Willy De Wilde

Now there's a great sounding name, worthy of a blog post title.

Monsieur Willy De Wilde is the owner of Pépinière du Lac des Joncs, a quirky and beautiful nursery near Rouffignac, some 20 minutes drive from here.

This is a small specialist business, a micro-enterprise .

It was following a recent search for various perennials that I've re-discovered Pépinière Lac des Joncs. I'd first visited last summer when they were having a doors open day. A bit like a Fête with other stall holders selling rare plants, handi-crafts and such like. I was taken with just how beautiful the place was. The honey coloured stone buildings, the little gravel garden, the complete non -manicured feel to the whole place. 'Shabby chic' as the Chelsea set might put it.

I've visited twice this week. The first time was a little strange as no one was there. I mean nobody. Karen and I walked around the place completely on our own, occasionally shouting bonjour, but nothing. It felt a little odd so we left and decided to visit again last Thursday.



Now places like this always seem to throw up something that you don't usually find elsewhere. Apart from the many succulents, sedums, grasses and assorted perennials all propagated at the nursery, it was the large and comprehensive collection of Ivies which I found so interesting.



This is beautiful stuff, delicate too. Sure Ivy gets a bad press. The common hedera we all know scrambling up trees and ripping mortar out of walls, but not this. There was just so many varied types. Large and small leaved, arrowed, cordate or pinnate shaped, sizes and shapes in many hues of green. Variegated or not, all very desirable.



Doesn't it make a great table decoration. This iron candle holder was one of just a few, all with a réservé ticket attached to them.

It goes without saying that I walked away with an armful of Ivy that day. I've put it into terracotta pots and dotted it about the place.

One other thing, If I want more , nothing is easier to propagate, I'll have lots of it.