A Magical House & Garden

Garden Muse with Day Lillies - Acrylic on Canvas 24" x24" By Mary Maki Rae - 2009

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The two new Day Lillies, planted this spring - inspired this painting. What a joy each day to find these beautiful flowers in bloom. Their glowing Yellow color is like sunshine it's self-! They have a delightful presence indoors as well - and a delicate sweet scent. They are the first to be painted in my Muse's Headdress - then a Rose, Petunia, Pansy, and Dianthus - creating a profusion of Colors and flower shapes. Now on to the Bouquet - more Lillies for balance - lovely feather-like Cosmos leaves, and a soft green Butterfly. Next, I may add a pair of Chestnut-backed Chickadees. They're a Twosome that frequent our deck railing for their daily Birdseed and Water. A delight to observe-!
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Upon entry to "Cock Crow", in Dorset, Southwest of England, the House & Garden of John Stefanidis, you are suprised to discover that you are in what appears to be a walled garden enclosed on four sides by long, low buildings. There is a small orchard of mixed English Apple Trees, each trunk of which is encircled by clipped Hebe 'Rakaiensis'.

Deep in the Garden - an Enchanted Circle of Lime trees - On a Hot Summer Night - a table is set here for dinner.

I find the Wisteria quite seductive - more than one variety of Wisteria thrive on the Pergola in the Cutting Garden: Floribunda - Macrobotrys - & Floribunda Alba

The Turgenev (Russian Novelist) Forest of Pale Birch Trees, with Foxgloves swaying between

CLEMATIS: 'Florida sieboldii' - 'Duchess of Edinburgh' &'Slyvia Denny' - glimpsed thruough the clipped Yew

My favorite Room pictured in the Book is the "Indian Sitting room". It took it's name from it's Hot Pink sofas, Watercolors, and objects that reside there.
The brick walls are painted Off-White, but the Pink Sofas reflect light & Sun, turning them Pink.
There are no curtains, instead - neat fold-back shutters. On the tables: A Parade of Burmese wood figures, enormous Sea shells, and a collection of Silver boxes from Thailand. Also displayed on a table - a beautiful Pink Bougainvillea - who knew that they could be grown so beautifully in a Pot-?


THE BOOK: "Living by Design" Ideas for Interior and Gardens
By John Stefanidis Photos By Fritz von der Schulenburg - Rizzoli 1997
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John Stefanidis is an Oxford-educated, British Designer of International repute -
He epitomizes the French concept of "joie de vivre" - the enjoyment of all things that make life worth living-!!