Home Life recently posted these photographs of a beautiful property in the Adelaide Hills. The owners have cultivated an incredible collection of roses, and I love seeing the countryside and cows peek out from behind the flowers.
All photographs by Claire Takacs for Home Life.
Also on their website is a glimpse into a beautiful French Lot valley countryside home. It has been tastefully updated from its original 19th century state.
Photography by Richard Power for Home Life.
Kokedama is a type of Japanese bonsai that sees the plant roots and soil held together with moss and string rather than a traditional pot. These guys are taking it a step further and hanging the gardens up in the air.
These floating gardens are a great idea for those living in smaller spaces, but they would bring a sweet quirkiness to any space.
Dutch botanist Fedor Van der Valk is the leader of the floating garden pack.
Photographs String Gardens.
Some of Van der Valk’s designs were exhibited in 2010 as part of the Salon exhibition in Amsterdam.
Photograph from Design Boom.
Good.Is have a great guide to making your own hanging garden, as demonstrated by Wilder Quarterly’s Taylor Patterson. Check it out here.
And to finish here is a super cute illustration of how to water your floating garden by Elsa Dray Farges.
I am currently on the lookout for a large fiddle leaf fig to add to my indoor plant collection.
Aren’t they beautiful?
Photographs one & four: Elle Decor, photograph two: Emma at Marion House Book, photograph three: Lonny Magazine.
Ricardo Bofill is an acclaimed Spanish architect, with an incredible postmodern sensibility. He founded the Taller de Arquitectura, a studio of around 40 architects, engineers, sociologists and philosophers who have undertaken a vast array of projects from private homes and interior design to airports, public gardens, hotels and retail spaces.
One of his most incredible projects is the ongoing transformation of an abandoned cement factory in Barcelona.
This former industrial complex has become an incredibly inviting world, with huge cathedral like rooms and surrealist features. The surrounding grounds have also been transformed from a dusty scrap yard to an oasis of palms, olive trees, eucalyptus and cypresses. The vines growing up the walls and the big splashes of green that can be seen from inside the building add to its charm.
This old factory is now his family home along with the headquarters for the Taller de Arquitectura, and a venue for exhibitions, concerts and lectures.
All photographs from Ricardo Bofill.
For christmas this year I gave my uncles and aunties and family friends a pot of chilli. It’s a simple, pretty, inexpensive gift that I like to think most people would enjoy receiving.
For my brother I bought a truffle inoculated holly oak sapling. I potted it in a wine barrel. When it gets a little bigger he can plant it in his newly purchased house and then in six to seven years they should be able to dig up some truffles!
I was given a terrarium couriered up from bosky in Melbourne which is an incredible little world unto itself and some great books, including a beautiful one by Grandiflora with photography of Saskia Havekes’s amazing floral creations by Andrew Lehmann (available here).
Growing from seed is pretty rewarding stuff. I’ve grown tomatoes for a long time as they are super easy. I have yet to master the art of saving seeds, but I have a few books on the subject so am hoping to learn. When we were down at the old farm awhile back my ex boyfriend’s mother and I attempted to save some heirloom tomato seeds but we didn’t get the process right. It still looked pretty.
The proper way to save tomato seeds:
The Backyard Farmer has an illustrated guide if you need more info.
My brother and sister in law bought me a bunch of lovely heirloom seeds which I first planted in rich seed raising soil in protected little containers, and then transferred to the ground at the old farm and Nonno’s.
Unfortunately most things I planted at the farm got eaten by bugs and rabbits, but my beans did really well, and I was able to fill my hat to the brim with crunchy green beans.
All photographs by Sophia Kaplan.
My first issue of Wilder Quarterly arrived last week, thanks to a very good man.
It’s a beautifully designed US magazine all about the natural world. This issue has stories about foraging for mushrooms in Finland, planting a winter garden, Kyoto’s Moss Temple, migrating butterflies and heaps more. I have a subscription now and I’m excited to keep reading.
Check out their blog here.
Cover images from Wilder Quarterly.
I was in the UK and France earlier this year visiting some friends and my little sister who is currently studying in Bordeaux.
I spent a couple of days in Reading (half an hour out of London) with some family and we got to visit one of my favourite gardens, the Harris Garden at the University of Reading where my grandfather was Dean of the Faculty of Science for a period.
The modern botanical garden was established in 1972 and is set on the home paddock of a now demolished Victorian house which in turn was built in the landscape garden created by George, Marquis of Blandford between 1798 and 1810.
The above pictures are film, the rest are just from my phone.
This garden is quintessentially English. Very lush, with paths winding through, crossing over, and gently tapering off. There are structured lawns with hedges, flowering meadows and herb gardens. I found a bunch of wild garlic which we discreetly dug one head up to use for dinner that night. It feels quite magical and makes me nostalgic, I felt like a child again.
Garden plan from Friends of The Harris Garden.
All photographs by Sophia Kaplan.
For the last two years I have been living in a semi-converted warehouse in Sydney.
It’s a big fun space, but has no backyard or balcony. I have been dreaming since moving in that our landlord will put a rooftop terrace above our kitchen where we could grow all sorts of herbs, tomatoes and passionfruit, but I think it will remain just that, a dream.
In the meantime I have been steadily building my indoor plant collection. I definitely have a tendency to go a little overboard at the nurseries.
It’s interesting to see what thrives and what doesn’t. Kentia palms are one of my favourites. All my Kentia palms are from trips to Lord Howe Island where they are native and only allowed to leave the island under strict conditions. They are very hardy, but do have a tendency to get some sort of scale disease if they aren’t taken care of properly. I also have a lot of peace lilies which remain happy even in low light areas of the warehouse. They need very little attention, my problem is usually giving them too much fertiliser which makes the tips of their leaves brown. Succulents also work well, but ferns not so much. I think it gets too dry and hot or cold under the tin roof for them to thrive.
I also have a desk set up under one of the windows where I can get my hands dirty potting pants with my stash of sand, soil and other tools.
My grandfather Ezio lives in Haberfield. He has always had a green thumb and grows a plethora of herbs, Italian celery, cucumbers, wild strawberries, figs, avocados and citrus with great finesse. The centrepiece of his garden is a gigantic macadamia tree which keeps us all in plentiful supply year after year.
Nonno’s basil comes from his home town of Povoletto. His original seeds have long gone, but the seeds from the plants are always saved, and the cycle continues, keeping this super aromatic strain alive.
His lemongrass is also popular – I like to make a rough lemongrass + sage + parsley tea. It’s especially good at the end of a boozy dinner party.
Completely lacking outdoor space at the warehouse where I live means I really appreciate my time in the garden here. I love the routine of a good weeding, water, prune and then the reward of the harvest.
Photographs by Sophia Kaplan.
The Secret Garden 