I can hardly believe it's been over a week since my last post! I seem to be so busy at the moment finding stock for my shop and tending the garden - weather permitting! June hasn't exactly been glorious so far but the frequent rainfall has meant a bumper crop of blooms in every shape and form!
One of my favourite flowering plants is the geranium. Apart from the English cottage style which look so perfect in their terracotta pots, I also particularly love the hardy variety. Every year they provide a wonderful show of colour and at the last count I think I have 10 different varieties growing all over the garden.
This year my white campanula has done really well - but its adjacent neighbour - a beautiful blue one - did not appear!
Lupins are another favourite of mine - just as I took this picture a bee appeared - if you enlarge the photo you should be able to see him more clearly.
I am always reticent to cut the flowers which grow in my garden. So, when I saw this pretty floral oil painting at the flea market on Sunday I couldn't resist it! I do have an awful lot of floral paintings so I think I will part with this one and add it to my shop next week, along with lots of other pretty items.
In the meantime, there's more work to be done in the garden. Although I may just have to move those geraniums off the stool and sit and appreciate the garden for a while - not for long though, there's weeding and tidying up to be done! Enjoy the rest of your week!
Hi Clare,
ReplyDeleteWhat a wondefully colourful post! I am a big fan of geraniums too - in terracotta pots of course!
Your Pottery cottage window box is lovely.
Good to see you at the flea market....how did I miss that beautiful painting??...will have to have a look for it in your shop!
Me being the nosey person that I am....is that an Emma Hunk pot in the last photo? With a piggy on it....I painted some coal buckets years ago (when we had a solid fuel aga - yuck!) with chickens on....I have her book and the instructions are very easy to follow....
Hope you enjoyed the sit down on your wooden stool,
Niki x
Your garden is looking gorgeous Clare! The geraniums are really blooming now. I love the variety you can get in hardy geraniums, they are so useful as ground cover and snail resistant too! Enjoy your garden
ReplyDeleteKim x
I love all your pots of flowers, and they look lovely sat on that gorgeous stool!!!
ReplyDeletePotted geraniums have to be my favourite plants, I can't get enough of them.
ReplyDeleteI think it must be a nostalgia thing because as a little girl I loved Shirley Hughes books (still do actually!) and lots of her illustrations featured geraniums on windowsills.
Lovely garden pics by the way!
Julia x
Oh, I love looking at other peoples photo's. I enlarged the one of the bee as you suggested and it was really clear.
ReplyDeleteI also really like the 'pottery cottage' sign.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Racheal x
Oh, my goodness, what a beautiful place to visit. You've displayed fabrics, books and flowers. By chance, are we sisters? You brought together all my favorites.
ReplyDeleteHow gorgeous! You are a clever lady - I can't do gardening due to arthritis (I know, I'm WaaaaaY too young to have it!) but I admire cottagey gardens so much. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! We love lupines also.We have pink and blue/purple.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen geraniums quite that shade of purple. I've been taking cuttings of plants for my garden and hopefully I should have some different geraniums by spring than I already have :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Clare,
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks so pretty, all that work you put into it really shows. I love the name of your cottage it fits it perfectly.
Looking forward to seeing more gorgeous items in your shop.
Your bookmarks are in the post :-)
Take care,
Alison x
I have just been looking at your shop and I missed the lovely foxglove jug:-( :-(
ReplyDeleteI will have to keep a closer eye on your shop!
Alison x
Magificent plants and flowers.
ReplyDeleteHi Clare,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations you are the 'big' winner of my competition!!
A box of lovely candles will be on its way just as soon as you give me your address.
Your garden and all of pots look wonderful by the way.
Victoria x
Beautiful flowers! I'll just bet that if I were to fly a plane over your house, looking down I would see a rainbow of color!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing what treasures you put in your shop!
Your geraniums are just lovely. We have some every year 'cos they don't need as much water as other bedding! The little stool is so pretty and looks lovely placed amongst the pots...
ReplyDeleteJane
x
Thats it! I am going to do potted flowers too. LOL
ReplyDeleteI love your sweet little sign Clare. Your flowers are really gorgeous too. I would definitely be taking some time to sit and appreciate them if I was you.
ReplyDeleteHi Clare, I absolutly love the geraniums too! It is one of my favorite flowers in my garden...so many blooms and just the most beautiful color.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to your shop lately...on my way to see what you are up to. I love to look at your gorgeous wares.
Heather
Hello Clare - Greetings from the Pacific Northwest USA - just about an hour south of Vancouver BC -
ReplyDeletePopped over here from Bliss - your blog is beautiful - so many wonderful flower pictures - good thing you're not local, my sisters would be scooping up everything in your little shop :-) I'll be back! T.
Hi Clare, your flowers are gorgeous, everything is displayed so beautifully.
ReplyDeleteHow gorgeous!! I love all the plants but the lupins and the geranium are also one of my favourite flowering plants :) Lovely..We all do i think, special the geraniums, the scandinavian are totally crazy about it..Fits perfectly with the nostalgic feel :)
ReplyDeletePretty painting as well. I find it hard to find lovely paintings for my wall, so most of they are just blend without anything. How boring isn`t that? Therefore i trie to paint some myself..
I hear that you are bussy with your shop and your garden, that`s fine to hear. I wish you a very nice weekend and see you soon again Clare! Aina
This wet weather is making our garens bloom wonderfully.
ReplyDeleteLots of lovely cottage-y flowers, there must be something about the campanulas this year because my white ones are flowering like mad and the blue ones are looking very thin on the ground. Usually it's the other way round. I must get more red geraniums in pots, they always look so bright and cheerful yet I only have a couple.
ReplyDeleteLove the new banner Clare!
ReplyDeleteAlison x
Gorgeous shots of beautiful flowers! And yes, I see that enthusiastic bee ready to dive in!
ReplyDeleteLove your new banner!!
ReplyDeleteOoo those lupins are so gorgeous! I love that sign so much with the pastel colors.
ReplyDeleteI always pick up paintings like this for a colorful friend of mine and she frames them and cherishes them...which makes me feel so good!
Your pottery cottage window box is just lovely as are your lupins. We have them in our garden as well - although they are not in bloom here yet.
ReplyDeleteOh Clare, your blue geraniums, the withe bellflower (I have the same) and pink lupines are wonderfull!
ReplyDeleteAnd of course, I very much like that pottery cottage sign - and the pots that are standing in front of it!
Happy gardening and best wishes from Germany,
Anita
Hi Clare,
ReplyDeleteJust to let you know I'm still in blogland and give you my new address!
Alison x
I love your cheery site - anything garden is a hit with me - feel free to check out my blog if you can connect - it's jennsthreegraces@blogspot. I have a home-based antique and decor business - for the last 10 years - shops buy inventory from me but I also sell retail to friends. I'm also planning on listing on Etsy and
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed your site with the pretty colors and garden ideas - I'm a big gardener and have a home-based antique business. Stores come and buy inventory for their shops from me - for the last 10 years. I also make cards and sell jewelry and work 10 months a year as a nurse in a high school. Crazy lady! Check out my blog if you can - jennsthreegraces@blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteWhat a charming spot to visit...so delightful in every way! I LOVE geraniums too...and always keep bright red ones in my black window box! The contrast is amazing! My husband builds the most beautiful cottage window boxes I've ever seen! Take a look for your self...www.acottageview.com.
ReplyDeleteFrom our cottage to yours...Happy Planting!
Michelle