What Time Is It? It's Time for Four O'Clocks!

These flowers never bloom at four o'clock.  This was about 10:30 AM the other morning!  By now you understand that we have Peruvian influences in our garden and this is one of those.  They also have a slight fragrance which The Herbal Husband likes very much.  I think this is considered an old-fashioned garden plant. They are very easily planted because the seeds are particularly large.  Good for those small hands to plant and succeed.  These are volunteers and they seem happy in a semi-shaded space along the fence.  Well, it is another beautiful day.  We had our shopping and Panera lunch day.  Always a good thing.  Hope you are having a great day.  Talk to you later.

Less Mowing! Yippee!

My dream has always been to get rid of the lawn mower someday!  Unfortunately it hasn't happened fast enough.  Although I started at about an hour and a half, almost two hours worth of mowing and I'm at around an hour.  Hoping for near zero in the next few years.  Hope you have had a great day.  Just submitted my next post of Herb Companion on my favorite, lemon verbena.  Some different recipes and one surprise that I didn't expect from a reader who had a question.  Weather is beautiful here in the 'Burgh.  Talk to you later.

The Path is Back!

So Glad to Have the Path Back!

This Area Still Looks Overgrown, but It is So Much Better!

Viburnum x burkwoodii

Our weather has turned decidedly like the Pacific Northwest!  It is cool and cloudy!  We complain when it is too hot and now it has gone the other way.  Just wanted to show you the finished product.  We are going to move some big hostas to this area as well because of the shade of the apple tree.  Hopefully we can tackle the front garden as well.   So hope you are having a great weekend wherever you may be.  Oh, Hope Springs is great!  Really has a lot of laughs.  Steve Carell as the therapist is very good.  I think you will like it.  It was packed.  Good to finally see a good movie and that lots of other people were out to see it as well.  Talk to you later.

A Garden Tag with a Colorado Connection!

Reclaiming That Maintenance Path!

A Plant Tag with a Peruvian Connection!

A Colorado Nursery Tag in a Pennsylvania Garden!

When I got online this afternoon, I was pleased that Bernideen from Bernideen's Tea Time Blog was having an "Open House" and invited me to participate.  So Bernideen, you won't believe it when I tell you that in reclaiming a maintenance path in the garden and some garden space, we dug up this tag from the previous owner.  We have been in this house 23 years!  It has both a Peruvian (four o'clock flowers) and a Colorado connection.  The plant was from a nursery called Little Valley Wholesale Nursery in Brighton, Colorado!  The plant is long gone, but the nursery still is in existence!  It's Kismet, Bernideen!  One day we're going to meet Bernideen!  I'm looking forward to it!  Hope you all have had a great summer day!  It is hotter than you know here in the 'Burgh.  We are supposed to get some relief in rain and temperature tomorrow.  Talk to you later.

This Plant Got a Big Trim!

The Herbal Husband really wanted some of his bamboo sticks for other areas.  Sooo he give the peppermint geranium a big trim!  I am drying the leaves he cut.

I think I will use them in tea blends or in potpourri.  We are still working on reclaiming part of the garden.  It's supposed to be in the 90's AGAIN!  Getting tiresome.  I can imagine the folks who are in the 100's aren't happy either.  OK, got to run and keep clearing and cleaning up.  Will give you some photos over the weekend.  Stay cool!  Talk to you later.

Reclaiming A Path or Two!

This is Supposed to be a Maintenance Path!

Now That's Better!

This is the Last Piece of the Puzzle!

We were gone so much of last season that the garden had really overgrown itself.  The other day after the rain stopped we got in there and with some teamwork, we got the first part cut back and tied back so that we can actually reclaim the maintenance path.  We still have to get the last part done, but we just have to do it together.  Really when we have a common goal, anything can be accomplished!  Hope you had a great day.  We finally got to mow and I made some arugula pesto.  Always something to do this time of the year.  Talk to you later.   P.S. This is my 1,100 post!  I'm coming up on an anniversary next week.  So stay tuned a giveaway is coming!

Storm and Sticks and Strings!

This does look like much, but I may not be around for a couple of days because a 20 minute storm did some damage.  We have to get more sticks and strings out.  People laugh about it, but sticks and strings keep the plants safe and when a storm comes through they survive.  The Herbal Husband came in in a funk after working before breakfast.  He gave me a list of plants that needed to be fixed.  Sooo I'm getting my working clothes on and going out to help him put things back together.  So if I'm missing in action, you'll understand.  No jelly for a couple of days.  I'll share photos later.  Hope you are having a great day.  Talk to you later.

An Herbal Cleanup Day!

Removed the Scorched Leaves of the Lady's Mantle

Looks Better Already!

The 'Lemon Gem' Marigolds are Growing a Bit Too Well!

Out Come The Sticks and Strings!  Much Better!

The Borage Needs to Come Out to Make Room for Beans!

Leaves on Top of Blooms for This Lamb's Ear!

Really too many cloudy days in the 'Burgh can be a downer!  Today was one of those relief from the hot, icky, sticky days we have been having!  It was cloudy and humid and cooler than normal, but The Herbal Husband and I were happy doing some cleanup chores after the rain.  We are still down 1.7 inches in rain, but we got over 2 inches in our gauge!  As Martha would say, it's a good thing.  Hope you have had a great day.  Talk to you later.

Chateau Val-Joanis, Pertuis, France, Part Three

A Beautiful Vitex Tree

Just Loved the Garden Ornamentation!

Love the Crow on the Post!

Loved the Fence Giving the Ornamental Grass More Structure!

Pears on Poles!  Say That Three Times Fast!

Apples on Pyramidal Shapes

Smoke Trees in the Distance

Another French Rose, An Herb of the Year

Lemon Verbena!

The gardens of Chateau Val-Joanis were conceived by Cecile Chancel in 1978 and with the advice of garden landscaper, Tobie Loup de Viane, she created three terraces, the potager with vegetables, herbs and flowers,  the second terrace for flowers and the third terrace for ornamental grasses, trees and flowers.  It used stones salvaged from a Roman pool in an area protected from the Mistral wind.  It is a remarkable garden.  This is the final part for this remarkable garden.  I hope you have enjoyed it.  It is like a furnace outside.  The Herbal Husband soldiers through and I'm like a wilted lily!  Hope you had a great day.  Talk to you soon.

Chateau Val-Joanis, Pertuis, France, Part Two

A Collection of Watering Cans

A Nice Place for Lunch on a Cloudy Day!

Another birdhouse with the Espaliered Apples

I think Parsley in Bloom and Garlic Chives!

Cardoon or Globe Artichokes

Zucchini

The Sign on the Left Post says Fragile!

Elecampane! Have Always Wanted to Grow It!

French Roses in Celebration of the Herb of the Year!

The gardens of Chateau Val-Joanis were conceived by Cecile Chancel in 1978 and with the advice of garden landscaper, Tobie Loup de Viane, she created three terraces, the potager with vegetables, herbs and flowers,  the second terrace for flowers and the third terrace for ornamental grasses, trees and flowers.  It used stones salvaged from a Roman pool in an area protected from the Mistral wind.  It is a remarkable garden.  As you can see this is Part Two, so Part Three is on the way.  It is like a furnace outside.  The Herbal Husband soldiers through and I'm like a wilted lily!  Hope you had a great day.  Talk to you soon.

Chateau Val-Joanis, Pertuis, France, Part One

Very Modern Winery

Grapes to Make Wine

The Garden was Given The "Remarkable" Award in 2005

Part of the Potager

A Bit of Whimsy

There are Birdhouses Everywhere in the Gardens

A Hedge of French Tarragon and Lavender

Espaliered Apples

Tepees for the Tomatoes

Even the lettuces are Beautifully Displayed

This garden was discovered as I thumbed through a book called The Gardens of Provence and the Cote d'Azur by Marie-Francoise Valery.

When I found out last year we were going to the south of France, I immediately pulled out this book and began search for gardens we might be able to see.  The Herbal Husband tends to pack our time so I had to convince him that this garden was special.  I think once we were there, he was definitely impressed and was very eager to visit.  There also was a French news magazine there filming and we were asked to walk back and forth in the garden.  I thought for a minute the director said "work".  I thought he was kidding and he was, it was walk not work!  So in February this year, we were on French TV, I think.  I need to see if we can see it anywhere.  The garden was conceived by Cecile Chancel in 1978 and with the advice of garden landscaper, Tobie Loup de Viane, she created three terraces, the potager with vegetables, herbs and flowers,  the second terrace for flowers and the third terrace for ornamental grasses, trees and flowers.  It used stones salvaged from a Roman pool in an area protected from the Mistral wind.  It is a remarkable garden.  As you can see this is Part One, so Part Two is on the way.  It is like a furnace outside.  The Herbal Husband soldiers through and I'm like a wilted lily!  Hope you had a great day.  Talk to you soon.