Queen of the May

"But I must gather knots of flowers,

And buds and garlands gay,

For I'm to be Queen o' the May, Mother,

I'm to be Queen o' the May."

Alfred Lord Tennyson

Bouquets to all,
Marjorie

Flower Girls

The showers of April have not only brought May flowers, but some hip new flower girls to town.

Tricia Perault & Lauren Orman have just opened Rose Hip Floral Design at The Crossroads in Carmel, CA.

The fresh eye of the owners is reflected in the succulent green of the shop’s exterior and business card, and the seductive hues of the floral inventory. Vintage McCoy vases, stacks of tatty books, and brightly labeled food tins (as holders), are just a few of their visual styling tricks. The shop is a breath of fresh air.

When, I asked the girls to create something quirky for my artistic Aussie friend, Linley, (in town for the weekend), they came up with this double bouquet of purple sweet peas in an Italian tomato tin. Bellissimo!

This must be the week for floral inspiration. Arlette Bossaert, my Belgian florist friend, just sent me some images of her latest work. She specializes in flower arrangements for weddings at castles in the Flemish countryside.

Meg from Pigtown Design writes that she will be devoting Sundays to flower posts.

Just scattering a few petals,
Marjorie

Le Temps du Muguet

The first of May is “Le Temps du Muguet” ~ The Time of the Lily of the Valley. All over France, in tiny flower stalls, and in grand fleuristes alike, Lily of the Valley is queen of the flowers for the day.

Children take to the woods to gather small sprigs, or ‘brins’ of these flowers and to exchange these as tokens of friendship and good luck. For it is said that these flowers not only signify the arrival of spring, but “Porte Bonheur” – bring good luck!

The delicate green floral notes of these woodland flowers have long been appreciated by the perfume industry. Coty’s Muguet des Bois was first launched in 1941. Then there is Caron’s Muguet Du Bonheur, and Molinard has a Lily of the Valley scent in its Les Fleurs de Provence range. In 2009 Guerlain introduced Muguet, with the intent of releasing an annual Muguet perfume each April 30th. (Sadly there will be no release this year.) The daughter of Annick Goutal, Camille, created a limited edition called Le Muguet. This was the first time Camille had produced a fragrance without the assistance of her late mother. Van Cleef and Arpels has Muguet Blanc. Others with Lily of the Valley inspired scents include Crabtree and Evelyn, L’Erbolario, Taylor of London, Penhaglion and Floris. Woods of Windsor claim that the recipe for their fragrance comes from 18th century recipe books found in their attic.

"Le Muguet du Métro" by Robert Doisneau

(Photograph, Collection the Auckland Museum)

I associate the scent of Muguet, with the childhood memory of my mother wearing Yardley of London’s Lily of the Valley toilet water. Ironically, my first overseas home was located on Chemin des Muguets (Way of the Lily of the Valley) in Genève, Switzerland. Hence the inspiration for the name of my blog.

Avec Bonheur,
Marjorie

P.S. This posting is dedicated to my sweet perfumer friend, Ashley ~ the only nose I 'noz.'

Meanwhile Back at the Ranch...

Whenever company comes to visit us here in Carmel, (and that is quite often these days), we hightail it down to the Ranch - Mission Ranch, that is. Nothing beats sitting out on the deck at sunset, looking out over the meadows and wetlands to Carmel Beach, and Point Lobos beyond.

This charming complex (lodging and restaurant) was purchased in 1986 by local legend Clint Eastwood, who has lovingly restored the property. Let me take you on a tour of the grounds.


Surely the "largest flower planter in the West"


The 1850's Farmhouse

Flowers planted in a tree stump

This must be the honeymoon cottage!


The historic bunkhouse, the oldest structure

The sheep are pets. No lamb on the menu here!

Happy Trails partners!
Marjorie

Keeping Them Down On The Farm

They grow them “BIG” in California! Here on the Central Coast they celebrate their diverse agriculture heritage. Lettuce is king in Salinas; artichokes in Castroville; strawberries in Watsonville; and garlic in Gilroy.

Down in the Valley, Carmel Valley that is, Earthbound Farm is queen of the organic harvest. Twenty-five years ago, Drew and Myra Goodman, two transplanted New Yorkers, started their business with only 2 ½ acres of heirloom raspberries and a small farm stand. Today, Earthbound is the largest grower of organic produce in the United States. You probably have seen their packaged baby salad greens at your local grocery store.

Season after season at Earthbound they serve up a bounty of organic produce and related activities for all. This includes “chef walks”, like a recent foray through the fields lead by an Indian curry chef from near-by Quail Lodge. Regular “bug walks” find children buzzing about, and releasing helpful ladybugs into the Farm’s environment.


At the entrance: A burro pulling a tractor, or is it vice-versa?

Fifties-era metal outdoor chair with a tufted cushion of assorted grasses.

You say tomato, I say tomatoe. Either way, it’s heirloom and it’s delicious!



All the usual suspects are in the herb garden. The line-up also includes some lesser known relatives: Hi Ho Silver Thyme, PA Dutch Tea Thyme, Spanish Tarragon, Red Rubin Basil, Kentucky Colonel Mint, and too many others to mention.

Snip your own! More folksy, than Madison Avenue, the signage is simple and colorful. It tempts the palate and the eye.

A blooming business in sunflowers and artichoke florets.

Savor the seasons and protect the earth’s bounty,
Marjorie