbags & books. It is a miracle it all arrived home safe. You may wonder what I am going to do with my finds, only having a little garden house to store it all. I will tell you more about it soon!

Today's photo's were taken in the garden just before we left for England. Changing my vegetable patch into a cutting garden was a bit of a gamble, but I am so glad I did. It gives me much pleasure. The first Dahlia's (Chat Noir) are in bloom, so is love-in-the-mist (Nigella Damascena) and the drumstick allium (Allium sphaerocephalum). The bouquets I make change every month. I love the colourful bunches I take home with me. Only a few more days and I can add brightly coloured Cosmea and Zinnia to my bouquets.

The beautifully embroidered garden journal was made for me by Pipany. She creates magic with needle and thread. If you would like to see more of her needlework, please have a look at her blog.

Hope you are having a wonderful summer?!  I am looking forward to see and read what you have been up to.

LOVE,

Madelief x

On behalf of myself and my uncle and aunt, I would like to thank you for the sweet comments & well wishes which you left on my Daisies post. It warmed our hearts.














58 opmerkingen:

  1. oh' how beautiful your garden is ;0)
    i hope you had a wonderful trip ;0)x
    lovely journal, happy week to you x

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  2. Hello Madelief:
    How wonderful that you are returned safe with tales of marvellous adventures in England. Hidcote is certainly in our top ten of gardens and we hope that you found it of interest too. We think that it has the most marvellous structural bones and its situation overlooking the Cotswold escarpment is truly breathtaking in our view.

    Your cutting garden looks absolutely charming. We agree that thee can surely be nothing nicer than to snip seasonal flowers and bring them in. The gloriously informal arrangements you show here are so very pretty.

    We look forward to hearing all news from England. And, of course, what is to be done with the boot load of china!!

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  3. Bonjour!
    How sweet is the little Journal?
    Thank you for the fresh flowers, here it is all burned from the sun...
    Love
    Alice

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  4. I love the garden journal and your cutting garden. You always make such charming bouquets.
    Look forward to your holiday photos as they are always beautiful. Your holidays sound a little like our with a packed car coming home with treasures from thrift shops etc.

    Hope all goes well for your aunt & uncle.

    Carolyn

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  5. I grew lots of cutting flowers this year as we had a big party, but now they are all looking rather sad, and we have been plagued with mildew, so it is lovely to see your beautiful ones!

    Pomona x

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  6. Heey Madelief, welkom thuis! Wat fijn dat jullie (inclusief je man :)) zo genoten hebben. De heren hebben wel wat te lijden met ons onderweg hè? Ik hoop dat je tuin ondertussen een mooie bloemenzee is geworden en dat je ook de komende weken nog de nodige boeketten kunt plukken!

    Heb enorm veel zin in het weekend! Maar ik reserveer wel heel graag een plekje in de schaduw hoor, desnoods bij de buren hihi...anders leg ik het af!!

    Tot gauw!! Veel liefs, Ingrid

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  7. Hey Madelief, wat fijn dat je er weer bent.
    Ik kom nu helemaal in de engelse stemming. Hoop dat ik nog wat foto's zie voor ik Zondag weg ga, want Sudeley Castle en Hidcote Manor garden staan ook op mijn lijstje.

    Geniet nog lekker van het mooie weer, en je prachtige tuin.
    Liefs Lia

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  8. Fijn dat je er weer bent na een geslaagde vakantie! Heerlijk om in eigen tuin mooie boeketten samen te kunnen stellen. Hier bloeiden bij thuiskomst de zinnia's en lathyrus overvloedig, dus ook in huis veel fleur, kleur en geur. Leuk boekje...

    Fijne avond. Lieve groet, Miranda

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  9. Hoi,Madelief:-)*

    Wecome back,my dear friend!!!

    Such So,SO,SO lovely flowers by you................
    And just miracle fairytale atmosphere!

    Thank you so very much for you visit,Madelief:-)*

    Hugs,
    ***Violetta***

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  10. So lovely to have you back Madelief, I have missed your beautiful photos.
    I'm happy to hear you had a lovely holiday. :)
    I too have been thinking about turning my vegetable patch into a cutting garden next year as my veg have been a bit disappointing this year (I blame so much rain) but that is something to dream about during the long cold days.
    Vivienne x

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  11. Wat n leuk kado heb je gekregen, Madelief! En dan die mooie bloemen in je tuin, zo leuk! Ben benieuwd naar de foto´s van Engeland!
    Liefs,
    Nicole

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  12. Hello Madelief
    So glad you enjoyed your trip, the flowers look wonderful and so fresh, The little journal is so very pretty, I cannot wait to see the treasures you found!
    Thea x

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  13. welkom thuis! zo te lezen hebben jullie een erg leuke en fijne vakantie gehad ben heel nieuwsgierig na de fotos van engeland en de cotswolds hebben jullie het ook getroffen met het britse weer? wat leuk in de engelse charity shops kun je vaak erg leuke spullen vinden aan kleding porcelein en leuke boeken vaak nog zo goed als nieuw erg leuke bezigheid om te doen de shops afstruien ook antique shops zijn erg leuk om te bekijken maar vaak wel iets duuder kan mij voorstellen dat je daar van gaat watertanden als je al dat moois ziet! zou ik ook hebben vooral bij serviesgoed wow wat een geluk dat alles heel is gebleven en over is gekomen! das echt heel fijn hoe waren the gardens wacht met smart op de mooie fotos groetjes en hele fijne avond leon10

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  14. Heerlijk om zelf je boeketjes uit de tuin te knippen hè, daar krijg ik ook nooit genoeg van, maar ik ben razend benieuwd naar je foto's en ervaringen in de Cotswolds en wat je allemaal hebt ingeslagen. Ik kan daar ook geen charity shop of antiekzaakje voorbijgaan. Alleen vraag ik me inmiddels af wat ik er allemaal mee moet en mijn huis slibt langzaam dicht, eigenlijk vooral van de boeken. Het boek Vintage Flowers wat jij in je blog beschreef, heb ik inmiddels ook en het is inderdaad schitterend.
    Groeten, Janneke

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  15. A car full of vintage shopping??? I am looking forward to seeing what you bought! :). I love your large flower bunches! Although I have a large garden, I do not have many flowers. So I only take little single flowers to put in a small bottle.
    Barbara

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  16. beautiful photos

    beautiful

    congratulations, well done

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  17. Sounds like you had a fantastic time over here in England! I would love such a beautiful cutting garden! The flowers look stunning! x

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  18. Heerlijk je bent erweer.....mooie foto's weer hoor...ben benieuwd wat er met je tuinhuis gaat gebeuren...ik denk ...foto's in een magazine of zo.......vertel !!...liefs Ria...xxx...

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  19. Your cutting garden looks fabulous! Glad you had a wonderful time in England. I look forward to seeing more pictures and I am intrigued with what you will do with all your vintage china and other goodies.
    Sarah x

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  20. Oei, wat een spetterende foto's, de bloemen knallen gewoon van mijn scherm af bijna een vaas in.
    Je had een heerlijke vakantie lees ik, dus jij kunt er weer tegen.

    Lieve groet
    Hermine

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  21. Dear Madelief,

    So glad you had a lovely holiday away and how lucky to come back with a car load of vintage treasures. The bouquets of flowers you have shown are beautiful and I love Nigella Damascena, they always remind me of a ballerinas tutu. How sweet the little embroidered journal is.
    Many thanks for visiting me and your kind words.

    Have a happy week
    hugs
    Carolyn

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  22. Je gaat toch niet een eigen winkeltje beginnen he?????????
    Heerlijk om weer zo'n mooie post van jou te zien en dat plukken uit eigen tuin lijkt mij ook heerlijk!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Laat je nog wel wat bloemen op de steeltjes zitten voor ons, om zondag te fotograferen????????
    Ben benieuwd naar al je schatten die je gevonden hebt!
    Tot zondag
    liefs
    Lia

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  23. Wat een heerlijk plekje, ik heb zin om het weer met eigen ogen te aanschouwen, ...dus: pluk niet alle bloemetjes af.....
    Ben benieuwd naar jullie vakantieverhalen, lieve groetjes

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  24. What a beautiful journal and how lovely to have a cutting garden. Such a luxury!
    Penny x

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  25. Hello Madelief,
    You brought us some sunshine!
    I'm so pleased you had a lovely time here in England.
    I am very envious of your 'cutting garden'
    Hope you have a lovely week,
    Lizx

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  26. Welcome home! I hope you had a lovely time in England, and enjoyed the Olympics! You were lucky with the weather, because we had such rain yesterday!

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  27. Hello Madelief

    What a riot of colour and explosion of beautiful colours in your cutting border.
    I can understand how your enjoyed England, with it's wonderful gardens and charity shops :D
    I'm homeward bound back to London with my 2 boys...
    A new beginning for us.
    LOVE PEACE enJOY all your treasures
    Julie
    x

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  28. The colors of your dahlias are so amazing! Your photos seem to get better and better. I love it that you came home with a carload of goodies gathered all over England, I can't wait to see some of them. And also wanted to say, I think your outfit is just perfect.

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  29. Hi dear friend...such pretty photos. So glad you enjoyed your time away. We are off tomorrow for our family vacation for 10 days so I will see you when I get back.
    I need to email you about my Holland holiday...I need some tips on where to stay and what to see...will do that when I get back.
    Hugs. xoxox

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  30. Hello Madelief and welcome home.

    Your trip to England sounds wonderful. I will be anxious to read all about your experience and gardens visited.
    You look fabulous snipping flowers in your garden. Bouquets from the garden are the best kind and are always orginal.

    Helen xx

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  31. Dearest Madelief,

    You have quite an abundance of cut flowers from your garden. You are lucky for being able to let go of your garden for two weeks without finding everything dried up and dead. We cannot leave in summer; too harsh for a garden to be without any care.
    Hugs and love to you,
    Mariette

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  32. So glad you had a great time over in our beautiful country! Your flowers are stunning! Ada :)

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  33. Dear Madelief,
    I hope you had wonderful holidays in the Cotswolds - welcome back.
    Have a wonderful day
    Lovely hugs
    Molly

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  34. So please you had a wonderful time here in good ol Blighty! And I think you had good weather too? Beautiful flowers as always Madelief!
    Victoria xx

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  35. OOh wat een heerlijk tuin boeket! en ik ben benieuwd wat je met al je nieuwe aanwinsten gaat doen.
    Fijne week
    Yolanda

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  36. Jullie hebben vast enorm genoten! En wat een heerlijk boeket.
    Welkom terug in blogland...

    Groetjes, Pietrik

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  37. Oh thank you so much for putting the journal in Madelief.

    It sounds as though you had a good time in England - I have yet to visit Hidcote so am rather envious. Your garden is looking truly beautiful as ever. We have grown many flowers for cutting too this year and have loved the abundance to bring indoors. It does mean teat the rest fo the garden does not suddenly become bereft! xx

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  38. Madelief, what a beautiful gardener you are! The summer flowers are also very lovely. It must have been great fun to see the English gardens and to discover all sorts of vintage china, etc. I am curious to know what you plan for this treasure might be. Bravo to your husband!

    The garden journal that Pipany has made for you is charming...she is a true embroidery artist, with a wonderful eye for just what captures a particular season, place, mood.

    Best wishes to you. xo

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  39. Beautiful photos of gorgeous flowers Madelief, what a lovely bouquet! I hope you enjoy your boot full of treasures:-)
    Fionaxx

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  40. What beautiful pictures and such a lovley one of you too! Glad you enjoyed your stay in England. If you ever get to Wiltshire come and see us. x

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  41. Sounds like you had a fabulous time in our green and pleasant land. But it's always good to be home isn't it? And now you're back we can all enjoy your flowers.

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  42. Hope you had a marvellous holiday Madelief, look forward to hearing more about yur adventures as time permits.
    In the meantime, move over Sarah Raven, your cutting garden is lovely with such a wonderful succession of flowers.

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  43. It's just all so lovely, Madelief! Glad you're back! I've thought of you often in the past few weeks since you left. Thinking of you off on your adventures... =D

    and, you know, I was thinking that I need a cutting garden, next year. Even though things are filling out in the border, I just don't want to cut more than the smallest bouquet... although, those always are sweet, anyway. You must be having fun simply picking what you want without worrying about it.

    xxo

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  44. I'm not able to tell you by words how much I like your photos!!!!. They are gorgeus!!!!I have been visited Netherland some weeks ago and I was in love for your Country,I hope to visit it again soon !

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  45. Hej Madelief, fijn dat je weer terug bent en een heerlijke vakantie hebt gehad. Je tuinfoto's zijn weer prachtig. Mooie bloemen in je pluktuintje. Ik kijk al uit naar je vakantiefoto''s en verhalen. Mooi boekje!
    Lieve groet,

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  46. wie schön das du wieder da bist, liebe Madelief. Ich habe dich schon vermisst.

    Dein Urlaub hört sich herrlich an und deine Bilder von deinem Garten sind zauberhaft. Ich wünsche dir viele gute Erinnerungen an deine Ferien und das sie dein Herz noch ganz lange erwärmen.

    Liebe Grüße und ein schönes Wochenende (wir fahren in dein herrliches Land um Urlaub zu machen. Ich freue mich schon auf das Meer)
    Ina

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    Reacties
    1. Dear Ina,

      Have a lovely holiday! Perhaps we will meet at the seaside.

      Madelief x

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  47. Beautiful, beautiful flowers and I'm so glad you had a lovely time over here. Pipany is so lovely and the things she creates are simply gorgeous.

    Nina xx

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  48. i love your Country, as I have been loved Sweden, so green,romantic and exclusive.So much style!
    I will post soon some photos, very nice, of the last trip..and I will ask someone who lives there to do a swap with me!!!
    Please remain in touch with my blog if you like it, I will do for sure with yours!

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  49. Fijn dat je terug bent. Ik heb je gemist!
    Heerlijk dat je hebt genoten in Engeland en dat de antique shopping trips could be a hell for manlief... kan mijn man denk ik soms helemaal inkopen.

    Ik wens je een zonnig en gezellig weekend.
    Dikke kus,
    Rozmeen

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  50. Welcome back, dearest Madelief - I am happy to hear that you had a wonderful time in England - and I am curious what you are going to do with your finds!!! Your garden-pühotos are great - I'm sure there are lots of things you can write in your garden journal!
    Warm Küschelbüschel-hugs & groetjes, Traude

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  51. Madelief, I am in love with your dahlia. So fun to see a strong burst of color among all the pastels.

    Hmmmm, is someone thinking of setting up a virtual shop?

    xo jane

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  52. Hello Madelief,
    I am so glad that you had a lovely holiday and enjoyed the Cotswolds. Thanks so much for calling in at Station Mill Antiques - it's lovely to hear your feedback.
    Your garden, as always, looks beautiful.
    Essie x

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  53. Dear Madelief,
    what wonderful summer-photos! We had a barbecue yesterday too! Yours looks very delicious!
    Hugs
    Yvonne

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  54. Aaaah (big sigh!) reading your blog is my chance to escape from the drudgery of housework and enjoy some beautiful photos Madelief......
    Whilst preferring the cold weather, I always hanker for the warmer months after visiting you. I feel inspired to fill my garden with lovely plants so I can snip bunches of beautiful flowers and bring them indoors throughout Summer. I definitely need more variety!!
    Your journal is just delightful, I must pop over to Pipany and visit....

    So glad you enjoyed your holiday and look forward to seeing what you do with all your 'booty.....

    Claire :}

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  55. What a cute journal! Just love it and your outfit too! I'm jealous of the dahlias as it is one of my favorites, and I planted about 10 extra this year yet very few came up. Not the greatest year on this side of the pond. Enjoy your flowers!
    Take Care,
    Ulrike

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Thank you for your lovely words.