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Mr. Swede took this photo of a statue in Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris, on Monday of the man, woman and child playing with their pet. I'm sorry I don't know the sculptor or the name of the statue. Pretty yellow Tulips. I think that is a Chestnut tree behind them in flower.
Paris in the Spring. Their Tulips are still lovely while ours are long gone.
Summer
Photo: Swede
My very favorite tree is the ornamental Weeping Peach. I look forward to it coming into bloom all Winter long.
When I see this, I get excited.
This is what is coming.
This is the red Weeping Peach, not the pink variety.
When I got this tree, it was only three feet tall. The height where the first branch goes off to the left. I could not find one locally, so ordered it from a garden catalog. They had to cut it to three feet to mail it. Very slow growing. If it was three years old when I got it, this is only ten year's growth.
If you are in a climate zone where you can have one of these, it comes with my highest recommendation. Spectacular tree.
It is a real "looker" in your yard.
Here, it blooms at the same time as the white Yoshino Cherries. They look good in combination.
What I like about it most is the weeping form. This is in the backyard.
Here in my front yard is the non-weeping form, a straight Ornamental Peach. This one is severely leaning and probably won't live another year. I just don't have the heart to dig it out until it dies on its own. I am not able to straighten it back up.
Just devine.
Run out and get one this Spring. You will love this tree.
Summer
Photos: Swede
Same ole story - Mr. Swede is in Paris without me for Easter. It is now planting time. I'm working in the yard this weekend to get 8 flats of Superbells and Impatiens annuals in the containers. Next weekend will be getting 10 flats of Dragonwings in the beds. And then hanging baskets, and then mulch, and then it will be too hot to plant so we just maintain until Fall. A lot of work, but I do love the color.
Hope the Easter Bunny leaves you lots of pretty eggs.
Summer
Photo: Swede
To all my lovely loyal readers, I made a card for you.
Summer
Photo: Swede
Do you decorate with natural coral as an accessory? Do you think it is still in style? How do you feel about using the fake resin coral pieces?
While in Nashville this past weekend, we always make a stop in Franklin, TN at my favorite decor store, The Iron Gate. They import from a coral farm many varieties of white sea coral and some blue/grey pieces. Their selection was a little lower this time than it has been in years past. Mr. Swede did purchase a nice blue piece and a huge specimen white cup coral. The price was outrageous so he told me it was for my birthday next August and future birthdays for the next 13 years. [maybe he will forget he said that]
This cup coral is the largest specimen I have ever seen at 27" wide and 17" tall.
I still like decorating with white coral. I like the fact that it is a natural product, the color white, has interesting shapes and classic. I don't think I will tire of it anytime soon.
This cup coral is a showy piece so Mr. Swede wanted it on the foyer iron console table. The coral pieces to the left and right are also former purchases Mr. Swede made at The Iron Gate.
The iron that the console is made of came from a music theatre in New York that was being demolished. I believe it is an interior stair balcony railing because it is finished on both sides. You would have viewed it from the first floor as well as the second story as you ascended the stairs. I'm sure you have seen the exterior iron balcony railings that have been made into consoles. Some are pretty rusty since they have been outside. This one was in great condition since it was an interior building element. I would have loved to see this iron balcony insitu.
There were three pieces taken from New York to Atlanta by a dealer. Two of the pieces came to Memphis and one was purchased by a country music star in Nashville. That person took the creme marble out of the center circle and replaced it with black marble. Guess you can figure out I would never have done that unless the marble was broken and unrepairable.
The mirror with the face is not one of my designs. It came from the British West Indies and is made of raw mahogany. I did paint it gold, however.
In the iron design, I love the large wings on the cherubs riding the nautilus shells, the torches, grapes and floral swirls. This console is probably my favorite piece in the house, even over pieces I have designed. Being solid iron, it takes four men to move it so it isn't going anyplace soon.
We did see fake coral at Scarlett Scales shop in Franklin. It is very inexpensive and the pieces she had looked so real, I had to examine them closely twice until I could tell they were not real. I think they would look great on a high shelf in a grouping where you couldn't touch them or look close enough to see that they were resin. It would certainly be the way to cut the cost if you were doing a large grouping of real coral pieces or a total white look.
Summer
Photos: Swede
