How to turn 8000 plants into a Van Gogh masterpiece

I’ve just been to London’s Trafalgar Square to check how the ‘living art’ on display outside the National Gallery is doing. Van Gogh’s 1889 painting of ‘A Wheatfield with Cypresses’ has been recreated with more than 25 varieties of plants, and although the colours in this living wall aren’t all perfect matches, as the foliage grows, it’s looking pretty good, and attracting much attention from passers-by.

For those not quite sure how the original looks, there's also a copy with an explanation. I wonder what the artist would have made of it all?
The living painting will be on display until the end of October.

Streetscape - the Greening of Blenheim Gardens

From this.................

...........to this............

                                           ..........................................and  this!                                                                                                                     

  

We're lucky to have lots of trees along the streets where I live in north-west London. But too often the area around them gets filled with weeds and litter. Now some keen gardeners are working on a project which is changing this. When they saw the local council (Brent) carrying out footpath improvements outside their homes, they got permission to plant flowers around the tree pits that were being created. A few months on, using lots of low-maintenance hardy perennials and a smattering of bulbs and colourful annuals, they've transformed their street. A walk along Blenheim Gardens has become a journey of discovery – each tree pit is different, with surprises around every corner.
All the work and after-care, such as weeding and watering, is on a voluntary basis, and as more people get involved, surplus plants from their gardens are being added to the planting. It’s a great example of how to improve the environment while increasing community spirit.
The project is being supported by the council and the Mapesbury Residents' Assn (MapRA).

Chic on a Shoestring

Great excitement!


‘Chic on a Shoestring’ - a new book by my friend Mary Jane Baxter - has now hit the shops. She’s a stylist/fashion journalist who always manages to look fantastic by taking market and charity shop finds and transforming them into eyecatching outfits - in other words, a recycling genius. She’s now sharing her ideas, showing how to revamp your wardrobe for very little money. Odd bits of lace, old scarves, ties and t-shirts, left-over knitting wool, beads, sequins and buttons all find their way into simple-to-make projects. There are even instructions on how to make a stunning ‘emergency hat’ if you’re suddenly invited somewhere special but don’t have the time/cash to buy one new. Lots of beautiful photos and how-to illustrations - can't wait to get started!

It’s published by Kyle Books at £14.99 but I’ve found Amazon doing a special deal:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chic-Shoestring-Simple-vintage-style-accessories/dp/1856269817/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1306840266&sr=1-1

A walk on the wild side

This morning the sun came out after some overnight rain, and I headed to Murphy's Bush. It's a remnant of the native forest that once covered this area of Manukau,  20 kilometres south of New Zealand's largest city, Auckland. The air was alive with the cries of birds - tui, greywarbler, fantail, pigeon and silvereye - and flocks wheeled and swooped above the canopy. This huge Puriri tree, (above) beside the walking track, has bright red fruit, one of their favourite foods. 

 Murphy's Bush was owned many years ago by Mr Conway Grey Murphy, who protected the bush from grazing cattle, and encouraged people to use it for picnics and outings. Dominating it today are these Kahikatea, or White Pines, (above) which can grow up to 50 metres or more. Their trunks seem quite flexible and were swaying alarmingly in the breeze. (Early Maori used them to make weapons and canoes.)

Beside the track I found a Rewarewa, or NZ Honeysuckle. Though small now, it may eventually grow up to 30 metres high. Its flowers play an important part in honey production.

I loved the patterns made by the sunlight on the leaves of this Nikau palm tree. It bears pink flowers, followed by green berries which turn red as they ripen.

One of the star attractions of Murphy's Bush is this giant Totara. Its age wasn't recorded on the name plaque,  but they can live for over a thousand years, and grow up to 30 metres tall.

Ponga ferns abound in the reserve. The silver undersides of the fronds (NZ's emblem) were shining out from the shadows.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Although the bush was full of birds, the dense canopy made them difficult to spot. But this tui appeared overhead, and stayed long enough for a photo.

Asparagus icecream, anyone???

In England, the crocus is one of the signs of spring. In Germany, it's white asparagus.

Once grown exclusively for the royal court, from April to June it's now one of the country's most popular vegetables  - about 70,000 tons are consumed every year.  Last June on the way from Nuremburg airport, we saw fields of green shoots stretching as far as the eye could see.

Germans buy it fresh from farmers at their market stalls or by the roadside, and visit the festivals along the "asparagus routes" in Baden-Württemberg and Lower Saxony. (The town of Nienburg elects its own Asparagus Queen.)

In Bamberg one enterprising gelateria was even offering asparagus ice cream.  Verdict? A refreshing change from strawberry or chocolate, but not perhaps one I'd want every day.

The asparagus season is also the maypole season, so there's lots going on at this time of year. For more, see http://germanyiswunderbar.com/southern-germany/germany-holidays-the-village-maypole/

Paris Valentine

Paris is still one of the world's most romantic cities, but did you know it has a Garden of Love?

Tucked away in the Cluny Museum's medieval garden, it's inspired by the pleasure gardens of the Middle Ages. Trellis and lattice-work give privacy to lovers, and in summer thyme, camomile, roses and carnations perfume the air. The garden is inspired by the Cluny's star attraction, the mysterious Lady with the Unicorn tapestries. The museum itself is housed in a 15th-century Gothic mansion, which was in turn built over the ruins of ancient Roman baths. I first saw the garden shortly after it was created in 2000. Now it's had time to develop and mature, it's a magical place for a picnic lunch or romantic rendezvous.The Cluny  - also known as the National Museum of the Middle Ages (Musée National du Moyen Âge)  - is on the Left Bank, a short walk south from Notre Dame cathedral.
Closest Métro: Cluny-La Sorbonne
http://www.musee-moyenage.fr/