Saturday 25 August 2012

Charlotte's Garden Flow... - Part I

Ladies and gentlemen,

After weeks and weeks of lazy holiday pace, I am now back in my work/reality chair, looking at the "should have dealt with before I went on holiday" pile, at it sits there, quietly teasing me next to the equally tall "really have to deal with now" work pile. 

Before I roll up my sleeves and dig through these towering to-do hills, I would like to invite you to join me on a stroll so pleasurable, you may just forget about your own work tasks completely, as you lose yourself with me in a green world so beautiful, so tranquil and SO inspiring, the only thing to do is to succumb and enjoy the ride...

Welcome to Charlotte's GORGEOUS green world! 




In northern Sweden, where famously the sun never sets in the summer and polar bears run amok in the streets in the winter (or don't they? :-), lives Charlotte Andersson with her family in a stunning 19th century traditional Swedish wooden house. A couple of years ago, Charlotte and I met through our blogs, and have since enjoyed meeting in real life on a number of occasions, both in the UK and now in Sweden.

Charlotte's home-made potting table, with lovely rusty and black decorative items awaiting their next assignment.

Charlotte is an inside-out beautiful and multi-talented lady, whose garden philosophy speaks of gardening as a source of wellness, rest and creativity, as long as we allow ourselves to enjoy our gardens and not be eaten up by the "musts" we might see when we contemplate the work involved. 


Do you see the little green hedge in the background in the photo above? Behind it is the kitchen garden, where vegetables share the stage with a profusion of pretty petals and...


Well, helloooo you handsome rusty stud, I think you and I could become very good friends!


From raised flower beds, a sea of petal-framed little faces 
of all kinds and colours stretch to greet the sun...


As I walked around taking photos, I was closely followed by this sweet little "gardener", whose miaows seemed to speak both of a cuddly friendliness and a watchful "you're in MY garden now, and I am keeping an eye on you". Either way, the company was lovely!


Old wrinkly apple trees and tall, proud hollyhocks - beautiful!


This was the first little "taster" of what to me is a DREAM garden. Join me to continue the stroll in my next two blog posts. To keep the suspense, I will save the best for last, and show you my favourite corner of the garden in the third post from Charlotte's green haven (whose beautiful blog Garden Flow will provide you with lots, lots more green inspiration and creative ideas).

See you soon again!
Helena

15 comments:

  1. I am follower of her blog for a long time and I understand what you mean! Her garden is a little paradise on earth, her house is wonderful! Great you visited each other so often!!!

    With love, Ingrid

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  2. Wow, vilken trädgård och vilket hus!!! Visst inte att det kunde vara så frodigt i norra Sverige, kan ju bero på att jag aldrig vågat resa dit, man får ju passa sig för alla isbjörnar...! ;D

    /Frida

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  3. Welcome back, Helena! We´re happy to have you here again - and you have such wonderful photos in your luggage! I like the house of your friend Charlotte. You know that we live in a wooden house too, but it can not be compared to this wonderful swedish house. The garden is lovely - I´m surprised about all the plants she has got. I always thought that the climate in Sweden would be too cold for some of these. So - I found out that blogs on the internet can do a lot for the education (knowledge?) ;-)
    Claudia

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  4. Oh my what a garden and what a house. You are so lucky to have stayed there. I can't wait to see the rest.

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  5. I follow her blog !!....love her garden too...and yours of course......happy sunday...love Ria...xxx..

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  6. Heeej Helena!

    Blir alltid så glad över en hälsning från dig! Hoppas ni haft en kanonsommar och relaxat ordentligt. Charlottes trädgård är så fin! Har sett att hon varit med i flera tidnings-reportage också. En väldigt duktig och kreativ tjej. Ser fram emot fortsättningen, för känner jag dig blir det bara bättre och bättre ;)

    Kram Sanna

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  7. I can see why you have fallen for Charlottes garden and the rusty stud! I could lose myself in such a place all afternoon moseying and noseying around.
    The sweet little "gardener" is such a little character, I am not one to befall the spells of cats on the whole but this little chap or chapess with the "excuse me, is this going to take a long time look" has my heart already.
    I eagerly look forward to further editions of Charlottes beautiful house and gardens.

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  8. What a beautiful and peaceful looking garden. A stroll through there would definitely ease my mind. I adore the name Charlotte, as that was my mother's and grandmother's name. :)
    Maureen

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  9. Oh. Här var det miljöer man känner igen :-)))) Är så glad över dagarna du var här. Vilken tur vi hade med vädret. Sol och sommarvärme. Det är förunderligt. Utan bloggarna hade vi troligtvis inte våra vägar korsats. Heja cybervärlden och dess positiva effekter...

    Det är så skojigt med katterna som följer en vart man än går. Mats speciellt har för vana att göra besökare i trädgården sällskap :-)) Haha.... Det är nog precis som du säger för att han söker sällskap, men också för att han både är nyfiken på och vill hålla ett extra öga på besökaren.

    Stooor kram till dig my swenglish friend!!!
    Charlotte

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  10. Så roligt och hälsa på bloggvänner när du var i Sverige, känns ju som ett litet äventyr och gå runt där och titta. Vilken fin trädgård och så fint hus! Otroligt vackert med planteringen som har rund form. Härliga bilder.
    Kramar
    AnnaMaria

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  11. Lovely place!
    Thanks for sharing
    xoxo
    Mari

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  12. incantevole giardino...complimenti.

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  13. I love Charlotte's garden! It's so beautiful and enchante!
    You're so lucky! Thanks for sharing!
    Hugs
    Titty

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  14. A wide range of affordable artificial & synthetic grass, astro turf, boxwood hedging & installation tools delivered throughout the UK! Artificial Boxwood Hedging

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