These luscious figs, just enticingly juicy enough to make your mouth water and purple enough to evoke jewel-like baubles, are the work of English artist Emma Dibben.
If these images look at all familiar to you (like these delightful French Breakfast radishes), it might be that you’ve been lucky enough to acquire a re-usable Waitrose shopping bag.
Emma graduated from Falmouth College of Arts with a degree in illustration in 2004 and makes her home in Bristol. Today she has an impressive list of clients besides the mythic Waitrose …
… so you may have also seen her work in issues of House & Garden magazine, BBC Gardens Illustrated, Conde Nast Traveller, The English Garden and other print media.
But fans of her work can also buy her originals or signed prints either from her own website or from the Bristol Contemporary Art website here.
Emma has an allotment garden which she has blogged about since 2010 and this is where she gets much of her visual inspiration.
I find the best illustration is done by those who have seen, felt and tasted their subject.
Emma clearly has a green thumb and exercises it regularly on this plot of verdant earth.
Sometimes with company…
She is a committed allotment-er and grows not simply veggies in the ground, but fruits and berries from trees and vines. I think her allotment is not simply abundant but also beautiful.
Even in the winter -
Her artistry both on paper and in the garden has truly given me renewed inspiration for my own plot which, by the way, just experienced tomato devastation. So at my virgin allotment in the ‘colonies’ -
- with tomatoes that I had grown from seed and planted thus-ly:
They now look like this one:
I have been told by Mary, a veteran allotment-er, that the culprits are field mice (our guesses had been giant cutworms, voracious earwigs, rabbits, groundhogs, etc…). Well, live and let live I say so immediately went out to the Lansdowne Market the following day and purchased four new tomato plants: 2 Brandywine and 2 I can’t remember (another heirloom variety).
As you may remember from last year, I had high hopes for this allotment and my hopes have not been dashed. This season we have grown and already harvested different varieties of greens as well as some Rainbow chard.
In the last couple of weeks the plants have grown exponentially! I have also snagged some blackberry, raspberry and haskap plants from certain death on a rack in a Loblaws garden centre as well as several shrubs that I received to trial as a result of my membership in the Garden Writers Association. Lucky me! So, although my allotment is several minutes from home and completely at the mercy of mice and men, I am hopeful that it can begin to flourish as a place of ornamental experimentation and tasty produce. I may even buy some fruit trees!
I’ll be back again with more photos. In the meantime, I will dream of Emma’s beautiful plot and devise ways to make mine half as lovely.
As a recovering retailer, I still get a twinge when I find a store that I would love to own. Such is The Paris Market on 36 West Broughton Street in downtown Savannah.
This ‘consumer experience’ has it all: toiletries, decorative accents for the home, books, childrens toys, jewelery, candles, furniture, bedding, tableware … and more!
I wandered into this place on our last day in this wondrous city and stumbled around, speechless, looking at all the beautifully chosen items but also at the inspired vignettes that were everywhere.
I love creams, balms, brushes, sprays and soaps as much as the next girl, but it wasn’t until the lovely ex-Aix-en-Provence sales woman behind the counter said, “Take a look downstairs – it is beautiful down there as well,” that I knew I had entered my very own retail Nirvana.
Here. Try to resist. I dare you.
Are you still with me?
Is this not a treasure trove?
You’ll be lucky to get out of here with your life….and your wallet.
The details here are so striking, you’ll be haunted by them.
Go. If you get a chance. And spend. You won’t find another store like this. Anywhere.
So Environment Canada has finally admitted what we’ve all been thinking: that is, weather is getting harder to predict so, I say, what’s the point of doing it at all? Everyone seems to be wrong until after it’s happened.
I’ve heard that the West will have colder than usual temperatures and we’ll have milder than usual ones, but more snow. I guess that’s okay with me. I’d rather have a good snow covering, blanketing the garden and protecting it from harsh winter winds, if there are any.
This is a diving board used by beavers; no sign of any in this December landscape ;c)
It is perhaps, the quiet before the storm.
I understand the paintings that show snow as blue and the winter light, red.
I think there is a beauty to this early winter landscape too, with its more muted tones, but nonetheless, I realize how much I crave colour again when I visited Mill Street Florist and saw some of their holiday creations.
I love how the choices are entirely natural (well, almost entirely, with the exception of the chartreuse dyed reindeer moss): winterberry, mini pomegranates, magnolia, ornamental cabbage centres, viburnum (Viburnum tinus) berries, grapevine, moss, evergreen branches and pheasant feathers. Lovely.
How will you satisfy your craving for colour this winter?
Would anyone like to purchase this beautiful and very large heirloom mirror?
It is about 45″ wide and 60″ tall and has been in the family for a long time. My folks are moving and can’t take it with them. Make a comment if you’re interested.
One of the things Martha Stewart Living magazine has always done very well is Halloween. Lots of inspirational pumpkin carving, gorgeous displays and haunting photos.
I’m showing you some of my favourites from over the years.
We loved Halloween at my shop Hortus Urbanus and I relished buying vintage-inspired decorations and creatures. Decorating the place for October 31st was always a highlight for us and we dedicated a lot of time to it before the BIG season: Christmas! I’m only sorry I have no pictures to show you from it…
Nevertheless, many of our Halloween decorations came from a company that distributed a variety of seasonal items, called Department 56. You can actually go to their website and buy directly or see where the store nearest you is selling this product.
Buying Halloween collectibles is becoming very popular and it’s very hard now to find choice pieces for a bargain!
Photo from Country Living magazine article on vintage Halloween collectibles; photo by Ryan Benyi
Country Living magazine; story about Bruce Elsass's halloween collection; photo Ryan Benyi
But I’m always drawn back to the incredible pumpkin carvings showcased in Martha Stewart Living magazine; they are just spectacular!
And if you’re looking for autumn inspiration, without the scare-factor, this is for you:
It occurs to me that some of you visiting my blog might not have seen my store, Hortus Urbanus, before I closed it in 2007. Was it really four years ago?! It seems like yesterday.
When I first opened up and had custom window boxes built for the front, some naysayers warned that:
a) they’d be vandalized;
b) the city wouldn’t allow them; and,
c) in the winter, the sidewalk plows would rip them off.
But none of that deterred me and I filled and re-filled those planters every season (more than most because they were regularly vandalized) – a heart-breaking occurance whenever it happened!
Because, after all, containers full of seasonal plants were one of our specialties!
Not to mention hand-made statuary, stone benches, interesting wall fountains and lots of plants.
And my personal favourite, lots of pots…
We always had the front door open, if the weather allowed, to draw customers in:
It was a real thrill finding beautiful items to sell and placing them around the store so that they would be irresistible to everyone, including me!
I have since regretted that I didn’t take more of these beautiful things home myself; many of them probably won’t be found again since the makers are no longer in business, or the pieces were one-of-a-kind. Another reason for us to grab things when we see them!
But of the items I did snag, these two gorgeous and incredibly heavy Italian terracotta pots and the hand-made bench are among them. I’m still enjoying them years later…
What happened to the Kingston I used to know and love??
It seems that our once favourite weekend holiday spot has become a disappointment. And this feeling has been echoed back in 2009, by a writer for the ‘Kingstonist’ here. But first, let me tell you what we still love about Kingston.
We visited yesterday in a bit of a celebratory mood after our Skye-dog got a clean bill of health after completing her chemo treatment in late August. Yeah!
Anyway, we have loved Kingston for many reasons:
1. We love that we can stay with our dog in one of two hotels right next to the marina downtown. We get a ground-floor room and have easy access in and out for dog walks and ball throwing in the adjacent grassy area.
2. We love that we can walk throughout downtown, where water bowls are placed outside for dogs to drink from on hot days and we can sit at cafes (and some restaurants, shh, Chez Piggy) with her, either at our feet or on the other side of the railing, and everyone smiles at her as they walk by.
3. We love that we can have great food at places like Chez Piggy or the Black Dog Cafe. We also love that we can take great food back to our hotel room, should the weather be inclement, from places like Pan Chancho or Tara Natural Foods or Cooke’s. And we can get great coffee at Coffee & Company or try the hot chocolate at the Mug & Truffle Chocolate Cafe (I haven’t been here yet but it sounds amazing!)
4. We love that we can shop at beautiful stores like Paradiso, Trug’s or the many small and unique spots that help give character to downtown Kingston.
Especially during holiday season when there are treasures like these displayed outside:
But wait, these stores are gone! :c( And let me say that I think downtown Kingston is suffering.
Our visit yesterday allowed us to see for the first time the newly completed “K Rock Centre“, a 7000 person stadium, ice rink, conference centre and event location. This giant building is a hop, step and jump away from the picturesque Princess, Brock and Ontario Streets and no doubt will bring hoards of people to this area when events are scheduled and send them into the bars nearby afterwards.
My first reaction was that this new building stimulated the construction that took place in 2010 to replace the infrastructure around the southern tip of downtown Kingston. Surely the owners/investors of this building would require some kind of assurance that the whole sewer, utility and road quality around it wouldn’t collapse under the pressure of added weight and traffic, both vehicular and foot?
Whatever the impulse (the sewer system was archaic, after all, and its overhaul was certainly long overdue), road work took place last year and although I understand these things are necessary to keep the invisible workings of businesses and life running smoothly, there is also a big price to pay. Plus, the kind of re-visioning that takes place on the heels of this upheaval is critical to making sure the soul of a place is not ravaged by those who are just looking at the bottom line and possibly, re-election.
A story appeared in the magazine Kingston Life about the road reconstruction and how everyone worked together to make it a great success. After all, affected businesses were given a cheque for $1000 as compensation (a nice gesture but a drop in the bucket when it comes to losses!) But it also goes on to list the businesses that succumbed to the drop in sales both during and in advance of the excavation: Paradiso, S & R Department Store, Sir Gawain and others were affected. The work began in March of 2010 and by late April, the parking garage at the Confederation Place Hotel had collapsed, resulting in the whole area being closed down for inspectors to assess the safety of the structure and surrounding ones. The author of this article quotes the youthful project manager who said, “[The hotel closure] made the temperature on the street go ‘way up.” These were words spoken by Stacey Corcoran, the 29-year-old daughter of the excavating firm’s president, Dan Corcoran, who had the challenging job of communications director.
But the owner of Sir Gawain clothing store says that even before the road work began, sales were down 15 to 20% and when the hotel garage collapsed, they lost 80% of their business.
I am left to wonder what the grand scheme for downtown Kingston is? The plan is to do the same road and infrastructure work further north on Princess Street next year, which will send shivers down the spine of businesses up there.
On our drive back to Ottawa, we were left to contemplate what it was that Kingston had lost. Most obviously, specific businesses that contributed to our enjoyment of the place were now gone. Many had been replaced with shops catering to students and those looking for a bargain. The kinds of retail places that enrich my soul and draw my interest (not to mention my money), have been replaced by dollar stores, purveyors of trendy and throw-away clothing and accessories, tourist tchotkes and fast food outlets. The kind of stores you’d find in a mall where turn-over is everything and ambience is nothing. Seeing the historic and majestic architecture that is so prevalent in downtown Kingston housing stores like these is, in my opinion, a travesty.
Then I wonder, if we lose these shops where the owners are present, working long hours and searching far and wide for the most beautiful and unique products, will we ever get them back? Will this kind of shopping experience where entering a store was more like entering a beautifully appointed home rather than a series of product displays (and I use the word ‘display’ loosely) be gone forever? My world appreciates patina, both old and new, skilled craftsmanship, usefulness and value. Are these the same things for the ‘younger generation’, where they may never know homes that are old, full of history and character, or products that have been hand-crafted rather than mass produced?
Or, am I crying in the wilderness? I know what I am saying has been said before and that perhaps I feel it more strongly because I was one of those retailers (in Ottawa) trying to sell unique and hand-made works of art in a setting that was beautiful and who was also adversely affected by year-long infrastructure repair.
Beyond the shops lost, we noticed the quality of the streetscape outside the stores. Street-sized planters were cracked and empty, garbage containers were dented, damaged and needing a fresh paint job, and the overall feeling was that the remaining vendors, landlords and land owners weren’t interested in even making an effort. Granted, I understand that if these street accessories were going to be replaced in 2012, it makes no sense to replace them now. But, leaving planters empty when they could be overflowing with late season glory, especially during harvest season and a still active tourist month, is beyond me.
If the economy of downtown Kingston has been shaken by the world-wide recession (this 2009 article in the Whig says that retail sales that year will plunge 8.5%), that is even more reason for a distinct, proud and unique plan to be adopted by its’ people and politicians. Making money and retaining the unique charm of the neighbourhood should not be mutually exclusive.
The City of Kingston needs to know that there are plenty of visitors like me who see all these things. What they don’t see is the plan for the future, nor what is considered important to the City Council and the downtown BIA. They should tell us: put up some signs, have a storefront that illustrates the new vision for downtown Kingston where visitors can see it. Assure us that the Kingston we love(d) is not going to be lost.
But I believe the historic, charming downtown Kingston might be in peril. Our next long weekend holiday might be to Prince Edward County instead.
If you’re already a lover of art, you will know the name Christopher Griffin. Christopher is an artist whose media is not only paint but also concrete, bronze and anything else that inspires him. In his words,
I am inspired by ancient artwork on cave walls, children’s art and random markings on concrete sidewalks, roads and buildings. I find the immediacy, confidence and lack of pretense in their character very appealing. I emulate this chaotic beauty in the surfaces of my own work with a description I call ‘visual noise’. Scribbles, gestural markings and accidentals mirror our hectic, image laden society and provide the spark of inspiration for me. I often use bird, fish and animal motifs in my work because they represent the pure, the innocent and the spiritual.
So it’s not surprising that Christopher, along with his wife Oresta and young daughter Kalyna, would have journeyed to India. While there, Christopher trekked away from the urban noise and commotion to the town of Kunhimangalam, where he spontaneously studied with the Thekee Veetil family who ran a bronze foundry called Paravathi Metals.
Christopher with the Thekee Veetil family; photo courtesy Christopher Griffin
Christopher says,
The trip was an adventure and a wonderful way to experience another culture. I worked side by side with the five brothers who ran the foundry and earned their respect by getting my hands dirty. Only one brother spoke english and there was a major hurdle trying to explain my aesthetics and what kind of sculpture I was interested in. They have worked for generations making beautiful but traditional objects for temples and households and couldn’t understand my crude, child-like creations. There was a bit of a breakthrough when I dug a shallow picture of a canoe into the packed earth. The magic of watching molten bronze flow into the depression was fascinating even for them.
Ranjendran, Mithun and Christopher; photo courtesy Christopher Griffin
Applying the wax; photo courtesy Christopher Griffin
You can read a more indepth account of Christopher’s experience here and here too.
This weekend Christopher is holding an open studio to showcase his newest works from this incredible journey. Here’s a sneak peak of some of his works.
Over the last week, the folks at Red Apron (that is, “sophisticated comfort food”) have been working really hard to get their new space ready. The grand opening was yesterday, May 2nd.
The good news is they moved across the street from where they had been, next to True Loaf bakery (whose loaves Red Apron carries in the afternoon), on Gladstone Avenue between Kent Street and Bronson. There’s two hour parking on the street in front and it might take you that long to load up with all the treats you’re sure to be tempted by — in the freezers, on the shelves, displayed on the three large wooden tables, in the cooler and on the counter.
Yummy chocolates, organic oils and vinegars, dry goods for cooking, coffees, teas, jams, honey, chutneys, spice rubs, home-made granola and many other treats beckon…..
The kitchen, where all the magic happens, is exposed for all to see behind a counter stocked with freshly prepared meals, pies and breads. This is great because you can see (and get to know) the wonderful women and men who are making the incredible food.
Okay, you may have noticed by now that there are planters on many of the surfaces… I had the great pleasure to be asked by the ladies to supply them with some living and breathing plants to help soften the space.
Many of these displays will change with the seasons and add some green flavour to the place. But the biggest planters are taking pride of place next to a monumental painting by Christopher Griffin.
You gotta go! And try my favourites: the shepherd’s pie made with melt-in-your-mouth shredded Fitzroy Beef or the scrummy home-made soups or …. just try them all!
According to the website of this incredible garden store, it is a:
Large English Cast Stone Basket Weave Urn with bas relief fruit and flower details and acanthus scroll feet. Year round planter; fully frost and weather proof. (40”w x 28”h) – $1,780
Alas, realistically, I don’t think this pot is in my budget. But, if you’re travelling down Michigan-way, do check out this place.
Deborah Silver is the owner/artist/landscape designer behind this inspirational store. She has exquisite taste in containers, both terracotta and concrete, like this one in a ‘faux-bois’ (imitation wood) motif :
Look at the gorgeous windowbox display on the front of her store …
And inside, it gets even better …
You should never underestimate how a beautiful container can contribute so much to a planted arrangement. This is a pair of planters moments after planting that I did for a client.
These basket weave terracotta pots were made by Red Iron terracotta in Toronto, a producer that is unfortunately no longer in business. What a shame. I used to buy his gorgeous and sturdy pots for my store by the truck load and drive them back myself from Toronto. They were stacked as high as I might dare in the back of my Mazda B2200 and none of them ever broke! It’s hard to find makers like this anymore around here, so that’s why hand-made terracotta pots are almost always from Italy.
I am a horticulturist, garden designer, plant-lover, writer, ex-retailer, a dog and animal lover, seeker of tropical hideaways, foodie and design aficionado. I'm Ailsa.
Contact me at: ffarm@rogers.com
Is your garden looking sad?
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If these images look at all familiar to you (like these delightful French Breakfast radishes), it might be that you’ve been lucky enough to acquire a re-usable Waitrose shopping bag.
