Monday 15 February 2021

Making an Entrance


Views of The Arrow Cottage Garden, Herefordshire

We are often asked if we miss our garden. In short, the answer is no. Besides, it is now almost twenty years since we left Herefordshire for Budapest, exchanging some two acres of formal gardens for a single container of clipped box, Buxus sempervirens, on our walkway. Even that is work!

View of Box plant in The Budapest Garden

But the memories do, to use a well worn cliché, linger on. And no more so than in what we term the Front Hall. Lest there be any confusion, allow us to explain that the Front Hall opens off the main staircase of our C19 apartment building and, in turn, provides access to our Main Hall and principal rooms. However, linger we do not!

Front Hall viewed from the Entrance Door

To be absolutely truthful, in Winter, as of now, in terms of temperature, the thermometer is no stranger to several degrees below freezing whilst in Summer, with the windows thrown open to the courtyard below, the heat can prove insufferable. Not at all unlike the extremes of a gardening year that perhaps accounts for why we have chosen to paint the walls in Farrow and Ball's 'Breakfast Room Green' and furnish it with some of the items brought from our Herefordshire garden.

Front Hall looking from the Main Hall

Not least of these is the country style, farmhouse kitchen table which used to sit below The Tower, the accompanying schoolroom benches have found a place on the walkway, and which, in past times, played host to many a Summer supper party. 

Beneath The Tower, The Arrow Cottage Garden

Now, collected together, in a quasi-David Hicks' table-scape, are some mementoes of our gardening days. Prominent, as a centrepiece, is the grape entwined basket, a gift from dearest friends, Lesley and John Jenkins, whose garden, Wollerton Old Hall, ranks among the finest of all late C20 English gardens. 

'Table-scape' with ceramic basket and garden ephemera

Less noticeable, a small, hand painted finial serves to remind us of the gifted artist and gallery owner, Elizabeth Organ, who was so much a treasured part of our lives. Other items worthy of a place range from a miniature wooden trug, home to garden related ephemera, to galvanised flower vases and the head of a spade decorated by the Hungarian artist, Franyo Aatoth.

Miscellaneous objects in the Front Hall

The grey painted, metal chairs were originally purchased as a set of six for the White Garden, in name only resembling Vita Sackville West's masterpiece at Sissinghurst Castle. With the addition of swab cushions they are now far more in the way of decoration than for daily use.

White Garden, The Arrow Cottage Garden, Herefordshire

Now, with Spring around the corner, shall we decorate with daffodils, highlight with hyacinths, or place pelargoniums in pots? Let's not, and say we did!



 

120 comments:

  1. Let's not, and say we did - I love that expression! A stylish way to display your gardening mementoes. Sadly when we left France we had to leave so many of our possessions behind but at least we have photos to remind us.

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    1. Hello Sue,

      Thank you for your comment. We have to admit that the expression originates with the mother of an American friend but is one we have enjoyed adopting.

      Sadly, with any move there are always things that have to be left behind, something of which you clearly have experience. Happily there are always reminders.

      Delete
  2. Sounds as though you have a bit of a love/hate relationship with your garden. I must say I love gardens, especially my own. But I love it much more now that I can plan it and give instructions and let someone else do the work.

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    1. Darling Pat,

      Well, we enjoyed it enormously....at the time. Do not miss the work at all and there was little in the way of simply sitting as always something to be done.

      We very much agree with you in that a garden becomes so much more satisfying when the work is carried out by someone else.

      Delete
  3. How glorious! Your old garden must have been sublime, but if only we lived anywhere near Shropshire - Woollerton Old Hall looks simply divine... Jx

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    1. Darling Jon,

      On those rare summer days, and there were not so many, when the work could be said to be done, then indeed the garden did have a certain sublimity as you so kindly suggest.

      Wollerton Old Hall is a dream of a garden and remains one of our all time favourites. Sadly, we too are now no longer within easy reach of it.

      Delete
  4. Oh beautiful.
    We have to leave "things" behind us in life. It is the way it is.
    But where you live now does not look bad either. I wonder why you choose for Budapest 20 years ago. It is rather an unusual destination to go and live. Mind you the name Hattatt doesn't sound very British.

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    1. Hello,

      Thank you so much for your comment.

      Why Budapest? Why indeed? It is rather a long and involved story as to why we are here in what is most certainly a very strange country with a fairly impenetrable language. Sometimes it is easier to think that we went wrong at Calais and should, had things worked out, have been living in Italy these past twenty years.

      Our name may well have originated in the Middle East. That said we can trace it back, mainly in Hampshire, to the C17.

      Delete
  5. Dear Hattatt's ,
    Oh do Pelargoniums in pots. They can be moved wherever they are needed. They are the mainstay in my garden.
    Love the 'Breakfast Room Green.

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    1. Darling Gina,

      Thank you so much for your comment.

      We are indeed tempted by the scarlet red pelargoniums for the walkway this summer. They provide endless colour and seem to thrive even when baked.

      We are so pleased that you like the 'Breakfast Room Green' which we have now used in the kitchen as well.

      Delete
  6. My yard here in North Florida in the US is rather wild although there are parts of it that I do like to keep under control. We are more interested in native plants that will keep the critters and birds happy than in any sort of formal arrangements. And we have the vegetable garden, too. There's always something to do and I'm grateful for it. I can't imagine a formal garden of any kind. I like looking at them but I don't care to keep one.

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    1. Hello, and thank you so much for your comment.

      As we grow older we are increasingly drawn much more to the idea of allowing Nature to take her course. Certainly a more wild garden will attract much more in the way of birds and wildlife, something we should all be encouraged to do.

      Over twenty years of maintaining a formal garden open to the public was more than enough, hence the one box plant!

      Delete
  7. Let's not and say we did. Oh, that is what my English mother in law used to say, always with a giggle! I do miss her, she passed away in 2018. I love your photos! So happy to see you posting again! Take care.

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    1. Darling Kay,

      Thank you so much for your comment.

      Your mother-in-law sounds to have been a delight and clearly someone with a great sense of fun. We are so sorry that she is no longer with you to enjoy her company but we are sure that you have many happy memories to cherish.

      We are so pleased that you like the images and are, we assure you, so very happy to be catching up with everyone after a too long absence.

      Delete
  8. I love Farrow and ball’s painting they have great colours.
    I would really miss such a garden!!!

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    1. Darling Catherine,

      Thank you so much for your comment. Yes Farrow and Ball's range of colours is excellent as too is the quality of the paint. We have also used Little Greene paints which are equally good.

      It was great fun creating the garden but very hard work keeping it up!

      Delete
  9. Replies
    1. Darling Lisa,

      Thank you so much for your comment.

      It is always enormous fun to surround oneself with items that serve as reminders of other times.

      Delete
  10. It would have been very hard for me to leave a garden like yours, but there comes a time....my husband and I will be facing that sooner that we wish.
    The mementos you have kept and displayed are meaningful and charming.

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    1. Darling Linda,

      Thank you so much for your comment.

      It was not easy, as you rightly say, to leave the garden but it is important at such times to concentrate on what lies ahead and not perhaps to think too deeply. We have never gone back, believing that to be a mistake. We very much hope that when the time comes that you and your husband decide to move on that it will not be too painful.

      Whatever, like us you will have memories, and reminders, to cherish.

      Delete
  11. Gardens have been a godsend this past year when we've been confined to our homes, but even the smallest garden can take a lot of work. It's nice that you have some treasures to remind you of previous garden, and the photos of it too.

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    1. Darling Jo,

      Thank you so much for your comment.

      Yes, you are so right when you make mention of the ways in which for so many people the garden has come into its own during these very difficult and challenging times. It is true that Nature does provide healing.

      It is nice, or so we find, to think back on the garden on occasion but we do not miss the work of maintenance.

      Delete
  12. Hello Jane and Lance, You say you don't miss your garden, yet you have made parts and memories of it such a focal point for your current home. Your photos of Herefordshire are so beautiful that I wish that I had a gardening period in my own past. If I wanted to commemorate my career in America as part of the decor, I would have to put a filing cabinet in the entry, and top it with computer printouts and backup diskettes. So you see you have chosen the proper past life for yourselves!
    --Jim

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    1. Darling Jim,

      Thank you for your kind comment. It made us laugh!

      How very observant you are. Yes, we do seem to have transported many parts of the garden into our Budapest apartment without our even knowing that we had.

      We do regret that a very large Haddonstone stone obelisk, a special birthday present, which we had as an eye-catcher in the garden was left behind instead of being packed up and brought with us. So many of the garden 'ornaments' look as good inside as they did outside and we are sure now that the obelisk would have been a talking point if installed in Budapest.

      We cannot really pretend that a filing cabinet in the hall would be our perfect choice of an objet d'art, but we did see a filing cabinet on a blog just recently which had been 'decorated' with old maps and it did look rather good. Just an idea....

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  13. Super photos. Thanks for sharing them. We use to visit Symonds Yat when we lived in England. Magical place.

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    1. Darling Dave,

      Thank you for your comment. We are pleased that you liked the photographs. Alas, we just point and shoot with a mobile telephone, but occasionally we get lucky!

      Symonds Yat is wonderful. Indeed, the whole of the Welsh March is an area of outstanding natural beauty and the Wye Valley is, in our view, one of the few remaining unspoilt areas in Britain. Long may this be the case.

      Delete
  14. Hello Jane and Lance, So nice to "meet" you through the wonders on online access. Thank you for the recent comment on my post that we had the 1st vaccine shot. I especially enjoyed the reference to Sputnik V, which does wound more like a space capsule. I enjoyed this post about not missing a garden or its attendant care. Previously, we have always tended the yard and gardens when living in a house. We now have an apt in a former textile mill and there is not even a single house plant here. I have memories and photos of our past gardens and these do not require any care unlike the plants once did.
    I hope you will revisit my blog space in the future and certainly plan to do some exploring on yours. If you have no objection, I would like to include your blog on my sidebar which makes it easier to me to return and perhaps for newcomers to visit as well.

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    1. Darling Beatrice,

      We hope that we can call you darling as we have now been introduced.

      Thank you so much for your kind comment. We are so pleased to hear of the vaccine programme rolling out across the globe. It really does make one feel that the situation is starting to be controlled at least to some degree.

      And, yes, here in Budapest, there is talk of the Russian vaccine, Sputnik V. Our thoughts immediately turned to Laika, the first dog in space. That particular tale did not have a happy ending, but we argue that if the Russians can launch spaceships successfully, then perhaps they also know a thing or two about vaccines. We shall see what we are offered when it is our turn.

      As for houseplants, we have never had any luck with them and did not and still do not possess a single one. We are happy with the memories of our outdoor gardening days and now we rearrange the furniture instead of the borders.

      We should be delighted if you would include us in your sidebar. We have added our names to your followers and shall stay in touch.

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  15. I am in awe of both your former home and your present one. No envy; just found myself catching my breath again and again and saying "Oh!" at every new bit of beauty and calm I spotted!

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    1. Darling Holly,

      Thank you for your kind and generous comment.

      Arrow Cottage was a small C17 cottage in the middle of the Herefordshire countryside. Its garden stretched to 2 acres. Our current apartment is in central Budapest with only a walkway as its outside space.No comparisons to be made which, in our minds goes to show that a home can be created wherever you are as long as it has soul.

      On the very few occasions when we could sit and enjoy the garden, it was beautifully quiet and peaceful. However, for much of the time it was a somewhat stressful battle with the weather and the heavy Herefordshire clay soil. We do not miss that.

      Delete
  16. That garden looks absolutely stunning. However, I can imagine own much work it would have taken to keep it looking so beautiful.

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    1. Darling JC,

      Thank you for your kind comment.

      As the garden was open to the public, we felt obliged to keep everything looking pristine for the garden visitors. This meant many hours every day of hard physical work. But, we were young.

      So, yes, the garden was beautiful but it came with a personal cost.

      Delete
  17. "A garden is a thing of beauty......and a job forever."
    I have a little garden sign stating the above, a gift from my cousin in Devon. The words are so true. I find, especially these days, keeping the garden up has become such a huge chore. It's not that I don't have the time - plenty of that - however the energy is waning fast, old bones ache, and bending difficult! We will however be out there again come spring, doing what we can but perhaps hiring help also. I must add that the benefits have been many during the pandemic - especially our beautiful birds.

    Seeing the photos of the apartment brought back lovely memories of that day we strolled through, and I love the F&B paint shades. Is Timea still with you - and is M restaurant still open?

    Sending warm hugs dear Jane & Lance.

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    1. Darling Mary,

      Thank you for your kind and generous comment.

      The rewritten Keats quotation is so very true. There is always something to be done in a garden and it is difficult to just 'be' in a garden without noticing all the jobs lining up to be done. Gradually, it became more of a burden than a joy for us, but having help does enable one to pick and choose a little more which helps enormously.

      And, as you say, gardens have offered such delightful havens in these strange and difficult times. Your birds are an endless fascination and, even virtually, one can imagine the joy they bring each day for you.

      Redecoration of the apartment has taken almost exactly two years. The pandemic, a new boiler, lockdown, a lack of paint supplies from England, etc.etc. have all contributed to the delay However, we are delighted with the new colourful walls, still in shades of Farrow and Ball.

      Timea moved house and left us and now we have Irén but only on one morning each week and masked. M has been closed for the duration and we have not left the apartment since 11th March. It will soon be our lockdown anniversary. How times have changed.

      Sending love to you and Bob.
      J and L xx

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  18. I have to agree a garden can be hard work and we still do it all ourselves. I have to say though I would never have survived a year of lockdown with out it. Thankfully though being retired we did not have to panic about being out of work, I have though seriously missed not having a single meal out in the last 12 months. Another month and we will be back at work in the garden, and so long as or health survives, so will the garden I hope and all its residents, be it insect or feathered, with an odd furry character.

    Take care and keep safe. Diane

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    1. Darling Diane,

      Thank you for your comment.

      We are certain that for many people fortunate to have a garden, it has been a refuge from the difficulties of lockdown and isolation. Nature can be so restorative and a place which is calm to reflect on things is to be treasured.

      And, as you point out, a garden is home to all manner of creatures great and small who also depend on their survival by what is being cultivated. Such a natural cycle of things is so reassuring when times such as these can make us feel stressed and demotivated.

      Soon, the demands of a new gardening year will be upon you. Make it the best yet!

      Stay safe. J and L

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  19. Your English garden is exactly the kind I would like to visit and let other people do all the work on. The gardeners never get to sit on those benches in those nooks and just enjoy their surroundings. You instantly notice something to attend to. I do even in the few square yards of patio I tend. I used to have an acre and do not miss it one tiny little bit. It was all work, not really what I'd planned on at the outset!
    But you have a touch with your homes. So different yet so liveable anyway. Nice, and thank you for letting us visit and stroll around with you.

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    1. Dear Liz,

      Thank you for your kind and generous comment.

      Yes, once we no longer had to tend our 2 acre plot, we were free to roam and enjoy the gardens of others. It is only when one has had a garden of one's own that one appreciates the effort it takes to keep everything tended and blooming. It is a treat to just enjoy a beautiful garden without thinking of all the work to be done.

      Many of our garden 'ornaments' have found a new home indoors in our apartment. They serve as happy mementoes whilst adding interest to the rooms in which they find themselves.

      We very much enjoyed reading your posts and shall return for more.

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  20. What an enchanting display of gardening memorabilia. I suppose your garden is gone forever but its memory will linger on. Sometimes memories are all we have left. What I find amazing is that the older we get, the clearer they become. So I am sure your beautiful garden is still very much alive in your hearts (and, hopefully, back in Herefordshire too).

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    1. Darling Loree,

      Thank you for your comment.

      The people we sold the house and garden to did garden for a while but they quickly realised that the upkeep was more than they had wished. So, it was sold again and the garden bulldozed to make way for vines as the new owners intended to set up a vineyard. The cold, wet Herefordshire clay soon scuppered that idea.

      So, The Tower remains and is a holiday let. The garden outline can be seen on Google maps but that is all that remains. So, our imaginations keep the garden alive, always blooming at its best and never needing weeding!

      Delete
  21. I am a great fan of 'bringing the outside in' which you have achieved to perfection! A classic World of Interiors look which I covet every time I see it. I only wish we had the space.
    My first day of 2021 out working in the garden today and, oh my, am I feeling the pain. Having been rather too sedentary over this locked-in winter the reality of hard graft has come as something of a shock. If you can call cutting the old leaves off the hellebores 'hard graft'. The concept of less work is a rather attractive one right now!

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    1. Darling Jessica,

      Thank you for your kind and generous comment.

      We are thrilled that you mention us alongside 'World of Interiors', a periodical we take in when our Budapest bookshop can obtain a copy. In our minds we yearn for minimalism, yet over stuffed and over here is generally what we achieve. We simply have too many connections with our things to let them go.

      We feel your pain with the first proper gardening session of the season. However, as you mention revealing the hellebores as they are stripped of their old leaves, our hearts skip a beat at the thought of those wonderful flowers bravely and beautifully blooming, enduring whatever weather is thrown at them. You have made a piece of paradise on earth in your delightful garden. You must keep on keeping on.

      Just a brief word on the topic of hairdressers....what fun that you ignited our thoughts of Vidal Sassoon....as the Boris rules apply only to people you live with.... can the hairdresser move in? Just asking ....

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    2. I took the alternative approach of attempting to train the person I live with in the art of hairdressing. Sadly it appears that not everyone is cut out for it, if you will excuse the pun. A service involving a spirit level was offered and perhaps, in retrospect, I should have accepted it!
      Fortunately hair, like plants, grows back so many a pruning atrocity can be rectified with the passage of time.
      Hellebores are among my favourite blooms. Maybe because they flower now when so little else does. They certainly look far too exotic for February!

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    3. Hello again Jessica,

      Well, your plan of in-house training [so to speak] seems like it should have offered a perfect solution to the hairdressing problem. Alas, like most well laid plans, it failed.Indeed, we should have thought that alarm bells started to ring at the mention of spirit levels, but then, it is good to think positive. Nevertheless, better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all.

      And, as you say, pruning can bring its rewards. In our experience, healthier and stronger growth was a result of judicious pruning. We shall not mention those rather more exotic specimens which were slain in their prime.... but, we were young.:):)

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  22. Dear Jane & Lance - I visited your garden at Arrow Cottage roughly 23 years ago. It was a very special, beautiful garden, but I do realise that it must have taken you both a huge amount of work in order to maintain it. Am I correct in recalling that the next owner sadly vandalised and destroyed it?
    I was very impressed with your pale yellow Tower, reflected in a rill to the front and edged with terracotta pots filled with blue Agapanthus flowers.

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    1. Darling Rosemary,

      Thank you for your comment.

      It is fun to recall that you came to the garden at Arrow Cottage. We left in 2004 so it was not so long after your visit. The next owner did keep the garden going for a while but they did not live there full time and rapidly realised that part-time gardening was not an option if the 2 acres were to be maintained. Then, the next owners bulldozed pretty much everything, selling off many things in the garden and renting out The Tower as a holiday let. We have never been back.

      You remember The Tower well. Yes, it was painted 'Hapsburg Yellow' as we termed the colour, a shade seen so often in Central Europe. And, the Agapanthus thrived in their terracotta pots as they like their roots to be confined. A flight of fancy with a water jet....how our imaginations were allowed to roam free!

      Delete
  23. I like gardens but not gardening. My previous house had a wonderful one that was at least worth the effort - the current house is just a chore. At my chalet in France the garden is simple, but we just 'borrow' the mountains, so it's magnificent regardless - that's the sort of gardening I like best! And snow of course - when they all look the same.

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    1. Darling Mark,

      Thank you for your comment.

      When our gardening days began, we would not have entertained such an idea. Now we concur wholeheartedly.

      We can certainly empathise with your garden in France. Borrowing the landscape is a wonderful idea when one is surrounded by beautiful countryside or breathtaking scenery. And, simple is often best inside or outside. It is an art to keep things restrained and simplified, creating an essence rather than over complicating things. Nature always does it best.

      Delete
  24. This is a fun blog to visit. I like seeing all the green grass in the first photos.

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    1. Hello Larry,

      Thank you for your comment.

      We worked on eliminating most other colours from the garden except green. It is such a restful and calming colour.

      Keeping the grass green was a full time job in itself. Grass is always much harder work than flower borders.

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  25. What a lovely home and garden. I, too, enjoyed gardening until my back told me I really shouldn't do it any more. Now I'm happy to keep the hedges trimmed and the grass cut. Fortunately, I have help with all of that. Thank you for stopping by my blog so I had the chance to meet you by coming to yours. All the very best from the very cold and snowy South Coast of Ohio, USA. ;)

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    1. Dear Lois,

      Thank you for your generous comment.

      We think that our bad backs are testament to the long hours of hard work, bent double, maintaining our 2 acre garden. Now, even the thought of trimming our one box plant is enough to make us feel faint.Yes, help is definitely the answer as long as one can rely upon them to not cause more damage than good.

      We shall definitely keep in touch now that we have discovered you. We are still wondering what exactly your husband ate for lunch!

      Delete
  26. I very much enjoy your memorial altar - almost a sort of ossuary - to your departed garden. After five years in our house, I've still trying to pull together its surrounding greenery. I don't think I'm much good at the sport. And I don't enjoy it as I might, as I'm always seeing something that needs to be pulled or clipped or completely changed out. I fear there will never come the days of rest and admiration....

    I love the paint color in your Front Hall. It looks very much - at least on my monitor - like the color we painted our bedroom. With ours, the color seems to constantly shift with the light, from a grayish, sage-y green to a dull aquamarine. It's lovely.

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    1. Darling Stephen,

      Thank you for your comment.

      You are right, this was, albeit unintentionally, a requiem for a garden. And, yet, at least in part, it lives on in our apartment and is evergreen in our minds.

      A wise friend once said to us that two lifetimes are needed for a garden. One to make all the mistakes, learn the tricks of the trade and plan for the future and a second life to realise the plans, hopes and dreams. Well, that is all very well unless one's back gives up first! We wish you well with your endeavours and hope that you might give a glimpse on a future blog post one day.

      We are pleased that you like the paint colour. Farrow and Ball is water based and its colours are wonderfully intense. As you say, the colour varies in different lights and in different seasons so it is always interesting. In England we use Little Greene paints [not obtainable in Hungary] as we find the colours on offer to be even more intriguing.

      Delete
  27. The garden at Arrow Cottage looks very nice indeed. To have such a lovely garden in your memories is a fine thing, but it is a memory and like other commenters, I don't miss a garden one bit. You may have the occasional nostalgic twinge but you have resisted well.

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    1. Darling Andrew,

      Thank you for your kind comment.

      Yes, we are managing well without a garden. The memories are easier than the maintenance.

      And, this leaves us with time on our hands which we can spend looking at tram crashes on your blog! It could only be you...:):)

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  28. I knocked-off Ashley Hicks's girlfriend once. Actually more than once.

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    1. Darling Tom,

      Thank you for your most intriguing and revealing comment.

      Alas, we fear that there are rather too many girlfriends to pin down exactly to whom you are referring. However, she is surely to have been well connected as the Hicks family seem to be attracted to tiles.

      Whilst having no wish to upstage your startling revelation, we should just like to say that one of our mothers attended the wedding of David Hicks to Lady Pamela Mountbatten who was a friend.

      Perhaps we are biased but we feel that Ashley did not inherit the design genius gene from his father. However, he did inherit a set in Albany, so that is a compensation.

      Delete
    2. ....titles not tiles.... but, then again, they probably are attracted to tiles too.....at least in design terms...

      Delete
  29. I'll give you a clue - it was Jan Howarth's sister.

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    1. Darling Tom,

      Thank you.

      We shall put our faith in Google helping us out in our research.

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    2. ...still searching in the Google labyrinth.... and now we realise that Ashley has gone missing...

      Delete
  30. What a splendid garden and beautiful home. Such lovely light. I confess, my gardening skills are close to nil -- I'm sure not helped by some benign neglect. At home, I am away much of the summer months so they perish; up north, the soil isn't particularly helpful. So I truly admire all the work and skill you have put into this over time. Thank you so much for coming to visit me at Marmelade Gypsy -- I hope you will return. I look forward to another visit here.

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    1. Dear Jeanie,

      Thank you so much for your kind comment.

      Most people come to gardening as pure amateurs and that was the same for us. We took over the garden from parents and developed it over some 25 years. It takes time to learn about the plants and the conditions needed to grow them, so a garden is in a constant state of evolution.

      However, we now prefer to rearrange the furniture rather than tend the flower borders. nWe had the best of times but the work just became a burden rather than a pleasure as it once was.

      We did enjoy our visit to you and shall keep in touch.

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  31. What a magical place Arrow Cottage must have been!!! I have always been in awe of the English formal gardens. I do love gardening....the smell of dirt can be so enticing but back issues tremendously limit what I can do these days. I used to do a great deal of container gardening (in addition to border plantings) but we purchased a home on a lake a little less than 2 years ago, and it is impossible to keep things watered and tended here when I am there and vice versa. So I have been forced to severely cut back. It was never an efficient use of resources anyway as our growing season is so very short. The 3 months of summer we had were always spent being tied to watering and fertilizing and replacing perennials that did not survive the winter rather than actually enjoying the short-lived amiable weather. I love that you have introduced a bit of whimsy and garden charm with your treasured memories and mementos. ~Robin~

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    1. Darling Robin,

      Thank you for your kind and generous comment.

      We can fully appreciate what you write here. Containers are really wonderful but they are an incredible amount of work if one is to keep the conditions perfect for the plants to thrive.

      And, it is better to limit the garden to what is achievable rather than what one imagines as ideal. In that way, one can enjoy the garden rather than just seeing it as a place of hard work.

      Yes, to have so many things with us that were once in our garden is a pleasure. And they do add an unusual style to an interior we think.

      Delete
  32. Vita Sackville West's gardens at Sissinghurst Castle are gorgeous, but I don't have a huge staff to keep them looking fantastic. On the other hand, I would not like my garden to be limited to a few pot plants on the window sill. So your white Garden in Arrow Cottage Garden is a perfect compromise.

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    1. Darling Hels,

      Thank you for your comment.

      Sissinghurst and Hidcote have always been firm favourites of ours since we are attracted to gardens with a strong structure where the planting can be contained and controlled. And, you are so right that they need a small army to maintain them fully.

      Our White Garden was mainly green with grass edged with box, the planting consisting of silver birch trees and white lilies in pots. Simple can be best in many ways.

      Delete
  33. I use to have an acre dedicated to my gardens at my previous home. Sometimes I miss it, but then I remember the weeds that always had to be removed which took time and then I don't miss it as much. What a beautiful color green you chose! Great for a garden memory. Janice

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    1. Dear Janice,

      Thank you for your comment.

      An acre of garden is a lot to maintain and we can totally sympathise with what you write here. Yes, wonderful to think of it all on a warm, sunny day with every flower blooming to perfection. But, then, when reality strikes and one thinks of the weeding and inhospitable weather, one realises that it is best to be remembered in the imagination.

      'Breakfast Room Green' is a favourite. And, as with all the Farrow and Ball paints, it takes on a variety of shades in different lights.

      Delete
  34. I toured the new home of a dear friend, smaller and in a distant state, and was struck by the familiarity of it. She brought only representative pieces, and especially she brought a memory or gift of all the friends she left behind. It makes a new home so comfortable.

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    1. Darling Joanne,

      Thank you for your comment.

      This is such a tender story of your friend. When we look around our apartment we are struck by the fact that every thing can tell a tale of people or places we have known and loved. As you say, it is reassuring to be surrounded by such memories.

      In these strange times in which we find ourselves, it is good to find comfort in familiar things. For some it can be in a garden but for others it can be in the home. By bringing the 'outside' inside, we think that one can achieve the best of both worlds.

      Delete
  35. Darlings Jane and Lance,

    Your previous garden was a true labour of love, of which I'm struck with awe, and I see the skills it provided you with have been amply demonstrated in your most excellent Budapest Garden! And is that a swathe of lawn I espy on the spade head in the Front Hall? If so, you have mastered the art of tending a perfect patch, the envy of your neighbours.

    I do not miss the labours of our previous garden in our Home by the Sea, where trying to coax life into a barren sandy soil was our bane - not to mention the daily assault by rabbits - and yet I was rewarded this past weekend visiting friends who've taken on a Mountain Retreat, by, ahem, showing off my horticultural knowledge that I'd thought forgotten. So a nice reminder that the toil and effort also enriches the synapses!

    Did I read correctly that you've not left your apartment since March? Xavier de Maistre's "Voyage Around my Room" with bells on! And yet I could see your lovely apartment would be a perfect world to be contained within.

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    1. Darling Pip,

      Thank you so much for your kind and generous comment.

      Our garden at Arrow Cottage was part madness and part extremely hard work. Over some 25 years we created the garden from scratch, we learned an enormous amount along the way and enjoyed some very happy days there. But, when the time came to leave, we were not sad as we knew that it best to leave whilst one is still 'on top'. It would have distressed us to see the garden needing maintenance which either we could not do or not afford. We never returned and have not looked back.

      As you say, it is surprising how much one learns and can recall when asked for advice. And, it is always a pleasure to see favourite plants thriving in other peoples' gardens.

      Yes, you have read correctly. It will be our lockdown anniversary in March. We are just wondering how to 'celebrate'. As we have been advised not to travel, we await our turn for vaccination and in the meantime have to shield from the virus. However, we remain cheerful and we are fine. Time seems to speed by rather than drag and we are very fortunate to have each other. We count our blessings daily.

      Delete
  36. Your garden is beautiful.
    After the room is repainted with green it looks even more beautiful. You must be grateful and miss your garden.

    Have a nice day.
    Greetings from Indonesia.

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    1. Hello HS,

      Thank you for your comment.

      We are delighted that you like our garden as it was. We like to think that it was a beautiful oasis of calm.

      We do not miss the garden but are indeed grateful for the happiness it gave to us over some 25 years.

      Wishing you a pleasant day in your exotic corner of the world.

      Delete
  37. I have never had a garden of my own - not even a balcony - but I remember well from my childhood and youth how my grandmother spent seemingly endless hours in her (relatively small) garden all year round, and how much work my parents' allotment was. They (grandparents and parents) enjoyed it, though, and I suppose gardening is good for the body and the mind.
    The closest to gardening I have come in recent years is helping to choose what to plant in the two old animal's troughs serving as planters in front of O.K.'s cottage in the village, and then occasionally watering them and taking off some dead leaves.

    I wouldn't mind a summer supper under that tower, by the way!

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    1. Darling Meike,

      Thank you so much for your comment.

      Allotments are such tremendous work. We had a small vegetable growing area in the garden which took more time than most of the rest of the garden combined. However, the delight of growing one's own food and eating produce straight from the garden was a pure luxury.

      We are certain that you are right that a garden can be a source of healing for body and mind. However, when gardening on a large scale, the mind can still enjoy the process but the body can no longer stand up to the strain. It is just a cycle of life.

      Summer supper parties beneath The Tower were huge fun. The area was lit by candles and food transported from the house. The Tower marked the furthest point in the garden from the house, so the whole process was like an army manoeuvre. In this entirely surreal setting, we had such fun times. However, when the end of the evening came and the candles blown out, we and our guests were all plunged into complete darkness and had to make our way back to the house. A rill of water ran from The Tower for a length of some 50 metres. Needless to say, falling in the water was just one of the hazards to be faced before reaching safety!

      Delete
  38. Thank you for the many views of the Front Hall. I feel very much the wiser now about the Front Hall table and the layout of the doors.

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    1. Dear Rachel,

      Thank you for your comment.

      We like to be thorough and to show that one can get in and get out of the Front Hall.:):)

      We have a back door too...but we shall reserve that for a future post to avoid confusion.

      Delete
  39. You have a delightful Front Hall, Jane and Lance, a beautiful reminder of your wonderful Arrow Cottage garden. The garden ephemera is so appealing and I adore the Breakfast Green walls, just perfection. It must have been difficult to leave your beautiful garden in the past, and it is something we too must face. It is only a quarter acre, but the work never ceases and we are getting stiff and old these days... Thank you for such a sweet post.

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    1. Darling Patricia,

      Thank you for your kind and generous comment.

      We try to not look back in life, believing that the best is now and there are still better things to come. However, we do tend to surround ourselves with bits of the past in the many objects, photographs and books which travel with us. In this way, the past is still very much alive and part of a dynamic future, we hope.

      So, when the time comes to move on, look upon it as a new adventure. More blank pages waiting to be written on. Things are never the same for very long which can be comforting in times of difficulty and exciting in times of joy.

      Delete
  40. Although your garden was truly lovely, and your Budapest apartment looks inviting, I would just like to thank you for something unexpected that I took from reading your post. In a response you said that it was important to look ahead and not think too deeply, and that going back was a mistake. Those words were good for me to read today. Thank you.

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    1. Darling Libby,

      Thank you for your kind comment.

      We are very touched that we should have written something which gave you a good feeling, especially if today you found yourself in need of something positive, a pick-me-up if you will.

      We sense that your life has taken some hard knocks of late and getting back on track, particularly in a pandemic is challenging for everyone and one can feel it more acutely on some days rather than others.

      We, like most people, have experienced many low points in our lives. Financial concerns and health issues have all been part of life's rich pattern. But, we have never looked back and never returned to places we have made a decision to leave. A clean break can seem harsh but, for us, it provided the motivation to move forward, to reach out, to go into the unknown and, perhaps most of all, to be brave.

      These are such strange and difficult times. So, keep on keeping on and a motto we have used when facing difficulties in the past is, "let us not think about that today".

      Thank you.

      Delete
  41. I can understand what you are saying. I no longer have the energy to do all the work in the gardens that used to be so much a part of my life. As you showed in your photos, empty pots can make a lovely scene also. I have done this in the past and may do more. You have inspired me.

    I have started planting cuttings from last year’s garden to fill my time during this snowy winter. I love recycling and they will brighten my days while I watch them grow. The best thing that I have done, though, is making a call to the young landscaper that I have used the past few years and telling him that I will have more work for him this year.

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    1. Darling Arleen,

      Thank you for your kind comment.

      It is such a brilliant idea that you have found a young landscaper to work with you on the garden in the coming year. we are sure that he will benefit from an income and your gardening knowledge and you will not feel guilty about leaving jobs undone and can make more ambitious plans. Surely, a win win situation all round.

      It is so exciting to have new projects but one cannot continue to do everything unaided. Young people not only bring their energy but often can make exciting new suggestions which help to make the whole process of developing the garden more dynamic and interesting.

      Good luck with it all and keep us all in the loop via your blog posts.

      Delete
  42. That was a very impressive garden you had in England! Not that your current Hungarian situation isn't also impressive, minimalist though it is in terms of plant life. :)

    I love your tablescape of gardening mementos.

    I went to Sissinghurst several years ago, and I was also in Budapest a few years back. But I'm not following you, I swear. :)

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    1. Dear Steve,

      Thank you for your generous comment.

      We very much enjoyed developing the garden, mainly from a field, over a period of 25 years. It was fun to dream up fanciful ideas and then effect them. However, maintenance was always necessary and does become very tedious and exceedingly hard work. At least we always had some help and somebody to cut the grass.

      Nowadays, a short back and sides for the box plant and we are done, although we may run to some pelargoniums in pots this year. They seem to like the baking heat of a Budapest summer.

      We love Sissinghurst and hope that you enjoyed Budapest. If only we had been connected then, it would have been a pleasure to point out the lesser known wonders of this magical city.

      We are so pleased to have discovered you.

      Delete
  43. What an entrance! Sensational, it could have graced the cover of Country Life magazine. I agree, it's never a good idea to revisit old ground, I made that mistake when I paid a visit to my ex-door neighbours I looked over the wall to see the changes the new occupants had made to my old garden and got a shock, concrete slabs and a trampoline affair, I could have wept but worse of all, my beautiful Panache fig tree that I grew from a tiny cutting had been hacked to death, if only I had taken my friend's advice and planted it in a Gladstone bag I could have taken it with me.

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    1. Darling Mitzi,

      Thank you for your kind comment.

      We have not taken in Country Life for an age. As it comes out weekly, the issues soon mount up. We used to have piles of them arranged on the staircase but, then, we reached the top step and it all seemed rather pointless. So, we kept a few favourite issues and donated the rest to anyone interested and charity shops. However, we should have loved the garden to have graced the cover of Country Life or, indeed, even better, a double portrait on the frontispiece, known fondly as the 'girls in pearls'. But, then, you would look fabulous featured there!

      We certainly feared, as you found, what the new owners might do and later heard that the York stone had been traded in, the borders bulldozed and the Tower turned into a 'bijou' holiday let. You should definitely have taken your fig tree since they take for ever to establish and the fruit is so deliciously decadent. And, as for the trampoline....

      No, gardening is too fraught with problems, from now on we shall just concentrate on shaping our box plant.:)

      Delete
  44. When I gave up my garden in Scotland 6 years ago I didn’t think I missed it. I worked a little in the communal gardens of the Yorkshire apartment building we moved to but was disheartened as the paid gardener was hopeless and killed many plants with weed killer or bad pruning, But my Italian garden and being here for the first time in winter has confirmed I am not yet ready to live without a garden and fortunate that I don’t have to. I will start to mentally plan my own little shrine on our apartment balcony for the day I do give up gardening, such a wonderful idea you have given me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Jenny,

      Thank you for your comment.

      The best thing about a garden and gardening is when you can enjoy it without it being a burden. Clearly, you can dod just that and the wonderful situation in Italy where you live really does beckon you to be outdoors.

      The only advice to give, if indeed it is asked for at all, is to keep things simple and go with Nature as much as possible. These are the ways to have a stylish garden which sits comfortably in its landscape without being overwhelming in its demand for maintenance.

      And, as you say, one can garden in a fashion anywhere. A window box, rolling acres or a single pot can each bring joy in their own ways.

      Delete
  45. How could you leave Arrow Cottage? I am finding gardening very difficult now, what with creaking joints and all manner of related ailments but I simply cannot give up yet. I am still here at Castle Moat, on my own now, and, truth to tell, struggling a bit. But . . . . .

    Is Norfolk still in the picture? Brighton?

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    1. Darling Friko,

      Thank you for your comment.

      When it felt like the right time, we simply turned the key in the door lock and drove away. Furniture tec. went into store and reappeared in Budapest. Our only regret was leaving a large Haddonstone obelisk which we certainly could have placed in our apartment here!

      Your delightful garden is surrounded by the most beautiful countryside, all of which is such a blessing to have, especially now. If you can get and afford the help, then there is every reason to continue since there is always much fun and a sense of satisfaction in planning new projects and seeing them realised.

      A young helper can benefit from your gardening wisdom and can bring new energy and, most probably, some offbeat ideas. That would bring a new and dynamic force which could be just the boost you need. Just an idea...

      We moved from Brighton and continue to have our house in Norwich. We hope to see it again ....soon...it has been a long time...

      Take the greatest of care. Stay safe.

      Delete
  46. I’m not sure I could give up my gardens in the foreseeable future. We moved to our new home four years ago and have created several native and perennial gardens on the property. I’ve tried to make them as easy-care as possible as I’m now in my 60s but working in them and seeing them just make me so happy! Your curated collection from your garden days make you smile, too, I assume. They are real treasures and full of happy memories. Love the green paint in your hall. It is the perfect shade! Zenda

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    1. Darling Zenda,

      Thank you for your comment.

      As long as the garden gives you pleasure, then that is every reason to continue. Making plans and then carrying them through is so satisfying and watching things grow is one of Nature's greatest gifts. Whatever, one can look back with a sense of joy in creating something beautiful.

      When we look around us now, we do feel surrounded by happy memories of people and places throughout our lives. And, what excitement it is to create new plans, even if some of them will just remain in our over active minds!!

      We are so pleased that you like the 'Breakfast Room Green' and as with all Farrow and Ball paints, the intensity of colour changes in different lights.

      Delete
  47. I do think your Box tree garden is very sweet. Maybe a little lonely? Pelargoniums are such a treat to use, they just go on and on flowering with little work. I used them so mcuh in our garden in France.

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    1. Darling Helen,

      Thank you for your comment.

      Yes, the box plant does look rather lonely and, indeed, in the year when we did have pots with Pelargoniums on our walkway, it did look jolly. As you say, with attention to the dead heading, the Pelargoniums go on flowering all Summer.

      And, as an added bonus, as residents of our district in Budapest, in late Spring free plants are given out to encourage people to brighten up the town!

      This is the year of a flowery display we think.

      Delete
  48. So, in a way, you still have a garden area as precursor to your living quarters. It looks most serene, which those who maintain an outdoor garden know not to be the case.
    We have given up making gardens...Leo is too frail and my knees have given umnistakable warnings of doom awaiting...apart from which it was most depressing to have to be rescued from weeding round the sago palm by a posse of gentlemen, none of whom were either young or handsome. So the garden is somewhat wildly tropical, with plenty to attract birds and we have finally found a man with green fingers to keep it in some sort of order.Like you, we have memories of our gardens - all of which were promptly destroyed by those who bought the houses - but are quite happy to beat our way to the door through the edifice erected by our handyman - not the green fingered one - which bears a strong resemblance to the skeleton of a young supermarket - but luckily now covered by passion flower and other climbers. I showed him a pergola...and that was the result.
    So very glad to 'hear' your voices again.

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    Replies
    1. Darling Helen,

      How lovely to receive your comment.

      Wild and tropical sounds perfect to us! And, yes, you are right, we do have a garden of sorts but without the hard labour.

      How alarming to have had to be rescued from a weeding position and how disappointing that the rescue team should not have been the bronzed Adonis youths that we all seek in hours of need.

      Pergolas are very tricky to get right. We never had one for that reason. The proportions and construction materials really matter and, somehow, they never end up as the 'fairy bower' that one imagines they might.
      How sensible to have clothed yours in Passion Flower and other climbers and what joy to walk under it every day.

      Take care and stay safe.

      Sending love to you and Leo. J and L xx

      Delete
  49. PS I meant to sign myself off as Angie! 😊

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    1. Dear Angie,

      No problem.:):)

      As Blogger had placed your comment as a reply, we had to take the liberty of copying your comment and pasting it below....so now it looks as you are us and we are you....the wonders of modern technology.:):0



      Delete
  50. Hello Jane and Lance, I have just been reading this post and comments whilst drinking my first cup of tea of the day. Where has the last hour gone? Thanks so much for sharing the photos of your old garden and apt. The garden was stunning but I can understand how much work was involved. It is so sad that someone destroyed it completely. Your apt is lovely and I love how you have arranged the furniture in the hallway. It looks so inviting. Thank you too for visiting my blog. I'll follow yours if I may 😊 Stay safe x

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    1. Dear Angie,

      Thank you so much for your kind comment.

      It was not an easy decision at the time, but is certainly something which we have not regretted since. "Get out whilst one is still on top" could have been the motto.

      And, in a strange way, the destruction of the garden was easier to bear than a garden which was 'tinkered' with and the atmosphere changed completely. We can remember it as it was and, of course, it can always be looking its best with not a weed in sight in our minds.

      We are so pleased to have found you and have enjoyed reading your posts. We should be delighted to welcome you as a Follower and look forward to staying in touch.

      Delete
  51. Blogger can be so very confusing or is it me getting confused? Who knows...lol...
    So glad I found you too. I look forward to reading lots of your earlier posts now too x

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    1. Hello Angie again,

      Such fun to see you back again and this time all worked well:):0

      The danger is believing that we are the ones at fault and not Blogger whereas it is often the case that it is the technology with all its 'bugs' and 'bytes' that is the real culprit.

      Whatever, we must all be adventurous types to have navigated the labyrinth of the Blogosphere and connected. Virtual success!! Real achievement!!

      Delete
  52. Hello Jane and Lance, what a beautiful garden you created, feel quite humbled by your skills. But understand that there comes a time when the physical energy needed to keep a garden pristine flows away.

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    1. Dear Thelma,

      Thank you for your comment.

      We created the garden over a period of some 25 years and the greatest fun was in its creation. Thereafter, the maintenance gradually became a burden and, eventually, we decided to move on. As you say, the spirit was willing but the flesh weak.

      It is important not to have regrets. One does the best one can at the time and there are always new adventures to be found if one looks for them Nothing stays the same for very long.

      Delete
  53. I regret I am not a gardener, but do appreciate the efforts of others. However, we have made plans to continue to make our tiny patch as wildlife friendly as possible, so next weekend we will be ordering a selection of shrubs to span the seasons. Arilx

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    1. Dear Aril,

      Thank you for your comment.

      A garden is, necessarily, man made but Nature always is best. So, it is good to work with the conditions in which one finds oneself.

      Being wildlife friendly is very rewarding as it makes one conscious of the seasons and the Natural World in which we all live. For a short time we lived in London and it was there that we saw more foxes than ever we did in the countryside of Herefordshire.

      So, we can all make the best of our corners of the world wherever we may be. One learns as one goes along.

      Delete
  54. Hello Jane and Lance,
    Your Herefordshire garden is truly magnificent. How lovely to be able to bring remembrances of it to enjoy in your Budapest entrance hall. Surrounding oneself with objects that hold personal meaning is so much more interesting than merely collecting objets d'art from a box store.

    We live in a house surrounded by gardens that are not too large and I enjoy puttering in the soil, growing pretty flowers, and planting and harvesting a potager. There are seasons to life and I know there will come a time when the garden either no longer interests us, or we can't manage it, but for now, while it brings delight, we'll dig and prune and plant and weed.

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    1. Dear Lorrie,

      Thank you for your kind comment.

      We would certainly concur that there is something uplifting and reassuring to be surrounded by things which are of personal significance. In these lockdown days it has brought us pleasure to recall people, places and events that we are reminded of everywhere we look.

      And, your own garden sounds to be delightful. As you write, an appreciation of the seasons and of Nature in all its moods brings a joyfulness to life which is very precious indeed. We wish you many more happy years of gardening since it can be adapted to suit as the years progress. We always thought that, ultimately planting trees is the highest form of gardening.:):)

      Delete
  55. My dearest Jane and Lance,

    I love your exquisite style and taste whether it is related to gardening or interior decoration. It is wonderful that you are able to keep the most treasured items from The Arrow Cottage in Herefordshire. I think that everything you do just exudes your inimitable style and individuality. I love a touch of whimsical element too and the elegant shade of green from Farrow and Ball, which complements the oil painting with the church tower (in Norwich, perhaps?) in the background on the wall.

    With warmest wishes,
    ASD

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    1. Darling ASD,

      Thank you for your most kind and generous comment.

      How fascinating that you should alight upon that particular picture in the Outer Hall. It is painted by Madeleine Anderson who is a most interesting artist but remains, rather sadly in our view, not particularly well known.

      She had a retrospective exhibition with Duncan Grant at some point in the 1970s and so was on the fringes of the 'Bloomsbury Set'. She married Gerald Holtom who gained fame with the 'Ban the Bomb', Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament symbol and was rather confined to his shadow.

      The painting is titled 'Sketch of Lechlade from River Coln' and is not entirely typical as a subject for Madeleine Anderson who mainly concentrated on interiors. We very much like her work and wished we had more.

      Delete
    2. Dearest Jane and Lance,

      Many thanks for your information on Madeleine Anderson. I have never heard of her before. I learn something new. I looked at her works online in the public collections. I see that you are right about her works mainly concentrate on the interior scenes.

      It is interesting to read that she was influenced by Gilbert Spencer (younger brother of Stanley). The fluidity of her brushwork and this particular green colour she uses in the painting are reminiscent of Gilbert Spencer's work as well as another British artist, John Nash who she would have known as one of the regulars among the Bloomsbury group and a guest at Ottoline Morrell's home, Garsington.

      Recently, I also came across another artist who was on the fringe of the Bloomsbury Group called Rudolf Ihlee (1883–1968).

      I hope you both are doing well and staying safe. I look forward to reading your most recent post which I am saving it as a treat for later.

      Wishing you both a pleasant evening.

      ASD

      Delete
    3. Dearest ASD,

      We are thrilled to have been able to introduce you to Madeleine Anderson and have been most interested to read your thoughts on her painting technique. We shall now look again with renewed interest at comparisons with Gilbert Spencer and John Nash. And, do not get us started on Ottoline Morrell and Garsington, an all time favourite garden of ours but perilously close to the Cowley car works.

      And now it is our turn to learn something new. Rudolf Ihlee is completely unknown to us and we shall research him without delay. Such fun! Perhaps there is mileage in the Bloomsbury Fringe.... so much talent beyond the well known names.

      Thank you, we are both fine. Still shielding and it will soon be our lockdown anniversary on 11th March. Hopefully, all is well with you too and we trust that you are enjoying the companionship of G in your Highland retreat. It is all easier to bear when there are two of you, we think.

      Sending you our love, J and L xx

      Delete
  56. All those memories. What a delight to have them, and be reminded of what once was by the beautiful items that are on display in your hall. Your photos bring back lots of memories to me too, and such happy ones.Of dinner parties, beautiful walks, but best of all of two dear friends whom I would love to see again. Let's hope we can add some new memories soon! And oh do plant those geraniums! It will make your hall look even prettier! Sending love 😘

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    1. Darling Madelief,

      Thank you for your kind and generous comment.

      Yes, the Outer Hall serves as a fond reminder of gardening days in the past. Rather like your own delightful garden, there comes a time when one needs to move on and do other things.

      Yes, we shall surely make more wonderful memories when the pandemic passes. Such fun it all was and such fun it will be, dearest friend.

      And, you are right! We shall plant things indoors and outside as you suggest. They will bring joy and hope for the future.

      We send our love to you all. Take care and stay safe. J and L xx

      Delete
  57. I love your gardening supply display! I don't garden at all, but love flowers and looking at lovely gardens. I'm a bit split personality that way!

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    1. Darling Kim,

      Thank you for your comment.

      Well, we did love gardening and building up the garden was exciting and enjoyable. But, there comes a time when it is just too much work and one lacks the energy and finance to maintain a garden of such a size at the standard it deserves. So, a move was made and we do not miss the work!

      Delete

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