Tag Archives: flowers

Visiting the Stanford Chelsea Flower Show

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On Friday, our guest and friend, Nicoline, took The Earl and me, to the quaint village of Stanford, the proud host a full-scale recreation of South Africa’s Gold Award-winning exhibit from the 2025 Royal Horticultural Society, Chelsea Flower Show, in London. Since the original display couldn’t be transported home, it was lovingly rebuilt for the Stanford “In Bloom Festival”, showcasing the Cape Floral Kingdom.

It was designed by Leon Kluge and Tristan Woudberg, and the exhibit featured over 25,000 stems of fynbos, a canyon of amber water, and a sculptural tribute to South Africa’s cultural heritage.

At the Chelsea Show in London, a sleeping wild fox was spotted curled up among the fynbos. The display’s water, tinted with rooibos tea, famous for its herbal virtues, might have tempted him to take a sip. If so, he might wonder if that is why his coat became so glossy.

Those footprints suggest he might just have been heading to the water for a drink!
AI Generated

There were also botanical artworks from the Grootbos Florilegium on display and one could purchase prints in various sizes. They were absolutely stunning, and the Florilegium was a delight to page through. While I was admiring it a man approached me and said he’d get one of the artists to sign me a copy.
“Thank you, but I’m not buying,” I replied.
“Why not?” he asked, “It’s only R 2000 for the full-sized book and R 800 for the smaller one.”
“Sorry, I’m just too poor,” I smiled.
He laughed. “I feel so sorry for you!”
He was, of course, teasing.
Nicoline has been coveting one, and it was with great effort that she stopped herself from indulging her wish.

Some of the prints
The Earl took a photo of this print with his cell phone,

The town was alive with scarecrow-like effigies as part Stanford’s annual ‘In Bloom Spring Festival’. They were displayed in front of shops, in gardens, and in public spaces, each handcrafted by local residents, including schoolchildren, families, businesses, and artists. A prize will be awarded to the best contributors at the end of the festival.

Nicoline shares a moment with one of Stanford’s effigies
The Earl and I having a chat with Oupa.
The Earl waits patiently as we are delayed by another stunning floral display,

On our journey back to Struisbaai, we made a delightful stop in Gansbaai to visit my friend, Belinda, who is curating a captivating art exhibition. Titled Dancing with the Universe, the show features an array of beautiful works—and I was especially taken with Belinda’s own contribution. It’s truly a piece that speaks to the soul. With her permission, I am publishing the video of the opening function.

Dancing with the Universe by Belinda Batt

As we headed home with a new protea tucked safely in the boot and a radiant yellow clivia gifted to us by Nicoline, our hearts felt just as full as our garden will soon be. The Stanford In Bloom Flower Show was a visual feast which left Nicoline, who is passionate about flowers, uplifted with joy and her enthusiasm certainly affected us profoundly.

Share Your World Monday 18 November 2024

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Thank you Di for these lovely questions

1.  What brings you the most comfort:
food, friends, a good movie, pets, a walk on the beach/in the park, or something else
When I enter a game reserve, I breathe more deeply and feel almost euphoric. I also enjoy a lovely long walk on the beach.

Me in the Kruger National Park – Don’t worry – I was with a guide – and this was allowed!

2.  Most of us love our food. Is there something you like but know you shouldn’t have it?
I follow a healthy diet but I don’t believe there is any food that you ‘shouldn’t’ eat. The odd treat now and then is good for you! My guilty pleasure – croissants – any style! I have recently been introduced to the almond variety and oh my word they are delicious! This morning I was determined to have a ‘proper’ breakfast as if I eat too much ‘junk’ food I am in danger of getting diverticulitis which is not pleasant. But we went to “OppieStoep” in Bredasdorp after doing our shopping, and they had a special – Bacon, Avocado, and Feta on a fresh croissant! I could not resist!


3.   Do you prefer a garden of flowers or growing vegetables, or do you not have a garden?
I possess a wild garden! I’m not adept at gardening; my plants either perish or burgeon into a jungle. Most of my plants are indigenous but I also try to cultivate vegetables which is difficult because of the amount of time I spend away from home!

Veggies trying hard to grow
One side of the back garden
The other side of the back garden

4.  Would you like to be rich, I mean REALLY rich?
Of course, I would like to be really rich. I consider myself privileged but not rich but as my brother says, “I would rather be rich and miserable than poor and miserable.”
My opinion on wealth is not a popular one. Without the rich, the economy would collapse. Wealthy people are entrepreneurial, have great ideas, create amazing things, and take risks. They also create jobs and provide opportunities for people to follow their career choices. While they spend extravagantly they are paying other people for those extravagances. When eating in fancy restaurants they are providing opportunities for chefs to create fabulous dishes. They reside in mansions designed by architects and built by artisans who value the work. Consider the funds they donate to charity, even if it serves as a tax avoidance strategy—it’s preferable to aid those in need than to enrich greedy politicians.

Remember, when a rich man fails and loses his millions those in his employ lose heavily too. With great privilege comes great responsibility.

Gratitude:
Last week, I posted a photo of the elusive Klaas’s Cuckoo, a bird I frequently hear in my garden but rarely see clearly enough to photograph. Throughout my time in Struisbaai, I had never encountered a similar bird, the Diederik’s Cuckoo. To my delight, I heard its loud call in my garden a few days ago and, despite the quality of my photos, I succeeded in capturing it on two separate occasions. I am immensely thankful for the birds that grace my garden!

JusJoJan – Plant – 21 January 2024

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Today’s prompt word for JusJoJan is plants and it comes from J-Dub,

I am quite sure I annoy plants. But it’s not my fault. I really try to get them to grow in my garden and to be fair some of them oblige but others no matter how nicely I speak to them simply do not comply with my wishes. 

I mean how hard can it be for a tomato to grow in a lovely fertile vegetable patch with a sturdy frame to climb on? And yet it yells – no – I don’t like this spot and drops a few rotten fruits and then expires!

Then when I am far from home, out in the bush, and even in the desert, there are plants all over the place mocking me. Nobody feeds or waters them yet there they are in all their beautiful glory creating a wonderful display. Sometimes there isn’t a grain of soil in sight and yet a tree will be sprouting from a rock! 

Seriously?

Then take my lawn – why oh why with all the money spent on it won’t the grass grow lush and green where I want it. Oh no, instead it sprouts up through the paving cracks and even on the tar road! 

I swear plants have minds of their own. We have friends who live on an eco estate and they’re not allowed to garden. The ‘garden’ they have is all-natural, not planted by an interfering homo sapien and it is beautiful. There is no lawn so there is no mowing either. I can’t quite leave my garden to do its own thing here but I do make sure I put in indigenous plants and luckily most of them do well because they thrive on neglect. So perhaps I should give up on the lawn and let the wildflowers take over!