Monday 7 July 2008

Kitchen views



I am so happy that I took these photos last week when summer remembered to come and visit. The views out from the house this morning are too dismal to share - grey, wet, windy and wintry. I have been tagged by Sian to share with you the views from my kitchen window. Our kitchen is at the back of our home and because we're on a hill, our garden is on a gentle slope with our kitchen sitting at the bottom of it. It is perhaps the room in the house that gets the least amount of sunshine and standing at the kitchen sink it is mainly the lower half of the garden that I can see. If you read this post here, there are some more photos too.



On days when the sun is shining and the flowers are in bloom these white painted steps that lead up to the main bit of the garden have quite a Mediterranean feel (good for those Shirley Valentine moments) and are in stark contrast to the softer planting around the lawn and trees beyond. A few weeks ago the poppies were out and their beautiful colours and petals really were a pretty sight.



To the left of the steps is a large flower bed with a wigwam waiting for the very lazy sweetpeas to bloom (have they just given up I wonder). This bed also contains tall foxgloves which a short while ago were standing majestically amongst some peonies and hellebores. Beyond this bed stands the old apple tree which is Little Sister''s favourite reading spot (thank you so much for all her birthday wishes, she had a great day) and where the cats leap up and down chasing after the squirrels.



If I could, I would love to put a window into the wall that stands next to the back door so that if I looked to the right of the sink I would look out on to our patio area. Hidden to the side of the house and below the garden is a suntrap of an area that we sit in whenever we can. My favourite part is this old brick wall that needs rendering but I love it the way it is. This would be my view of choice. I have covered the wall with an assortment of baskets and pots. The tumbling tomatoes are doing well enjoying the elusive afternoon sun, my swiss chard has miraculously survived the slugs and is thriving in some pots. My favourite plants down here are the scented leaf geraniums. Just brushing past their rose, lemon or chocolate fragrant leaves reminds me its summer.



In an old enamel tub the strawberries are waging war against the slugs (ssssh nobody tell them but I think they're fighting a losing battle).



In another corner stands an old painted table that I have placed a couple of trugs full of lobelia. Standing beside this in an old zinc container is some mint, that I use all the time for cooking. Alongside this and just out of the photo is an old chimney pot full of trailing purple busy lizzies that seem to thrive in this shady spot.



Before I forget, do you remember the post about my mini meadow? Well the campions, daisies and ragged robins have now been replaced by toadflax, I've never grown this plant before, it's very pretty.
If you would like to share your kitchen views please do. Any signs of summer sunshine would be very gratefully received.
On my kitchen windowsill I have a little collection of vintage food tins and these will have to be shoved up a bit as the lovely Julia has awarded me with this:




I love reading your blog Julia, so I'm really chuffed you should give this to me. It's now standing proudly to the left of an old tin of custard powder! To the left of an old tin of clotted cream stands this from Mrs Decker.



Thank You!! It's feeling a bit like my birthday. I won't go as far as saying that it doesn't really matter that the sun isn't shining, cos it does matter and that would be fibbing, but I would say that all your kind words and gestures make such a difference to me, thanks. Did you hear that thud? It was the sound of the awards being passed on through the ether and landing on all your kitchen windowsills too (wouldn't it be great to have a blogging tardis so that we could just pop into to say hello to each other? I don't want to get sidetracked but did you see Saturday"s edition of Dr Who? It was fab!). Now you must all go off in search of summer and if you find it please send it back over here to say hello. Have a good few days
xxx

46 comments:

Mary Poppins said...

Beautiful X

Berber said...

Thanks for showing us your view... it's lovely!

Thimbleanna said...

What beautiful kitchen views Kim! I love all your flowers. I'd love to post my kitchen views, but my kitchen is sort of in the middle of the house, so I have to look through the eating area to look out the windows -- besides, I don't have nearly as many pretty flowers as you do! It's beautiful here today -- I'm blowing a kiss of sunshine your way!

Knitty, Vintage and Rosy said...

Lovely pics, Kim. I am addicted to pots this year and find that having over forty makes watering quite a chore!

Lisa
Knitty, Vintage and Rosy

Rosezilla (Tracie Walker) said...

So lovely, thanks for sharing! It has inspired me...I'm going to go out and weed the plumbagos and crepe myrtle. And congratulations on your well deserved awards!

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

I love your wonky wall Kim... don't surrender to the render (groan!)..
Your kitchen views all look so pretty and so neat and tidy... gulp!!!
I wouldn't want to share the view from our kitchen window.. it is of a newly plastered ceiling that is having some damp problems already and a whitewashed wall.. not very inspiring or pretty!

Dxxx

pinkgreen said...

What a gorgeous piece of garden. I love the sieves and pots on the walls, and it looks very summery. My view is obscured by rain and dirty window at the moment!
Cathy XX

dottycookie said...

Kim, Kim, I want to live in your house! It's gorgeous!

French Knots said...

Thanks for taking us on a tour of this part of your garden, just like stepping onto a Greek Isle - sunshine, pots and white walls - lovely!

Linda said...

Hi, this is my first visit to your lovely blog. I really enjoy your view....and the brick wall with all the beautiful pink flowers is so pretty. Maybe someday you'll get a window in:).
I found your blog from Patty at Attic clutter...I'll be back for sure. Hugs, Linda

Joyce said...

Wonderful photos I LOVE your view and your pretty flowers!!! Your garden is great...
In regards to your "treading water post" and know how you feel.
I swim three mornings a week with a "pool group" in a private home in the area with some other women and we do water exercises and it is SO medicinal to me...I have a health condition and the water and the sun help me so much.
I'm the youngest one in the group and we have an ecclectic mix of women but I LOVE all the ladies that I swim with.
And we "solve the worlds problems" in the water too so that's fun. HA!
Have fun with your gardening and your swimming...
Joyce

{oc cottage} said...

Lucky you!!!! So gorgeous!!!!

M ^..^

Pondside said...

Lovely views! I went back to visit the old blog that you highlighted and was surprised to see the California poppies. They grow wild here on the west coast - out of every nook and cranny in the rocks and gravel. They are such a wonderful jolt of colour when everything else is withering for lack of moisture.
Your love for your home comes through loud and clear!

Connie said...

I love your views.....adopt me, sweet chick!! Beautiful pix.
Smoochies,
Connie

Garden Girl said...

please don't render that wall-it's perfect!! I love the terracotta planters the trailing leaves and flowers, it really is magazine worthy, me thinks..and certainly a bit more inspiring than my view, which is actually a wall...ho hum.Glad little sister enjoyed her birthday, and well deserved congrats on your awards, don't forget to dust them!x

Unknown said...

Hi Kim, that brick wall is fabulous, I love things like that.
Your flowers are looking fab too, love the Shirley Valentine steps, a nice soft cushion a cup of coffee and five minutes in the sunshine - thats if we ever get any again..

Rosie x

April said...

What a gorgeous garden. Congratulations on the awards!!

Dr Who was incerdible I don't think I breathed once durig the whole show!

April xx

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pictures Kim and congratulations on your well deserved awards. Glad Little Sister enjoyed her birthday. Jackie Mx

Elizabethd said...

Lovely kitchen window views. Isnt it great to have somewhere pretty to gaze out at!
Your awards are well deserved.

mountainear said...

Your 'kitchen window' steps look very Greek - it's the bright colours against the white - and the sunshine of course. What a difference that makes. Bring on the Ouzo!

Margaret said...

Your garden is just lovely! It definitely has a mediterranean feel. Beautiful!

Rowan said...

A lovely summery post Kim - just what is needed at the moment. It all looks positively Mediterranean. I am inspired to acquire a large zinc container to grow mint in - what a great idea. Oh and a belated Happy Birthday to Little Sister.

meggie said...

I love reading your gentle sweet posts, as I sit listening to TV Reports, of the mayhem that passes for sport over here. Your flowers are just lovely, & your thoughts just as sweet.

JuicyFig said...

wonderful and glorious! need to pop out and tidy the yard now!

Kath
x

Country Cottage Chic said...

Your view is wonderful & your photos remind me that we do have sunshine sometimes!!!

ShabbyInTheCity said...

You are quite a gardener! I've never heard of some of those plants. Your view is lovely :)

Attic Clutter said...

Hi Kim~~
Lovely pictures soooooo pretty (:) glad you have such a nice kitchen veiw too ..always a nice thing while doing dishes and other CHORES~~
hugs Patty

Anonymous said...

Hi Kim,

What a marvellous suntrap ~ it must be lovely to sit there surrounded by your scented geraniums and enjoy the sunshine.

I love sweet peas ~ I once tried to grow them, but I think that the climate here is too severe, as they got almost to the stage of flowering before withering with some sort of mould.

Thanks for sharing your garden with us.

Marie x

Heidi said...

You lucky thing to have a view at all from your kitchen! Ours is in the middle of the house so no doors or windows to look outside to. But then you would not want to as you would look into the house of the neighbors anyway. And our kitchen is a dark teal color with dark grey trimming and a drainboard of beechwood that matches none of it. I think the last person to own this house was colorblind! I love your little suntrap and would enjoy sitting there with my stitching or quilts or a good book. That brick wall is just amazing on its own and you have made it look so wonderful.

Hugs ~
Heidi

Curlew Country said...

Beautiful haven Kim, really mediterranean but English country garden too. Congratulations on your very well deserved awards too - well done!
Stephx
P.s. Monty Don recommended organic slug pellets are brill. I picked them up at the garden centre for about £4 and just used a a few when I first planted them. Not a munch since! Wildlife friendly too, our resident birds, toads and frogs seem unaffected so I feel ok about using them.

Twiggy said...

Your garden looks beautiful, and you've inspired me, our back garden has white walls but boring concrete steps, when the rain goes - it must soon surely, I'm going to paint the steps white too, yours look fabby
Twiggy

Ally Jay said...

What stunning steps, very nice. Love the terracotta pots, they add a little something I think. Sorry summer isn't behaving, hope it puts in a appearance soon for the school hols.

Sal said...

I adore terracotta pots and yours look so good against that wall..which I also love!Sal;-)

periwinkle said...

what a lovely garden you have there, and belated birthday wishes passed on too
lisa x

Unknown said...

Now that's what i call a summer feeling - I'd forgotten with all this rain.
Beautiful flowers and plants ! Thanks for popping by my blog. I'll be back :)

Country Bliss said...

Beautiful garden, our sweet peas are being very lazy as well I think they must be hiding from all the rain.

prettyshabby said...

what a beautiful garden!
well done on your much deserved award..your blog is so lovely!

Anonymous said...

Why do I live in London when the view from my front door is crowded with yoof in hoodies and mini cabs blaring out rap. I must be bonkers. You Sussex life looks so gorgeous!

mollycupcakes said...

Fabulous just fabulous photos Kim.
I've love a kitchen view like yours can I borrow it for a while?
Yes Doctor who was greast wasn't it. I was shouting at the telly no don't change in to someone else you can't do that to me lol
Our girls enjoyed watching it the next day lol makes me laugh a 2 and 3 year old enjoying it. I think I'd of been scared out of my mind at that age.
Is that some bunting I spy hanging in your garden?
Many hugs.
Catherine x
congratulations on the award x

Jennie said...

Gorgeous pics! I don't have a garden so it's really lovely to see what everyone else's looks like!

laura said...

Lookes stunning, I love the white you have on our walls realy lookes mediterranean!You are a great gardener>....
regards Laura

Betty said...

I love, love, love your garden wall with the baskets and pots of flowers. That is exactly how I want my patio to look. Instead I have to fight to keep my plants alive with all of our infernal summer. It is too darn hot here!!

Debbies-English-Treasures said...

Love the view from your kitchen...
Love your home and
Love all your creations...
You are very talented, Kim!
Would you consider exchanging links with me?
PLEASEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?!
Kisses Kisses
Debbie
xxx

Bonnie the Boss said...

Your back garden is beautiful. I am amazed with all the pots. Your climate dos lend itself to beautiful flowers.
On your side bar there is some really fun red and white balls how did you do them?

Tracy said...

Gorgeous view...what sights from your kitchen window! And lovely to see what's been happening here now we're back from holiday. We had a FAB time London...resting travel-weary feet and doing laundry this weekend! Happy Days to you all ((HUGS))

Knitty, Vintage and Rosy said...

Hi Kim:

I just nominated you on my blog for another award.

Please drop in when you have a moment.

Lisa
Knitty, Vintage and Rosy