Artist home

Garden week in Ashland Virginia.   Steve and I went this year to tour of some of the homes and their gardens.   Pictures were not allowed inside so only outside pictures here.

  I snapped with my cell phone which is not the best way but the only way at the moment as I still haven't found my camera - uugghh!

This home I have wanted to see for some time.   I always ride by it because it is unique in the color pallette and the art that is displayed in the garden surrounding the home.   Not like most neighborhoods where every other house has the same color or same layout, or cookie cutter.


  This home is a Queen Anne Victorian built in 1891 and was the boyhood home of  Christopher Chenery, the owner of Secritariat.

Today and I am taking this information from the brochure given us with the purchase of our ticket stating this home is  a lively contemporary artist home and studio that remains faithful to the home's historical detail.
Concrete art  furniture, paintings, drawings and stained glass.    All of the art done by the owner/artist Charles Sthreshley.   He has spent  40 years renovating, repairing and painting the home his grandparents bought in 1925.

Wished I had gotten picture of the front railing as an elephants head was carved into the railing.
googling - Ashland Virginia garden week,  will bring up a site with pictures for this home.

all of the flowers in individual containers on front porch.

Garden areas showcase his art, and this one I like.

Picture below is taken in the neighborhood 

I liked the look of the tree limbs against the cloudy sky.

sharing with  Our World Tuesday  and the vintage nest

sycamore tavern

Sunday ride through the country made us stop again to check out this pretty old Tavern and the herb garden that I like the layout of so much in back.   Good ideas to be had for this one.

beautiful old chimneys

Massive size

Herb garden surrounded by wooden fence

old boxwood scent the air

this little birdhouse on post to entrance of garden

A walk in the opposite direction to the arbor at the entrance of old school,  I notice that it  is made from two old doors.

What a neat idea.

Happy Sunday

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Our World Tuesday

Nipped in the bud

The azaleas and hydrangeas were nipped in the bud the other night.   I am sure they will not be as pretty this year as last year.  
Got down below freezing and nipped in the bud is what it did.
Was so anxious to seeing some flowers on this one,  been a chore trying to keep it alive for 7 years, moving and replanting etc.
Darn and these bloomed close to a red color

This is a large pink azalea  that seems to be o.k. so far

peonies next to garage seem o.k.

ajuga bugle is not one of my favorites by a long shot.   Too snakey for me.

an arrangement of a few from yard and white lilac

I showed a picture of this birds nest a week or so ago and now there are little birds.

till next time

Sunday Floral

Chilly today after a night of high winds at times, with gusts I read at 40 m.p.h.   I did have my window ever so slightly cracked to hear more of the wind and it gave a little bit of fresh air to the room.   With the blinds and curtains closed - it was just enough.

Today walking around getting a look at the Lilac bush I have had for about 10 years.  It was mightly slow growing at first because of it being disturbed from my last house in 2007.   I kicked it and knicked the large branches a little and then it took off growing.   I read to abuse them a little this way and they will start growing.  I believe it.  I wonder if it's because it has to heal the bruised areas?  Who knows,  it worked for me.   Smells so sweet.  It came from a piece dug from my moms large bush in 2007,  so it's sentimental to me to have.

I wished I had planted it further in the yard instead of right at the fence .  I have to move it and that will probably shock it into not blooming next year.   I really want to plant a fruit tree next to the fence and espelier it ( guess that is what it's called ) like the ones in Williamsburg.

a couple of snips in basement window

I put these few sprigs of forsythia in this pot two seasons ago and they bloomed of course, but will need to get them out to the wood line for some color.   Can't kill these plants.

The tea rose always looks and blooms well this time of year along with the beginning of fall, not so pretty in summer.

pink and white dogwoods

not quite bloomed out yet

a piece of hydrangea I put in this pot meaning to plant for two springs,  will probably do it now.

I thought it was dead as I didn't keep it watered last year .

This one is red  and I do need to feed it I think.

Surprise!  a few plants the moles and voles missed.  I am sure they will be back for these.

 On a wall in sunroom

azaleas started to bloom

my favorite color

this lavender must be out growing the cylinder pot its in.  

Happy Sunday

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