Slow flowers in Luxembourg
Rooms & Blooms Kapenaker is located in a picturesque hamlet outside Luxembourg City. On its southern side, the holiday house opens onto a terrace leading into the garden, which was deliberately designed to be wild and “imperfect”, inspired by filmmaker Derek Jarman’s artist garden in Dungeness. In spring and summer, a sea of cosmos, zinnias, dahlias and peonies comes into bloom, interspersed with weeds and grasses – a slow flower farm for nature lovers committed to a more conscious approach to flowers. The owner introduces guests to the practice: flowers may be cut, arranged or sketched.
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A bold use of colour in Porto
Massarelos House is situated in Porto’s Massarelos district, between the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal and the Douro River. Amid the dense urban fabric, a terraced garden nestles against the ensemble of buildings. Magnolias bloom here, while orange and maple trees provide shade. Between a gently splashing fountain, a small plunge pool, steps, walls and various seating areas, lush vegetation unfolds. Inspired by the plants and blossoms in the garden, the motif continues inside the apartments through floral wallpapers, textiles and freshly arranged bouquets. Massarelos House embraces colour rather than restraint.
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Flowers for dessert
In the gardens of the regeneratively run Fowlescombe Farm in Devon, a richly layered ecosystem unfolds. In spring, calendula, borage and nasturtiums emerge alongside chive blossoms and purple toadflax. Catnip and comfrey bloom between the fruit trees, while tomatoes, kale and other vegetables grow nearby. Flowers find their way into salads and desserts or appear as garden-style bouquets on the long dining table in the greenhouse. With only ten suites, the atmosphere is intimate and shaped by the rhythm of farm life – with herb picking, yoga in the glasshouse and long afternoons spent arranging flowers.
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A cloister garden with pool
The courtyard of the historical winegrower’s house La Maison de Pommard is conceived as a kind of intimate cloister garden. Nestled among the vineyards of Burgundy and located directly beside the church square in the village of Pommard, a dense world of plants unfolds behind an old stone wall, with fruit trees, climbing roses and wisteria. A narrow stone path leads past lavishly planted beds of lavender, thistles, tulips and sage. At any time of day, guests can enjoy peace and tranquillity here – over breakfast on the veranda, reclining beside the pool or in the evening in the courtyard, surrounded by the scent of herb beds.
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“In the middle of nowhere”
In the vast landscape of the northern Altmark region, where the River Aland flows into the Elbe, Haus Birdy sits within a natural garden. Surrounded by meadows and groves, it settles quietly into the landscape. In summer, warm light falls across flowering perennials such as coneflowers, asters, hemp agrimony, agastache and feather grass. In autumn, mist hangs over the meadows behind the house in the early morning; deer emerge through the fog, an eagle circles overhead and cranes pass by. A spectacle of nature that can be quietly observed through the house’s large window.
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The long morning
Monte Piccolo is located on a south-facing hillside in Istria, affording sweeping views across the valley, vineyards and picturesque villages. One hundred ancient olive trees are scattered across the grounds, while flowering shrubs, wildflowers and grasses thrive in the fertile soil. Stairs lead from the terraces down to a natural pool embedded within dense vegetation. Calm and peaceful, this is a place where nature awakens all the senses and the day begins with an artfully arranged breakfast prepared using ingredients from the property’s own vegetable and herb garden.
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Later, the sea
An expansive garden filled with agaves, almond and olive trees surrounds Casa Penya Rotja, located in the east of Mallorca and far from the tourist trails. Seating areas are scattered throughout, birds chirp and a rooster crows. In spring, the scent of blossoming citrus trees fills the garden while bougainvillea glows in vivid colours. The traditional Majorcan stone house is full of character and opens on two sides onto a sun terrace and a covered veranda. One highlight is the blue hour on the roof terrace overlooking the sea.
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Leisure time in the hinterland
Amid the Euganean Hills, La Mugletta overlooks Monte Rosso. Quietly and effortlessly, it blends into the landscape. Spread across several levels, the varied garden unfolds with mature trees, wildflower meadows, perennials, shrubs and grasses – sometimes growing wildly, sometimes gently tamed. In spring, everything here is in bloom: apple, pear and cherry trees as well as berry bushes and herbs, while vegetables and garden plants such as pumpkins and courgettes grow in between. Slowing down is a guiding principle here – whether reclining in a deckchair, under the garden shower or while weeding and harvesting.
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Text: Christiane Weidemann
Photos: Travis Leery via unsplash.com (cover picture), Sebastian Persuric (Rooms & Blooms Kapenaker), Jesus Moraime & Martin Garcia Perez (Massarelos House), Jon Tonks (Fowlescombe Farm), James Retief (La Maison de Pommard), Frîa Hagen (das Birdy), Rob Geralerts (Monte Piccolo), Saskja Rosset (Casa Penya Rotja), Chap Achen & Jacopo Tonet (La Mugletta)
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