French Manor House & Gardens

Manor D'Eyrignac 

Family-owned gardens for 22 generations, with sculpted box hedges, inspired by 18th-century designs. The website is amazing. The numerous photos are almost like being there.

Visit these French gardens here. xo

Topiary Heaven in France

This courtyard in France is stunning. See more photos and read Habitually Chic's blog post about the renovation of a ruin called Les Ramades in Provence here. I am partial to all of the outdoor photographs.

Urn Topiary in France

 Jardins du Bâtiment, Thiré Vendée, France by Denis

This urn within an urn is beautiful.

Hello July. Pool + Garden in Normandy

I am blown away by this wonderful place to swim in Normandy France. I love the natural tall grasses planted as a hedge around the wooden decking. This is where we shall have our virtual swim this week to welcome in July and July 4th. via

Gardener's Hand Soap

I love this French handmade gardener's hand soap and the natural bristle nail brush in the background.  The soap dish looks like a hard rubber waterproof flower pot too. Gardening is currently on my mind even though any possibility of doing any digging in the dirt is buried under piles of snow at my cottage. 

I was just looking at my calendar trying to decide when to pay certain bills and I was shocked to see Daylight Savings Time begins this weekend on March 10th. WHY? I love the way the sun is behaving right now!!! See you later. xo

Marie-France: Tour Her Parisian Home

Marie-France’s home in Paris is deeply rooted, and elegantly dressed, in old world charm. Today, she invites us and shares what turns a house into a home. See many more photos and read the article here.

Scottsdale Arizona Rustic French Country Kitchen

This Rustic Arizona Kitchen Feels Like a French Countryside Vacation. The steel French doors are my favorite part of this construction project. Do want! See more inspiring photos and read the article in House Beautiful. This empty-nesting couple really downsized in style.

Quirky Buildings in Paris

Photo by Dawne Polis

Where there's a will, there's a way. Somehow these two buildings got squeezed in and they are are all the more charming because they are not ordinary.

The Home of Yves Saint Laurent

"In the corridor leading to the library, a bright column of Ernest Boiceau terracotta and chair of English origin surmounted by a delicate drawing of Dante Gabriel Rossetti."

See more "over the top" images in the article that appeared in Architectural Digest France.

The article has been translated from French to English.

ENDEAVOUR Tonight, Season 3, PBS

I have already set my DVR.

Shaun Evans returns for a third season of the popular PBS series as the young Endeavour Morse, before his signature red Jaguar but with his deductive powers already running in high gear. In four new films, Endeavour must deal with the aftermath of the tragic events that left him languishing in prison, and his senior officer DI Fred Thursday (Roger Allam) with a life-threatening injury.

It's on tonight in my area 9:00-10:30. It is followed by a new 30-minute series called THE TUNNEL. It's about British and French detectives brought together after a body is discovered in the Channel Tunnel. I set my recorded for that too! Finally something to watch. So happy.

Hammered Metal Kitchen Cabinets

Jean-Louis Deniot claims that he is always trying to achieve something magical. (Architectural Digest) This is quite evident in his interiors. A kitchen with hammered metal cabinets is a truly stylish and unexpected feature. Creating stylish interiors with layer upon layer of refinement and unique décor are Deniot’s trademark.
See more of his work here. Great portfolio!

Well, these cabinets certainly make a statement, don't they?

DIY Versailles Case (Planter Box)

I photographed the first four images from one of my gardening books on container gardening.

Have you ever lusted over a Versailles box? I certainly have. This is a poor man's DIY version that I like a lot.

These photos are full size versions. Click to enlarge so you can read the text easily.

Directions are very simple and easy to understand. Measuring and cutting the wood is the only hard part.

Make one yourself or hire someone to make several. The assembly is simple once you cut all the pieces. Might as well make a large grouping, right?

Want a real one? Get out your checkbook and buy one on this website. Have a great Sunday. xo

Extraordinary Garden in Provence

I love this photograph with a rising mist in the background.

Experimental Garden by Dominique Lafourcade in Provence. More photos here.

Wonderful French Courtyard

via

Too beautiful for words. 

I love the design in the pebbled courtyard floor and the stone house is amazing. Aren't the potted shrubs and plants attractively arranged? It's all absolute perfection! 

Rally in Paris

I am watching the live coverage of the march on BBC World News and it's like being there with no commercial breaks. I got this AP photo from their online website. Watch if you can.

View the New York Times coverage of the Anti-terror Rally here.

Heartbreak in Paris

The French satirical magazine was named after Charlie Brown. My heart is broken too by the dreadful terrorist acts. The flag in my town is flying at half mast. 

via

Boxwood Garden with Vegetables

I love this low hedge which defines the planting area. via The whole side yard appears to be a kitchen garden. I hope that side door opens to the kitchen for easy harvesting.

Delightful Paris Scenes by Dominique Corbasson

Thanks to JudyMac for making me do more research.

via Pinterest

The Christmas Tree in yesterday's post was indeed in Paris. This illustrator is new to me and I love her work.

via

Last Flowers of Summer

Enjoy the last flowers of the summer. Don't you love this lone hollyhock? I think we are going to have an early fall. I had a very busy day and it's time for me to tuck myself in bed and look for a movie to watch. xo via

An Amazing Balcony

"In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between, there are doors.” ― William Blake via