Garden Style ... creeping fig ...

There is something very alluring to me ... about the creeping fig ... I love the way it so completely covers up walls ... and lo ... you have a beautiful greenscape...

In our complex ... here in Navi Mumbai , we have creeping fig grown as art work ... beautiful living green canvas ... and I just can't help but feel sooooo nice .... just walking past these amazing stone walls ... all covered in green...

The gardener ... was first given this design concept by one of the estate managers ... (I haven't been able to find out any more about how it all started) ... and over years ... all the stone walls have been covered by the creeper...

Shivaji , one of the gardeners here (and theres a whole army of them) ... is absolutely clear ,that he alone has the artistic capabilities to craft these masterpieces :) ... oh! I love gardeners with this kind of passion for work ...

Like all artists,Shivaji loves to be indulged in a conversation about his work ... how he keeps the base creeper shaved close to the wall and allows the rest to grow out and that is when the gardener steps in and gives it the so many interesting shapes you see in these pictures :) ... The creeper was just about climbing the white borders ... and I could already see the gardeners ... on the move to do the maintenance work and cut it back ...that is the thing with creeping fig ... its beautiful ... but you need to maintain it ... within certain limits ... or else it'll run completely amuck ...

Enjoying the creeping fig... you don't need a huge wall ...or a large space ... they make great topiaries ... they 'll give an amazing tropical feel in your balcony... let them cover your walls ... make sure you don't let it run out ... they creep out before you know :)

On our regular walks ... my girls Sarah ( who was sleeping while we took this walk) and Aimee (the one checking out the walls here) and I have a wonderful time ...

... theres always something different and exciting around these walls ... they seem alive in some way ... not just dead stone walls ... not that I don't love stone walls ... I think I just love stone walls more when covered in greens ... :) ... and there ... you'd never know ... there's a matter-of-factly,car park behind those walls ...

Another ,element in garden design ... if you are inspired,by this green scape ... do write in to me ... I'd love to hear your story ...

Of peaches and creams ...

I was going through my old pictures and found these ... pictures of the first, apartment my husband and I bought ... after we got married ... budget ... what budget ... the crazy mortgage ... left no such word in our dictionary ... when it came to doing it up ... I had to try all the tricks of the trade to make it look ... well,what you see in the pictures ...

used my own art work on the walls ... a futon ...covered with cream color sheet to ... make up for seating ... oh! my coffee table ... bought three identical pots and a glass top for them ... have to say, it was used more than any other place in the house ... all our friends ... always gathering around the coffee table for some of the best and most memorable moments of my life ...

ignored the mismatched lamps ... my lovely paisley shawls ... doubled up to give a lovely look to a run down old rickety table ...

the Korean hyacinth chairs and my chandelier ... were my only two splurges ... and ofcourse, the pretty mirror was a house warming gift from my mommy dearest ...

all I did was, kept in mind to match the color of my sofa ... and this peach wall just made me feel nice ...
God bless the previous owner ... he left behind this beautiful plant ... and the old and ignored one ... grew soon into a loveable adorable... greenpatch in my drawing room ... along with the monstera in the other corner ... which ... it declared, captured ...and climbed all over it.

And honestly, ... it was so much fun to design with the challenge of a budget or rather no budget ... it made me love every new piece as it got added to the house ... something that I can't experience with a big budget projects .The challenge definitely gived me a high ... and I have to say you can design lovable places ... with limited resourses and budgets.

For the love of blue and whiteware ...

The love for blue and white ware is a beautiful and universal ... phenomena ... years old ... decades old ... how about centuries old ... For most of us Indians ... our love for the blue and white starts with jaipur pottery and probably leads to Chinese blue and whitewares ... and there about ... a little travelled lot of us ... is sure to have a bit of English blue and white ware ... It is amazing to know that every culture has its version of blue and white ware ... I never really paid that much attention to this fact... that was untill I got to know about the Sanfrancisco Museum of Asian Art having once organised an Exhibition of Blue and Whiteware from around the world ...( a travelling exhibit from ... I think the British Museum) ... I missed it by a few years :( ... but never the less ... I was so intrigued ...
Read on ... keep looking on ... a peak into the world of beautiful blue and whiteware from around the world ...

An 18 th century Chinese ... blue and white tureen..with very typical Chinese landscape painted on it ... somehow we are so tuned to believe, all blue and white typical comes from China ... I was pleasently surprised to discover origins of blue and white ware from all corners of the world and from different times ...This is not a chinese piece ... infact its a Dutch Delft blue and white vase ,from the late 17th century ... with obvious chinese influence on the painted landscape ... the Chinese influence on pieces from Europe is very obvious considering the sea trade that existed over centuries between the orient and the west ...

This is a piece of ... English blue and white transferware plate, decorated in the centre with a pagoda, willow tree and in the foreground a gentleman and lady standing under a parasol being held by a small boy ... Blue and white is an integral part of Englishware and Chinese influence may be very obvious ... this also was the reason for a lot of factories being successful over the years ...

Ahha ... no, not European ... this time it is really a Chinese, blue and white caddy, Qianlong (1736-95), decorated with landscapes with pine trees ... here lie the origins of a love affair ... that people like us all over the world fall victim too ... and ooh.. so happily ...

This ,here is an Late 17th century Italian double baluster blue and white leaf-decorated albarello ... no Chinese reference here ...

A Dutch Delft blue and white plaque, dated 1753 ... with a Biblical scene painted on it ... though many Dutch pieces do have Chinese scenes painted on them ... like I said before ... reason for the success of many home factories producing local ware and much cheaper as compared to the original ones coming from China ...

A German blue and white faience tankard, c.1760 finely painted with towers amongst trees, bordered by floral decoration ...

French faience tulip vase, mid 18th century, formed in two sections and of a conical form, the upper part pierced with rows of small holes for cut flowers ...

Northern European, large blue and white tin glazed dish with a single handle at the top, 18th century, decorated on the front with flowers and leaf scrolls on the border, the reverse decorated on the base with a galleon and two ships in the distance, and the surrounds with flowers and elaborate leafy scrolls ...

Chinese blue and white tureen and cover, late 18th century, painted with pavilions in river landscape, with animal mask handles ...

Here's a special one ... I 'd truly love to own one of this kind ... a Chinese blue and white goblet and fixed cover, Vung Tau cargo, circa 1690 ...

English blue and white transferware ...tureen ...

Another , Dutch Delft blue and white teacaddy, mark of Mattheus van den Bogaert 1724, decorated with vases of flowers and a pagoda with birds ...

If you were thinking I am only talking about English and Dutch and of course the Chinese blue and white ... well here is a Russian factory with a long and royal history ...I have eyed this beautiful and classic ... Lomonosov Porecelin ... for as long as I can remember ... this here is their Cobalt net tea set ...

... can't have enough of the Lomonosov porcelin ...

Lo and behold ... their Cobalt Checks ... tea set ...


The Singing Garden series ... from Lomonosov porcelin ... please, I have to stop talking about these beauties ... can't have enough of them ... :)

Oh! Dearies ... hold your breath while I introduce you to the Polish Pottery ... Back in 2002 when I first saw these beautiful pieces at Dragers ...San Mateo ... California ... well what more do I say ... I had an electrifying moment ... wanted all they had ... Have you ever gotten that "she's nuts ... this lady" ... look from the sales staff ... hee-hee ... I actually enjoy, that look on their faces ... and then I coyley add ..." just a lil' self gifting"... :) Doesn't that sound like the nicesest thing ever said ... :D

.... Polish pottery is not influenced by the Chinese ... infact the inspiration is the beautiful peacock a lot of times and some times botanicals... just like the Indian Jaipur pottery ... you 'll find it in a few more colors too ... besides the blue and white ... but the blue and white are definite show stoppers ...

... here the peacock influence is more visible in the circular motifs ...

Here's an antique from Persia ... the Persian blue and white bottle vase ... the motif very middle eastern ...

Persian safavid blue and white plate ...

A medieval Islamic , Timurid Dynasty era ... Blue & White Ceramic Bowl ...

A Japanese blue and white ware bowl ... with distinct Japanese scene painted on the inside and out ...

I hadn't heard about the Vietmanese blue and white ware untill I started to look on this subject some time ago ... well heres,a collection that I too was amused to know, exists ..Hoi An Vietmanese Blue and white small boxes ... their description says ... hexagonal and circular form, painted with stylised foliage; and blue and white wine cups each decorated with a scrolling dragon chasing the flame pearl ... so little is known ... but well ... Vietnam has its own version of blue and white ...

A ginger jar with a pointed top ... scene painted is of children playing ...

Another beautiful pieces a blue and white Pinto Box ... these are truly and amazingly beautiful ...

This here is an antique reprodution of a low ginger jar ... with Chinese scroll ...

Typical , Jaipur pottery plate in blue and white ... though other colors are also used ...but the blue and white being so predominant ... I think... it qualifies in this category ...

A scene which can lighten your pocket a decent bit ... I wouldn't know where to start buying ... the plates ... the bowls ...the jars ... the vases ... Jaipur pottery ... addictive and adorable ... the influence is more Islamic and Indian rather than chinese ... as far as the motifs are concerned ...

I saw this picture and had to put it in this post ... I am sure all of you who enjoy porcelin ... pottery ... or just love collecting all the beautifull pieces ... will agree ... it would be difficult getting away from a beautiful shop like this ...

I am sure there are many more blue and white for me to discover ... hope, this tickles your curiosity as well ... to discover the beautiful world of Blue and White.

Images courtsey ...

image-1 ...www.1-bronze-ceramics-wood-gifts-decorative.com , image-2 , 3 ,4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ,11 , 12 , 14 , 24 , 25 ...thttp://www.chinese-porcelain-art.com , image - 13 ... www.antiquepotteryreatoration.com , image - 15 , 17 ... www.lomonosov-russia.com , image - 16 ,18 , 19 ... www.tmora.org , image - 20 , 23 ... www.polandforall.com , image - 21 ... www.thewoodward.com , image - 22 ... www.countryvillagebothell.com/shops/adspolishpottery , image - 26 ... www.ebay.com , image - 27 , 28 ... www.christies.com , image -29 , 30 , 31 ... www.1-bronze-ceramics-wood-gifts-decorative.com , image -32 , 33 ... www.ebay.com , image - 34 .... http://www.baxleystamps.com/litho/meiji