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Friday, April 12, 2013

Lilacs & English Garden China


The English Garden referred to here is this ironstone china pattern on the table. It seemed the best compliment to my somewhat weather beaten lilacs that I wanted to feature today.




Our New Mexico garden resembles the English version very little. Our lilac bushes are in the shade of large trees on adjacent property that have overpowered them in recent years. We are in a drought, had a recent windy freeze, and our bushes are no doubt in need of a good pruning.




What this all adds up to is disappointment. We have only a few sad blooms. I kept mentally reaching for lines from my favorite Keats poem which don't really apply at all, but which match my attitude about the whole affair:

The weariness, the fever, and the fret . . .
Where youth grows pale, and spectre-thin, and dies; (Ode to a Nightingale).








It's the blooms that have met too early an end in this case. And though spindly and sparse they're getting their day in the sun anyway (which you can see an awful lot of here!).




A little tea and coffee on the veranda anyone?









There are just a few more coming on, but this small creamer and pitcher are the whole of the blooms from three small bushes.




A few layered linens remind me of an English cottage too!








We always get our market umbrellas up early in spring, and it's really the best time of year on the patios before the hot weather sets in.





































I hope you have a wonderful spring weekend ahead!

Jacqueline





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31 comments:

  1. Hi J,
    Your tea set compliments your Lilacs wonderfully!! The bouquet is a beauty, all Lilacs are fabulous Lilacs, they must smell divine!!! and when you've had enough pass the sun on down to me, PLEASE!! Wish I was there to have a cup with ya:-)
    Hugs...

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  2. I found a sweet sugar bowl that matches your cups and saucers. Now I want cups, too! Nothing smells like a spring lilac bush! Hope my mom has some this year. I need to get a start from her ancient bushes that send up new shoots each year near the old plants.♥♫

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  3. I can imagine the disappointment from losing your lilacs Jacqueline. I hate it when mine get froze and I have to wait another year to enjoy them :(
    I love your beautiful photos and the pretty little teacup!!!! It's a beautiful pattern.
    I also LOVED your previous post of your linens. YOu have such beautiful ones and I always love seeing them.
    Sending hugs...

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  4. just looking at the lilacs brings back memories of when I was growing up. We had two large lilac bushes outside my bedroom window and the fragrance of those lilacs on May mornings was so wonderful. I can smell them right now.
    diane@babiesbridesandlavender

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  5. Well you certainly have made a beautiful setting and those lilacs look so wonderful! We should have some here in a week or two. I am a big fan of that china pattern and you have created such a beautiful vignette. Love the layered linens and anything English cottage:-)

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  6. What beautiful china. It takes my breath away. We are so in need of flowers here and for now I just enjoy pretty floral dishes. We should have lilacs in a few weeks if the weather starts to co-operate. I love them. Deb

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  7. What a beautiful post. Those Lilacs are breath taking. What a wonderful setting for tea. I would love to be in such a place at this moment. The tea cups are just lovely and the linens are just exquisite. Thank you for sharing such beautiful things with us.

    Have a great weekend.

    Janet

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  8. How pretty your setting is....and I can smell those lilacs from here!!! We won't see any blooms for at least another month or more!!!

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  9. I just love lilacs! And, as always, your china and linens are gorgeous and your photography stunning!

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  10. Your china is lovely with the lilacs. I love lilacs but it will be a good while before they are flowering here, spring is very late indeed and we don't even have plum blossom yet. It would be nice to have some of your lovely warm sunshine:)

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  11. une invitation aussi chaleureuse
    ne se refuse pas
    pour moi un thé avec un soupçon de
    lait
    je respire l' odeur des lilas
    moi aussi j' aime beaucoup
    le poète "Keats"
    les hirondelles sont arrivées
    bon weekend
    tendresse
    edith(iris)

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  12. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  13. What a beautiful teacup! I so love the lilacs. Mine has bloomed out so the drought last year hasn't killed it. Your pictures are lovely! Thank you for joining Home Sweet Home!
    Sherry

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  14. Such a pretty tea cup! That is one that we don't have in our garden...lilacs. So beautiful and your photos are too. Hope you'll come share at AMAZE ME MONDAY, link up Sunday afternoon...
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  15. Jacqueline,
    The heady fragrance of your lilacs has my head swooning with romantic thoughts of sleeping on the Porch on warm Spring nights, just as the school year was winding down! Layers of fresh from the line bed sheets. A wash basin and a pitcher in shabby chic enamelware and big, fluffy towels piled high on the vintage washstand. Can you, too, feel the gentle breeze blowing? Sweet dreams, dear one!
    Hope I took your mind off the lack of abundant lilacs for a moment in time!!!
    Have a fabulous weekend!!!
    Fondly,
    Pat

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  16. Your cup and saucer are just beautiful. So are your lilac - what you got of them. I just hate that the winter cold and then summer hot back and forth has messed up so many of the plants and bushes. They don't know what time of the year it is suppose to be.

    Your linens on the table are just gorgeous. Thanks for sharing.

    Judy

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  17. Hi Jacqueline,
    Love your pretty teacup and saucer. Lilacs are one of my favorites. Your linens and lace are so dreamy.
    Yes the patio is the place to be here too in springtime before the hot Texas heat hits.
    Have a nice weekend.
    Hugs, CM

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  18. Jacqueline, I think your lilacs are still beautiful, no matter what. A lilac is a lilac and that's that!. And I think they certainly perked up now that they are teamed up with the beautiful cup and saucer..Happy Weekend..Judy

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  19. I lové this pattern when i Côme à cross it.
    It looks so beautiful in your settings of grace and beauty.

    Xox
    Doré

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  20. Every photograph is a petite work of art. Everything in them is something I love too! Beauty-full of beauty.
    Ruthie from Lady B's Time for Tea

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  21. Just stopping by from Laura I'm So Vintage! What a wonderful, wonderful blog you have! Your photographs are stunning!

    blessings,
    karianne

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  22. Such a dreamy setting, Jacqueline. I love that china pattern. It's so delicate and pretty. laurie

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  23. stunning photos my friend. I love lilacs and these photos make me cross my fingers that my lilac bush will survive this weeks snow storn. Hugs P.S. I invite you to stop by and get your entry in for my April Showers giveaway

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  24. Oh my, such loveliness here, Jacqueline! The lilacs are gorgeous and I love your pretty teacups! They would fit right in at my tea party. I invite you to join me.
    We won't see lilacs here until almost June. Cannot wait as I love them so. Thank you for sharing such beauty and have a beautiful day.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  25. I can almost smell those heavenly lilacs just looking at them. I would die to have a lilac bush, but they don't do well here. sigh...
    anyway, what few blooms you do have are so pretty with your tea set...

    Cindy

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  26. Beautiful china, lilacs, and linens. I especially like the idea of layered linens. Such a soft and romantic look.

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  27. The really lacy one reminds me of the cloth my mother always set out at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have to find out from my sister where all the lovely linens ended up. I think they are probably still in my mother's linen closet that has never been touched. I need to visit my sister and take a look.

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  28. Despite what they've been through, your lilacs looks beautiful, Jacqueline. And the English ironstone is perfect for a Spring tea on your patio. It all looks so lovely... I'm glad you're able to enjoy being out in the fair weather and hope you had a fine, wind-free weekend.

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  29. Beautiful Lilacs!! I have a garage sale box full of those dishes too....am I a hopeless dishaholic????
    Blessings to you,
    J

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  30. Beautiful post combining some of my favorite loves: lace, china, and flowers.

    http://jeanneselep.blogspot.com/2013/04/spring-hutch-arrangement.html

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  31. I'm not sure what all this crazy weather we've had over the last 3 or 4 years means. It has been just SO strange...we're lucky to have ANYTHING growing around this nation, I think! The fact that surrounding trees now shade your bushes from the sun doesn't help any. The few blooms that your lilac bushes did produce look very pretty, and I'm sure the fragrance is up to snuff. They always smell SO good!!! Lilacs here in the Midwest don't bloom until very late April-early May, so we still have a chance...maybe! :-)

    I love the ironstone! The pattern is so delicate! VERY English! The linens, too...very prim, proper, lovely.

    I hope you have a good weekend and that you are able to enjoy the sight and scent of a few more blooms before the moment has passed.

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