Madam Arcati's Back-Yard
A showcase for the 'Gardens of Delargo Towers', and a new blog to share the odd bits and bobs in my virtual back-yard - together with a potpourri of bizarre random objets d'art from the dusty attic of my mind. There will be a good smattering of Divas gayness gorgeousness history and music on the way So follow me on my journey if you wish, leave comments if you can.
Thursday 29 February 2024
The Delargo Gardens - February
Tuesday 27 February 2024
Madam Arcati Cooks the Books #4; Claudia Roden CBE
Welcome back to the kitchen me dears. Today's delve into the Delargo Foundation Library's cookery book archive:
Claudia Roden CBE (née Douek; born 1936) - the Food of Spain; 1st edition 2011; my book is 2012
Claudia was born to a Syrian-Jewish family in Cairo; she studied in London to become a painter before she became engrossed by the stories and recipes of Britain’s expatriate Egyptian community. She then began researching the first of the dozens of award-winning books for which she is famous.
Her family descended from Jews who had been expelled from Spain in 1492 and her grandmother, Eugénie Alphandary, spoke an old Judeo-Spanish language called Ladino with her friends and relatives when Claudia lived in Egypt.
Wednesday 31 January 2024
The Delargo Gardens - January
He we are again me dears with the first garden post proper of 2024. Winter is far from over and I am sure we will have some casualties but the garden is starting to slowly awake.
That is about it for the highlights so lets start the tour of the grounds.
Monday 29 January 2024
Delargo Towers Fuchsia Fest 2023
Here we are me dears with the Delargo Towers annual Fuchsia Review of 2023.
Fuchsias always look fab and do so for such a long time, it is easy to take them a bit for granted. They often don't make it onto the blog as I try to show what is newly in flower each month through the seasons. They can be in flower from Spring to Autumn.
To make up for this every year we hold a 'Fuchsia Fest' here at 'Delargo Towers' to showcase our collection. This year we have the grand tally of 44 named varieties and will look at each Fuchsia in the collection in alphabetical order.
There are a lot to get through so with out any further ado, I declare the 'Delargo Towers Fuchsia Fest of 2023' well and truly open!
Abbe Farges
Alison Patricia
Arno Van Bree
Bella Mariska
Bella Rosella
Billy Green
Blue Pearl
Border Queen
Caroline
Celia Smedley
Cliantha
CJ Howlett
Dark Eyes
Deep Purple
Devonshire Dumpling
Edie Lester
Elfriede Ott
Foolke
Hazel Elizabeth
Holly's Beauty
Hot Coals
Italiano
Just Pat
Katrina Thompsen
Lady Boothby
Lady Isobel Barnett
Louise Nicholls
Millennium
Molesworth
Pink Fantasia
Pink Rain
Preston Guild
Quasar
Queen Mary
Raspberry
Rivendell
Rose of Castile
Royal Velvet
Sheila Crooks
Swingtime
Ting-a-Ling
Viva Ireland
Walz Jubelteen
R. I. P.
The Sadly Lost and Departed
Bella Lydia
Border Raider
Ed Lagarde
Eruption
RAF
Sophisticated Lady
Well there we are then me dears. Donny and I hope you have enjoyed the our little Fuchsias Festival. Please make your way to the Moët & Chandon tent for some well deserved refreshment
Roll on Spring, and shopping at the wonderfully grumpy Mr Baker's Fuchsia nursery in Essex. We are looking forward to seeing you back in the garden for more of the same in 2024
NB for Agnes Goldberg-DeWoofs
Wind resilient Fuchsia - fuchsia magellanica riccartonii growing wild on the Atlantic coast of Ireland.
Ttfn