Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Butterstream Gardens






Good Morning!  Welcome to our garden.



The skies are clear, so it is a great day to spend outside.



This is our pool garden.
Our little dinner will be in the loggia tonight.



I still have a few things to do like filling the pond, and planting some annuals.
You're most welcome to help me.

This leafy plant is the Fake-us Benjamina , and that there is Magnus Magnifera Fictitious.

 

Both indiginous to China.

 

This here is a Nymphaea Nondorata Crepeus... and that there is ...

 

You're not much interested to learn the names of all the plants, are you?



Well, perhaps the names of the fish then...

This here is a Tancho, that one is an Asagi.
My favourite is the Tancho Sanke....

Not very interesting, huh?
I'll put our hose away while you feed our little fish.






Hey, you still staring at our fish?
 I know, you're puzzled why they are not moving....
Took years, but I trained them that way.





Now come help me with the flower beds. Our perennials  are forever spilling over onto the gravel.


We had better get a move on, it'll soon be midday.





Like I said, sun's HOT today!



Our job is done.  What do you think?
Now we can set the table in the loggia, ready for our little dinner tonight.



You move all the little things like the little stone bench and the iron table,
while I get our two kitchen chairs.



Everything set?


I think we are done.





All that remains for us to do is...


 Light the candles,
and then we can...

Leave.

YOU thought dinner was for US!
Whatever gave you THAT idea?

I'm just the gardener...

Now make sure you close our little gate properly.
We do not want any unwanted visitors here!

On a more serious note:
This little diorama is (loosely) based on the Pool Garden, also sometimes referred to the Temple Garden of the real Butterstream Garden, ONE of my favourite gardens.  It is generally considered to be the most beautiful garden on the Emerald Isle.

Set in County Meath, it has been a long time in the making and the life work of Jim Reynolds.

Unfortunately, the extensive gardens has not been open to the public since 2004.


Changing the world into miniature...
One thing at a time.

53 comments:

rudoo said...

It's fabulous! All the detail is incredible! I like the part about your "trained" fish :-)
How did you get the ripple effect in the water?
Jonna

Whittaker's Miniatures said...

Its a beautiful setting Lize, so romantic, great job! Katexx

Ann said...

Amazingly fabulous, what a lot of work you put into this and I love the commentary too.

The Old Maid said...

I am speechless...great garden!

Lara said...

Lize, it is incredibly beautiful.
I love the plants and the pond is great!
Thanks for the tour through your garden ;-)

miniacollection said...

Such a lovely garden, perfect for a dinner for lovers. It is amazing what you did. I love the pond with the fish.
Really fantastic, you can feel the peaceful atmosphere of the garden.
Geneviève

Viajes y Rutas said...

It's great!! I love it!!

Merry Jingle said...

Unbeliavable! Amazing work, so beautiful garden :) Can I ask you, from what have you done the topiary trees?

I've been thinking of doing a garden at some point, but after looking these pictures, I better skip it :D

Ira

Flora said...

This garden is a dream! Fabulous detail and care with which you play the reality.
Very good!
Will look a hundred times :-)
Flora

Chris said...

That is absolutely beautiful Lize, thank you for the tour and the wonderful photos.

Unknown said...

He tenido que mirarlo varias veces¡¡¡¡ Es tan real, tan perfecto¡¡¡¡¡

Un lugar para relajarse con esa cena¡¡¡

Saludos.

Eva said...

I would like to spend some time in your garden, relaxed and reading a good book, doing some gardening or just feeding the fish and letting the time pass.
Beautiful scene.
It is a pity that the real one are closed.
Un beso

Kathi said...

WOW! This is NOT another "April Fool" is it!!! Amazing! Love that you included the botanical names of the plants. SO perfect! All of it!

rosanna said...

Lize, you are changing world into minis but in a grand way. I love everything. The pond is wonderful, the fishes are... well, I 'm too lazy to go to the dictionary and find new words. you simply think of the best!Thank you for sharing your vision of life :o)))) Rosanna

Monique said...

Wow! I enjoyed this visit to your garden very much! Beautifull!

Tabitha Corsica said...

Lize, you do the most beautiful presentations. Thank you.

Tabitha

Susanne said...

I am blown away! Beautiful garden with a lot of spectacular plants and fish. A real collector of rare plants, you are, and a fish trainer too ;-)
Love the night scene! (Remember to leave a beer for the gardener)
Love, Susanne

Pubdoll said...

I'm totally overwhelmed by your garden! Everything is perfect and so beautiful! Love the pool and your trained fish, and I'm also curious how you managed to get the pool so lifelike! Lovely pictures as well,they really contributed to the romantic atmosphere in the garden.

Kim said...

gorgeous work again!!!

Kia said...

Beautiful!

contar said...

es increíble me gusta muchísimo, es todo un sueño.
un abrazo


It is incredible likes to me very much, it is the whole dream.
An embrace

JDayMinis said...

How absolutely fabulous!!!! What an excellent job you have done, I particularly like the plant names, lol. Loved the lighting too. You are amazing!!! I really enjoy your journalism, great tour, I feel so blessed to have met you.

Meli Abellán said...

Lize!!! This garden is a paradise!
Is more than lovely and have to words to express the beauty I have seen!!!
Congratulations.
Warm regards,
Meli

Glenda said...

Lize - I always take a lot of time to wander through your fabulous mini settings and stories - so enjoyable!!
Thankyou so much!

Glenda

Marit said...

Absolutely enchanting! It would be wonderful to be able to spend some time in a garden like that, but I can imagine that the owner of the real one what's to keep that peace to himself.

Marit

Lisette said...

Very nice story and so beautiful pond with fish so real.
I love plants and flowers.

Thevisionarybutterfly said...

Hi Lize,

Your pool garden is fantastic. Did you make the koi yourself? They are very life like!

Chadina

Marisa's Mini Treasures said...

WOW...! your garden is amazinly fabulous! I love the aged wall, the colummns and most of all the fish pond. It looks so real! I have worked in a garden but is not as beautiful as yours.
Congrats for this wonderful job.
Hugs, Marisa

Anonymous said...

Honestly, I do not know how you do it! What a sweet little refuge your place is!

Sans! said...

LEAVE? Are you nuts? I am buying over the garden. I am soon to be your new boss, Gardener!

It has been about 16 hours since I was here at this post. I have enlarged every picture to make sure my purchase is flawless. I must confess, I am rather pleased. I even did the "P" test. You know leave one of the enlarged pic on your screen (its the one with the 2 blue chairs) as your wallpaper , take a pee break and when you walk back into the room from the toilet (laptop screen must face the door), you must do a double take when you look at the screen because the wallpaper is so breathtaking. Yes, I nearly fell when I knocked into the bed, looking at the screen.

So now, when do we sign the contract? I want you as Chief of Staff for Gardens for the rest of your life. By the way, those fishes need more discipline! I swear I saw one or two of them twitched.

Merry Jingle said...

Hi, there's an award for you in my blog :)

Ira

Evelien said...

It's just amazing and unbelievable this is a 1:12 garden! You have a great blog'style'. Love reading it!

Unknown said...

Wow, you are a true master telling stories with wonderful pictures!

The foto's of the fissh are amazing!I would love to visit your magical garden!

sabihax

Americana Lady said...

Thank you, I enjoyed your post, pictures and storytelling. I wonder about the people having dinner. You are a great gardener! Joan @Americana By Candlelight

Chubby Chieque said...

So romantic. I remember my garden wedding 21 yrs ago (last 3/4-89).

How I wish I have that place in my backyard.

Have a wonderful day.

Josje said...

Gardinus romanticus 'Splendidii'!
Gorgeous. The photo where the sun hits the loggia and casts a shade of the pillars on the back wall is perfection to me. I have saved it for inspiration.

Maria said...

Wow!!
So beatifull.
The pictures look like they came from a garden-magazine.
I have an Award for you on my blog.
Greetings
Maria

synnøve said...

Hello Lize!
Sorry for being an absent blogger lately.....but some times life takes up too much time!!!!
Your posts lately are jaw-dropping!!!! The "Alice in Wonderland" party and now this garden!!!!
My good.... you are so good! I knew it from the first post I saw at your blog; here's a special girl!!!!!
I cannot imagine all the work, and the time you have spent to create this garden!!!! It is stunning and "horribly nice" (((-)))
Synnøve :)

Johanna said...

I´m SO amazed!! First time here in your blog, and I just can´t believe that the garden is a miniature one. :) I love all of it, the pond with all the details is amazing! WoW! I have no words to describe how wonderful job you have made. :)

Debbie said...

Beautiful little Garden and fabulous photographs. xxx

Debbie said...

Lize there is an award over on my blog for you..xxx

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

Now this is just downright amazing! I'm just in awe!

Ascension said...

GENIAL!!!!!!!
Es una verdadera maravilla!!!!
Tan lleno de detalles, todo preciosos y muy fieles a la realidad.
Enhorabuena por tu trabajo.
besitos ascension

Johanna Gehrlein said...

Hey, it took me a while to discover that something is strange with your photos. I realized the diorama first, when I saw the faces of your fishes. You made a perfect job. Would be a nice place for a litte dinner, or not? I love this.
Gretteings, Johanna

Ascension said...

Lize, cuando puedas te pasas por mi blog, tienes un premio para el tuyo.
besitos ascension

by Sonya said...

Very Beautifull! My eyes give you thanks!
I have an award on my blog for you.
I have given it to you because your blog is fantastic!
Hugs
Sonya

by Sonya said...

Hi again,
you can find another award on my blog!
These days a lot of awards like movie stars! :-)
Hugs
Sonya
ps: I love every cake with cinnamon! Gnam Gnam

Michele said...

WOW.

That is absolutley stunning.

Michele said...

I am absolutely stunned at your patience, talent and dedication to making such a piece of loveliness.

I am in awe and cannot say enough.

WOW, award winning in every way!

I am honored to have found this.

cockerina said...

Lize, as you are?? okay? I miss you ...
Caterina

Flor said...

¡Que trabajo mas increíble!! Simplemente maravilloso!! O =
Ya soy tu seguidora ( =
Saludos
Flor

Anonymous said...

Il semble que vous soyez un expert dans ce domaine, vos remarques sont tres interessantes, merci.

- Daniel

Les Miniatures de Béatrice said...

Absolument magnifique! On sent la passion pour les beaux jardins. Tout est parfait et tellement réaliste!

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