The Art of Seeing

I have been looking for inspiration. I need to learn how to use light as well as water for a project set in Arizona. I need look no further than Luis Barragan. He is one of the foremost architects of Mexico and a winner of the Pritzker Prize for Architecture in 1980.

His work has been called minimalist, but is nonetheless full of colour and texture. Pure planes of stucco, adobe, timber and water, compose the elements, which interact with the surrounding environment.

Barragan called himself a landscape architect. "I believe that architects should design gardens to be used as much as the house that they build, to develop a sense of beauty and taste and an inclination toward the fine arts and other spiritual values. Any work of architecture which does not express serenity is a mistake."

He is noted for remarking on the importance of religion and myth, beauty, silence, solitude, joy, death and gardens.

Luis Barragan 1902-1988

Mirror, mirror . . .

Mirror, mirror in the garden, who's the fairest camellia of all?

Stripey or

Patchy?

Rose Red, or

Snow White?

Or a simple pink blossom.

I love them all the same.

Myrtle x

The Fabulous Mr Fox

This fox stands guard outside Glendurgan Gardens, in Mawnan Smith, home to the famous Fox family of Falmouth. The gardens have been given to the National Trust, but the house still remains with the family.

This is just one of the views down to the Helford River.

Pretty, pink Nerines. These photos were taken before Christmas.

Strawberry Tree, Arbutus unedo.

Cornish Agaves

The Laurel Maze

Hope you can find your way out.

Love from Cornwall,

Myrtle x x x

It's All Happening

I know of few better antidotes to humdrumness than getting outside, getting a lung full of fresh air and finding an early crocus, poking itself out of the ground.

Witch Hazel, Hamamelis, elegant, but scantily clad for the catwalk.

Christmas Box, Sarcococca, fragrant blooms in winter, shiny berries in early Spring. A useful addition to every garden.

Christmas Rose, Hellebore. Such delicate beauty defies description.

Acacia Pravissima.

This Acacia is intensely yellow, robust in its weeping habit and incredibly, unbelievably and almost obscenely, fragrant. Wish we could do smelly blogs.

Happy Springing.

Myrtle x x x

Cutting Edge

Well, okay.

Cut flowers are not exactly cutting edge.

But it is fun to have fresh flowers inside that reflect what is going on outside. This magnolia is glorious, but, unfortunately, only for about a week. The wind and rain usually knock the petals off as soon as they begin to open. But, I love these magnolias that bloom early, before their leaves appear.

Chrysanthemums - left over from Valentine's Day.

Glorious hellebores.

And again.

A camellia from the back garden.

Flowers in Jugs by Emma Dunbar.

Spring has sprung.

Hurray!!

Holy Hellebore!!

I love Cornwall in the spring. It is magical, beautiful and reminds me why I have stayed here for such a long time.

Here are a few of the Hellebores that I have been given by friends or bought from the Hellebore centre of the Universe - Bosvigo House in Truro (www.bosvigo.com).


Hope you love them as much as I do.

Yes, that's me. I seem to be missing a finger. I am certain that I put it somewhere safe.

Mrytle. x x x

Missing You Madly

We have been away. So many things to do. But we are back. And I am back, behind the lens.

I won't make excuses. Please let me offer up a few images of our recent trip to Arizona.

I am studying desert plants, desert environments, in fact, all things dealing with the desert.

Quite a contrast to Cornwall.

All comments are, as always, welcome.

Teddy Bear Cholla Opuntia bigelovii

Aloe

Saguaro Carnegiea gigantea

This is pronounced suh -WAR- oh by the locals.

Agave

Arizona was beautiful - we had a lovely time.

Tristan is a living doll.

Myrtle x x x

RIP Pink Plastic Flamingos

It seems that the plastic pink flamingo is going the way of the dodo. The plastic bird, a kitsch icon that has populated the front lawns of American homes since the 1950's, is about to become extinct.


Union Products of Leominister, Massachusetts, which has made the birds since 1957, is going out of business.


"The plant's pink flamingo will be an endangered species," says Dennis Plante, the company's president.


The moulded plastic sculpture mounted onwire legs has been reviled and revered on equal measure. The bird lent its name to director John Waters's 1972 fo;, examining bad taste. But that only helped to make the hapless bird more desirable.

"The pink flamingo has gone from a piece of the Florida boom and the Florida exotica to being a symbol of trash culture to now becoming a combination of all we know - kitsch, history, simplicity and elegance" Robert Thompson, professor of popular culture at Syracuse University (as quoted by the Los Angeles Times).

"Let's face it," Mr Thompson continued, "as iconic emblems of kitsch, there are two pillars of cheesy companies in the American pantheon. One is the velvet Elvis. The other is the Pink Flamingo.

Dan Glaister Los Angeles
The Guardian

Family time

It has been a busy time. I have had to go to the States quickly. But I am back, again.

No matter where I was, in the States or Europe, Grandma would smuggle a sprig of Lily of the Valley to me in a letter every spring. Her name was Evelyn and she was loved by me and all that knew her.

She is and will always be missed.

In Loving Memory of Evelyn

October 6, 2006

I love pumpkins

I love pumpkins. Any pumpkins.

I love to look at them, carve lanterns out of them, chop them up, roasting them along with
their little seeds. I am Myrtle, Myrtle, pumpkin eater.

When I first came to England, long ago, the sight of a pumpkin would make me so very homesick. There were fields and fields of pumpkins near where I grew up.

But, now, pumpkins are everywhere. I am in heaven. I wish I could say that I grew my lovely, green pumpkin, above, but, no. I got it from a local farm. I have never had much luck growing pumpkins here. Even my squashes got a form of mildew this year, the fruit never grew to a significant size. I had to rip them all out last week.

Anyway, back to my stomach. The green ones are my favourite to eat - the flesh is bright orange and loaded with flavour. I will peel it, chop it, drizzle it with olive oil, sprinkle a bit of chunky salt over it, then whack it in the oven at a very high temperature until it is nice and brown on the edges.

Yum.

I also love figs, but not as much as pumpkins. These are in the garden, I hope they ripen before it gets too cold. This has been a good year for figs.

It has also been a great year for our apple trees - but we ate them all before I took any photos.
The apples, that is, not the trees.

Must dash, early start tomorrow.

Myrtle x

Susie's New Garden

This is Susie's new garden.

It has a strong Oriental theme.

It is being built by Martin and is coming along nicely.

A few floral details.

Scleranthus uniflorus - moss

The raised pond.

The fish will arrive on Friday.

Mummy told the white wolf not to stray from the path.

Children might be prowling about.

Laika's inspection

Sea view

Looking pleased (with the garden, of course).

The opening party is on Friday.

See you there.

Myrtle.

p.s. Photos of the finished garden to follow. M x x x