De Wiersse revisited

  

After months of constant going, a re-charge was needed, a getaway to a place that I hold near and dear to my heart.  I hopped a plane to Holland and caught a train to Vorden.  After all the intensity of my last job, it was time that I finally returned to a place that taught me so much about gardening and life.  When I came up the drive butterflies danced in my stomach, it felt so good to be back, even if

 for a few days.

 

The most beautiful and fragrant sweet peas waited for me in my room, a wonderful sight to see.

 I  slept well,

 

I enjoyed the view, 

and I explored all the details that were missed so much. We caught up, we laughed, we ate and we smiled and we would do it all again the next day.  In the evenings we watched shooting stars from the roof, counting over 15 one night. Magical? Of course, but that is DeWiersse ...

 

Time was well spent in the kitchen garden, harvesting, sketching, and getting to know it again, reminiscing about old times. I felt inspired again just as I did before. My color pencils danced out of my bag and onto the pages of my sketch book.

Alcea rosea

 Papaver commutatum 'Ladybird'

 

And I made arrangements.  A bouquet of beautiful bone-white lilies in a gold and white pitcher couldn't have been more simple or smile inducing.

 

Or an energetic display of affection between Tagetes and Violas, squeezed together in a bamboo inspired vase.

 

It was an orgy of flowers with color, scent and texture for days. It was just what I needed.

Thank you De Wiersse for continuing to inspire and push me forward, you will always remain a source of happiness for me,  even after returning back to London.

Oh England, you steal my heart each time.

well, i am no longer in Israel but in England, and how I love this place.

Went to visit Great Dixter and all my garden friends there, woke up to misty mornings with the English birds serenading me, or at least that is what I like to think. Little living orchestras..

 the glorious long border with it's winter skeletons,

and springs new children,

and as always the punches of color like exclamation points in the garden.

each morning was quiet

and each evening too, especially with Vira.(Thanks Tom!)

And London, with all your chaos and inspiration, puddle jumping my way around.

Color combinations are everywhere if one takes notice, and subtle textures too.

 

Some more texture and friends..

The streets are punctuated with flowers for sale, like these jolly primrose.

 and the windows at The Lodge, always makes me smile, as much as it's inhabitants.(Thanks Stephen and Greg!)

Some sleepy mornings and

and jet lagged afternoons....

Which leads to silliness with friends, while donning a new cap.

 The book stalls near the Thames

and more street art on the walls, i love it all.

Still jetlagged but woken up by bursting yellow Narcissis in St. James Park.

The light here on the architecture makes me smile

 or reflections in the lake, which give me ideas for pushing the idea of water features and what we have come to expect of them. Do they really need to spout water?

Whether it's blocks of Crocus color or 

blocks of primary colors, it feeds me all the same way.

It lifts my spirits

makes me feel wise

and helps me to get creative,

So I can break the surface and push the boundaries.

My sketchbook is increasing and filling up, though I don't always get to finish, such as this alley in Jerusalem on Zion Square.

But my mind is going in new directions

and trying new things.

I am off to Spain now to experience a city I love so much, and look forward to it's gardens, Gaudi, Picasso, and all other random bits that make me smile..... 

Tel Aviv

Welcome to the city of Tel Aviv, which is only an hours ride away. Tel Aviv is home to alot of buildings that were built in the BauHaus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bauhaus) style, which is represented by the absence of ornamentation and by the harmony between the function of an object or a building and it's design. Bauhaus influenced art, architecture, graphic design, interior design, and typography. Some artists to have been influenced were Josef Albers, Kandinsky, Paul Klee, and Piet Mondrian. But I didn't come here to just see architecture, I came to see plants. Being as Tel Aviv is on the coast, the temperature is considerably higher than that of Jerusalem, which means certain plants will be hardier here.Here on the streets, it wasn't uncommon to find Ficus trees growing large and luminous providing tons of shade for the mere mortals on the street. These definitely put the one you have in the corner of your office to shame....... Tsk. Tsk.

It is still fascinating to me that Palms are everywhere here, where as my only experience was at Joyce's Palm house at Longwood. There are Date farms here in Israel with these marvelous monocots planted in rows to harvest the fruits easily.

cheep cheep... There is a story here about the common sparrow, where the name that it is called is freedom. This is because while the birds in the world were all waiting to get their colors assigned to them, and with some giving very elaborate color schemes and details (we know who you are peacocks and toucans.....) , the sparrow was so impatient to get out of line that when it was their turn and they were asked what color they wanted, a quick reply of "Brown" was said so that they could take off flying again and get going on their business again.

It was a surprise to come across this tree on the street, Ceiba pentandra. Notice the large yellow flowers, which turn into this melon-like fruit once pollinated and then get dispersed my the fluffy cotton-like mass of seed? While it may be fun to look at how varied the flowers, fruit and seed can be from each other, once thing you would like to admire from a distance would be

it's non-inviting trunk. Could it be any more effective though if you don't want people hanging around outside your home?

There have been a few times now where sweet potatoes have been seen growing this way, with the tuber emerged in a glass of water and letting its delicate foliage clamber up some form of vertical support. Easy for the brown thumbed......ahem.

Here is the Schlomo Lahat Promenade on the Mediterranean Sea, which looks like the inspiration could have come from the Roberto Burle Marx designed Copacabana beach promenade in Brazil. Could it be?!

One can see the modern city rising up from the ancient port city of Jaffa, where I stayed.

Sometimes it's luck of the draw where you stay, either it's on your side or not. This hostel felt like being in an old movie with all it's intricate details and quirks.

A Joan Miro inspired lunch? No, I cannot get enough of hummus and vegetables.....

One hour and one GoldStar later......... into the book.
The decaying lock on the shutters to the balcony

The harbor in the morning, much quieter than the center of the city.....