A single blowsy pink rose at La Foce. I love the fuzzy yellow centre.

Roses, Up Close and Very Personal

Yesterday I returned from three weeks in Italy. While there I visited almost 20 gardens, some on my own and some in the company of the group of ten I was leading, along with my friend, travel consultant and organizer par excellence, Julia Guest. I write this blog once a week, and generally publish it on Sundays.…

Black locust in bloom = heavy perfume.

Following Other Trees

Once again this month I am nowhere near my home in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, so I cannot report on my linden, the tree I am officially ‘following.’ But since I hate to miss a month of  Lucy Corrander’s tree following meme, I am cheating this month and following the trees that I see around me…

The façade of Ferrara

Stories in Stone

The cathedral in Ferrara, Italy was begun in 1135. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary and to the city’s patron saint, St George, it combines Romanesque and Gothic styles in a way I find extremely appealing. The façade is richly decorated — and with a purpose. In the days when most people were illiterate, stories were…