herbs – Page 2 – Stylish Heath

{Daffodils from the heavily wooded area of Heath on a partly cloudy day}

When the weekend rolls around, there is nothing like grabbing the camera to get out and about in warmer weather taking pictures of spring, as the season unfolds away from winter.

{Basil, dill, rosemary, thyme, cilantro and mint basking in the sunlight}

Hardening off herbs on the porch to acclimate the plants to stronger sunlight, cooler nights and less frequent watering from when they were seeds.

{Eclairs, cheesecakes, fruit tarts and the sweet du jour- lemon cream cake from French restaurant la Madeleine}

Selecting a treat from the pastry display at la Madeleine after a delicious lunch with my dearest friend Marly. It’s always a pleasure to relax, enjoy a light meal while talking over a fragrant cup of French roasted coffee.

Apollo Victorious over a Python sculpted in 1591 by Pietro Francavilla in Florence {Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore, MD}

This gorgeous sculpture is of late Renaissance style known as Mannerism, and is a representation of the ancient sun god Apollo’s triumph when he slew the serpent Python with his bow and arrow at Delphi.

Spring forward stylishly,
K

{Bronze sculpture of Neptune in the Versailles gardens and a bronze urn in the formal gardens}
I have many passions in life, but do love all things French. My devotion to eighteenth century art history and architecture is unwavering and I can remember while studying painting in college, it just felt right to focus on this period with all it’s toile, gilt and candelabra’s.

As I pour through garden catalogs and seed books, I have decided to lay out the gardens at Heath in a similar fashion to that of Versailles. Of course, I have no intention of moving vast amounts of earth or hiring a team of gardeners to work with me to create this vision. But, I do admire the details that have gone into the layout of the flowerbeds, fountains and the Orangerie. Remembering the botanical grounds and attempting to relay this beauty into my own garden will be a definite challenge. Envisioning the strong colors and textures of the flora, I cannot wait to get into the library to research the herbs and vegetables that were grown in the Court{s} of Madame de Pompadour and Marie Antoinette.