Agapanthus

IMG_0669[1]I recently received from a friend a bunch of overblown African lilies, beautiful. When the flower is blooming, flowers are just as beautiful . I like the flowers in bloom quite nice but  just after flowering they are also very special. They were given a place in a vase to dry. The seeds that occasionally dropped out I have collected in a glass . I want to try to sow them myself. After some research it shows that you should have a lot of patience, after sowing it takes 2 to 3 years before flowers arrive. You can start immediately after flowering to sow in September and October. If you are sure that you will put the seeds a little further apart then you can wait until spring to pot the plants. Only after seeding it is the question how the flowers will look like, they do not come back really like the motherplant. This means that they can deviate in flower color , growth rate and size. The Agapanthus is a popular and beautiful plant. This plant has many nicknames such as Cape lily and African lily  but literally translated means Agapanthus ‘love flower’. The plant comes from South Africa where the flour was used in love affairs. There are plants with blue and white flowers, blue can vary in many shades from light to dark and from lilac to purple-blue. The flower has a display of flowers in clock , tubular or trumpet shape. The stems can vary in length from 40 centimeters to two meters. There are over 600 cultivars. They love a sunny spot in your garden or on your terras. If you want them in a pot on your patio you should make sure that the pot is not too tight. Also remove the topsoil each year and replace it with new. The plant is hardy as they lose their leaves, the species that retain their leaves in winter should be put inside and a bright place is needed . I’m curious about my cultivar but I have to be very patient … so I have to wait !

Homely autumn home

moodboardinterieurThe weather is drizzling again, it gets dark early in the evenings, the autumn is slowly making an entrance. In the beginning I always try to keep it away because I want to hold on to the summer but as there is no escape I can also see the benefits of autumn. Making a nice cozy home , such as animals in nature crawl into their hole we nestle on the couch with a lovely plaid . A good glass of wine can be drunk , I slowly switch from white to red . A nice cup of tea or a large latte macciato also works well . I notice it on our cat Neeltje , she is more commonly found curled up on a blanket,  announcing the transition to colder weather. Every time I love to adapt my habitat to this ethos in the autumn. My interior is predominantly white so I can easily affect the    mood using accessories . Colors a little faded always appeal to me , like it’s weatherworn. All natural and nude shades are doing well. It gives a feeling of warmth. A cozy feeling fitting well with the start of autumn is a combination of the colors nude pink or pale pink with light and darker gray shades with accents beige / nude and copper items. Since last year I have been in love with beautiful items in copper color. In addition to metallic copper it is good to opt for soft materials with different textures to create a beautiful interplay between the accessories. You do not have to adjust everything at once, you can start small. A corner or a table, cushions, candles, vases, plaids. Less is more, but for candles is the more the better , the effect is great for relatively little money, whether you choose one color or several. Be inspired by my moodboard and make your living and/or bedroom autumn proof .