Sunday, 2 September 2012

Somewhere in France: Chez Blanchard

La Rochefoucauld

Grey Granite 
suddenly found herself journeying to an unknown destination in France,  so precipitous was this journey that on arrival she had no notion of where exactly she was. This, together with the extreme heat and traumatic circumstances surrounding the expedition, proved to be very disorientating. Only on her return to Buchan was she able to research the beautiful Charante region with its rolling fields of sunflowers and sweet corn.

 Chez Blanchard

The beautifully restored farmhouse. This was originally the front of the house and overlooks the yard .
Outhouses in the yard, inhabited by hens.
The courtyard, where we ate every day was originally a barn. The tree with beautiful pink flowers is an albizia, a form of mimosa
Monty the affable Burmese cat, named for both Monty Don and Field Marshall Montgomery, sometimes favoured Grey Granite with his company.

Grey Granite spent considerable escapist time reading the 'Suspicions of Mr Whicher'  on a shady seat  opposite this vista. The temperature reached 34c which was almost unbearable.

Beth Chatto influence in the gravel garden

The pool

The pergola, with formal box hedging beyond, reminded Grey Granite of the Italian garden at Glamis Castle.
In the distance are cypress and poplar trees. When there was the slightest breeze the poplar leaves murmured soothingly. In the evenings one could hear cicadas.


A trumpet vine rambling over the roof of a small shed

Grey Granite spotted this strange fruit,  a pomegranate, glowing like a Christmas tree decoration, in a garage forecourt on the outskirts of Limoges.
Back in the UK - pomegranate flowers- a bush in Kew palace garden

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