Kerlédan

Dambusters Ride 2012/ Help the Heroes Charity

2012-01-30T19:00:00.000+01:00

With a husband who is ex-military and a son at Sandhurst, this is a poignant reminder. Please do support this effort.

Garden Progress

2012-01-18T10:47:00.000+01:00

The new stone steps leading to the rear parterre with white camellias BEFORE the cold snap over the weekend. Needless to say, the blooms are now brown and wilted but at least we managed to finish the steps before the frosts!

Baby it's cold outside!

2012-01-17T10:30:00.000+01:00

Ballymaloe Cookery School

2012-01-13T11:49:00.000+01:00

2012 sees our daughter in Ireland at the well known Ballymaloe Cookery school run by Darina Allen. The Allen family are highly industrious and run an organic farm, hotel and restaurant and the cookery school. They produce nearly everything required from meat , butter, cheese with magnificent vegetable and fruit gardens. They have a philosophy of life very similar to ours, celebrating locally produced and organic fresh ingredients for food simple and good to be enjoyed with family and friends. Better still if you can produce it yourselves, pure magic.

Of course, she is sampling all the best things in Ireland!!!

A Belated Happy New Year!

2012-01-12T18:58:00.000+01:00

Family and Friends over the Festival Season and now back to reality and the work needing to done around the property. We will never be finished but hey we're never be bored either!

Wishing everyone a belated happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

2011-12-24T11:02:00.002+01:00

Christmas Tree

2011-12-23T16:26:00.000+01:00

And the reason for a small tree on a table......c'est Grafitti!

Dazzling is very happy about our new arrival!!

A Christmas in the making!

2011-12-14T20:36:00.000+01:00

Just thought I'd show some of our first preparations for this Christmas though where 2011 has gone I havent the foggiest! I was booted into this by the arrival of a journalist Martine de Sargent for the Finistere Magazine, it rather took me by surprise how unprepared I was!!!

the family at play enjoying the indian summer rays

2011-10-01T23:49:00.000+02:00

autumn harvest of crab apples for jelly- yellow hornet

2011-09-18T11:32:00.000+02:00

Ar Men article / Bienvenue au Chateau

2011-09-15T17:09:00.000+02:00

hazelnut harvest

2011-09-11T09:49:00.000+02:00

last of the summer roses!

2011-09-05T12:35:00.000+02:00

After the hedge trimming the true structure of the garden emerges like a butterfly from its cocoon.

2011-09-03T10:24:00.000+02:00

more late summer garden images

2011-08-25T15:57:00.000+02:00

Last snatches of summer colour and form

2011-08-24T23:19:00.000+02:00

Cuisine Gourmand article

2011-08-22T13:32:00.000+02:00

Fantastic to get yet more french magazine coverage but wish one had a better 'hair day'!!!

A busy weekend!

2011-08-21T21:52:00.000+02:00

Potager full of tomatoes and chillies so after a harvest for soups, salads and timbales it's time for the preserves!

'Glace à la maison' of red gooseberry and cassis with pistachio shortbread
delicious with a hint of cardamon.

pierre ronsard rose

2011-08-21T21:44:00.000+02:00

MAISON COTE OUEST article août 2011

2011-08-13T16:34:00.000+02:00

nuit de noces à Kerledan

2011-08-07T14:33:00.000+02:00

Candles and rose petals lead the way up the stairs to the lovers room but sadly do not photograph well!!

Maggie and Michael's Golden Wedding Anniversary

2011-07-31T17:52:00.002+02:00

Les Vieilles Charrues Music Festival 2011 20th anniversary

2011-07-17T16:44:00.003+02:00

A Present of Colour and Cheerfulness

2011-07-15T10:57:00.001+02:00

After six months of building work and hard labour we are nearing the end. Hanney who has just returned from a year or so travelling the world, thought I looked somewhat worse for wear and to cheer me on for the final push bought these delightful tulips!

agapanthus in the rear parterre garden

2011-07-10T16:28:00.000+02:00

red gooseberry ice cream

2011-07-09T14:20:00.000+02:00

Voila! Unusual but delicious, you puree tthe ripe raw fruit, sieve, then add sugar to taste and cream. What could be more simple......with a crisp biscuit such as a florentine sans chocolat .....parfait!

Carhaix hosts 2011 Tour de France

2011-07-07T11:50:00.000+02:00

some views of the garden

2011-07-04T15:59:00.000+02:00

trachelospermum jasminoides

Magnolia Grandiflora

2011-07-04T10:30:00.000+02:00

le petit déjeuner

2011-07-03T12:02:00.000+02:00

glaces de cassis, fraise et framboise à la maison

2011-07-03T11:56:00.000+02:00

today's images from the lush garden

2011-06-29T22:05:00.000+02:00

supper tonight from the potager

2011-06-28T18:52:00.000+02:00

Red Gooseberry Jam

2011-06-28T13:59:00.000+02:00

Voila!

confiture de cassis

2011-06-28T13:57:00.000+02:00

After the raspberry and red currant jam comes blackcurrant, this year we have even made cherry jam from our morello tree, it's an incredible year for fruit and the freezer is full too!

So many definitions of luxury...

2011-06-27T08:02:00.000+02:00

Ages since I posted anything so I have a new resolution to take more photo's and post the latest at Kerledan! Only thing is finding the perfect moment in a hectic schedule to get the right angle .........

For me 'luxury' is being able to walk out into the potager and pick fresh fruit and vegetables for meals 'trés simple'. Here the combination of fresh strawberries, fraises des bois and raspberries with the first lavendar and some madame Alfred Carrier Roses, heaven!

and After the rain!

2011-04-08T10:42:00.000+02:00

Tulips in the Cutting Garden before the rain!

2011-04-07T20:55:00.000+02:00

Charrues dans la rue

2011-03-27T10:27:00.000+02:00

Les Viellies Charrues (the International Music Festival based in Carhaix) organises smaller spectaculars for the locals to great effect. These artists were amazing, so non PC, so different and original VIVE LA FRANCE!

Man's Best Friend

2011-03-21T20:07:00.000+01:00

Early Rhubarb

2011-03-09T20:48:00.000+01:00

Dont you just crave that fresh acidic taste of Rhubarb after the winter meals of warm nourishing calorie loaded carbohydrate! Poach the fruit lightly in fresh orange juice and eat alone or with a dollop of yoghurt. Delicious as a sauce for mackerel, eaten straight for breakfast or swirled into a naughty cream laden egg custard, what more could a girl ask for?

The First Narcissus in the Hazel and Willow Coppice

2011-03-09T20:41:00.000+01:00

Hellebores Orientalis

2011-03-09T20:31:00.000+01:00

A small glimmer of spring!

2011-02-14T22:23:00.000+01:00

Renovations

2011-02-10T21:20:00.000+01:00

In the attic we are stripping out Joe's room to improve insulation and light plus put in a shower ensuite. There was so much timber cladding, it took ages to take down without totally destroying the wood, which was to be kept for later use, THEN it all had to be carried down two flights of stairs out to the barn!

The other pictures are of the stairwell and first floor landing that are to be completely reconfigurated and provide more stylish accommodation. Updates to come over the next few weeks.

Lanterns

2011-01-29T17:21:00.000+01:00

Unsure of the bottom lantern but with a little paint or highlighting it might have just the right rawness and scale that I'm searching for, always looking to upgrade and find new ideas for the house.

Brocante Success

2011-01-29T17:14:00.000+01:00

After various trips to brocantes this January we have successfully sourced some lighting and the most amazing cow skin rug for the new bedroom 'le Nid'. More on this story to come.

Happy New Year 2011

2011-01-04T23:47:00.000+01:00

Autumn Views: Hornbeam Palisade Hedge and Boar

2010-11-11T15:04:00.010+01:00

I'm making no excuses for my boar mania of the moment! These first two images are from late September with the Verbena Bonariensis still in flower in The Cutting Garden.

The next series of images aim to show the location of the Boar within the garden and the development of the Hornbeam hedges and palisade allée. The latter have reached their designed height and need at least one good trim a year. The autumn colours are quite exceptional this year.

The Walnut

2010-11-11T14:38:00.006+01:00

Isn't nature extroadinary! Our Walnut tree has given us an amazing harvest again this year and we have managed to dry them successfully on sheets in the hallway!! The old wooden coff is groaning along with a very fat mouse who is very content hiding in the wood pile!!

I even managed to make some pickled walnuts for the first time this year, picking the nuts before they are properly formed and salting them for 2 weeks, then bottling in spiced vinegar ready for game casseroles this winter.

Our Wild Boar

2010-10-20T14:21:00.004+02:00

First Signs of Autumn

2010-08-26T18:38:00.002+02:00

Food for Thought!

2010-08-10T15:57:00.002+02:00

Magnolia Grandiflora

2010-08-10T15:55:00.000+02:00

More Lush Garden Images

2010-07-25T16:10:00.006+02:00

Summer and the Lush Garden aka the Menhir garden

2010-07-23T12:17:00.003+02:00

Garden Views

2010-06-28T14:14:00.006+02:00

Summer Roses

2010-06-28T13:45:00.005+02:00

Troc et Puce treasures

2010-05-30T17:51:00.005+02:00

Silver cutlery, gorgeous small cocktail glasses just right for 'gin and lemon sorbet' and jute coffee bean sacks ideal for dog cushions, they received the 'royal' approval tout de suite.

Nantes à Brest Canal

2010-05-26T12:35:00.005+02:00

A favourite walking spot with the dogs when time is on our side!

May sunshine

2010-05-25T17:54:00.005+02:00

Bearded Iris

2010-05-20T16:01:00.006+02:00

Walking past the end of the front courtyard with an armful of laundry, I spotted the velvety blossoms of the bearded Iris. In full sun under the climbing Rose Madame Alfed Carriere, which has it's first blooms about to break.

Bosquet de Topiare - 3rd installment

2010-05-20T15:31:00.005+02:00

All the box plants bar the odd cone and well shaped ball have been grown from cuttings at Kerledan, with the addition of a circular seat around the ash tree, we now JUST have to wait for a bit of maturity!!!

Greigii Tulips

2010-05-20T15:08:00.005+02:00

Greigii tulips from the garden earlier this year which has reminded me to order more for the autumn to plant, especially useful as they naturalise and flower for several years. They are so wonderfully 'Botanical' straight out of dutch masterpieces and of course, placed in a delft tulip vase, a little damaged with time but heh!!

Interior details

2010-05-20T14:43:00.007+02:00

This beautiful antique tassel, one of a pair, and the fringing on the cushions were found on one of my rare troc et puce forays. There is sadly never enough time to make frequent sorties. However, a good friend Diane ,see her on pilgrimandpie.blogspot.com, keeps an eye out for pieces of fabric and delicious pieces of linen for me, that is those she can spare from her own projects bien-sur!!!

Bosquet de Topiaire- 2nd installment

2010-05-18T21:51:00.005+02:00

Wysteria

2010-05-17T21:51:00.004+02:00

2010 is proving to be an exceptional year with the garden. The wysteria's are putting up a magnificent show, just so hard to photograph. The white floribunda is yet to reach it's peak but this blue speckled sinensis is amazing.

Bosquet de Topiaire 2010- the beginning

2010-05-17T21:39:00.006+02:00

Alpina clematis in the potager

2010-05-17T00:29:00.005+02:00

Barnhaven Primroses

2010-05-02T14:09:00.006+02:00

'Venetian' cowichen primroses

New addition to the Family!

2010-04-29T22:12:00.003+02:00

Dazzie is a 14 month old male whippet, mischievious, loving, and delightful, in other words a handfull!!!

Spring Revival

2010-04-11T11:52:00.005+02:00

The Back Parterre has had a make-over this winter with new drainage in place and planting of 4 standard Magnolia Grandifora, underplanted with hellibores and crocus.

Elspeth Thompson

2010-04-11T11:46:00.002+02:00

I would like to express my shock and sadness at the untimely death of Elspeth Thompson. I did not know her personally but admired her spirit and followed her blog and gardening story avidly. My condolences to her family and friends, she will be much missed.

Yet more cold weather.

2010-01-09T23:31:00.007+01:00

The big freeze continues with branches bending under the weight of the snow and box hedges merely lumps and swirls under the white blanket that coats the garden. This is the most severe weather that we have experienced here in Finistere and most unusual to last so long. We had been working with a JCB to resculpture the banks and parking area either side of our drive way, only to be hampered by slow deliveries of scalpings and then the change in the weather from dry and cold to snow. We are not looking forward to the thaw and the wet conditions that will inevitably follow...mud, mud and more mud....

On the bright side, we have been dusting off our old langlauf ski's and indulging in some rather erratic xcountry sking!!! Along with long snowy walks along country tracks with the dogs becoming throughly snow balled poor things.

Wintry Tales 2010

2010-01-02T21:49:00.007+01:00

A White Christmas 2009

2009-12-27T16:22:00.008+01:00

BONNES FETES A TOUS!

Minette

2009-12-01T11:35:00.002+01:00

Sadly, at the beginning of November, we had to let 'Minny' join her sister 'Lady' in the orchard. Another chapter ended, we shall miss them both, they grew up with and have been part of our family for nearly fifteen years. Adieu Min.

New Stone Entrance and other eccentricities!

2009-10-25T19:17:00.007+01:00

The gates are still to be painted and signs to be finished but Pete and Joe have made a wonderful job of the walls and pillars. The granite and schist walls have been secured with soil and lime or 'gloop' as we call it! The pillars surmounted with granite tiered square blocks and balls found at an architecture salvage yard in Baud.

Quince / Coing

2009-10-14T21:57:00.006+02:00

This fruit is marvellous for making a quince cheese or membrillo, a solid, sliceable preserve which is amazing with cheese.

1kg quince

500g sugar

Simply wash, chop and cover fruit with water and bring to a gentle boil, cook until fruit soft and pulpy. Cool then sieve. Weigh pulp and add equal amount of sugar. Bring to boil, dissolve sugar and cook gently until thick and glossy, perhaps 1 hour. It may bubble and spit so watch your hands!!

Pour into moulds or straight sided jars. The moulded cheese will keep in the fridge for a year if wrapped in greaseproof paper. Leave to mature for 4-6weeks if you can!

Autumn Pickings from the Forest

2009-10-12T18:00:00.006+02:00

Ceps (Boletus Edulus) utterly delicious and my first find of the season.

Cauliflower fungus (Sparassis crispa) another good find high on the trunk of a dead pine, along with some Pied de Mouton.

Heart of the Home/workplace!

2009-10-11T19:23:00.006+02:00

This was the position, I was to have been found in, for most of the season due to the popularity of table d'hotes! The garden has had to take a back seat to linen and cooking!! No complaints, delighted that the season has been so good but keen to get back to the earth..........and the backbreaking task of restoring the potager etc to a recognisable garden and not a bank of weeds!!!
Oh yes and one day my larder doors will have their metal grills put back..........

Allée de charme

2009-10-10T16:11:00.005+02:00

Pete has been trimming the palisade hedge of hornbeam and the lollipops are at last appearing! Everything terribly dry, earth like dust, funny how the weeds still manage to thrive!

New garden matures well in it's first season

2009-09-11T10:26:00.003+02:00

Topiary

2009-09-11T09:41:00.006+02:00

Joe made a great job of trimming the front parterre all done by eye, helps if your an artist!

Garden produce

2009-08-12T10:11:00.005+02:00

Flowers from my cutting patch and vegetables from the potager and poly tunnel! The Basil Oil is a doddle to make and not only tastes delicious but looks superbe drizzled over a Tomato Galette.

Garden Samples

2009-08-11T22:46:00.006+02:00

Miss Willmot's Ghost

R. Pierre Ronsard

Les Vieilles Charrues 2009

2009-08-07T09:41:00.010+02:00

From preparation to the finale our annual festival was a huge success and most entertaining. The first evening had 'The Boss' Bruce Springsteen strutting his moves and rousing the crowd to a crescendo. The following days saw a mix of chilled early evening music with Olle Nyman (swedish), Lenny Kravitz, Nneka, Les Freres Morvan (Old Breton brothers see picture below), Charlie Winston, Izia, Renan Luce (french Jamie Cullen), The Rakes and Les Tambours du Bronz (a team of drummers, who were well worth watching especially when they stripped their shirts off!!) to name but a few. So our little town of 8000 people was temporarily enlarged to over 230,000 with amazingly little trouble if any.

Hanny had a 3 month work experience with the press office of the festival and ended up doing quite a few translations for live radio interviews which made her day!! So living in the centre of sunny Brittany is not so isolated afterall.

Bosquet de Menhir

2009-07-14T16:11:00.008+02:00

The newly sewn grass has at last taken probably because of all the showers we've been having, where has all that lovely summer heat gone?

Lady of Ogbourne - A Sad Farewell

2009-07-12T12:19:00.005+02:00

Lady is now sleeping peacefully in the orchard after 14 years as part of our family, we shall miss her dreadfully.

Verger/orchard

2009-07-12T12:14:00.004+02:00

Quince

Potager Update

2009-07-12T11:52:00.013+02:00

Plants are growing well in the garden, along with the weeds which need regular maintenance oh hum!! Just a small cutting patch this year, just hope it's enough to keep the house furnished with flowers must keep editing and finding more lime green, any suggestions for next year?

Rambling Rector

2009-07-12T11:52:00.012+02:00

Return.....

2009-07-12T10:55:00.008+02:00

It's been a while since my last post due to wifi problems and the incredibly long time it takes to get things ordered and sent here in France. Customer service is not a high priority in France and everything moves very slowly if at all sometimes!!!

Anyway, here's a few of the things we've been upto here besides laundry and cooking.

This was the annual agricultural fair held on the common opposite with old farming equipment, a few animals and lots of eating and drinking bien sure!!

Potager!

2009-06-11T23:15:00.004+02:00

Fruits of our labours well almost!!!!

My Kind of Motorcar!

2009-06-10T23:00:00.005+02:00

Early Summer

2009-06-03T21:10:00.013+02:00

Walnut tree in blossom, very late but hopefully a good harvest this year.

Box squares starting to take shape with graded heights and central pyramid.

Patty's Plum

North wall of the house soon to be covered in Hydrangea petiolaris. Hosta's so far escaping the ravaging of the slugs and snails.

Wildlife... a glimpse

2009-05-27T22:33:00.007+02:00

We visited this charming manoir house on the north coast of Brittany and had a fantastic view of a fox in the garden, though the chatelaine feared for her chickens!

Manoir de Kerguéreon

Chateau de la Ballue

2009-05-18T13:28:00.010+02:00

Totally inspiring! Made a quick visit here and stayed overnight which was a great pleasure especially after being wined and dined by Marie Françoise and her husband, who's a great cook.

The White Floribunda Wysteria

2009-05-15T13:55:00.006+02:00

At the cottage in Ogbourne St George we planted two wysteria's neither of which flowered in the eight year's we lived there despite buying mature specimens. We arrive at kerledan to find a weed infested courtyard and a tiny seedling of wysteria which has since turned rampant. However, we planted a white floribunda some four year's ago and this year it will be a picture!! Hooray!!

A Quiet Corner

2009-05-11T23:38:00.003+02:00

The earliest parterre to be planted back in the autumn of 2002 from small cutting plants I'd grown back in Ogbourne St George. They've grown well and filled out nicely enjoying a shady damp corner. Next autumn I hope to move the entire design into the Menhir garden as the surrounds for the central feature. The vacant space will hopefully one day see the return of a tower and its spiral staircase which will access the first floor and attic.