Sunday 5 July 2020

Down leafy paths

If it weren't for the green canopy of the birch tree across the street, the sight that greets me when I'm glancing out of my window today could very well be that of an Autumn day. With a leaden sky as a backdrop, the birch tree's branches are swaying like windscreen wipers at full speed, the blustery wind rustling its leaves. Intermittently, the wind is joined by showers. The raindrops pattering on the skylight behind me are enough to make me shiver and grab for my cardigan.

What a difference with a week ago on Friday! With the thermometer clocking a stifling 32°C, it was a question of un-layering rather than layering. First wearing of this handmade cotton maxi frock, an end-of-sales bargain at Think Twice at the tail end of last Summer.



With its flattering white on navy diagonal stripes and smattering of flower clusters featuring pops of fresh green, there was no need to add a belt. The length was just right for me as well: its original owner must have been as vertically challenged as me! 

I kept my accessories to a strict minimum, adding just a longer beaded necklace, repeating the blue and green and adding brown as an accent colour, and a large green butterfly brooch.


The weather forecast was looking quite dire for the day, promising torrential rain and possibly 3-centimeter hail stones for the afternoon. Not wanting to be caught out in such inclement weather, we made our weekly trip to the garden centre by mid-morning.

The quest was for some Pelargoniums or annual Geraniums to replace some of our patio plants which were doing poorly. The pink Dahlia which had been shining brightly on our kitchen window ledge turned out to be riddled with leaf miners. Then, one of the plants I'd knocked off the crate, and which initially seemed to be unharmed, wilted and died within a couple of days.


But unless I walk through the garden centre's greenhouses blindfolded, I cannot help but be seduced by plants which aren't on my shopping list.

I'd hardly walked in when I spotted pots of well-developed Astrantias (top left and bottom right). This perennial, commonly known as Masterwort, has long been a favourite of mine. The Dutch name for them is Zeeuws Knoopje (translated as Zeeland button), a reference to its resemblance to the collar stud buttons worn by farmers in traditional Zeeland costume.

Commonly, the plant bears white pincushion flowers, but I fell in love with a reddish pink variety when visiting Hadspen Gardens in Somerset - nowadays the grounds of a boutique hotel - back in 2001. The one I got is called 'Abbey Road' and although it isn't the 'Hadspen Blood' variety cultivated in Somerset, it bears a close enough resemblance.

I also succumbed to Physostegia virginiana 'Summer Snow' (top right) and a plant bearing fluffy, pink tinged spikes which apparantly is a a kind of Salvia.


We did buy Pelargoniums as well, of course, including a vibrant red one to replace the poort Dahlia. Their red flowers almost match the red Snapdragons which are now in their second flush.

Another addition to our garden is a plaque won by my paternal grandfather for his allotment back in the 1950s. It had been pining away on a shelf ever since we brought it home from my parents' house, until I thought it would probably feel more at home amid the plants in the garden.


Of course, the forecasted calamitous weather didn't make it to our part of the world, remaining close to the French border and creating havoc in Belgium's west country only. We only got a couple of lost raindrops by the end of the day.

Saturday morning and it was still hot and sticky with temperatures in the high twenties. The sun had been joined by some clouds with which she kept playing a game of tag. 

The sky darkened with a promise of rain, but then the sun got the upper hand again, so we took a chance and drove to the leafy park in the nearby town of Boom (the "oo" pronounced like the "oa" in roam) to stretch our weary limbs.



Another sleeveless cotton frock was worn for the occasion. Yet another Think Twice find, it has established itself as a firm hot weather favourite in previous Summers.

With its funky green, white, pink and orange pattern, it was a lucky € 4 find back in June 2017.

As always, I accessorized it with orange and pink. My Clarks sandals - bought on a hot day in Shropshire in June 2018 - were perfectly comfortable for walking, although not the best choice for a nature walk as sticks and stones had to be removed at regular intervals.



If the park we visited the other week was unkempt, this one was even more so, giving the impression of unbridled wilderness. 

I even managed to photograph a flower fairy who, judging from its sad little face, didn't seem too happy about being exposed.


The park has a natural playground, which had only just been re-opened after the Covid-19 restrictions. It's supposed to be for children up to 12 only, but as nobody else was around I couldn't resist trying the tree stump stepping stones.

Here's a look at my brooch, a pink raffia sunflower which emulates the flowers on my frock so well that it always seems to be the obvious companion.



Boom's triangular shaped town park is laid out along the banks of a meandering brook. It used to be part of a larger wood which was turned into a 27-hectare park back in 1925.

In the heart of the park, the brook ends in a couple of murky ponds. There's talk of a complete overhaul of the park, which will eventually involve cleaning the ponds and restoring them to their former glory.




In fact, restauration has already started at the town end of the park, where there's a series of ornamental, so-called French ponds surrounded by and decorated with stunning groups of sculptures. We wanted to walk all the way up, but as restauration is in full process, there was no access to this part of the park.


Opposite the park is a magnificent Art Deco school building built between 1926 and 1930, and which happens to be Jos's old school.

After catching a glimpse of the empty ponds over the hedge surrounding the domain, we made our way back to our starting point along the paths on the other side of the murky ponds and brook.




It was then that the first raindrops started to fall. Nevertheless, with the the park's leafy canopy acting as a giant umbrella, we still managed to eat the waffles we'd brought while sitting on a bench.



The temperature had dropped considerably by Sunday morning and the overnight rain had given our garden's long-suffering plants a good drenching.

As it was still far too wet to plant out our new acquisitions after breakfast, I decided to wait until the sun had warmed things up a bit. Instead, Jos and I divided the task of giving the ground floor rooms a thorough dusting between us.



The dress lucky enough to have got an outing that day was a a full-on floral one with the most delightful butterfly sleeves. The belt I cinched my waist with is the second one from my recent accessory shop splurge during lunch break. I find myself wearing this kind of elasticated belts a lot these days, so you can expect to see this one at regular intervals. Needless to say, it was the buckle which made me add it to my shopping basket.

Other accessories included a yellow beaded necklace and a big flower-encrusted vintage brooch.



Eventually, I did make it into the garden to allocate the new plants their rightful place into the borders.

Only just in time, it turned out, as the heavens rained down on us again soon afterwards.

And that, I'm afraid, would be our lot for the next week. A typical Belgian Summer!



34 comments:

  1. Hi Ann
    How nice to see summer frocks and to be able to wear them without a coat, it’s like winter here. We’ve got the heating on and wellies and raincoats for when we go out.
    When I see and smell geraniums I think of my nana and my auntie gladys. I love the perfume of the leaves.
    You’ve for some nice colour now in your garden. Both you and Vix & Jon have taken to gardening. It’s lovely to see.
    Hope the new week is kind to you both. Take care xxx

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    1. Well, our Summer has come and gone now as well, and cardies and raincoats rule again. I love the scent of Geranium leaves as well. I just bought a hair and body oil which is Geranium and Rose scented! xxx

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  2. Glad to hear the worst of the weather missed you. We're in the middle of a heatwave with no end in sight, but I haven't been wearing anything near as beautiful as your warm weather attire. Those are all such great dresses. The raffia brooch is sweet too.

    There's just something about pink flowers, isn't there?

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    1. Thank you Goody, but I beg to differ, as I saw some fabulous outfits of yours on Instagram! Anyway, I'm glad our heatwave has come and gone! xxx

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  3. fabulous summery frocks - my fav is the last one where no ground is seen just flowers....
    you got some interesting plants! never saw such in a garden centre around here.... but to be honest - i have more plants in my garden now then space - the border patch grows over its brick borders already :-D
    i hope that park´s overhaul will not be to drastic - its such a beautiful tranquil place.
    tons of hugsies! xxxxx

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    1. Thank you Beate! I think they will only clean/clear the ponds and the part with the sculptures. I do prefer the wildness of the place as it is too. xxx

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  4. Yet again w're sharing weather, we have an Autumnal feel at the moment with the high winds, dark skies and piles of leaves. I'd kill for some 32°C heat!
    Loving that maxi on you, the column shape is very different for you and your trademark belts, I love how elegant and tall you look in it.
    Your Think Twice cotton midi is one of my favourites and perfect for a day out. Boom looks gorgeous, I'm glad you explained the pronounciation! Loving the Art Deco architecture of Jos's old school.
    Loving the allotment trophy! xxx

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    1. Thank you Vix! When I bought that maxi last year, it was a tight fit, and I didn't feel comfortable wearing it. Now it is just perfect! I felt I had to explain the pronunciation, as otherwise the name would sound a bit silly to English speakers :-) xxx

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  5. You have so many amazing summer dresses. I love the sleeves from the dress you wear at the last picture. Very nice pictures of your nature walk. Great you test the playground 😁
    Have a nice day, with a very huge hug Tina

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    1. Thank you Tina, and it was obvious that I had to test that playground :-) xxx

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  6. I do love your maxi dress with its diagonal stripes and floral motives (and you styled it so nicely with cute accessories) but my favourite one is the groovy print dress, which totally stole my heart!, and your perfectly matchy brooch is a beauty!. Love to see you enjoying a walk in the greenery and looking so fabulous!
    Lovely floral dress too, these butterfly sleeves are particularly fab (and so comfy!) and its floral print is delightful!
    Glad that you could find some replacements for your plants!, I'm fighting another bugs plague eating my carnations!
    besos

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    1. Thank you Monica! That second dress is a firm favourite. I was wearing it to Think Twice about a week after I'd bought it. A lady came up to me saying that she almost bought the dress but didn't as she had no idea how to style it! xxx

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  7. The cotton dress from Think Twice is a great shape and colour.
    It's so good to get out into nature in between the showers ( which we are getting over here too).
    Jos's art deco school looks very grand, what a view!
    You've replaced the flowers you lost with some real beauties, you must have your grandfather's talent. xxx

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    1. Thank you Sally! I love getting out into nature, it somehow eases all the stress and worries ... xxx

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  8. I’m getting really bored of the high winds and rain. More sun please!
    The plants you picked up are so nice. I tend to go for shrubs but I’m getting very tempted by all these blooms I’ve been seeing on the blogs I read.
    I’d have played on the stepping stones too, I think it’s unfair that kiddies get all the fun! I like the sound of eating waffles on a bench in the rain.
    xx

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    1. Thank you Hazel. We do not have enough space for shrubs, so I tend to go for perennials mixed with annuals. But there are so many interesting ones out there, and I really have to curb my enthusiasm! xxx

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  9. Going to the garden centre or nursery is like showing drugs to a drug addict; almost irresistible! You were quite restrained considering...and your choice of plants was fab. You can't go wrong with geraniums especially red ones for sheer cheerfulness. They always make me smile. Your grandfather's plaque looks quite at home in the garden!

    Lovely outfits and accessories as always. I love those green sandals and the sunflower and floral brooches were gorgeous. The first wear dress was very flattering and the new belt is fab; such a brilliant buckle, I'm not surprised you fell for it.

    Take care
    xxx

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    1. That first line made me chuckle Vronni. You might be right there. I have to confess that I bought even more plants in the meantime. xxx

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  10. So many pretty flowers.. must be nice being so close to nature.
    Love your green shoes.
    Our weather has been very hot and humid with sudden burst of rain.

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    1. Thank you Hena! My garden has been my sanctuary in these trying times. xxx

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  11. Yikes, in the 30s sounds sweltering! It rarely gets that hot here (maybe a couple of days in August), and we should be hovering in the 20s by now, but the weather seems be stuck in mid-April instead. Very frustrating, but I'm happy to be still wearing jackets instead of having to strip down to the bare minimum in order not to die of heat!

    You are doing an admirable job of just that (stripping down) with your maxi, which is FABULOUS! I also cut way back on my accessories when it's really hot out.

    Love your plants - they are all so gorgeous!

    I adore that second dress! What a fun print, and you're right, that brooch is so perfect, I would just leave it pinned to the dress all the time! I like the shot of you on the stepping stone bridge in the playground, and I see the flower fairy's face (she looks startled!).

    Love your floral dress (the last one) too - I'm a sucker for a cool belt buckle. Wonderful park pictures.

    Good luck with the rest of your week! I hope the rain lets up!

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    1. Temps in the 30s are too hot for me as well. We usually have a couple of short periods where it's into the 30s through Summer. Last year, we had one with temps into the 40s. That was just horrible, and I hope it doesn't happen again! xxx

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  12. Hello Ann, hope your Summer weather has returned but not too hot or humid. Your Summer dresses are lovely , I did especially like the maxi , such a wonderful shape. We share a love of gardens and garden centres , your flowers are so pretty , Winter here and the garden is very bare. Enjoy your week.

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    1. Thank you for your visit and comment, Jill. Summer weather has made a brief return, but not the heat, thankfully. I have to keep away from the garden centre, as I've got no space left in our tiny garden!

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  13. Every time when I visit your blog I am drawn to the header photo. I remember that it was that photo that made me read your blog. Those colors and prints make me want to try all of those dresses and other clothing! I like the pink and orange accessories with that lovely dress. Those are the perfect colors to add. And I like your elastic belt a lot!

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    1. Oh, what a nice thing to say Nancy! I'm being drawn to elastic belts like that lately. I have to confess I bought another two last week. xxx

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  14. You are such an engaging, eloquent and enjoyable writer, dear Ann. I truly enjoy savouring and soaking up every word of your posts, which are brightened all the more by your beautiful bevy of photos. As you might imagine, this nature adoring soul, was swooning up a storm over that stunning park in Boom. Thank you very much for taking us along with you on this lovely outing.

    Autumn Zenith 🧡 Witchcrafted Life

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    1. That must be one of the nicest comments I ever got, Autumn. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! xxx

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  15. That navy blue cotton maxi is gorgeous. I love its diagonal stripes and the flowers with green leaves. I've always been particularly keen on green and blue combo. I think it's because it always give me sea and mermaid vibes. Your outfit gives me wonderful 1920ties vibes. The long necklace is a fabulous match with that maxi and the green brooch brings out the green leaves. The pattern of flowers with green leaves (If I see it correctly) is so lovely. I also like your other summer frocks. The green sleeveless dress you wore to the park is so pretty. The floral pastel frock is just marvelous and the belt you paired with it gives it such a gorgeous shape. You look great.
    The weather has been somewhat unpredictable here as well. We had a bit of a storm and some rain. It's windy at the moment and I'm really grateful for the wind to keep us fresh as there are still some school meetings to get through so walking to work is a breeze.

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    1. Thank you Ivana! I too love a green and blue combo! I do hope your school meetings went well and you can now enjoy some well-deserved time off! xxx

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  16. Hello Ann. The weather doesn't seem to be fair to you, hope you haven't seen the end of Summer already.

    Three gorgeous dresses. I'm always amazed how easily you find them. It's getting so much harder over here to find lovely dresses. I love the maxi on you - the shape really sits well on you. The beaded necklace is perfect with it. The funky green dress is gorgeous too. Clarks shoes always bring me back to my school days - they are ever so comfortable. The last floral dress is quite pretty too with the butterfly sleeves.

    I loved following you on your tour of the park. There is something really enchanting about overgrown, wild landscapes. Only, over here, we have to be mindful of snakes in Summer. Great to see Jo's old school too!

    Your new garden plants look wonderful. On a final note, if you're interested, an easy pest control tonic is: 1 litre boiled water, 3-5 chopped hot chillies, 2 crushed garlic and a good squirt of dishwashing detergent. Leave in a spray bottle for two weeks then use on plants and veges to deter pests.

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    1. Thank you Suzy! I hope so too. It has been mainly dry yesterday and today, but more rain has been forecasted for Tuesday. Wild and overgrown landscapes are my favourite kind. I am a self-confessed hopeless romantic! xxx

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  17. What a glorious frock that first one is!!! I adore it! Nice to see you in a maxi too! I love the second outfit too.
    Great to accompany you on your walk!

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    1. Thank you Kezzie, and it was entirely my pleasure. I've got quite a few maxis in my wardrobe, most of them are long overdue an outing! xxx

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