For Chiara Bardelli
who can appreciate the simple pleasures of life, like the beauty of stones and rocks. Thank you for making my gift-giving to you meaningful, memorable, and affordable!
These rocks are part of the smallest rock garden in Kyoto, “Totekiko”, one of the five gardens of the Ryogen-in Zen Temple, founded by Priest “Tokei” in 1502.
Verbena Bonariensis and Poppy Friends
for Chiara and Maria, two lovely women who have spent the whole week here, helping me everywhere around the castle, from weeding the gardens and doing laundry to cooking delicious meals. Thank you both so, so much for your kindness and friendship. I’ll miss you!
For Chiara
Chiara Bardelli brought this rose to the castle a few years ago - a little sprig of a thing in a long, slender box. No name. Now it already covers most of a wall we see from the kitchen window. It might not be an historic, famous, or fashoinable cultivar, but it is definitely one of my castle favourites -not only for its colour and scent, but because of who gave it to me!
PS: How has it grown so quickly? Chicken shit!
Per Chiara - Clematis montana var. rubens
Your clematis has grown up and over the gate, lust like you wanted it!
