If there were such a thing as a spirit flower, mine would probably be a peony (cf. header, above).
I adored Brian's "roses, dusk" post so much.
I bought this peony perfume oil from Long Winter Farm recently, and while it's a bit too strong for me to wear as perfume, I like to keep it in my pocket and give a sniff once in a while. It's such a pretty scent.
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Kate, thrillofthechaise.com, Sarah Dee, mackenzie, Jessica, sew nancy, Chuck, Caitlin Rose, Mandy, sara, MICHELLE, Rachel: Thanks for the comments! I agree, it's a beautiful shop.
mcmooatl: I'm not sure if you saw but Bicyclette replied to you: "Hi!- The bow belts are from Brave, a local Toronto company. They're not currently available on the website unfortunately, only in the shop!"
erica-knits: Ha, I knew you would!
Nome Alone: Thank you!
Juli: Ha! I have long ago stopped daydreaming about owning my own store...
Rizie: I know what you mean! I usually cut through the park on my bike.
miss bicyclette: Thanks for the reply!
Celine: Thanks, Celine! I know, neon everything is so cool, including NEON DEAN, haha.
in dreams: Yeah, check it out! I hope you'll like it. Funny you should ask about peonies given today's post... Have you ever tried the flower shops at Avenue Road and Davenport? There are four of them right next to each other and they usually have a pretty wide selection, depending on the season. I don't buy flowers too often, and I like to go to places like Coriander Girl when I do (local wildflower arrangements are my favourite!), but I'm not sure if she has peonies. And that is so funny about martial arts guy!
Your garden grows feral kittens?! Sounds amazing, I know, it probably is rather upsetting. You should see the roses in London now - they're boggling my mind and I'm usually fairly blase about anything in London. Some of my favourite flowers are weeds - behold the Devonshire rose (or as my dad insists on calling it, the Purbeck Weed) http://instaview.me/78900930/ It's the best shade of carmine pink I've seen in nature...
ReplyDeletereally loving this post!! definitely hope i can have a flower garden someday too.... so relaxing.
ReplyDeleteoh man, this post is about my dream life right now! i totally agree about peonies, they are the best flowers ever. like living fragrant nature pom poms! i bought 70 from a local grower for my bouquet and wedding in general this past weekend, even though it rained the whole day (almost), under the tent smelled amazing. i wish i could go for a flower and kitten walk, living in the ghetto makes that tough, all that grows around me are piles of trash in dumpsters. someday i'll have a wild garden like these i hope. thanks for being my garden walk!
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful - I've been so inspired by the gardens around me lately too!
ReplyDeleteI swear I've seen that cat in the fifth photo around our neighborhood. And Bloorcourt reminds me of California because of the variety of wild flora all around.
ReplyDeleteThese are absolutely sensational Anabela!
ReplyDeleteI'm obsessed with peonies too. Have to make the most of the season because it's so short. x
All of these flowers are so beautiful - I love it when things start bursting into bloom all around us!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Peonies are *just* starting to come out here in Vancouver - I can't wait!
ReplyDeleteBEAUTIFUL photos! i love the colors!
ReplyDeleteI was hoping you posted something today! I needed a little pastel prettiness in my life.
ReplyDeleteI love peonies, but our poor babies got obliterated by hail last week :( It's tragic, but ugh. Oh well.
really love how wild these all seem (that yard in photo #5 is incredible). the flowers are beautiful, but there's something about those deep greens that i particularly like...
ReplyDeleteThis has to be one of my most favourite post of yours!
ReplyDeleteYou really make our city look lovely.
These gardens are so beautiful, I especially enjoy the cats sprinkled throughout. I've passed a number of beautiful gardens lately on my apartment hunting/viewing strolls. I hope to find a lovely place in a neighbourhood with beautiful gardens like yours!
ReplyDeleteThese photos are so gorgeous. Lush gardens everywhere and great colours! I'm going on the Vancouver East Side garden tour this weekend. I hope I get some pics half as lovely as these. :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos, I love gardens that feel well-loved and nurtured, but mostly left to do as they damn well please :) These remind me of my parents' garden back in England
ReplyDeleteThis flower selection is incredible. Whatever that fourth one down is, I'd love to have all around my house.
ReplyDeletemmmmm. sometimes i walk around my neighbourhood and wonder at the beautiful blooms as well. it's the closest thing to magic i've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteWonderful pictures!!! It is funny you wrote this post because just this evening I was telling my husband I want to take walks through the neighborhood soon so we can get ideas for our front yard. I was walking earlier and noticing the most amazing little spots that when I drive by I never notice.
ReplyDeleteKittens, flowers and summer. I don't think it gets much better!
ReplyDeleteyour comment about weeds and feral cats describes my garden exactly...especially today as i had a strange cat wandering around!
ReplyDeletethese flowers are gorgeous!!! and i think i might have to look into that peony perfume...mmm!
Oh you're so right Toronto gardens are amazing! English gardens are full & nicely organized {planned out} but I remember walking around my old hood in T. {Leslieville} and finding the most gorgeous blooms in accidental places. {Sigh} I think I'm homesick. Ha! Lovely post.
ReplyDeleteawww what a pretty post. i love that you caught all of the kitties lounging around :)
ReplyDeletei love the first cat - looks like it has a little white bow tie :)
j`adore the photos! the garden & the flowers are just amazing! it`s quite easy to understand why you like to walk there :)
ReplyDeletethis is such a lovely post. ive been thinking about it ever since i saw it! :) makes me want to go around and capture the gardens in our neighborhood. ive been enjoying them every evening walk!
ReplyDeleteWah this is so like my walk home from the tube station/work. Beautiful roses and kittens on front doorsteps. Lovely! xx
ReplyDeletehaha, i must be psychic - this post is what i've been thinking about! thanks for the tip, i'm definitely going to check out those shops at avenue+davenport (and hope they're not too expensive). really, anything to stop me from stealing my neighbours flowers is probably worth it.
ReplyDeletei think i took a shot of the same flowers (no.11) you did when i ran around the neighbourhood, too! the colour is just unreal. i really love that poppy (no.4) - it's so delicate and punchy at the same time. plus, cats in gardens pretty much make the best subject matter ever.
how beautiful! i am longing for a garden of my own, thanks for sharing these photos to keep me dreaming :)
ReplyDeletePeony's are by far my favorite - their huge heads and soft faces transport me to another time...
ReplyDeleteLong Winter is terrific. Have you tried the campfire? I like to mix it with the peony for a more earthy scent.
ReplyDeleteLovely! Flowers are the heart of summer.
ReplyDeletewell, i really love my neighbourhood, but my neighbourhood doesn't have these kind of small gardens!!! i wish i could walk through those with my cameras... what a lovely place to live, anabela!! :) hugs, twiggs
ReplyDeleteI keep looking at these images wishing my garden looked like that - all blooming, pink and inviting. Alas, it does not.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful shots ... I think peonies would have to be up there with my favorite flowers.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful!
ReplyDeleteah it really feels like cats own the city, that's so rad, i love Canada for that! wonderful pictures too.
ReplyDeletei love your garden shots. i really need more flowers in my garden. every time i see peonies, i get so jealous that i don't have any of my own.
ReplyDeleteI've always loved the word 'peony'. Some people say pea-a-knees, but I like it pea-own-ies!
ReplyDeletejust the sort of thing i love.
ReplyDeletesuch gorgeous flowers!
ReplyDeleteIs it sad that I really want a garden full of kitties? And flowers I guess. Flowers are fine.
ReplyDeleteum, there is definitely such thing as a spirit flower!
ReplyDeleteLovely photos, you've totally captured how beautiful toronto is at the moment.
i have the worst green thumb imaginable. i wish that i could have a love garden one day but alas... that probably will never happen
ReplyDeleteamazing photos..so lovely the flowers
ReplyDeleteshare the feeling
visit <3
www.samecookiesdifferent.blogspot.com
gah! just had a spot of surgery so i missed this post but so nice to see this gorgeousness - totally brightened my day. i love your images, Anabela! reminds me of how i would drool over the lovely gardens i used to see walking around visiting relatives in dublin as a kid. thanks for sharing...
ReplyDeletespirit flowers, yes!! cats and flowers aplenty outside are what make me most happy right now.
ReplyDeleteWow these are stunning photos. Your blog is beautiful!
ReplyDeletebesitos,
rebecca
www.rebeccacaridad.com
I found your blog through the Lomography.com site and the post about favorite lomo photo blogs.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I was startled to see the picture of the first cat in your post. The gray with the big yellow eyes and white spot on chest.
About a month ago, my husband and I had to put down our 9-year-old cat who looks just like that feral in your post. Exactly. Down to the white spot on the chest and the lines on the tail.
It was a very happy surprise to come across. Beautiful pictures!
Sigh...your beautiful photos are making me long for Toronto. Good thing I am coming back in 2 weeks! It looks pretty lovely-lush over there.
ReplyDeleteBest, Sarah B
These photos are so clear and beautiful. I love the light!
ReplyDeletebeautiful! really, really lovely.
ReplyDelete