Today, I discovered the rose garden in Blois. Photos do not do it justice. It is quite spectacular. Aujourd’hui j’ai découvert la roseraie de Blois. La photo ne montre pas du tout sa splendeur.
Category Archives: Flowers and gardens
Diane's Garden – Le jardin de Diane
Today, I cycled to Chenonceau with my daughter (not from Blois – we started from Vallières-les-grandes). By the time we visited the château it was around 6 pm, By then most of the tourists had left and we had the place to ourselves. The photo is taken from Diane de Poitier’s garden. Aujourd’hui je suis …
First Roses – Premières roses
The pink and white roses on our half-timbered tower are always the first to bloom. Next come the red roses which are currently taking over the rose of sharon. Last are the roses on our front steps, the most magnificent of all. In another week or so, I’ll post another photo. Les roses blanches et …
Nettle Leaf Plant Food Forbidden? – Purin d'orties interdit ?
Nettle leaf plant food, an excellent organic fertilizer, was taken off the market in France in 2006 because it has not been approved for sale. If you want some, you have to make it. Jean Michel is using his electric hand-held grass clippers to shred the leaves which have to be immersed in water for 3 …
Continue reading “Nettle Leaf Plant Food Forbidden? – Purin d'orties interdit ?”
Weighed down with rain – Chargé de pluie
We haven’t had much rain this spring, but it’s been rather wet the last few days, to the relief of the cereal farmers. Our weigela was completely soaked this morning! Nous n’avons pas eu beaucoup de pluie au printemps cette année mais depuis quelques jours on se rattrape au grand soulagement des céréaliers. Notre weigela …
Château de la Bourdaisière
So, after the chapel and Leonardo’s door, here is the château itself. It’s one of those buildings that has been changed considerably over the centuries. The plant and chicken festival in spring is incredibly popular, as is the heirloom tomato festival in autumn. We will go back on our bikes in July or August to …
Leonardo & Judas – Léonard & Judas
This doorway at La Bourdaisière Château, attributed to Leonard da Vinci, is shown to perfection by the beautiful flowering tree on the left, a Cercis silliquastrum, commonly known as the Judas tree because Judas is said to have used this tree commonly found in Israel to hang himself after betraying Jesus. It could also simply be …
Wisteria – Glycine
The wisteria is nearly two weeks earlier than last year. With the exception of the last photo, taken at Cour Cheverny yesterday, I took all the other photos this afternoon as I drove along the Loire from Blois to our house, which is in the first photo. La glycine est en fleurs presque deux semaines en …
Three Spring Flowers – Trois fleurs de printemps
I took all three photos today. The first is mimosa, quite stunning this year; the second is magnolia and the third is cowslip which is very late. J’ai pris les trois photos aujourdhui. La première c’est du mimosa, vraiment beau cette année ; la deuxième du magnolia et la troisième du coucou qui est bien …
Continue reading “Three Spring Flowers – Trois fleurs de printemps”
Two Little Finches – Deux petits verdiers
With the warmer weather last week, our garden birds seemed to have left our sunflower seeds alone but today I saw these two little green finches scrabbling around. A crested tit turned up a bit later but he was a bit more timid so I couldn’t take a photo. The yellow flowers in the background are …
Continue reading “Two Little Finches – Deux petits verdiers”