Break away to France

Wendy and Barry-the perfect hosts

Barry the chef cooking up a storm 

The Ritz -Bergerac 

Barry Wendy John on Wall by river cafe 

The confluence of two rivers and bridges at right angles 

Village alley where we bought pottery 

The sign of summer 

Abundant and flawless produce from Mr B 

Market at Isseigaac 

View of hillside garden from top tier.  Black and white dot on left if cat curled up asleep 

Chateau Monbizillac

View of Dordogne Valley from Monbizillac 

What is she on about - give her another wine! 

Our five days in France were utterly smashing - especially the 35deg days and swimming in the 28deg pool 3 times a day.  Our friends Wendy and Barry who have built this new  but old French style home just outside of Bergerac are better than perfect hosts and we always say that staying there is like being at the Ritz.  France has its own charm and it was lovely to be back there.  We visited a lovely hilltop garden in a village about an hour east of Bergerac called Lumeuil which was a defence stronghold in the middle ages.  The garden was the remains of a castral village (village built around a castle) build on a rocky spur over looking two gorgeous valleys.  Had lunch at an outdoor cafe on the bank of the confluence of two rivers  (Dordogne and Vezere) with huge bridges at right angles to each other.  The kitchen was across the road which meant the waiter was crossing the road with plates of food and drink etc. - Just imagine OSH!!  We bought a little pottery dish from a local girl who was having an exhibition.  She had some interesting pieces - some were inspired by her looking through a microscope at chromosomes!!.

Visited the medieval village of Issigeac on the Sunday to check out the weekly market.  We were here exactly a year ago and the same man was playing the same saxophone in the same spot.  It was great.  The cook is absolutely transported in French Markets and he loves looking at all the breads (the best in the world) cheeses, meats, fruits and veges, flowers etc not to mention jewellery, hats, clothing and other bric-a-brac.  He could not resist the gorgeous plaits of huge garlic bulbs, but I made sure it went in his suitcase and not mine.  This village also had its annual Bodega.  This is where most of the sports clubs have there annual fund raising evening.  Lots of local brass bands and entertainers come along and wander the village streets playing as loudly as they can - thousands of people mill around and eat and drink the evening away and it just a huge party.

We caught up also with our NZ friend Tiz - Toni Izzard.  She is back in France for a few months  looking after a Chateau situated on the Dorgogne River.  It is owned by a South African woman who is an absentee owner.  That week she had 7 guests from Mauritius staying for 7 nights.  They required fresh sheets and fresh ironed towels every day - and one of the evenings she had to cook an 8 course meal for one of the guests 50th birthday.  However, on the Saturday night the guests were looking after themselves and we picked her up and she joined us at the Bodega after a swim and dinner at Barry and Wendy's.   I temporary return of her sanity I think.

The hot afternoons meant a compulsory snooze after lunch almost daily followed by swimming and refreshments!! (Wine and beer if you havn't already guessed)  I took a sketch pad and pencils and work book and practised some drawing exercises - something I have been wanting to give time to for a while.

Mr B the elderly Frenchman next door always drops excess garden produce in  to Barry and Wendy - We were blown away by the size of the tomatoes but did love eating them.

Visited  Monbizilliac  Chateau on the Monday morning - beautifully located  nearby on a hill top with 360 views of the vast patchwork of grape vines, crops, farms and villages. A small Chateau by french standards, but you could move in there tomorrow and feel right at home.  We came home feeling very relaxed and even managed a sun tan.

Upon our return from France, we had a guest for the week.  A friend of Susies' who is a sculptor and was responsible for creating the two bronze hippos in one of the ponds here.  He was attending classes to learn how to work with a wheel.
Susie spent the weekend at Knightcote so she could meet with decorators, tilers etc as she is looking to do some refurbishments, with a view to renting the property a few times a year.  She was joined by Georgia, and Ned (son and daughter) plus John Marc her ex husband for lunch on  Sunday.  She and 31 other family members are having a week in Spain this week and she offered us her Notting Hill Home for the weekend in return for trimming some hedges.  I am so excited as it is 4 blocks from Portobello Road markets and we can spend all day Saturday having a look around and try for Jersey Boys'  tickets on Saturday evening.  The markets are famous for antiques primarily and that part of the market alone is about half a mile.  There is lots of vintage clothes, shoes and bags, plus new stuff, fruit and vege, and an ecclectic mix of cafes too. - Oh my a girl could go on for ever.!  That will no doubt be the next post.  Hope you are all well -  miss you all and think about you all often - cheers the Cook and the Gardener.

David Austin Roses - Hidcote Manor - Warwick Castle

new David Austin rose  William and Kate

The sniff test

Serious note taking before purchase

Even the tea cups had roses on them

Jonnie with our purchases under iceberg climber

Hidcote Manor

The red garden

The lovely Richard and Rita

Amazing and perfect topiary

The Barn

Vista through tea house door

Gorgeous vista from front door of house

Quintessential English scene at Chipping Camden

Gardens of Guest Lodge at Chipping Camden with art dislpay

Street scene with Richard and Rita and Jonnie

Jonnie in serious study of roses at David Austins

Giant fortress of Warwick Castle

The cute and gorgeous Barley and french style bike

Entrance to Warwick Castle

Jonnie with wife of 4th Earls of Warwick - He had spent all her money so she was pretty disgusted with him

Sue and her trusty steed

River Avon from pump house at castle

garden scene at Knightcote Hall looking at rose bed

The tool shed - sue favourite room on the whole property

Up till now we have been thinking summer in England is a myth, but at last we have had some warm and sometimes hot days.  We are totally amazed tho by the amount of daylight in each day.  The sun rises about 4.00a.m. and sets about 10.00p.m.  When we are ready for bed we have to check the clock to make sure its not 7.30 as it sure seems like it.

Have had some long days in the gardens and are very pleased with the results and we had Susie up last weekend and she was thrilled to see it looking so loved.  We are eating newly harvested spuds - so devine with lashings of butter - Graham and Marilyn planted these before we arrived so we have them to thank for that.  Sweet peas are out and gorgeous roses and lavender borders in full bloom.

We needed to buy some roses for some of the beds so took a drive up to David Austins Nursery in Albrighton.  About and 11/2 hours north of us.  Was perfect timing as there was not a scrap of nursery and stock beds of about 15 acres that did not have flowers.   The entire car park was lined with climbers and we parked in front of a newish release called Shropshire Lad.  Nothing like Shropshire Lass but so gorgeous.  The nursery consists of enormous stock beds, a display area which you can wander around and a purchasing nursery and shop with gorgeous cafe.  There were so many roses, I did not know where to put myself and I think I buried my nose in about 90% of them.  What a success story.  I was very excited too to see that he has about 10 new releases that have been designed for bouquets so have better cut flower life.  I might need to import some and supply local florists in NZ.  It was even more exciting to be able to purchase some.  Susie likes white flowers mainly so we bought 3 Clair Austins - lovely bush rose and one climber called the Generous Gardener which is pink, but will go on the arbour where there is a gap.  He has released a lovely new white one called William and Kate - a good doer for sure.!

Spent another fantastic day at Hidcote Manor.  Rita and Richard, new friends from the hamlet here, and are such fun, took us across to this garden and then on to Dovers Hill where you get the most amazing 360degree view over the Valley of Evesham.   Part of the view is the best kept village in the Cotswolds - Chipping Camden.  It has been preserved by a trust and takes the cake for being the prettiest village in all the Cotswolds.  Lots of filthy rich business men and pop or movie stars live here, so gorgeous homes and very flash cars.

Hidcote Manor is another garden I have always dreamed of visiting.  Established by Lawrence Johnston a spoilt rich boy who was encouraged to build the garden by his dominant Mother.  He created 32 garden rooms all divided by Yew hedging with clever vistas everywhere.  Some have a focus on colour, some on scent, some on texture, some on the view, some on privacy etc.  It is a garden you need to visit each season as each growing season is spectacular in its own right.  Spring - lilacs and daffodils and blossom, Summer has abundance in herbacous borders beautifully planted.  One room smelt so beautiful with about 15 mature philadelphus trees in flower and underplanted with a mix of perennials.  The campanulas of every variety were making the most amazing show too.

Had a tasty lunch at a delightful cafe called Badgers - a favourite of Richard and Ritas. We love local recommendations. Then a wander around the pretty town of Chipping Camden which has lovely shops and a hidden garden that Richard and Rita new about, but not many people do.

Spent an afternoon visiting Warwick Castle.  It is most seriously a  defence castle as opposed to one that is filled with opulence and grandeur.  It has a comparatively small living area, but enormous walls and towers which were designed to protect the shire from  invaders.  It has a history that goes back to 1068 when a wooden keep was first built by William the Conquerer and many Earls of Warwick subsequent to that have lived there.  Several historical characters were played out by actors within the castle.  John had his photo taken with the wife of Richard Granville 2nd - (about the 4 Earl of Warwick).  The marriage was arranged by her Father for a title and of course was about her money.  The Earl was a bit strapped for cash so he had a great time spending it all and she was left penniless.  The young actress was just fabulous and displayed  her disgust at her husband with great humour but was also informative. We did laugh.  The castle hosts 5 course medieval banquets and jousting afternoons so we might try and attend one of these.  The township of Warwick is not big, but has some interesting shops, two fantastic antique centres and a pub that hums called the Rose and Crown.

Susie and Thomas spent a night here last Sunday so the cook was busy in the kitchen.  He made a simple but very very delicious soup that was passed on to us by Marilyn.  A favourite of Susies and anyone who eats it.!! Spinach and pea soup - I just love it and could eat a whole pot full myself.  He also grilled some lovely cod and dug new spuds from the garden.  Her visit meant a serious clean of all the buildings as she was bringing a decorator through.  The cook gets a little frustrated with the different heights of English door ways and his head is showing some signs of wear and tear from constant bashing of same.  However he is loving the gardening life too.

We have a huge surplus of hours so are off to Bergerac, France,  this Thursday until Tuesday.  Are staying with our friends we stayed with exactly a year ago.  English people who have build a new but old style house and staying there is like being at the Ritz. They are better than perfect hosts too.  Temps are about 28deg as is their pool, so had to buy a new new swim suit.  So looking forward to a few days off and away!

Still enjoying walking that cutest of dogs Barley - and the bike is fantastic.  New, but old french style with a basket that you have to sit on with a straight back and quite large.   Next time I write - we will hopefully have a sun tan from  France.  Cheers, The Cook and the Gardener.