Wednesday 25 April 2007

Well Hello Joe

Here he is - the new addition to the family.......

Joe

What a handsome brute

The girls are so pleased that he is a nice shade of grey!!!

We are nearing the end of our stay here in Kent and my mind is definitely turning Coastal.

I love this Seagull brooch xx
And i have made two new canvas pictures.

I cannot wait to see the sea everyday from my windows, feel the sea breeze, stay in our cosy warm home and watch storms approaching.
However i am concerned about the garden - i would like to create a pretty garden around the house but have no idea about what plants will do well in coastal situations. I have purchased a few books but they tend to feature the coast line of America which i am not sure will be the same temperature as the North East Coast of Scotland!
Does anyone have any ideas???



Today will be spent cleaning and preening the house ready for viewers - keep your fingers crossed for us - i really need a nice couple to fall in love with my little cottage and want to love and care for it for years to come.

T x

20 comments:

Victoria May Plum said...

Hi Tracy, just recieved my brooch - it's all yummy loveliness! (will take a photo of it and mention it on my next blog)Thankyou.
Pebbles loves her purse, it's so her! - she has put it in her handbag basket.

I bet that you are so excited now? I can't wait to see photos.

Hydrangea is a good plant for the coast, they thrive down here (of course it might be a little warmer on the south coast of Cornwall!) but give them a try, they make such a beautiful display just popped into a jug. And succulents and grasses too.
Victoria x

Rach said...

I have often heard the best thing to do when making a new garden in a new location is to look around you. If something is thriving nearby then it must be enjoying the soil and conditions, and you can be pretty sure of it's success in your own garden.

Anonymous said...

I love Joe - he's gorgeous!

Ragged Roses said...

Joe looks like he's going to be great fun! Glad you're feeling excited about your new adventure! Hopefully you'll find a purchaser early on and be able to get on with it. Best of luck
Kim x

Ali said...

What a hairy fellow!

And for seaside gardning inspirations I'd really recommend the book 'Derek Jarman's Garden'. The garden is in Dungeness and is fabulous. You can see some flick photos of it here http://www.flickr.com/photos/angusf/sets/656542/

Nonnie said...

Joe looks so cute! Your new place sounds so amazing. I dream of living by the sea one day but hopefully Cornwall so rather a different environment to North East Scotland. You sound like you're getting excited about it. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that someone really lovely falls in love with your cottage.

Tina said...

Hi Tracy,
Joe is really a handsome guy. And if only we lived in Kent. Be sure I would be looking your cottage. ;)
x

Jane said...

Derek Jarman's garden is a must as already mentioned - thereafter as Rach said see what it is like when you get there. Are you going to be right by the coast - i.e. covered in salt spray? or more inland.
I was at Uni in Aberdeen - not quite as far North as you and the main thing is the wind - but if you have windbreaks then its not a problem.
J
x

Tracy x said...

Thank you for your advice about coastal gardening so far - i have ordered the book and should really visit Dungeness again as it is not far away.
Jane - we are right on the coast - there is only a small road and a thin strip of land between the edge of our land and the sea, no buildings, trees or anything! I have started to think of windbreaks - i would love some hedging but need to look into the type a little more.
Tracy x

OhSoVintage said...

Joe is definitely a handsome creature. I like the brooch, it is so unusual.

paper-and-string said...

hi, I LOVE your pig and Joe is a very good name indeed :-) All I know about choosing plants for seaside locations is to choose plants with small leaves (something to do with all the salt in the air) I saw it on Home Front with Diamurd Gavin YEARS ago and have always remembered it !!!
When you are in Scotland look at the leaves and I bet they are all small !!!

Gigibird said...

Have a look in the gardens near to you and see what is thriving. Wind is a consideration - how expossed is your garden?
I have just seen Rach's comments.
Another thing is there maybe a local gardening club you could join or even just have a chat with. Old gardeners love sharing their plant wisdom.

Anonymous said...

He's a lovely pig, will you be near Lunan bay? that beach is lovely climbing over the sand dunes to it and really unspoilt - watch the Scottish Haar (not really sure if that's how it's spelt) but the one minute you have a fantastic view and the next you can barely see 10 yards in front of you! The big thing about gardening up here you'll notice is it being considerably behind down south - our daffodils are still fully out in places!

julia said...

What a lucky pig he is - you're going to love your new life in Scotland.

Thanks for your lovely comments on my new blog.

Referring to your previous blogs, I'm with you on cold winter weather, cozy fires etc!

Julia

Anonymous said...

Hello Handsome! Sorry, no advice on the gardening side of things ~ I'm still to get into that yet being only 21! Can't wait to receive my button cushion though.
Lots of love ,
Charlotte xx

Cape Cod Washashore said...

How exciting for you! And I think your piggy is just darling - and fluffy!!!

As for plantings, you may try a gardening book that relates to the Nantucket area. They obviously are totally surrounded by water, being an island, and they are in the northeast and bear the brunt of many a coastal storm this way. I agree with Victoria, hydrangeas do exceptionally well.

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness I think I've just fallen in love with Joe he is adorable.

Rowan said...

Hope that you find someone you like to buy your cottage. Joe looks really cute, I like pigs. I agree with the idea of looking round gardens i your new area to see what does well there. Our coastal house has hydrangeas, lavender, eryngiums, hardy geraniums - these all do well there but that is Lancashire not Scotland.

Deb said...

Joe is adorable!!

Anonymous said...

I wish you good luck with your move to Scotland and the sale of your cottage.

Joe is very handsome!

Marie
Wild Rose