The Vintage Contessa

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GARDENING & A PIGGY

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GARDENING is the SLOWEST of the PERFORMING ARTS!

BEAUTIFUL …….BESPOKE………BEYOND.

I have PRUNED MOST of the GARDEN.ALL the roses are DONE!

I have close to 300.

MOSS Is GROWING to my DELIGHT!

Note Bowl under bench for birds and other animals……

I know I have mentioned before I only do YELLOW and WHITE FLOWERS……….in the GARDEN.

SECOND Terrace………Looks BAD at the moment but just YOU wait and SEE!

Give her a couple of MONTHS.

The Fountain needs a little CARE……..like that terra-cotta pot removed!IT’s GONE NOW!The empty CHERUB pots have been moved to the steps…………I have other URNS of GRANDEUR that need a LIFT To the edge of water………….where is THAT ITALIAN when you NEED HIM!

I LOVE how the MOSS Grows between the STONES……..as A child we had THREE wooden steps to start the climb to our FRONT DOOR.On those wooden steps MOSS would grow every SPRING with a little white FLOWERS………I would be MESMERIZED by them and the GREEN STUFF.You could say I was ENCHANTED.

STILL AM.

I once was called an ENCHANTRESS……………..I LOVED THAT!

THANK YOU LINDA!

SPEAKING OF MAGICAL HAPPENINGS!

MY OLDEST SON………….not only TEXTS ME HAPPY VALENTINES DAY but makes a delivery to my KITCHEN on FEBRUARY 14, th.

GUESS WHO HAS COME TO STAY WITH NONNA?

MISTER BANKSY!!!!!

DAY one he dumped the TRASH and got into the PANTRY!

DAY TWO pretty darn GOOD.

Spent most of the SUNNY day outside eating ACORNS from the OAK TREE’s.

HE is HIRED to CLEAN THOSE DROPPINGS UP!

Better THAN my MOW & BLOW TEAM.

BANKSY & BUTTERS

EVEN if YOU think I AM NUTS………YOU have to ADMIT this is ADORABLE!

BUTTERS will MISS BANKSY.

WINSTON is THRILLED!

well,

kind of………….XX

Comments

  1. I am confused. Is my darling Banksy going away or did he just arrive? Such a treasure. My garden is covered in snow! Groan.

    Reply

    • BANKSY has ARRIVED at LA CASA DE LA CONTESSA………………….MY VALENTINE!
      Hoping he is a permanent FIXTURE.
      YOU have a BIRTHDAY coming UP………..DID YOU MAKE PLANS?
      DO IT!
      XO

  2. Just this morning I was admiring the big, fat clumps of moss on top of a garden wall outside my window. Great minds think alike… The moss looks like it could substitute in a photo for a shot of the Irish countryside.
    And the little patch of lawn in front of our bridge is now purple with violets. I always adored violets, maybe because I was allowed to pick them but even more so when I started reading about France and all the poor girls who sold violets in Colette stories.

    Reply

  4. What a great house guest Banksy is!
    Not only is he an adorable family companion, but he helps with garden duties by cleaning up the acorns!
    So love the photo of Butters & Bansky napping together.

    Reply

    • THAT Kudo goes to the SON who sent that photo to me last week!
      I have tried to take a photo of him sleeping here……..HE sleeps with MOUNDS of PILLOWS and covers himself UP!WHERE IS BANKSY………………..???
      XX

  6. I love the early spring period when everything is somewhat in disarray–the garden has to shape itself up just as does nature. I too love moss, and especially moss and stone together.
    –Jim

    Reply

  7. Oh, I am so envious! Not only do you have oak trees with acorns but a piggy visitor to eat acorns!

    It is beautiful weather here. It is warmer and the snow is melting. We are far from spring but there is that promise in the air. Not quite the fragrance of wet earth in the air that embraces the gardening soul, but still a promise! I’ve spent my time horizontal looking at garden catalogs. It is hard to know what to get…but a wonderful younger friend has said she will give me a Strawberry Hills rose. How touching is that? 300 roses!! You have created heaven. Are all of your roses white or yellow? Or does yellow and white refer to non-rose plants? I love moss, too. In fact my backyard grass has died out and is replaced by moss. It is so sumptuous. If it gets thicker, I am going to walk barefoot on it! That brings back memories of when as a child I was taken to the wilderness and we climbed up a moss-covered hill in our bare feet. The moss was deep and thick and sopping wet. As we climbed we were surrounded by wild orchids, secret to the world but us. Oh, moss!

    I’m now quasi-vertical again for short periods so will sit outside for a breath of fresh air and I’ll watch the bird action. In the meantime, I love your gardening post. To me, it is that breath, that promise of spring!

    Reply

    • YES………dear friend the roses are either WHITE or YELLOW.I know I am missing out on others with GREAT fragrance and BEAUTY but I am a STICKLER about just two colors……….Penny Royal jumped in there and I let her stay as when you walk on her CARPET it is SO FRAGRANT!She gives a short lived purple flower……………….I just look the other way!!!
      SO HAPPY YOU ARE FEELING BETTER!
      XX

  8. I love Banksy!!! What a crack up! Always fun to see him and all your fur pals! Your garden is beautiful! I miss that lush California gardening.

    Reply

  9. Darling photos of Banksy and Butters. It is always amazing to me how your beautiful garden transforms itself each year. Love the moss, pottery and fountain! Happy it is warm enough for you to be out in it. Still darn cold her in PA!

    Reply

  10. Lovely photo of Banksy and Butters!! Brava for all that pruning. Where do you find the time for all you do? My beautiful blue vinca is flowering; Spring is on the way- yeah!

    Reply

  12. OMG, that photo of the two of them together is priceless. I love your garden in all of its seasons. Love your moss, love your urns, love it all. It’s always a special treat when you post about anything!!!!

    Reply

  14. Can’t wait to see what your hillside looks like once in bloom. Spectacular I’d say. Our native garden flowerings when due is a mixture of colours, pink, red, green, purple, yellow. Not sure I’ve seen any white flowers. Must keep an eye out. We do have cream flowers on the tree directly in front of my balcony. It finished flowering a couple of weeks ago. Now the balcony is not so messy. Ciao, bella!

    Reply

  17. Elizabeth,

    Your garden looks beautiful. I cannot wait to see it is it’s blooming glory. This looks like a full time job!

    As for your house guest…what a cutie! Is he your gift or are you just looking after him? I hope that he stays!

    Have a wonderful weekend!

    Reply

  18. Your fur-kids are all so special. They live in paradise, along with you in your wonderful garden. I find green moss magical. It shows up and sometimes disappears in the heat of the summer. When in its’ glory, it is thick, like very plush carpet. Currently my garden is covered in at least a foot of snow. Seeing your spring pruning completed, makes me yearn for Spring and warm sunny days. Looking forward to seeing your garden transform to lush greens, whites and yellows, and roses blooming. Think Spring!

    Reply

  19. I appreciate your passion for flower gardens, animals and classic antiques.
    Every creature large and small needs a Nonna (I had a Nonnie). The pup and the pig are two peas in a pod.

    Reply

  20. I just love the way Butters has no choice but to share his bed with Banksy. I must admit I am very envious of you having Banksy, I think my neighbors here in the Lowveld of South Africa would look at me as mad if I got a pig as a pet.

    Reply

    • WAIT until MY NEIGHBORS find OUT as well!BUT they ALL KNOW I AM A BIT DIFFERENT!SO, it should come as NO SURPRISE!
      PIGS ARE VERY SMART…….Love to be petted and scratched behind the ears.NEED TO BE TOUCHED.LYING here at my feet are WINSTON the doggy and BANKSY the PIGGY…….soon the CAT will join once he comes in from hunting!I”M VERY LUCKY to have this MENAGERIE that all gets ALONG so well…………XX

  21. We have moss all over our ancient stone in the garden and along the walls, I absolutely love looking at the intricacies of moss, viewed through a magnifying glass it is quite fascinating. I love watching the garden slowly coming to life at this time of year, things are starting to grow, new life is emerging and for us, most unusually, the weather is really warm, can’t ask for anything better!

    Reply

  22. Another delightful blog addition. I love your garden and can’t wait to see it in real life. Good idea to have only white and yellow flowers. And your Miss Banksy….. So cute! My neighbour has a pig who he takes for a walk in the early evening (that’s the only time I see the cute pig).

    You’re such an inspiration and so much fun to follow!

    Love,

    Karenxox

    Reply

    • THANK YOU!
      IT was not easy convincing THE ITALIAN but let me just say he rubs the pig upon entry BEFORE MY KISS!!!!!!BANKSY & WINSTON hear him arriving and run to the kitchen to GREET HIM!
      XX

  24. Spring is indeed “just around the corner” and as we have a clear warmer day here in my part of the UK today, your post is a timely reminder to get into the garden and get pruning and feeding,thank you as I am becoming the biggest procrastinator the older I get. I love the idea of your beautiful,fragrant and elegant gardens and so much of it! Looking forward to your next garden and pets postings. Have a well deserved relaxing week-end. (heart emoji’s I think but turned up as question marks!)

    Reply

    • I think you gave me hearts or smiling faces for some reason my computer picks up question marks……………so I edited that!Hope thats OK!
      THANK YOU!!!!
      XX

  25. I’m dying to see Banksy around your house. Do you think you could embed a video here? Or maybe post a video on Insta? I’d pay the price of admission just to see him clomping around your kitchen or munching on acorns.

    Reply

    • YES,I think I CAN!!!SAID that little engine who could!!!!!!!!DO you remember THAT book!
      There are a couple of videos on IG already………….BANKSY Doing the STAIRMASTER is the BEST.I will try and send to you later today.WE have MORE RAIN……..once the weather improves I will BORE YOU TO DEATH of this CHARMING YOUNG PIGGY!
      XX

  26. Sweet post! The garden is looking great. Is the extra rain a good thing? I do love the light green of the early spring. It’s so like you to see the beauty in the moss.
    Enjoy your time with Banksy. He’s adorable. <3

    Reply

    • RAIN is GOOD here in CALIFORNIA we areNOT OUT of DROUGHT MODE YET!BUT it is causing A LOT of PROBLEMS…….a DAM Over flowed up NORTH many people were EVACUATED.MUDSLIDES in my neck of the woods……………..SPRING should be BOUNTIFUL!XX

    • CERTO!!!!!!!!
      However, he is HARD to TRANSPORT………….
      MY ENTIRE LIFE I HAVE WANTED A PIG and a COW……………
      I AM BEYOND THRILLED TO HAVE him UNDER foot in the kitchen as I cook and prepare dinner………..better than a MOP!
      XX

  29. I love that you always think of the wildlife and of all our in-home creatures. That Banksy is adorable and I’m sure I would have her in my lap, if possible. You know I planted climbing roses as a tribute to you, and now they are plentiful and beautiful, even after our 2 days of freezing temps. All of you gals in California are so lucky for your weather, and I think you can throw seeds out of the window of your car and they would blossom forth! Always a pleasure to visit you and your family. xx’s

    Reply

    • I REMEMBER YOU ASKING ME ABOUT THE ROSES………..I cannot recall which ones you planted!I hope YOU are feeling better.
      WE HAVE HAD SO MUCH RAIN HERE today is no EXCEPTION!ALL GOOD AS WE NEED IT………A LOT of our water here goes to SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
      SPRING SHOULD BE BOUNTIFUL…………..
      YES, I EVEN FEED THE RATS who frequent the COOP!XX

  30. I’ve started working on my little patch of green in the city. Three sides of my house are built around a central courtyard that is a poured concrete aggregate… Ugh! There’s also a Spanish fountain in the middle of the courtyard that no longer works. My ideal scenario would be to pull up the concrete and the fountain and plant some pretty things around the edge and in big pots and have a big umbrella in the middle with a place to have small dinner parties… So far, the price quote for that is insane!! Still thinking about it. Thanks for the inspiration, Brenda

    Reply

    • PUT THE POTS on the CONCRETE!GET the FOUNTAIN FIXED!Put the TABLE in a CORNER……………..I WANT A PHOTO COME SUMMER!!!!CAN CANDLES sit on the edge of the FOUNTAIN?Those small floating ones……….??XX

  31. Well you know I love Banksy and all your delightful friends. Enjoy looking at your garden pictures and hearing your news. I have violets growing in Perth, they seem to thrive all year round which is amazing and they provide the best ground cover. Getting back to the adorable Banksy, is he coming to live with you? Imagine it would be hard for your son to leave him home all day whilst he is at work.

    Reply

  32. I absolutely adore Banksy! How fortunate for you that he’s come to stay. All you need now is a cow. I read somewhere that there are miniature cows. Your garden looks marvelous too, especially the beautiful moss.

    Reply

  33. OMG, Banksy and Butters! I love them and their sleeping positions!
    I also love your photos. The close-up of the Camellia, the moss, really spectacular!
    You never fail to delight my senses.
    Thank you so much for what you write and show.

    Reply

  35. Send Banksy to my house when he’s done with your acorns…I have a few here. What about pine cones?…does he like pine cones?

    Reply

  36. My gosh, Butters and Bansky in the the same bed is to die for! Of course some of your garden is asleep but you are way ahead of me when it comes to trimming the roses! How did you trim all of those roses with this rainy weather? My backyard is a mess still. However, pop over because my Daphne Odorata have exploded! Enjoy your blog so much, love ya!

    Reply

  37. Dear Contessa, I adore your blog.Garden looks magical. Moss have spiritual meaning LUCK, MONEY, PROTECTION. Italian marchesa was my second mother and she told us if moss doesn’t come back forget about luck,cash or her protection. Just imagine what part moss is playing in our lives.

    Reply

  38. “The Enchantress” – I LOVE THAT!

    Well dear Contessa, I do hope you have not had those torrential storms in your area; whenever I hear about the troubles out in California with the extreme rains, I always think of you and many friends and family I have in Northern and S. California. Your garden looks ready, and I TOO LOVE MOSS! We have plenty of it from past rainy springs, and I am now dreaming of spring. Even here in Minnesota, we are having a “heat spell” and this weekend is supposed to be 60+, which is very unusual for us. Even the golf courses are opening!

    LOVE YOUR STYLE!

    Reply

    • YES!
      THE RAIN is HERE TO STAY ALL NEXT WEEK TOO………………WE NEVER have weather like this!All the SPRING trees are blooming so the flowers will FALL with ALL the RAIN!!!
      I will BE JIPED!!!!!!!
      ENJOY YOUR SUNSHINE…….GET OUTSIDE and do not FORGET THAT CAMERA!!!!
      XX

  39. Oh, I love love love all that moss! It’s too hot here to really get it to grow. How very romantic, as is your entire garden! As for Banksy; hmmmm. Well, the scenes are adorable, but not sure I could actually live with him! we will see, right?

    Reply

  40. DEAR CONTESSA,

    OH, MOSS!!!… LIVING VELVET!!!…
    I LOVE IT!!!
    I love touching IT, smelling IT!!!

    As you love so much WHITE and YELLOW FLOWERS, are there any GARDENIAS, JASMIN SHRUBS, TUBEROSES (the polianthes tuberosa kind), WHITE AND YELLOW VIOLETS in your WONDERFUL GARDEN?… Violets growing in moss are such a sweet picture… both are so HUMBLE…

    As for those FOUR-LEGGED BABIES OF YOURS… I would HUG THEM ENDLESSLY… SOOO MUUUUUCH that BANKSY, ON SMELLING ME COMING, WOULD SHOUT: “BUUUUDDIIIES!!! LET’S SPLIIIIT!!! PAIN IN THE NECK-LOLA’ S COOOMIIIIIING!!!”…
    IMAGINE RHE STAMPEDE!!!

    BESITOS PARA TODOS,

    Lola.

    Reply

    • YES!
      GARDENIAS……..TONS of JASMINE,I cannot GROW TUBEROSES but I HAVE TRIED!
      WHITE AND YELLOW VIOLETS?????MUST LOOK INTO THOSE TODAY!
      I AM SO LUCKY TO HAVE MY FURRY FRIENDS!!!!!THEY LOVE TO BE TOUCHED SO YOU WOULD BE IN GOOD COMPANY!
      XX

  41. Your garden is a delight, and yes moss is magical. You must be over the moon to haver Banksy come stay. Fingers crossed it can be permanent for you. It’s obvious how much you adore him. We must schedule lunch!! xoxo

    Reply

  42. Do you have truffles growing under your oak tree? Banksy could hunt them out for you. Your blog is such a delight.

    Reply

  43. The terrace is magical…a fairy-land that must be illuminated at night by the white flowers. I love a white garden!!!! The Butters and Banksy cuddle picture is so precious…what a Valentine for Butters! You are such a good sport and Banksy and Butters are certainly very lucky to have found such a lovely place to curl up and take a nap.

    I am not getting your blog posts in my inbox. I have signed up to follow your blog. It is such an enjoyable read!

    Reply

    • BEEN THERE ALSO!
      I have NO IDEA what happens………..there are still a few BLOGS I do not receive!
      I announce on IG so that way you will KNOW!
      THANK YOU for your beautiful words!
      XX

  44. Banksy is just TOO MUCH! Now Butters…THAT’S a doggie I could cuddle and think of stealing!
    Your feed was and is a delight…how you manage the care and clean-up from Banksy, I dunno ! But that is why YOU are A CONTESSA and I am not!!

    Love the idea of just white and yellow flowers….might try it of my terrace garden ….if summer ever comes to snow covered Montreal…

    Reply

    • WE just found out we can use HIS POOP for the compost!!!!The GARDEN will BENEFIT AS well.I hope he does not EAT the FLOWERS……………..we will soon find out!
      BUTTERS belongs to MY SON……….he has a VERY LONG TONQUE for KISSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
      If you do have SUCCESS I will need a PHOTO of your terrace!
      XX

  45. OMG!!! I love those Banksy pics. Positively precious. The garden pics are beautiful. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen a flower grow in a garden. Have a great week, Contessa and take good care of that darling Mr. Piggy and friends.

    Reply

  46. Oh, Elizabeth, I am soooo jealous. I would love, love, love to have a pet pig. He is adorable. My-Reason-For-Living-In-France told me that during the war his parents had a pet pig they named Hitler and when his mother drove through a control point, with Hitler in the back seat, she would turn around and tell him to sit down and be quiet. He was, at least in his family, beloved by all.

    Your garden is exquisite. I can only imagine the work it takes to keep it that way.

    xo

    Reply

  47. Elizabeth, I believe the real work in the garden is done in the Winter.
    You can see the structure clearly then and can make necessary adjustments.
    The work is all done and then you can sit back in the Spring and enjoy the show.
    Fond of mossy patinas on stone too.
    Butters and Banksy together in the basket…….too sweet.
    Happy Sunday Vita
    Neat xx

    Reply

  48. I think it all looks rather wonderful Contessa Bella!
    I enjoy your posts enormously.
    Love and hugs from Florence where I wish I could get my garden to look even somewhat similar to yours,
    Lisa
    xx

    Reply

  49. Good morning from Whistler, BC. I so enjoyed this post. Watching the garden rest and soon come back to life is one of the best times of the year. I always remind my son to watch for the first green of spring. Certainly, as the season progresses, no two greens stay the same from day to day. I am eager to hear the soon to be adventures of Banksy. He will most certainly have a wonderful story to tell. Thank you for sharing all that you do. It inspires me to be “more”!

    Reply

  50. For those who are friends, virtual or otherwise, of Ellie (Eleanor) O’Connell, you might be interested in reading her daughter Grace’s tribute in the Special 2017 issue of Santa Barbara Magazine. (about p 50). Well done, Gracie!

    Reply

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