Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts

Sunday, 12 June 2011

Surreal Art in the Garden

Before the rain started, Stewart and I put up this metal
hanging so the kiwi plant has something to grow up.
The kiwi fruit seeds were started off by my father in law
and now with all the lovely weather it has started to grow
quite quick.
This corner is outside Stewart's studio and divides
that garden to the Japanese area.
We had burnt an old single mattress a couple of
weeks ago in our burning area and when the fire
was finished it left behind the springs.
Interesting! I thought, I can use those.
What for, I didn't know at the time
but this morning walking past the empty screen divider,
thinking that the kiwi would soon need a trellis
to grow up, it came to me.
Springs!
This corner has always displayed Surreal Art
of mine, originally a 1.5 m 'peep box',
called 'Have You Ever',
click this link HERE to view
which over the years disintergrated slowly
so was replaced by a screen and sculpture arrangement.
The lady came from inside that box.
I love sculpture gardens and put unusual areas
around my garden.
The white board is not usually behind it,
I put this up so the area would photograph.
You look right through at the moment until the
kiwi grows up the screen.
See more of our garden

Sunday, 8 May 2011

Clematis Arch and Box Hedging



Last night it rained for the first time in several weeks.
It has made everything in the garden really green up again.
This is what we call the Secret Garden as it is secluded
and surrounded by a large hedge and covered trellis.
The raised beds have strawberries, leeks, chives, lettuce,
carrots, herbs, onions, rhubarb and
runner beans (which got a little singed the other night
by the frost), as well as flowers,roses, bushes and clematis.
We decided to cut the Box Hedging as it was cool
and this would stop the cut leaves burning.
It is a bit of a bother but putting down sheets to
catch the cuttings, makes gathering them easier.
We cut the Parterre garden too!
There are always jobs to do in the garden
at this time of year.
I can honestly say I am a fair weather gardener these days!
See more of our garden on my website

Monday, 11 April 2011

Quilters Cottage Garden


The last two weekends Stewart and I have been in the garden
working hard. We tend to start at the top of our, three quarters of
an acre garden away from the house! and work towards it.
The walk gets shorter but we still have to water some plants/seeds
at the end of the day.
We have started replacing some of the raised beds which
have made dividing the garden into manageable areas
and maintaining vegetable growing easier.
The raised beds need replacing every now and then.
As you can see, these ones we have just put
in The Secret Garden
are quite solid ones this time.
At 2" thick and 8" high.
All painted with plant friendly paint.
We have replanted strawberries, lettuces, herbs and leeks.
Planted seeds and sets of,
Peas,
Runner Beans,
two different types of....
Beetroot,
Lettuce,
Raddish,
Spring Onions,
Potatoes
and
three different types of Onion Sets.
Why the different varities?
We like them not only for flavour but they crop
at different times.
We will plant seeds again in a couple of weeks time in pots,
so we get a continual supply.
We are surrounded by fields and live opposite a Fen land so
everthing in the garden has to be protected from wild animals!
such as Roe and Munc Jack Deer, rabbits, hares, several
different types of birds and of course the usual bugs!
We try natural persuasion with netting,
complimentary bedding plants and perseverance,
so we all get to share nature!
We just love going into the garden and picking
our own food.
The main flower garden which we renovated last year got a
weeding and a mulching of two tons of wood chip,
yes! all man handled by Stewart and myself around all the
flowers and bushes. It saves time in the long run, I don't have
to weed so much!!!
We also delivered a ton of wood chip to Mum's Garden and
did her flower beds too!
We now ache!!!!
See more of of our garden on

Thursday, 10 February 2011

Watching Over Snowdrops

This lady sits in a quiet corner opposite my studio!

Looking forward to Spring and getting out in the garden.

Monday, 29 November 2010

It's Snowing!

Its snowing! and how pretty it all looks,
but it is causing caos as usual in the country.
Jenn and I just love the white stuff!

Sunday, 8 August 2010

Dunbheagan Open Gardens

After Sunday lunch Stewart and I decided to go and visit
an Open Garden near Dereham, about 25 miles away.
The weather had become sunny and it was a lovely drive there.
The Open Garden Scheme is so special.
People open their gardens on behalf of Charities and
it is advertised in The National Garden Scheme, Yellow Book.
This is the garden of Jean and John Walton.
They were raising money for the
St Johns Ambulance.
It was wonderful, full of Blooms and so much interest,
even Carnivorous plants.
It was very popular and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
There was music being played by The Reepham Ensemble.
A very lovely afternoon.
See another picture of the garden on my website

Monday, 26 July 2010

Round Robins at The Garden Party

The Crazywork Round Robin squares came back to us last month and so
some of us had finished or put them together
ready to quilt.
See more Crazywork Quilting on

Alveva Garden Party


Wednesday 21st July our Alveva garden party at mine this year as I am Chairlady!
It worked well outside.
The adapted marquee went on the patio ouside the studio.
( We had to have it as the weather has been so unpredictable).
The food was in the studio and everyone spread themselves around the garden.
A lovely night and no rain!
See more of Quilters Cottage on



Monday, 12 July 2010

A Visitor to the Garden

Look at this cheeky visitor to our garden on Saturday morning.
She had the front to drink out of the bird path and then
stroll around the garden eating the tops off my new plants!
Sweet peas and all.
It's funny though because I just watched her and chuckled.
I couldn't bare the thought of scaring her because she might have run into the road,
which is the other side of the hedge.
I know she crossed it to get in!
She wandered down the garden and by the look of our raised onion bed,
slept there most of the day while we were all out.
We walked down the garden late afternoon to water
the green houses and hadn't realised she was still there.
Our voices startled her and she ran down the path into the
the corn.
They are wonderful creatures but really make a mess of a garden!

Friday, 4 June 2010

Clematis Arch

(double click on image to enlarge)
This purple clematis is absolutely amazing the flowers
are the size of side plates!
It is climbing up through a climbing rose on another arch.
I put my Starburst quilt on the seat.
All the fabric for this was dyed and batik'd.
The veg bed in front of it has got courgettes in
but as you can see it has been very dry here,
we have to water most nights.
See more of my quilts on

Clematis Arches


I just had to take a photograph of the Clematis Arches
in our garden.
This one leads into the 'Monks Garden'.
It's enclosed originally for a place for me to come out
of my old studio,
sit in a secret garden read and draw.
Now it's where we plant salads and veg
we don't want the deer to eat!
See more of Quilters Cottage Garden throughout this blog and
http://www.art2inspire.co.uk/

Sunday, 16 May 2010

Gardening

Saturday was spent weeding nearly the entire garden at
Quilters Cottage from the top vegetable garden, down.
Remember we have nearly an acre here and things are growing fast!
We have just got the front to do now!
This is the Japonica (Quince) at the side of the cottage near the front door.
I just love the way nature puts its colours together, with a little help!
See more of what goes on at Quilters Cottage on this blog an

Sunday, 25 April 2010

Croft House Garden Sculpture

Croft House Garden had lots of inspiration and had a wonderful atmosphere.
In different areas around the garden were photographs of it before and after it had been transformed.
There were aso quotes, I liked this one.
" You thank nature for all you have seen,
But I am informed all here is
reformed by Art"
Elizabeth Montagu
1720-1800
Painshill Garden, Surrey.

Croft House Garden

Today Stewart and visited Croft House at Dersingham, just down the road from Sandringham and opposite St Nicholas Church .
The garden is opened in aid of charity as part of The National Garden Scheme.(NGS).
It is the wonderful garden of Walter and Jane Blaney.
The woodland area was a real pleasure to walk round and there were some real treasures and inspiration in the form of plants,pond and sculpture.
A mother duck had seven little chicks which she walked around the garden to entertain.
See more gardens, Quilters Cottage Garden in this Blog
and on my website

Saturday, 24 April 2010

Large Flower Border at Quilters Cottage

Today Stewart and I finished the large flower border in the front garden area.
The border on this hedge side is 60 feet long so you can see it has taken some time.
We started refurbishing at the end of last year because it had got full of real persistant weeds.
We took nearly everything out and started again,
other than the large bushes and trees and heavily mulched.
I am now replanting and heavily mulching again to try and save some work!
see more of Quilters Cottage Garden throughout this blog.

Sunday, 18 April 2010

Spinney Lodge Garden

Visited Spinney Lodge Garden at Gayton in Norfolk today with Mum and Stewart, after we had had a Carvey lunch at The Crown at Gayton. Very nice too! Spinney Lodge is the home and garden of Mr and Mrs Grant and they opened it to raise money for the National Garden Scheme, (NGS) yellow book, which raises money for charity.
It is a 2 acre garden by the side of a stream and has it's own woodland and trout pond.
This stream was an area off a Japanese style bridge which you walked over from a raised deck.
The garden was extensive and had many key features and plants which we found inspirational.
I brought a blue wood anenome for Mum and myself to remind us of our visit. I'll take a picture tomorrow when I have planted it.
I liked the poems and quotes which were around the garden. We were given a map to show us the key features. I think I would like to make a map of Quilters Cottage so watch this space.
The Grant's garden is featured in the 'Grow It' magazine which was on display.
Thank you to all NGS gardens who open their door to the public.

Saturday, 17 April 2010

Japanese Garden and Sculpture

Today Stewart and I were in the garden tidying up, digging,mulching and planting.
This is a Japanese inspired garden designed by myself at the back of my studio. The standing sculpture is based on standing stones important in Japanese Gardens. I designed the ceramic stones. The clay was pushed into boxes which were lined with calico fabric so the clay picked up all the folds and creases. It was finished and fired by an artist called 'Flick' she has her own ceramics buisness now. Pebbles and slate form a dry river bed and pool around a ceramic seat made in the same way.
On the studio wall is a wall hanging made by me in etched and joined metal sections called 'Rabbits Don't Wear Armour', part of 'The Roadkill' Exhibition. On the metal dividing fence is a large climbing jasmine which makes this garden smell heavenly.
See other previous posts of Quilters Cottage Garden
See The Roadkill Exhibition on my website

Wednesday, 24 March 2010

Through The Arches

This is looking through the archway, from what I call my 'Monks Secret Garden' to the top of the vegetable garden. Secret because it is enclosed and there is a seat in a rose arbour where I like to hide and read! Monks because it is full of herbs, a wooden lecturn and a pew seat. I based it on the herb and vegetable gardens on the terraces of St Mount Michelle in France.
In the vegetable garden beyond this gate there are onions,celery,peas,cabbages and early potatoes. As you are starting to see Quilters Cottage Garden is split up into smaller gardens. This encourages us to try different garden ideas and it's easier to garden!
I love the Spring as everything wakes up and we can get outside.
I have also managed an hour of freemotion quilting on the Red Quilt today and had a lovely lunch with the family.
Out tonight at The Embroidery Guild.

Out in the Garden

This is near the top of Quilters Cottage garden. The greenhouse, polytunnel and working area is beyond this. Today we weeded and prepared the soil for late potatoes and red onions. The long bed is asphagus and will be starting to come up soon. I just love asphagus! there is also a raspberry bed, trimmed and tied up in hopeful expectation!
The metal sculpture in the foreground is one of mine and based on Crewel Embroidery and Border patterns. The paths are all gravel now to stop weeds and to make the areas easier to look after.

Monday, 22 March 2010

Spring Weeding!

This is half of the long flower bed and a small section of the lawn which we weeded and mulched today.The lawn was trimmed and cut today too! I will shown you more of Quilters Cottage garden as we move round the areas in our Spring cleaning over the next couple of weeks. I like the planting and the lounging but really hate weeding but it's got to be done!
We live next to a field and you can see the open Norfolk Sky!