wandering paris






for the longest time i've had a dream about walking around the city of paris by myself for a day.
i wondered what it would look like.  how would the people be?
how would i feel?

so on my 2nd day there i decided to do just that.
i took off by myself to find out.
following are the pictures i took that wonderful day.
and btw, it was everything i thought it would be...and of course more.



we stayed here and it was so well located and really charming.




the enclosed breakfast garden



the seine was just 2 short blocks away




as was the musee d'orsay










watched a wedding at the eiffel tower










musee d'louvre





spent an hour (or so) wandering inside...he really out-did himself here
just look at some of the videos on that site.





found this little tucked away park






listened to this jazz band for awhile






thought about eating here






but opted for this super healthy picnic lunch on the seine







did the river boat tour






and finished the night in this cafe that hemingway once hung out in.

so yeah...it was a perfect day that i'll never forget.


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barnsley house - rosemary verey







are you sick of gardens and garden related things yet?
don't worry after this one I promise to show only 2 more.
and then lucky you...France.

so after Highgrove and The Grove we get to drive through some of the most beautiful countryside i've ever seen (pinching myself all the way) and meet rosemary verey's garden.
how did I get this lucky?

barnsley house is set in the cotswolds and was built in 1697 by barnsley's village squire, brereton bouchier.

in 1952 david and rosemary verey bought the home and transformed the gardens into what you see today.  rosemary passed away in 2001 and her son charles took care of the property until he sold it in 2009.  it is now a stunning luxury cotswold hotel.























here is another one of those ideas to use in our gardens.
why not grow a hedge up behind a garden bench like this and create a back for it?
gorgeous.












































the property next door belongs to elizabeth hurley





i just loved this sofa in the entry of the house.  (thank you Paula for the photo!)




and look at this bathroom.  
i took so many pictures of bathrooms!
this was a good one.


if you'd like to hear rosemary talk about gardening in the english countryside
click here.  she seems so lovely and warm.
i think I'll write in my journal by candlelight tonight.
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32

the grove - david hicks



it's time i got into the gardens of england.

on our first day of garden touring the first garden we saw was highgrove, prince charles' private home and garden.  no cameras were allowed so i can't share any pictures.
it was unbelievably beautiful.  hard to put into words really...after we finished touring it we were treated to a beautiful champagne tea and i wondered how any of the gardens left on the tour could possibly measure up to highgrove.

and then later on that cold, dark and rainy afternoon we pulled into The Grove, the private garden of david nightingale hicks.  we were all tired and i don't think any of us were prepared for what we were about to see.

his son ashley gave us the tour.
hands down the best garden tour guide ever.  he was so gracious, funny and had no problem talking about his dysfunctional father's eccentricities.
it is those eccentricities that helped create this amazing garden.
he was obsessed with sight lines.  so much so that he often bought or tried to buy adjoining properties in order to improve his sight lines.
the garden is a series of rooms that rely on structure and balance and it is amazing.





this is actually the back of the house.
it was rainy, cold and dreary but lady pamela was snug inside that window knitting.






a shot looking back at the house.






...and to the side.



from the house looking at the first sight line of many to come.





the garden is dotted with incredibly old and gorgeous statuary.

















just look at those brick walls!




i thought this was such a fabulous idea for hiding the hose.
i hope to put together a post compiling all the small but effective ideas that we can all use in our gardens.  this would be one of them.










the mowing lines help the sight lines too.

















this area of the garden is just spectacular.
pictures do not do it justice.





the side of the house facing the pool.
ashley invited us up to the patio to look inside and see his dad's famous wallpaper and carpet.


























ashley added on this part of the house for his office.
adore the black against the green.










if you have a few minutes take a look at this clip
you see the garden in the winter and you can see the good bones it has.

i feel so incredibly lucky to have seen this garden in person.

i hope you enjoy it.


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