Showing posts with label Victoria BC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Victoria BC. Show all posts

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Gardens Etc.

Despite my winter torpor, I am thinking about gardens.

We are leaving for Florida in two days, and somehow this sunshiny future has inspired in me a burning desire to renovate our garden.  So I've been ordering gardening books left and right, and scheming over colours and textures.

This got me thinking that I failed to post about my mother's visit this past September and our idyllic visit to the inimitable Butchart Gardens in Victoria, where both my aunt and dear friend M. live.

To whet your appetite, here is a view of the sunken garden, which was once a quarry:
I think this might be what heaven looks like.

The rose garden was a treat, as I always visit in spring and it's not in bloom.  This time it was in bountiful bloom and simply perfect and romantic:

One of my favorite gardens is this little English garden, which is often overlooked, as I think it's only visible from the restaurant:
Sorry it's overexposed - it was sooo bright that afternoon...not the best for photography!

Speaking of restaurants, here we are enjoying lunch on the veranda of the Dining Room Restaurant.

This is my lovely and amazing Mom (left), and my dear friend M.(who is travelling in India right now):

And this is me:

The menu was lovely and simple, and the food was divine:


I had the mushroom bisque and the caesar salad.  It was as good as it looks:

The gardens are heavenly.
The dahlia garden is insane - it goes on and on and on, a riot of colour:

And there are giant sunflowers, which I always find very funny:

There are also lovely ponds, surrounded by dreamy trees and flowers:


If I lived in Victoria, I would buy an annual pass to this astounding garden.

Hope your winter is not too grey and this helped to brighten your day!

Love, T.
  

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Photo Pretties

Tonight I was experimenting in Photoshop and thought I'd share a couple of very pretty photos I took when I was in Victoria in September with my Mom.

These photos were taken at Rook & Rose, the lovely flower shop I blogged about earlier in the year (here):
I'd have preferred more natural light, but I liked the side lighting on this shot.

The shop keeper created a wall of dried flowers that I found utterly romantic.  I was sure you would be charmed by this simple but profoundly pretty look!

I am also (still) mad about this lamp and these oh-so-pretty flowers:

Hope you are having a nice weekend.  More soon!

xo Terri

Friday, July 06, 2012

Shop Love: "Rook & Rose" in Victoria

While visiting Victoria in February, I discovered a darling flower shop that I've been meaning to blog about.  It's a total treasure!  If I lived in Victoria, I'd buy flowers here every week!

Welcome to Rook & Rose
(visit their website here):

The young owner is a flower styling goddess!  
You can't teach style like this - subtle, graceful, feminine, old world, utterly beautiful arrangements:

Who can resist a little bundle of prettily-wrapped spring flowers?:

So many variations, all exquisitely colour-coordinated...

Bright colours are also available (sunflowers in February make me seriously happy...)

Or maybe a bundle of roses suits your fancy...

I was smitten by these tiny bouquets in vintage-looking bottles, so I bought one for my hotel room!  It added so much cheer on a dreary February evening...

So when you're in Victoria, drop by Rook & Rose and be inspired!

Happy shopping!

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

I *love* William Morris wallpaper

From the first moment I saw them, I fell in love with the beautiful, historical wallpaper patterns designed by William Morris (the father of the English Arts & Crafts movement) over a century ago. Not to mention the fact that I'm still longing for a trusty Morris chair.


I'm not sure whether to paper an entire wall or room (say a powder room) in one of these luscious prints or if it would be too busy. Hmmm. Maybe I'll just wallpaper my computer screen or make a little framed art piece?


Aren't the patterns exquisite?! I love them!

All photos below are from http://www.historicstyle.com/ (previously Charles Rupert), a Victoria B.C.-based company specializing in traditional fabric, wallpapers, hardware and so on.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Leavin' on a Jet Plane ~


David and I are off to gorgeous west-coast Victoria tomorrow for a 4-day long weekend.

What a wonderful way to celebrate my birthday weekend! We are expecting plenty of rain (my favorite thing after chocolate), green grass and flowers, and otherwise stormy oceanside weather. I'm looking forward to wandering and walking with David, visiting with my best friend Margaret and my aunt Sharon, who both live there, and basically feeling free and happy for 4 whole days!

We're also hoping to buy some table linens for the new house. Calgary, despite the oil and housing boom, doesn't have much in the way of unique home decor boutiques. Okay, there are some but I've exhausted them all. And Victoria has some little gems. Plus, thanks to its English colonial roots and wealthy retirees, we expect there to be plenty of stuffy linen stores!
I just can't wait to walk in the rain and admire the greenery and breathe the cool ocean air...