Since moving to this house, gardening has become the ultimate hobby for me. I seem to be outside for hours – and continually return to the house caked in dried soil!
It hasn’t always been like this. As a child, we use to have to help my dad in the garden to earn our pocket money. My dad was never the most patient of men and his short temper coupled with the fact I hated getting dirty (whereas my sisters didn’t mind) seemed to infuriate him even more! I spent hours longingly looking at the warm lights shining inside the house, thinking of various excuses of how I could get back inside. Often it would go something like this:
Dad: ‘Where you sloping off to?’ Me: ‘Erm…I’m going to make us a cup of tea?’ Dad: “Hmm ok that’d be nice. Be quick!’
Of course, I’d never return with said tea or indeed the required garden enthusiasm – only to be greeted later by an irate father demanding to know what had happened to me. My reply usually went something like this:
‘You seem to forget dad that I am a pianist. Not only do I have to take care of my hands…but also I had to come inside to do some practice. That exam isn’t going to pass itself you know!!’
I inherited my musical talents from his late father (who had died 25 years before I was born) so the mention of a new potential musical virtuoso in the family usually spared me my life!
I did enjoy helping my sisters in their gardens – and over the years I have continued helping and learning many things from my parents – so it’s been nice, finally, to have the chance to utilise this interest and knowledge within my own patch.
I’ve enjoyed making my own hanging baskets and planters whilst building up the borders with depth and colour; I intend to share a few photographs of these another time. But for this post, I wanted to share some of the statues that I have in the garden which I believe also gives character and identity. I adore these little beauties peering out from amongst the flowers.
I’ve recently also sourced two new statues – and whilst liking them a lot, weren’t completely sure how well they would fit into the ambience of the garden. My other statues were more subtle, elegant, antique…whereas these new statues were decidedly more mythical, regal and detailed!
I decided that the garden had to become like the house – a mish-mash of themes that whilst slightly conflicting, overall complimented each other to create a generic style. Even my beau liked them…so needless to say we bought them!
Want to see…?
I love the story and drama of an object – so these fit perfectly into that category. They sit proudly either side of the French doors, in and amongst the other greenery. I do love them even though they were’t exactly what I had in mind when I originally thought about buying some new statues.
What do you think?
THOUGHTS of HOUDINI 