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gardens & polka dots

gardens & polka dots

Monthly Archives: July 2014

Exotic Inspiration – Morocco

18 Friday Jul 2014

Posted by gardensandpolkadots in Gardens, Interesting, Polka Dots

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Courtyards, garden designer, Garden Designs, Marrakesh Gardens, Mediterranean Gardens, Tiles Courtyards, Tiles Gardens

When I was a little girl I wanted to be a fashion designer. In fact right through my teens up until I was about 21 I still wanted too. I’d design for myself formal dresses (school formal, debutante and maids dresses) and my very talented Mother would draw up a pattern and make them – super talented, beautifully crafted! I’m not sure why I didn’t enroll to study fashion straight out of school but it seemed that it wasn’t a path I consciously pursued, I pursued travel instead. Not such a bad compromise. It wasn’t until I traveled to Nepal and hiked to Everest Base Camp, met delightfully gorgeous Sherpa’s and began to look at the world a little differently that I decided that a career in fashion wasn’t for me. I’ll have you know however that I still adore Haute Couture and marvel at the art of fine designers such as Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Oscar de la Renta….. should I continue, no, you get the idea.

Haute_Couture_White

Why all this fashion talk you ask. Well, I’ll tell you. Recently I went to see Yves Saint Laurent at the cinema (yes, I recommend it) and I fell in love with the fashion design process all over again. I wont be quitting my day job but I do fancy getting my sketch book out to draw and see what I come up with. I’m not much of a sewer and operate best by creating patterns myself. It’s quite time consuming but I really enjoy the process of working it all out. The international runways need not be concerned!

The other aspect of the film that sparked my interested was vision of the blue house or Jardin Majorelle, the house that Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé bought in1980 in Marrakech, Morocco and restored. When I got home not only did I search pictures of YSL the early days but I looked for images of Jardin Majorelle which then took on a life of its own as I discovered more and more Moroccan and Marrakesh houses, gardens and courtyards. I have to admit, I’m falling in love with the tiled internal courtyards, and I think I ‘need’ one. They are beautiful, artistic, refreshing and some are centuries old.

This style of courtyard is called a Riad, an Arabic word for garden and many of the well known Riads will have this word featured in the name, for example Riad Farnatchi, Marrakech.

In some of the gardens and courtyards there appears to be so much going on within them, there are the tiles laid in an unimaginable array of patterns and colours, plants, usually green and sculptural and occasionally smaller flowers dotted about the space. Then there are the water features, the furniture, the draped fabrics, the pots, the carved doors and window frames. But, the order and considered placement of all of those elements creates a space that invites you to linger, relax in and forget about the busyness beyond the property walls.

These gardens have certainly sparked my imagination for travel and design and my list of gardens to visit, stay in and explore around the world has just gotten longer. I delight in the possibility of one day visiting and staying in one of these Riads, experiencing first hand the heat of the exterior and the coolness of the interior, the busyness of the Medina’s and the quiet of the courtyard, the sights and sounds of everything!

Marrakesh_Blue_Tiles

 

Marrakesh_Tiles_Water_Feature Marrakesh_Tiles_Pool Marrakesh_Internal_Courtyard Maroccan_Fountain

Studio and Pool Marrakesh_ShadowWhite_WallsGreen_Courtyard_TilesCarved_Timber_Door

Central_Water_FeatureHave you ever stayed in a Moroccan Riad? I’d love to hear about your experience so please leave a comment.

Until next time

Carmel

Images: Out And About Africa // Jesters Armed // Wit and Delight // Remodelista // Fauxology // Shortlife – Quotes // Remodelista // New World Economics // Gypset Travellers // Verdant Sanctuary

 

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Botanical Illustrations

04 Friday Jul 2014

Posted by gardensandpolkadots in Gardens

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Botanical Art, Botanical Illustrations, Plant Obsessions, Serendipity Garden Designs

I have a new interest or obsession, I’m not quite sure in which category it falls. But I have been quietly perusing the internet for botanical illustrations. As I am sure you can guess, getting my hands on an original is neigh impossible and would probably require me selling something and I can tell you now that’s not going to happen. But it hasn’t stopped me looking for runners up.

Lily Of The Valley

Lily Of The Valley

This interest was sparked by my recent poster purchases. I decided that the interior walls of our house needed a little bit more lovin’ than we have previously shown them, plus adorned walls make a house feel like a home, all warm, cozy and inviting. But rather than take the obvious and sensible route of enlarging and framing much loved travel, wedding, my life, his life, our life photographs I bought posters and paid a visit to the much sort after Scandinavian (you want it they’ve got it) store for the frames – perfect!

The Rose Of A Hundred Petals. Don't you just love the visiting butterfly.

The Rose Of A Hundred Petals. Don’t you just love the visiting butterfly.

Tulip with text, so gorgeous.

Tulip with text, so gorgeous.

I love my new posters and framing choice, they contribute character to our walls and to be honest I think myself quite clever for the interior decorating – just saying!

But back to the illustrations. Historically, Botanical Illustrations were used to document newly discovered plant species and would generally comprise of the plants defining features, for example; flower,inflorescence, fruit, leaves. They were beautiful drawings, highlighting the intricate details of plants and providing a source of identification for both Botanist and the amateur plant lover. The first recorded Botanical Illustrations were a collection of herbal plants contained in the Codex Vindobonensis or Juliana Anicia Codex dated at about 512AD. It was created for imperial Princess Juliana Anicia and now resides in the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek in Vienna Austria – Oh, another reason for travel!

Musa sapientum. It's not as dainty as some of  the others but I do love the drama of the black background.

Musa sapientum. It’s not as dainty as some of the others but I do love the drama of the black background.

The Codex Vindobonensis includes 383 botanical illustrations as well as sections on fishing and bird catching. The illustrations, generally speaking, were most likely completed by a selection of different artists with ranging skill levels. Whatever the skill level of those artists that completed older illustrations I think they are beautiful, fabulous and extraordinary all rolled into one.

Pink flowering Cactus, so cute and unsuspecting of spikes

Pink flowering Cactus, so cute and unsuspecting of spikes

Tillandsia tenufolia. Air plants are very popular at the moment

Tillandsia tenufolia. Air plants are very popular at the moment

A display of various Fern leafs. Love greenery.

A display of various Fern leafs. Love greenery.

I have a soft spot for Australian natives so please excuse me while I indulge! I know you’ll love these too.

Telopea speciosissima

Telopea speciosissima, the beautiful Waratah

Tecomanthe sp.

Tecomanthe sp., beautiful rich pink trumpet flowers

Pandorea pandorana, pretty flowering climber, pretty illustration

Pandorea pandorana, pretty flowering climber, pretty illustration

Eucalyptus robusta. The detail is fabulous, even including a bark section

Eucalyptus robusta. The detail is fabulous, even including a bark section

Eucalyptus macrocarpa. I love an illustration with script

Eucalyptus macrocarpa. I love an illustration with script

I have selected a number of illustrations that I particularly like and hope you do too. I like them for their quality, botanical detail, colour or the species depicted. I must say I would enjoy a section of wall in my house to be dedicated to the art of botanical illustration. But the search goes on, where should I start?

The simplicity of this drawing I find really magical and it includes script. FYI... available on Etsy (click on the image to shop)

I find the simplicity of this drawing really magical and the inclusion of script is perfect. Can you imagine it in a large timber frame hanging on a white wall in a room with plantation shutters? I can! FYI… available on Etsy (click on the image to shop)

 

Until next time

Carmel

 

If you’re interested in learning a little (or a lot more) about botanical illustration, viewing some gorgeous Australian native species or other Botancial Illustrations visit the links below:

http://www.anbg.gov.au/gallery/index.html

https://www.asba-art.org/about-botanical-art/history

https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/pdfs/JAC.pdf

Images: Lily Of The Valley // The Rose Of A Hundred Petals

Tulip //Musa sapientum // Cactus // Tillandsia tenuifolia

Fern // Telopea speciosissima // Tecomanthe sp

Pandorea pandorana // Eucalyptus robusta

Eucalyptus macrocarpa // Linospadix monostachya

 

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Recent Posts

  • To Market To Market, Flower Market That Is!
  • Exotic Inspiration – Morocco
  • Botanical Illustrations
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Permission is required should you wish to use any of my photographs for publications, print and/or websites. Where my images are used on blogs please give credit and link back to my site. Images that I have sourced to use on this blog have been credited to the best of my knowledge, however, if I am incorrect please advise me. Thank you!
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