Everybodys Home Interior
You Can't See the Village for the Market
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| A kaleidoscope of colors at the Aix-en-Provence flower market. April 2011. |
After spending nine days in Paris in April, I looked forward to a week in the village of Aix-en-Provence. Aix is a convenient base for accessing the surrounding area—the Provence countryside and Luberon villages, the Mediterranean coast, the western French Riviera and the Camargue—no more than a two hour drive in any direction.
One of the most famous and popular markets in the region of Provence takes place in the lovely village of L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. A river literally runs through the picturesque village.
My first full day in Provence was a Sunday and perfectly timed for the not-to-be-missed market day in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue! I saw the antique stalls, the spices, the fabrics, the flowers and everything else at the market.
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| Sunday market day in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in Provence, France. Vendor stalls line both sides of the river. April 2011. |
After spending the morning browsing the market and enjoying lunch of chilled wine, fresh veggies, cheese and strawberries, it was time to take to the winding country roads. Driving past vineyards and rolling hills there were many choices for the rest of the day, but I opted to visit the villages of Bonnieux and Goult.
These two Luberon villages were sleepy and practically empty on that Sunday afternoon. Wandering the cobblestoned streets, climbing rocky and precarious steps for vistas, it was a perfect day for getting lost in the maze of village houses. I could hear the laughter and attempt to eavesdrop on the French conversations among the locals as I passed the cafes.
Later in the week, I visited the bustling markets, in particular the flower market, in my "home village" of Aix-en-Provence. It was after the flower market that I learned a valuable lesson. I visited the flower market in the morning, then walked to a nearby cafe for a leisurely lunch indoors, out of the rain.
After lunch, the sun was out and as I walked through the Place de l'Hôtel de ville again, the flower vendors were gone and the square had taken on a whole new vibe. Cafes and conversations. Strolling couples, families and friends.
When the market packs up at the end of the day, the ambiance is entirely different. I've blindly traveled for years without stopping to appreciate this remarkable transformation.
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| Aix-en-Provence flower market on a rainy April morning. |
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| A few hours later, the market is gone and the same square is a cafe scene. Aix-en-Provence. April 2011. |
While the market was extraordinary, I am left with a feeling that perhaps I missed something even more extraordinary.
| Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons. |
My "Lazy Gardener Garden" in Spring
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| Gaillardia 'Burgundy' self-sows; Achillea 'Moonshine' grows rapidly; Annual Nigella 'Miss Jekyll' self-sows. |
This large section of garden is on the east side of the house where the light has changed as trees have matured over the last five years. Rather than agonize over what to plant in a section where the sunlight and shade ratio is still changing, I'm allowing self-sowing and rapidly growing annuals, biennials and perennials "do their own thing."
I used to call this section the "butterfly garden" but since all of my different gardens attract butterflies, that's not as descriptive as it could be. I've relocated some of my stellar sun-loving perennials, such as coreopsis and agastache, from this section to the front garden.
There is a revolving color scheme of blue, purple, white, yellow, red and orange from spring through fall. All plants are drought tolerant and deer resistant, though there are a few plants, such as rudbeckia 'Goldsturm', that must be sprayed with rabbit repellent.
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| Salvia 'Caradonna' (self-sows true to parent), Homestead Purple verbena (spreads rapidly), and nepeta (easily divided) in April 2011. |
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| Purple salvia and nepeta give way to yellow, red and blue in late May. |
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| The prolific, self-sowing gaillardia can result in different colors and heights due to the cross-pollination of the varieties. |
salvia 'Caradonna' (self-sows true to parent)
allium 'Purple Sensation' (bulbs have multiplied over two years)
nepeta 'Six Hills Giant' (easily divided; minimal self-sowing)
'Homestead Purple' verbena (spreads rapidly by runners)
achillea 'Moonshine' (matures rapidly; divide every 3-4 years)
gaillardia (multiple varieties; some self-sow)
salvia greggii 'Navajo Red' (has produced offspring from seed that are true to parent)
salvia 'Black & Blue' (spreads by runners and easily divided in late spring)
salvia farcinacea 'Victoria Blue' (matures rapidly and am hoping for seedlings next year)
To bloom in summer:
monarda 'Jacob Cline' (spreads rapidly by runners; needs more moisture than the other plants)
ageratum 'Wayside Blue' (self-sows and spreads rapidly by runners)
crocosmia 'Lucifer' (corms grow rapidly and can be easily divided)
achillea 'Terracotta' (matures rapidly; divided every 3 years)
shasta daisies (divides easily; some varieties self-sow)
rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' (self-sows)
laceflower (self-sows)
marigolds (some varieties self-sow)
orange cosmos sulphureus (self-sows)
echinacea 'Sundown' (hasn't performed well for five years)
agastache (some varieties self-sow)
asclepias tuberosa (self-sows)
ascleplias incarnata (self-sows, but takes years to bloom; more moisture)
hypericum 'Sun Pat' is shrub-like (minimal self-sowing)
amsonia hubrichtii (self-sows)
verbena bonariensis (self-sows)
Russian sage (self-sows, but is new to the garden)
bronze fennel (self-sows too much; must deadhead)
Because I allow the plants to self-sow and spread, there is minimal care and maintenance. I let the seed heads stand until the following spring, when I cut them back at one time, divide any mature plants and transplant seedlings. I rarely provide supplemental water unless rainfall is scarce when the transplants and seeds need a good start. Since I allow the self-sowing of seeds, I don't use mulch except around the base of new plants. Mulch on top of the ripened and fallen seeds would prevent germination. In spots where the soil needs boosting, I work in amendments (organic compost) and sow seeds of filler plants such as nigella for spring and marigolds and cosmos for summer.
Less maintenance for the gardener means more time to enjoy the flowers (and work on the other gardens)!
| Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons. |
Better Homes and Gardens® Subscription Winners
Thank you to the 773 unique visitors and 360 subscription visitors who read about the new BHG.com website and contest here on my blog.
The blog readers who entered the contest were (in numbered order):
- Bloominganne
- FlowerLady
- Alison
- Pam/Digging
- Jen
- Tina
- Sue Ellen
- perennialgardenlover
- Southern Lady
- Meems
- Joey
- Molly
The FIVE winners of a 1-year subscription to Better Homes and Gardens® were determined by a random number generator:
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| Winning numbers were computer selected using RANDOM.ORG |
Congratulations to:
(2) FlowerLady
(1) Bloominganne
(9) Southern Lady
(4) Pam/Digging
(12) Molly
To claim your subscription prize through a secure, private message, please use the "Drop Me A Note" link on the left sidebar of my blog (beneath my Facebook photo). Include the following information:
Name
Address
Email Address
| The contest prizes are awarded by Better Homes and Gardens®, Meredith Publishing. The writer did not receive payment for the article or contest. Words by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel.All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons. |
A Chance to Win a Subscription to Better Homes and Gardens®
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| The fresh, clean look of the new BHG homepage. (click image to enlarge) |
When the staff at Better Homes and Gardens® asked me to preview their newly designed website, I happily agreed. As a former marketing strategist for a software company, I know that when it comes to using a website, it is all about a great customer experience. Plus, they offered to give FIVE of my readers a 1-year subscription!
The top five new features of the redesigned BHG.com include:
- a fresh, clean design
- new slideshow formats
- easy-to-use navigation
- bigger, beautiful images
- daily updates
The new slideshow format impressed me with the ability to easily advance through the slides. There is also an option to select a slide by clicking on a "see all" thumbnail view of the slideshow gallery.
See a garden inspiration? It is easy to save the photo to your BHG member space as well as share it with your friends. The new slideshows boast larger images so that you can see all the details.
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| Garden slideshow view. |
There are now three ways to navigate BHG.com:
- From the top bar that lists the favorite topics. Hover over the tabs to preview the channels.
- From the side bar groupings, you can click to the most common topics.
- From the search bar at the top of the page, type in your search term. The recipe channel also provides a quick find menu.
The website is updated daily, so that you can view the current "Top 10" popular topics for each channel as it changes throughout the day.
FIVE of my lucky blog readers will win a 1-year subscription! How? Take a look at the new BHG.com, then leave your comments here on my blog. I'm going to draw five numbers to select the winners, corresponding to the numbered order of the comments.
Enter as often as you like through midnight EDT, Sunday, May 22. I'll publish the names of the winners on Monday, May 23 with instructions on how to send your contact information to me to pass along to the folks at Better Homes and Gardens®.
Enter as often as you like through midnight EDT, Sunday, May 22. I'll publish the names of the winners on Monday, May 23 with instructions on how to send your contact information to me to pass along to the folks at Better Homes and Gardens®.
Good Luck!
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| There are now three ways to navigate the BHG website. |
| No payment was received by the writer for this review. Words by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Images courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens®. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons. |
Let It Sow, Let It Sow, Let It Sow
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| Nigella damascena (Love-in-a-Mist) is a prolific self-sowing annual. |
Want proof? Take a look at the nigella in my garden in May 2010.
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| Nigella mixed with poppies May 2010. |
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| The self-sown nigella area just beginning to bloom in May 2011. |
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| Same nigella, different view showing a Knock Out® Rose at the end. |
As I often do, I start taking photos before the peak bloom! I love these little flowers and the display is just beginning. Over the next week, there will be even more nigella blooming throughout my gardens.
There are other colors of nigella damascena or nigella hispanica from seed suppliers that include pink and deep rose as well as white with nearly black details. I am so tempted to try the other colors!
Too much of a good thing? It is easy to pull out any unwanted flowers. That said, everyone needs to check regional invasive lists to make sure this flower isn't a problem for your area. To prevent the self-sowing, cut off the flowers before the seedpods dry. You can collect the seeds and sow them in autumn through early spring, or do as self-sowers do—plant the seeds in other areas at the same time the seed pods are ready to pop.
I sent nigella seeds to some of my gardening friends. I hope they'll still be friends after the nigella takes over their gardens!
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| Nigella with salvia (autumn sage). |
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| Nigella with yellow achillea (yarrow) and purple salvia 'Victoria'. |
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| Nigella is quite photogenic! |
| Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons. |
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