Jean Michel called my attention to these “strange flowers” on the market in Blois. Protea is both the botanical name and the English common name of a genus of about one hundred South African flowering plants that belong to the Proteaceae family. It’s certainly the first time I’ve seen them in France. Jean Michel a …
Category Archives: Flowers and gardens
Vegetable Patch in Autumn – Jardin potager en automne
As we walked up to the top of Blois we came across this vegetable patch surrounded by autumn colours. En grimpant sur les hauteurs de Blois nous sommes tombés sur ce jardin potager aux couleurs d’automne.
Sorrel from the garden – Oseille du jardin
This sorrel from the garden had a few holes because of the snails but the omelette was delicious! You just have to cook the sorrel in a frying pan until it’s soft then add it to the omelette. L’oseille du jardin a quelques trous percés par les escargots mais l’omelette était délicieuse ! Il suffit …
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The Yew Tree – L'if
I love trees that give colour in autumn and winter. We think this is a yew tree but don’t know what species. J’aime bien les arbres qui nous donnent de la couleur en automne et en hiver. Nous pensons que cet arbre est un if mais nous ne connaissons pas l’espèce.
Sudden Downpour – Pluie torrentielle
After a sunny morning yesterday, the rain suddenly began pouring down. Après une matinée ensoleillée hier, la pluie est tombée d’un coup.
Gathering Walnuts – Ramassage des noix
Today I gathered nuts for the first time, in a public park at the bottom of Château de Chaumont. Most of the nuts were separated from their husk or pericarp. When I separated the others, my fingers were covered in a slightly sticky black substance that is used as a dye. Now I’m going to …
Autumn Nasturtiums – Capucine d'automne
Nasturtiums add a lovely splash of colour in autumn. Capucine is a girl’s name in French and there is a popular song called “Dansons la capucine” that children use for a circle game. You can listen to it here: http://www.mamalisa.com/mp3/dansons_la_capucine.mp3 (lyrics below). The reason why the dance is called “Capucine” is obscure. Les capucines rajoutent une belle touche …
Mandavilla & Pelargonium – Dipladenia & Pélargonium
I was looking for a flower for our rental accommodation that wouldn’t mind not been watered very often. My neighbour suggested the dipladenia (mandevilla splendens). This flowering vine with its pink, white, red and yellow flowers, is subtropical and mainly cultivated in pots in Europe for climatic reasons. Pelargonium is the real name of what we usually …
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Sahara Rose – Rose Sahara
We bought this rose bush at Prieuré d’Orchaise last year under the name of Saharan Rose but apparently it’s called Sahara Rose. It is a climbing rose that changes colour at it matures – from a tender pink to a luminous abricot. Nous avons acheté ce rosier à la Prieuré d’Orchaise l’année dernière sous le nom de rose …
Last of the hollyhocks – Dernières roses trémières
The last hollyhocks on our stone fence. Les dernières rose trémières devant notre mur.