A Dutch Garden Center (with a French Allure)

A couple of days ago I decided to visit one of the local garden centers in my village, in order to be in contact witth the beauty of the new plants that arrive on Monday afternoons. I also wanted to check the new pots, vases, arrangements, statues and other articles. Maybe I would even buy something to cheer me up - although my house is already full !

There are a lot of French words and expressions on the furniture and pots this year. I remember years ago you would see rather Spanish and Italian. So instead of "Côte D'Azur"on a chair, you would spot "Costa Brava", "Las Canarias", or in Italian "La Bella Olanda", "La Vita è Bella", "Dolce Far Niente" writen - or things like that.

Sometimes it is difficult to find the border between "sweet" (above) and "tacky" (below).

Above the most expensive item in this garden center: the statue above. I am not sure about the material it is made of, probably zinc ? I'd rather prefer very heavy concrete and another theme. Surely not a figure holdin a weapon...

OMG, what nonsense is that ? Hahaha !  

Above, an idea that pleases me a lot: the support is from an original Singer sewing machine - with a marble top. It looks like one million ! If this was on sale, I would make an offer.

Well, I entered in this garden center in or der to sniff around for something special. I was not very sure about what I was looking for, I like concrete vases and images, for instance. There were some plants, like an olive tree, that I like A LOT - but it doe'sn't survive to an intense frost in Holland. (It was advised on a label that you should keep the little olive tree in a big concrete pot and remove the plant into your garage during the winter months. Oh, such an impractical plant to be kept in a cold country).  Finally, I have found something sweet and different that I ended up purchasing for my little girl. Have a look:

I think I can do a better mix that these above - I plan to use some leaves, herbs and a couple of mini roses.

Spring Time in My (New) Back Yard

March and April have been busy months for me. Despite my usual routine, I decided to attack the weed an clean up the garden in my new house (we still didn't sell the "old" one where we are living). My husband declared the front and back yard to have "0 priority". I disagreed with him and decided to put my hands and soul in it.

Above, a view of the left side of the back yard from a room upstairs.

The blue rain is amazing now ! Below, you  can see how many side branches from this plant that were on the floor and that I cut off. This plant was neglected, like most plants in the back yard. Because the previous owner had a difficult time and depression during the last years she didn't care much about her back yard. A neighbour used to come now and then and water the plants for her - but that was it. I think the plants were already a bit depressed... I have brought some hope and energy to them.

My father in law helped a lot bringing a little car to remove all the weeds, cut branches and dead leaves I had piled on the floor. I also removed a yuca plant that I found very dangerous with immense pointy leaves. First, I started filling plastic bags with the trash, but then I decided just to pile everything on the floor. Mega Mindy coudn't make the pile disappear, that's why I always end up calling Super Old Pa for help. He always has a solution.

Below, the right side of the back yard. The central area is still relatively "empty", only with a fig tree and some plants. This year I have removed the weeds that were everywhere, cut several willow trees, brought more earth (forming much, much more soil). New year we will make the garden "fuller" with more specimens of plants.

On the end of the back yard there is a deck along the canal. It continues into the garden of one of my neighbours. We do not have a fence or something like that separating us from such neighbours. It is in principle not a bad idea because now and then they pump water from the canal and bring it also to my back yard.

There was a moment when I started cleaning up the backyard I would find 15 to 20 heaves a day. I used to crash them under my shoes while doing the heavy work of removing weeds. I reached a point that I would sleep at night and couldn't forget the sound of them being crashed. Deeply annoying. I decided to follow my neighbour Bonnie's advice and throw the heaves into the canal instead. This one on the pic I have spotted today. Everyday I still find at least one - or two.  

Above and below: I find  incredible that despite the intense and radical cutting I performed on the fig tree it is already producing leaves and some fruits. I am already thinking about a sexy salad I have spotted on Nigella Lawson's book with figs and a tapenade recipe with olives and figs I know so well.   

If I had to choose a concept of design for a back yard, then I think immediately about an extension of the living and dining area - al fresco. I love hosting friends and family, so it is rather practical when you have a back yard terrace style, with just a couple of trees and some pots of plants and flowers. Below I have photographed a neighbour's backyard. But my husband is crazy about a romantic concept of garden with flowers and lots of plants and herbs and trees.

Again, the covered sitting area of the neighbour's garden. You cannot see it here on the picture, but on the left side they have a huuuge pannel with lavender fields.

Above, a section of my front garden - it was also full of weeds. I spent one week working here and now the hydrangeas (hortensias) and the trees are stating to present new leaves.  

That's it for now. I am terribly exhausted from two months of work in the back yard - and hay fever.  I hope next year to be able to blog about my back yard again, when it becomes much prettier !

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A Multi Functional Bike

Bilingual post (English - Portuguese)

Some pics cost me a lot of energy and time.

But on today's post this pic opportunity was just under my nose - or better saying, just next door.

I brought the trash to outside and BAM ! My neighbour is going to put his house on sale and decided to embelish his garden adding this bike with pots of flowers.

This is quite usual in villages in the Netherlands: expensive pots, vases, benches, chairs and little tables with granito top are placed in front of houses and nobody steals takes them away by mistake (a-hem!). So different from Amsterdam where such items have chains - otherwise... Let's say a strong wind may come and take them away...  

Algumas fotos cansam minha beleza. Exigem tempo, deslocamento, luz adequada... E ficam no meu computador esperando uma oportunidade. Em compensação outras fotos aparecem de mão beijada. Nesse post foi assim. Fui levar o lixo pra fora e PUM ! Vi que meu vizinho decidiu embelezar a frente da casa com essa bicicleta e potes de flores. Achei lindo. Ele vai colocar a casa a venda em breve, então já decidiu ir ajeitando as coisas, ir dando um tapa no visual.

Em muitas vilas da Holanda ha bastante coisa cara na frente das casas: mesinhas com tampo de granito, cadeiras de design diferenciado, potes lindos de morrer. Ninguém afana nada de ninguém. Em compensação em Amsterdam esses mesmos objetos tem correntes grossas de ferro conectando o móvel/objeto ao corrimão de entrada da casa ou a um cano. Caso contrario, né ? Bate uma brisa, o vento leva sem deixar rastro de fumaça, ninguém viu ninguém vê, se vocês me entendem...

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Lack of Space # 4

A small part of our attic serves as laundrette/storage/ironing space. It is quite a sunny and ventilated room - so I decided to grow some herbs and fat plants/cactuses there. It is no point placing photos/books or decorative objects near the window because the sunlight would fade and change the colour of such objects.

This is really a Dutch trait. Small sunny areas inside home (which would be neglected by most people) the Dutch see as potential place for flowers and poted plants.  Like that, I have always fresh chives available, the whole year (pot in the middle).

A week ago I have spotted in a flower shop such weird plants. They look like chili peppers and come in red, orange, yellow or light purple colours. I have asked the florist whether they were edible. She gave me a serious look but I was also looking at her damn seriously. "I wouldn't do that", she replied. She also had no clue how to take care of them, cause they are a new arrival in flower shops.  I have noticed they are becoming dry and fainting a bit. I want them big, bright and strong !

Does anyone know something about the chili-like plant above ?

Is it edible ? Help !

Lack of Space # 3

The Dutch are really creative when coping with the absence of enough space for gardening.

Search: A Garden With Character

Sometimes when I walk around in my village I have the impression some people like to make from their tiny gardens a sort of hommage to amusement parks. People display a statue of Venus de Milo surrounded by seven dwarves, lots of moles, ducks and gnomes, ladybugs and horns, you name it.
On the next photos, a very popular theme: windmills.

I am not so sure whether I like such horns or not. I am not sure of its symbolism or whether it gives a pleasant impression. However, the garden where it is situated is very beautiful.

Photos above and below were made in Zaandam. The flowers are fake (plastic) and are adorning the entrance wall of this house during the four seasons. Clogs - together with windmills and bikes - are another faves for a garden. Soooo cliche ! Flowers on the wall can be a good substitute for the absence of a garden.

Pretty table huh ? The legs are in iron, the table top is made of stone. Another good option when you do not have space enough for a garden.

After the windmills, bikes get a good second place in popularity. I will upadate this post later with more bikes.

Above and the next photos: maybe the most interesting objects in a garden: those which are re-purposed and recycled.

We had a baby bathtub just like this one pictured above.

I do not know the original purpose of this copper pipe, but certainly it was not a vase for flowers. It is pretty, though.

I love this one above, I have already published here last year.

What is this ? A well ? Made of... tin ???

Above (2009) and the same object in a 2010 version below.
Wagons are always gorgeous !

2009 (above) and 2010 (below)

Has anybody a spare sink to give me ? Or an old stove, a beaten cupboard, a vintage suitcase ? An old bike, a toilet pot, a mailbox or a canoe (a kayak will also do) ? Any interesting piece of a ruin from a castle, church/cathedral ? THIS IS SERIOUS I AM NOT JOKING. Help me please ! I need to give my garden a boost !!