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Post by Truffaut on May 22, 2007 8:18:03 GMT -5
This was originally posted by SusanB, but in another thread. I thought it was an interesting enough question to deserve it's own thread. I've been looking at my beautiful little bouquot of Lilly of the Valley and it reminded me to ask you when does your spring start and what kind of flowers do you like to plant? Do Pariasians enjoy their gardens and what are some of your favorites? S
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Post by Truffaut on May 22, 2007 8:20:58 GMT -5
Parisians are mostly limited to windowsill gardening because hardly anybody has a house. (Although I heard the Sarkozys just got a rather nice new house with a spacious lawn.) Geraniums are the flowers of choice since they're colorful, will tolerate being planted in pots, and can frequently survive Paris' winter climate, if taken care of properly. The most exquisite geraniums I've seen in Paris are above the Societé Générale bank on the corner of rue des Archives and rue Ste-Croix de la Bretronnerie in the 4th.
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Post by andi on May 22, 2007 8:23:50 GMT -5
I noticed that many of the highrise appartments have window boxes full of flowers even if they can not have a whole garden space, this suggests that many do indeed like to do their green fingered bit. I also noticed that as you leave Ile de la Cite to the right bank, over to the left, there are many flower and plant shops all grouped together, is there a special name for this area?
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Post by phread on May 22, 2007 8:37:41 GMT -5
I have an herbal garden on my balcony. My personal favorite is my verveine (verbena) which is the source of my favorite tisane and I use it to make an elegant ice cream when entertaining. Even our friends who have homes can not have real gardens because they are either in the courtyard of a building and the ground is paved and homes are often in the shadow of larger neighbors, limiting them to shade gardens.
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Post by sistereurope on May 22, 2007 8:49:55 GMT -5
Phread, Could you post the recipe for your ice cream in the recipe section? It sounds really interesting as well as elegant. We grow lots of hearbs (well, my husband does most of it but the herbs are one thing I can handle )...I'm not sure of he's ever grown verbena...we do have LOTS of basil, however. Does that grow well for you on your balcony?
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Post by Shoesy on May 22, 2007 9:04:02 GMT -5
phread - You make your own ice-cream? Can it be better than what Berthillon has to offer?
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Post by susanb on May 22, 2007 14:32:22 GMT -5
We have lemon verbena and I think there are many other kinds. I have never heard of making ice cream from it and I'd love to have the recipe. s
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Post by Truffaut on May 22, 2007 18:41:10 GMT -5
Oh Phread, I'll have to share a magnificent recipe from Atelier des Chefs--peaches poached in wine and sugar syrup with raspberries and verveine. Absolutely magnificent!!
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Post by Happygoin on May 23, 2007 7:25:36 GMT -5
I'm just catching up, I was away all day yesterday so forgive me for a minute here...did I tell you all that on my autumn trip to Paris last year, I snipped two pieces of the ivy growing in the window boxes outside the apartment and smuggled them home. I now have two beautiful live souvenirs from a wonderful trip to Paris.
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Post by annettecinca on May 23, 2007 11:47:55 GMT -5
Happy, that sounds like something I would do! I actually brought home an air plant I picked from a tree in San Antonio 2 weeks ago. I came by it naturally--when I was a kid I always had to shield my Mom so she could collect a "snippy" from the zoo, museum grounds...anywhere we vacationed! She rationalized that the plants needed trimming anyway. I'm glad I'm in good company!
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Post by GitteK on May 24, 2007 7:42:43 GMT -5
As to gardens and flowers I suggest you throw a "coup d'oeuil" on my post in the thread about "Favorite guidebooks". There are SO many gardens, though many of them minuscule, in Paris. BTW I look very much forward to seeing the roses in Parc de Bagatelle this June. AND I would love to hear from anyone who has been down to the rosegarden in l'Haÿe-les-Roses, not far from Paris. Plus the smartest way to go there (I have already a few combinations of RER + busses, but insider tips would be very welcome - PHREAD ). What else could I combine a trip to this town with ? (ooops, that was bad grammar - preposition at the rear....) www.roseraieduvaldemarne.com/roseraie_internet/index.php3?lang=en
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Post by Shoesy on May 24, 2007 7:51:03 GMT -5
Gitte, my dear - Nowadays it's perfectly acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition. In fact, your sentence would have been very awkward if you had placed the prep. in a different part of the sentence.
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Post by Sarastro on May 24, 2007 17:27:11 GMT -5
GitteK
It has been a few years but a visit to l'Haÿe-les-Roses is a must for gardeners. The representation of cultivars is unbelievable.
The last time we went we were with a friend who lives in Paris and of course we traveling by car. I do believe the bus service is good as I have heard that it is not difficult to reach the garden by bus.
A visit is well worth the effort to reach it.
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Post by susanb on May 24, 2007 21:31:58 GMT -5
Gitte, The rose gardenpicture is really beautiful. The colors really remind me of summer. The other pictures you've been posting (castle etc.) are breath taking. Susan
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