Thursday 28 February 2013

Books of the month! :)

Welcome back! :)

Have you never realized how many little 'addictions' we have? That coffee in the morning, that growing numbers of seed packets in the tinbox...I am sure that everyone can name some! 

I never realized how much I was 'addicted' to books, until I started to keep track of them to avoid duplicates....I am arrived here in England with just few favourites {il manuale di giardinaggio di Gardenia and the RHS Encyclopedia of Plants&Flowers, just to name two!}....and few months later my books were enough to fill an intere bookcase!!! I have to say that here in London is very easy (and cheap!) to buy good Garden design/Gardening books, and this did not help my little addiction.

{image source}
Will not surprise you then to know that one of my 'New Year Resolutions' included being more sensible about book-purchases...and after an insuccesful attempt in January (I ended up with 12 more books!), I can happily say to have been more moderate in February, ending up with just two more books (EXACTLY JUST TWO!!!) 

Which are the two new precious pearls of my bookcase?

They are Cuttings - A year in the garden with Christopher Lloyd and Pruning (The Great Dixter Handbooks) 

The Dixter Handbook - Pruning

The first one is just AMAZING!!! It is a collection of Christopher Loyd's articles from the Guardian and he is so brilliant that I often find myself laughing aloud. I'm munching the book slowly slowly, month by month to enjoy it better (exactly as 'In My Garden'), but sometimes it is just impossible to resist and to avoid peeking the successive article! I would recommend the book even to someone not into gardening as Christopher Lloyd's style is so enjoyable that I am sure it will conquer everyone!

The second one is a tiny handbook on pruning which can be easily read in a couple of hours and which intent is to offer an overal understanding of pruning, rather then a collection of 'do this, do that'. I found some good tips and a useful scheme on Clematis groups.

Both of them can be found at Great Dixter Shop, at the Garden Museum, on Amazon and in many good bookstores.

And you? What have you read this month? Have you got a similar addiction or a very good title to share with us? :) Let us know!

Baci, Kisses and Bisous, 

Noemi

Tuesday 26 February 2013

Shows and Green Walls, another busy week in my Garden Designer life! ;)

Hello again :)
What exciting forthnight! I spent a week at Great Dixter and the following one across London events :)

As you may have read on Facebook, despite the very poor start in bed with the flu, I somehow  managed to attend the RHS London Plant & Design Show, where was fabulous to meet such passionate and knowledgeable exhibitors!


On Tuesday I had to skip the Tom Hart Dyke talk (a modern plants-hunter!) due to the flu, but on Wednesday I felt so brave to put my nose out and I attended a talk on wildlife from Juliet Sargeant MSGD :)

The week continued at the Garden Museum, where I had a peek at the 'Flowers, Love and Money' exhibition, and where I was pleasantly surprised by the 'Roses' installation of Rebecca Louise Law.


And the week could not end better then at Greenwich University, where guided by Benz Kotzen and Shelley Mosco (you certainly remember her Van Gogh Green Wall in Trafalgar Square), we built a experimental Green Wall in the campus{more pictures here}.



And the upcoming week? I will be at the Garden Museum for the Sarah Raven Lunchtime talk (I really can't wait!!!!), and I will attend another SGD Development day, which I am sure will be as much interesting as all the previous ones. And I will design, of course!!! :):):)

Sarah Raven
{Picture Source: The Telegraph}

As the working life is getting busier, is getting more difficoult to find time for blogging, but please fell free to join me on Facebook and Twitter, where I am still very chatty! ;)

What are your weekly-plans? Are you attending any interesting lecture or group meeting? Are you still sowing? :) I would love to hear from you! :)

Baci and Bisous,

Noemi


Friday 15 February 2013

Garden Designer on the move ... and Events in February! :)

Hello and welcome back! :)
As you may have guessed, my Garden Designer life has took over my blogging-plans :)

Once again life has reserved me some big surprises, and I found myself to be one of the six shortlisted names for the RHS YOUNG DESIGNER OF THE YEAR competition with my 'Heaven on Earth' garden.

{One of the 2012 finalist  gardens - A Prison Garden for Rehabilitation through Wellbeing by Katherine Wills}

Last Friday I have been invited to present my Design to the Judging Panel, which included the founder of one of the best London's Garden Design School, and a noted and multi-award winner Contractor. Despite my garden will not be among the three finalists, I really appreciated this great opportunity and it has been amazing to reach this point after just two months from graduation.
Another very good reason for 'neglecting' the blog is that I AM AT GREAT DIXTER AGAIN! :)
I am back to one of the greatest English gardens for another amazing learning/working experience.
Unfortunatelly there isn't a great internet connection here so next post will have to wait, but you can follow my daily 'diary' on my Facebook page or on Twitter.

{Tiax / stockfreeimages.com}

Despite the great news and events, I did not forget my monthly appointment and I cherry-picked some among the most interesting garden-related events of the month.

Inaugurated by HRH the Duchess of Cornwall, the new Garden Museum exhibition is now open! 'Floriculture - Flowers, Love and Money' will be on display until the 28th of April and will bring you through four centuries of cut flowers history. I will attend it on next week and I am really looking foward to it.

{Image source: Garden Museum}

16th&17 - Winter Opening Weekend at Great Dixter House and Garden
19th & 20th - RHS London Plant & Design Show
26th - Sarah Raven's Luchtime talk at the Garden Museum. A great talk by a great writer, cook, grower, broadcaster and teacher. I have been in love with her garden, books, website and catalogue since I setted foot in Uk and I am sure you will fall in love as well!
All the month long, you can pay a visit to the 'Butterflies in the Glasshouse' at RHS Wisley Garden, and to the 2013 Orchid Festival at KEW Gardens.

Further news on London-related events can be found at 'The Green in Between'.

That is all for now :) See you next week and...keep sowing!!! :)


Bisous and Baci,

Noemi

Tuesday 5 February 2013

And the winners are...


Hello Garden Lovers spread through all the globe :) 

As annunced, today I extracted 6 people among the ones who commented on my Facebook Page and/or here on the blog.

The lucky partecipants who win a personalized set of seeds are:

Cècile, Marie and Nura Crea {from the blog},
Matteo, Barbara and Anne Marie {from FB}.

Congratulations!!!! :D :D :D You will be contacted soon to discuss about your garden's style, needs and preferences, so that I could send you the seeds more appropriate for your beloved green space! :)

To all the other partecipants: Thank you!
I really really appreciate the time and the kind words you dedicated me! I read every single comment (even the ones I have not reply yet! ;P) and treasured all your suggestions! And if you have not be drawn this time, do not despair! There will be other opportunities soon! 





Thank you! :)

A huge 'Thank you' to everyone who left a comment, a compliment or a suggestion on my new blog and/or facebook page! :) I truly appreciate your words and time! :) The draw will take place today and the winners will be announced tonight!



Un grand «merci» à tous ceux qui ont laissé un commentaire, un compliment ou une suggestion sur mon nouveau blog et / ou page facebook! :) Je vous remercie de votre temps et paroles! :) Le tirage au sort aura lieu aujourd'hui et les gagnants seront annoncés ce soir! S'il vous plaît pardonnez mon français rudimentaire ;P

Un enorme 'Grazie' a tutti coloro che hanno lasciato un commento, un complimento o un suggerimento sul mio nuovo blog e/o pagina facebook! :) Ho apprezzato moltissimo le vostre parole ed il tempo dedicatomi :) Il sorteggio si svolgerà oggi, ed i vincitori saranno annunciati questa sera!