shady spot no.1

The time has come for summer guests. Every year we hope they return and this year, we shall not be dissappointed. The heat is practically unbearable (for some - not for me - and possibly for the houseguests as they arrive from cooler climes) and therefore I thought it might be a good idea to think about shady spots. Here are a few which might take our guests' fancy and which will give them a taste of things to come (you know who you are!). The sunlounger is my particular favourite and in the afternoon there is nothing better than to read ones favourite book and nod off ever so slightly.
We are considering launching as a B&B...

pottering

We're not quite there yet. It's definitely in the air and we have a gloriously warm Sunday afternoon to prove it. From what I've been seeing and hearing, everyone in the neighbourhood has spent the last two days not on the slopes, but outdoors casting a critical eye on terraces, patios and the general state of their gardens. As in England, it's a very serious business, but here we can rest safe in the knowledge that the seasons actually do come to a very abrupt end rather than bleeding seamlessly into one long undefinable 'period'. It's very reassuring and does wonders for your state of mind. When it comes to the weather, the locals here are very amusing, actually getting a bit cross if the rain doesn't stop after say, 2 days.

So yes spring, as I said, we're not quite there yet. Gardens are still a bit bare but you do see buds everywhere you look and that's enough to fill you with giddy anticipation. This weekend, then, to start the season off I've been de-misting the terrace and blowing old leaves and cobwebs off my favourite pots. I have two very special ones that I found in France a few summers ago, they're tiny but perfectly suited for now, when you just want to put a little colour here and there while you're waiting for the colour riot to really get going.

Bamboo forest, back garden.