If you're an avid  garden lover, as I am, than a trip to England should be on your 'must see' list of places to visit. Their passionate affair with gardening has spanned many centuries and the bountiful array of gardens are wonderful.

   But in the meanwhile, if you want to escape to an English garden for the day, I suggest heading to Litchfield County in Connecticut to see the Hollister House. I went this past weekend and was bedazzled. 

   The property sits on 25 acres, cradled by a quiet knoll in the rolling hills of Washington, Connecticut. Originally a farm, the rambling 18th-century home anchors the extensive garden rooms that gracefully maze visitors through gravel paths and arches into masterfully designed spaces. 

   The garden was started in 1979 by the owner of the property, George Schoellkopf. After a trip to Britain where he visited gardens such as Sissinghurst, Hidcote and Great Dixter, he felt compelled to create his own interpretation of an English garden at his home, Hollister House.

   The Hollister House is open Saturdays from April 30 to October 1. Before going I would check their website for specific hours since they adjust them during the season.

   If Connecticut is too far to travel, try the Open Days Program at The Garden Conservancy. This program opens private gardens to to the public on certain days of the year for a nominal fee. The gardens span from Maine to Southern California. 

Garden Conservancy - Open Days

♥ ♥ ♥ 

tuesday at the met...

Was in Manhattan today and made a stop at The Met. Fortunately, I remembered to take my camera. 

Above, a  painting by William Nicholson.  

 ....an onlooker admires a John Singer Sargent painting.

Henri Fantin-Latour's paintings always captivate.

before and after - mirror

The other day, I found a mirror in a local thrift shop. It had classical lines so all that was really needed was a little paint and a few subtle embellishments.

Here it is 'before'

 The first step was to gather ingenuity...
and some Inspiration  was called for.

These mirrors (shown above) were on 1stdibs.com found under the subject 'Trumeau Mirrors'

The Definition of a Trumeau Mirror:  According to Mary Gilliatt's Dictionary of Architecture and Interior Design: A late 18th-century and 19th-century mirror set into an overmatel. Often a painted scene or carved panel was set above it.

 I looked through some books and searched online for the decorative embellishment.  The images in the above photo were found at The Graphics Fairy, a wonderful source for free graphic designs. 

After choosing the image, I used transfer paper and transferred the image onto the panel in the small niche above the mirror. Then I painted the design in a monochromatic color scheme using flake white and burnt umber oil paint. In a grisaille style.

Below is the finished mirror!

After

Detail

Have a great weekend!