Chateau Neuvic Plant Fair

Karen and I spent yesterday morning wandering around the grounds of the very splendid Chateau de Neuvic just taking in the atmosphere and admiring the wonderful stalls at the annual Jardin en Fete. A perfect day.



You see, it's one thing to visit a good plant fair, but altogether another when it's held at a beautiful venue such as this.



There were so many good things to see. Proper 'plantspeople' selling really interesting stuff. Below is the very amicable Monsieur Willy de Wilde who owns the excellent Pépinière du Lac des Joncs which I blogged about previously here.



But what really grabbed me were the metal sculptures created by an English fella, Bill Carter, who for a number of years has been creating wonderful garden art by recycling old farm and garden tools.



The wild Boar above caught my eye initially. It's just so cleverly done. Look at the back leg, it's an old adjustable spanner. The backside, a shovel, and so on. Was that not a stroke of genius to stuff it full of pine cones? Of course it was!



The Cockerel above, head made from secateurs, chin from keys, tail from different sythes, oh and a garden fork.



I was particularly 'grabbed' by the Mayfly. So much so I bought it, that's it there clinging to the side of the old cattle barn. If you want to see more of Bills extraordinary work, click here.



Of course a celebration of plants includes many things derived from them. There was even a little spice stall which specialised in infusions of all sorts. Everything you'll ever need to prepare a Tisane or that special brew.

Yesterday was a good day, a really good day.