We have had our first few nights

of crisp clear skies and light frost.

Today will be low cloud, drizzle and windy.
But some flowers are still looking their best!

The two coinsided,

sun shining through the Tiffany glass

and I was home!

It's getting greener!

Buitenzorg Staff Weekend. Work was done in the woods, in the shop, in the storage building, in the garden and inside and outside. The Maple trees, which grow like weeds, around the Fruit Circle are gone. What a big space! Lots of light!

The wet and warm weather latey make for premium growing conditions!

Look under old stumps from fallen trees to find these

Then there was the evening meal. Table top wokken!

And we had to solve a

"Who done it murder mystery"

Italian style.

Friday morning at 7.30am we left Veenendaal for Beervelde in Lchristi, near Gent, in Belgium. This is the 40th time that Count Renaud de Kerckhove de Denterghem organises this, big for Europe, Plant Fair.

We arrived just before 11 and had until 4 pm to look around! The weather was Autumn perfect. Started at 3C in Baarn earlier this morning and was soon 15C! Then cooled off by late afternoon.

More than 200 stalls from different lands, including nurseries, new garden trends and decorative stuff for house and garden were there to tempt the visitors. It was well presented. A fine sfeer. Something for everyone!

The park is a beautiful place to walk around in. I heard lots of Dutch with many different accents being spoken, French, German and some English. Lots of 'city' country being worn by women while walking their dog, folks smoking, people chatting and between this pleasantry were the plant shoppers! By the end of the day lots of hand pulled trailers, portable shopping crates and lots of plastic bags full of plants were heading to the exit!

During the afternoon there was also enough to taste and time to sit and relax and fall asleep in the warm sun next to the "river'. Lunch was a fresh baguette with goats cheese and tomato! Coffee pause was a fresh pancake,the photo above, rolled up with brown sugar and a cup of real hot chocolate! We did by a few tall grasses for the new front garden lay-out at 15.30 pm before having a cup of coffee, loading the bus at 4 and getting back to Veenendaal at 20.00! The program said 6 pm, but how can one get from Gent to our part of The Netherlands within 2 hours on a Friday afternoon? Home at 20.30, give the new plants some water, have supper, download the photo's, watch Gardeners World then go to bed. What a lovely day!

This is Tiffany Glass
This is the artist and assistant
installing it in our house tonight!

It is truly amazing! A work of art!
More photo's when the sun shines!

This is the allotment after yesterday's rain!
It is a very low, low part of the complex!

The Hosta's are changing to their Autumn colours.

What an idea!
I still have that old backpack in the shed waiting to be filled!

Pruning season!

This is a pefect solution for all the Birch branches!

That quilt can get some air and maybe be sewn together.

and the front garden...

Winter won't be boring!

Over in Soest there is an old farm with a few chickens.

Don't know what kind they are....

...but they're big and move quickly!

It's rainy and warm today.

Even now, 8:30 pm, the back door is open!

Great for the crops!

Winter Rye is greener!

Today, here in The Netherlands, is Animal Day. A day to think about, celebrate and make people aware of animals and their situation in today's society. What are we doing? We're going to have cake at the neighbour's because it's her Birthday today!

This tool is the best thing since sliced bread!

How easy is it to split wood?

With this, you can still do it long after you have retired!

A beautiful sunny day....

Now look at the Winter Rye.....

just a week old and so big!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire....

A fine rainy Autumn day to catch up on things at home. "God made rainy days so Gardeners could get the housework done". Enough housework! A break in the weather! So off to check out the acreage! After a warm and rainy few days the winter rye is starting to sprout!

Then it's over to Buitenzorg. The front garden at Buitenzorg is "under control" so, hey, that piece of ground nearby, in the parking lot, has also been taken over and become part of the front garden! During the last couple of weeks rocks and a Beech hedge have made there way to the new garden space! A few Sedums, like the ones we already have, will complete the planting plan.

Sedums in the Front Garden at Buitenzorg

The weather is improving!

Let's go for a walk in the woods around Buitenzorg...

...and see what we can find!