What's going on in your garden?
Hope you're as happy as she is!
XO
5/26/09
5/21/09
Shelter
Friday was a fine day for a slow drive along the back roads of the bluegrass. We found ourselves at a wonderful resting place and realized once again that it's the unexpected stops along the journey that are often the most rewarding.
It was the kind of day that draws us out of the classroom and into the country, which always brings us to a good place, both physically and mentally. It was warm, very warm, and we were soon seeking shelter from the sun.
Imagine drifting through the long summer season, with all the time in the world to wonder about anything & everything.
Imagine needing only to find shelter from the sun on a warm summer day.
Imagine knowing that your shelter is standing right next to you...
5/20/09
Gainesway Farm
Kentucky is a very special place.
Life in the bluegrass is simple & rare and we are grateful to call it home.
Lexington is also home to the Beck family & Gainesway Farm.
Life in the bluegrass is simple & rare and we are grateful to call it home.
Lexington is also home to the Beck family & Gainesway Farm.
On 1,500 acres of rolling farmland,
Antony & Angela Beck and their children
tend to horses, spectacular gardens and everyday life.
Antony & Angela Beck and their children
tend to horses, spectacular gardens and everyday life.
Summer is in full swing and there is plenty of barefoot fun outside. Tables are draped in a popular pattern from her textile design business,
Pomegranate Inc.
Pomegranate Inc.
Designed by Louisville architect Dan Preston to honor the rich history of Gainesway, the Becks’ home was modeled after the homestead of a Lexington tobacco farm.
"The interior is much more relaxed
than the exterior would lead you to believe,” says Angela.
than the exterior would lead you to believe,” says Angela.
Antony Beck,
who is president of Gainesway,
is proud of his Thoroughbred horse farm.
who is president of Gainesway,
is proud of his Thoroughbred horse farm.
"The reasons go beyond the joy of working with
the most trusting, beautiful animals,"
the most trusting, beautiful animals,"
he hastens to add, Gainesway was the first Thoroughbred
farm in the world to gain accredited arboretum status.
farm in the world to gain accredited arboretum status.
He inherited his love of gardens from his mother and worked with garden designer David Hruska to create the formal, English style.
But that’s not to suggest that the grounds of Gainesway are too fussy. A brand new treehouse, not to mention dogwoods at the entrance (one planted for each of the children), quickly reveal the Becks’ priorities. The children help out & definitely have fun getting their hands dirty.
As you move through the garden, it’s like going from one room to another. each has its own theme.
The Blue & White garden with its Russian sage and allium, the Fleur de Lis Garden, and Rosemary’s Garden, named for Rosemary Verey, the legendary British garden designer. The combination vegetable-fruit-rose garden
at Gainesway was designed by Verey and was one of the last projects she completed.
The Blue & White garden with its Russian sage and allium, the Fleur de Lis Garden, and Rosemary’s Garden, named for Rosemary Verey, the legendary British garden designer. The combination vegetable-fruit-rose garden
at Gainesway was designed by Verey and was one of the last projects she completed.
Gainesway Farm is indeed a very special place.
Antony & Angela Beck will tell you,
Antony & Angela Beck will tell you,
"Not a day goes by that we don’t consider ourselves very lucky to live here."
photos by Pieter Estersohn for Southern Accents
- Delightful comments from readers on the original posting of May 29, 2009
- I would love to hear from you too!
- coco said...
- What a beautiful place...I have seen it featured in a magazine and kept some of the pages for my inspiration files. Thanks for the pomegranate link, I think I have stumbled upon it before but never saved it, this time I won't make that mistake! Hope you are having a great week!
Coco - May 20, 2009 11:33 PM
- Maria Killam said...
- Wow that is for sure "not a day goes by. . . " that place is amazing! Thanks for showing it!
- May 20, 2009 11:46 PM
- Stately & charming. I expected to see a proper English hunting party ride across the hills towards the house but no, rather a familiar name popped up.
I adore Pomegranate. They were a mainstay at the home boutique I ran & yes I have several patterns in my linen closet. A side note...cold water wash delicate dry & voila, color stays & stains don't.
As always Lisa another delight for the senses.
Best to the family for your long weekend. - May 21, 2009 12:55 AM
- Beautiful. I would love to see the interior!
- May 21, 2009 10:58 AM
- How gorgeous, all that well-manicured land and horses too! Love their story and sounds like they appreciate it. Thank you for the link love Lisa, just saw it. Your blogs is a wealth of information.
- May 21, 2009 2:45 PM
- Montee said...
- Thank you for sharing this beautiful place with us. I love Kentucky, especially the Lexington area. My paternal grandmother was born in Frankfort, KY and I have aunts, uncles and cousins still living in that area. My husband was a coach for the Louisville Bats one summer and so we were able to spend some time in that beautiful state. I wanted to go to The Derby, but our schedule prevented that.
- May 21, 2009 4:59 PM
- Renae said...
- This is exactly how I picture Kentucky. I have driven through a few times but never spent any time. Maybe it's time for a road trip. Images are stunning!
Blessings... - May 21, 2009 7:23 PM
- My Notting Hill said...
- Beautiful gardens. I can't get over that really large pergola.
- May 23, 2009 9:28 PM
- Cote de Texas said...
- What a life!!!
- May 24, 2009 5:56 AM
- Jo said...
- Simply beautiful ~ thank you for the inspiration and ideas as we work on our garden and lawn this weekend.
Find time to relax ~
Jo - May 24, 2009 6:47 AM
- Velvet and Linen said...
- What a gorgeous place!
Thank you for sharing.
xo
Brooke - May 25, 2009 3:00 PM
- Love Where You Live said...
- Love the idea of the garden party at this magnificent place. So pretty. Thanks for stopping by the other day. I've missed my friends in blog land. -Susan
- May 26, 2009 11:54 PM
- SOPHIE DAHY DESIGNS said...
- What a lovely, gracious home! I love reading your blog! You really do personify what is truly beautiful in life!
- May 27, 2009 7:38 AM
- sophiedahydesigns said...
- We are getting ready for my 11 year old granddaughter's birthday dinner. I have a collection of Pomegranate cloths that I use on the patio. She chose the pink and green with the hummingbirds--it goes with her Lilly theme! It was fun after reading your post!
- May 28, 2009 2:02 PM
- Millie said...
- Just a delight Lisa & despite it's formality, the house & garden look like very relaxing places to chill out.
Millie ^_^ - May 31, 2009 11:25 PM
Susan (Between Naps on the Porch) said...
- Hi Lisa,
I followed a link from a comment on Coty's lovely blog...and it led me to your beautiful blog. I was so tickled to find this post. I just added a front porch onto my home around 3 years ago, and the photo you show of the porch...was the inspiration photo I gave to my contractor. :-) As I recall, I saw it in either Southern Homes or Southern Accents...hard to remember now. I so enjoyed seeing the rest of this wonderful farm/home in your post...thanks so much for sharing all these great pics and the details about this beautiful place! My son just finished his 2nd year of law school in Ohio and he has made so many wonderful friends who are from the great state of Kentucky. It truly is a special place! :-)
Susan - July 1, 2010 10:50 PM
5/19/09
White on White
When I want to clear my head...
or simply freshen things up a bit
or simply freshen things up a bit
I always think of white.
Vellum-covered side chairs by
Karl Springer
compliment a white pine table.
Karl Springer
compliment a white pine table.
White furnishings settle in comfortably
in an English timbered barn.
in an English timbered barn.
Fresh white linens inspire good sleep.
The
warmth & charm
of handmade ceramics.
warmth & charm
of handmade ceramics.
Butcher paper & string forstoring sliced cookies.
Whites change with the day & allow
everything inside to fade out & the
view to come in.
White may appear
opaque or translucent.
opaque or translucent.
Waterworks
Casual and always refreshing.
Crisp, carefree and illuminating.
It takes a great deal of courage
to design in white.
to design in white.
And sometimes it takes no courage at all.
When considering white
or any color, visit my friend
Maria Killam!
She is the expert at
5/15/09
A Sunny Disposition
It's
been said that nothing
says summer better than
sunflowers.
'Velvet Queen'
is stunning in gold, orange, and red
and statuesque at 5 feet tall.
'Lemon Aura'
has double, crested, four-inch blooms
on plants four to six feet tall.
Sunflowers are heat lovers!
A
whimsical & amusing
landscape statement.
It's a creative way
to celebrate the season.
A cheering chorus of sunflower 'Waooh'
Fully double and crested
'Starburst Mix'
'Claret' is a six-foot-tall stunner!
Sit back & enjoy the sun!
p.s. don't forget the sunscreen...
5/8/09
In the Garden with Gracie
Gracie & Me
It's time to get back out in the garden mom!
A soft scratch after a good days work sweet girl. Thanks for being at my side.
5/7/09
Tromp l'oeil
Tromp l'oeil ~ the art of playfully exploring the boundary between image & reality.
Graham Rust, an artist from Great Britain, has distinguished himself as a master of the art!
A fanciful form of architectural Tromp l'œil known as quodlibet was used by painters in the 17th century to “open up” the space of a wall or ceiling.
His masterpiece, ten years in the making, a mural at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, England.
For a more in-depth look at this amazing artist & his beautiful work, be sure and visit Annechovie, where my good friend Anne Harwell has included Graham Rust in her wonderful Artist Portrait series.
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