Later.........at the chateau

Chateau Viella

Well, here we are again after a break of more than two months, during which time we have managed to host hundreds of friends and family (not really - just seems that way!) visit the Marciac jazz festival and take in a couple of garden visits too. All play is quite hard work sometimes and apart from a couple of thoroughly enjoyable visits to clients I have simply enjoyed the summer. Very decadent!

Our garden now though is looking in desperate need of water as the grass, and a few of the exposed plants, have been scorched by the sun to a delightful shade of brown. I have never before grown crispy roses. Still, I resist watering, as although this is not necessarily a pretty sight everything comes back after some rain.

The spring onions too still need more water to fill out the bulbs but no doubt that will happen shortly. At least we have not had to mow and the plums, melons, tomatoes, chillies and aubergines have all gone mad. I have arranged to swop our over-production with a neighbour for grapes and figs, so for me, this is a good arrangement, as we have neither on site.

Next year we shall aim to plan our summer produce together to co-ordinate our output and widen our varieties. Less effort and more veg? Gets my vote.

One of the gardens I managed to visit with friends was Chateau Viella, the idea being they could wine taste whilst I went walkabout.

The lovely leaflet, reproduced above, was designed by Josselyne Blanchard,with photos by Alain Alquier and printed by BCR and looked like my sort of place - productive land with various interesting spaces; like the kind of area I am struggling to create here.

I have no idea of the date this leaflet was produced but sadly the reality now did not live up to the promise of this lovely imagery. There were many instances of lack of tlc and maintenance and the overall impression was that once created the features and planting had been left to get on with it. The biggest disappointment of all was the tiny "Jardin des senteurs" (the perfumed garden) which was in such a sorry state I could not bring myself to take a photograph. Bizarrely too was the omission of the most obvious plant in the region - lavender - and whilst my garden also was suffering from lack of water this one had huge gaps in the planting, and shrubs which were clearly dead. So sad.

The potager belonging to the concierge, however, was everything the garden wasn't - full of joie de vivre, colour and productivity and clearly thriving and there is a shot of this!

I am told however that the wine was excellent.

Next year I intend to re-visit all these gardens to see how they are performing but later this month I hope to get to Chateau Bouscasse for the showcasing of the current resident artist and maybe another garden too.

Check out http://www.brumont.fr/ for more information.