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Anyone for gardening? Just don't ask former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray!
Anyone for gardening? Just don't ask former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray!

Daily Mail​

time3 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Daily Mail​

Anyone for gardening? Just don't ask former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray!

Andy Murray and wife Kim have opened up about their love for gardening – although the retired tennis ace has admitted he is hopeless at it. The couple invited gardening supremo Monty Don to their luxury hotel Cromlix, in Dunblane, Perthshire, for a look and explained the work around the property has been inspired by Kim's own love for flowers and plant. But Sir Andy confessed: 'I'm definitely not green fingered and actually I don't even know what that means either. 'I'm assuming it is a gardening term that I should know.' The father-of-four left his wife in stitches with the comments but she later told Mr Don on BBC Gardners' World she aims to get him into gardening having just planted 6,000 tulips around their own estate. She added: 'He was not into art but I got him into art. 'And he noticed my tulips this year. 'Andy has more time in his hands now and he has a very curious mind so I think one day he'll get into it.' Mrs Murray said she was first invited to the Royal Chelsea Flower Show in 2013 when a hosta was named after her husband. She said: 'I was very excited to visit and I received a hosta named Andy Murray and I brought it home and I took great pride in planting it out and it got absolutely decimated by slugs really rapidly.' However, since then she has manged to oversee a kitchen garden at Cromlix which produces cut flowers for the house and ingredients for the kitchen and the bar.

Travel: This charming lakeside town in Switzerland is worth slowing down for
Travel: This charming lakeside town in Switzerland is worth slowing down for

Khaleej Times

time4 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Khaleej Times

Travel: This charming lakeside town in Switzerland is worth slowing down for

Come spring and it is time for sunny days, warmer temperatures, vibrant colours and of course floral blooms. Tulips, daffodils, wisteria and poppies herald the season often associated with rebirth, rejuvenation and regrowth. And mention the word tulips and it is not uncommon for one to immediately think of the Keukenhof gardens in Lisse, Netherlands which is a great tourist attraction during spring. However, if you are looking to enjoy these floral beauties without the crowds and the hassle of entry tickets, head over to Morges in Switzerland. An ideal place to visit in spring, Morges perched on the banks of Lake Geneva is the epitome of the quintessential Swiss charm. With views of the majestic Mount Blanc, the stunning vineyards of the La Côte region and the lush meadows of Parc Jura Vaudois, a regional nature park, Morges is a hidden gem in the Swiss canton of Vaud. Medieval heritage Morges is a port town that dates back to the 13th century having been founded by 1286 by Louis of Savoy. A beautiful town that allows you to explore and soak in its vibe at a leisurely pace, Morges is a great idea if you are an advocate of slow travel. Take a stroll along the well laid cobbled paths of the historical old town where you can catch a glimpse of the antiquated buildings, yesteryear fountains as well as the old town hall. The latter was the erstwhile centre of Morges' political life and has been standing tall since 1518. A classic example of Gothic architecture, the townhall building has been recently renovated to accommodate Escape 81 which is a dynamic exhibition space. It serves as a venue for exhibitions spanning art, culture and environment and is managed by the Office of Culture. Escape 81 is free of charge and open all around the year. The highlight of the old town is the Morges castle built in 1286 by Louis of Savoy and is the perfect example of the 'Savoyard square'. Today, it is an important cultural centre for the region and has been transformed into a military museum. Spread across multiple levels, the museum houses the Artillery Museum displaying an array of firearms, gun carriages, rifles, officer uniforms and scale models of the Swiss artillery. The complex also has the Swiss Museum of Historical Figurines and the Museum of the Vaud Gendarmerie. From the cellars to the rampart walk, the castle's five floors tell the story of Swiss military and defence history from different perspectives, right from the Middle Ages to the present day and forms for an interesting visit. Further, there is also a gallery dedicated to Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941) who was a famous Polish pianist and a resident of Morges. Annual flower festivals Arguably the most important event in Morges' calendar is the tulip festival (Fête de la Tulipe) that is held in the verdant grounds of Parc de l'Indépendance, which is a park in the town. A yearly affair since 1971, the festival in its 55th edition showcased a riot of colour with close to 150,000 flowers across 350 varieties in full bloom. There are information boards pertaining to the tulip varieties including facts like the name, its flowering period, size etc., which makes the festival engaging. The festival which happens from March to May each year is free for visitors. Further, the festival also features several events including treasure hunts, workshops like origami for children, music concerts and floral workshops. As part of the exhibition, there are special displays including those of stone sculptures, paintings etc. Tulip bulbs are on sale after the festival. The tulip festival is organised by the Morges Fleur du Léman association and once the tulip season is over, the town gears for its annual Dahlia festival that takes place between July and October. Tracing the footsteps of Audrey Hepburn It is a revelation to note that famous British actress and fashion icon, Audrey Hepburn spent a large part of her life in in Tolochenaz, near Morges. Tolochenaz is a quaint village just under 10 km from Morges and it is here that the Roman Holiday actress spent three decades of her life away from the media glare and paparazzi. She also served as a goodwill ambassador for the Unicef from 1988 until her death. As you approach the town, one can spot street art mostly inspired by the renowned artist although there is no documentation supporting the same. Hepburn was married at Morges town hall before she moved to Tolochenaz where she purchased her sprawling abode named La Paisible. She lived here with her family including her two sons until her death in 1993. While you cannot visit her house, you can see the small yet pretty town square where her bust has been installed. This bronze hued bust has been donated by her sons in 2012 and is often surrounded by her favourite flowers including roses. You can also visit the church of Tolochenaz where her funeral was held. Go to the Tolochenaz cemetery for a view of her unpretentious grave set amidst those of the other residents of the village. With her name and a bunch of flowers surrounding it, the humble grave is rather surreal given that she was such a huge star. Perhaps it is a reflection and a symbol of the simple life the actress craved all along. It is key to note that every summer there is an exhibition dedicated to the life and times of the talented actress at Escape 81 gallery in Morges which is curated by the Expo Foundation Bolle.

Warm weather means P.E.I.'s Belfast Tulips are blooming earlier than usual
Warm weather means P.E.I.'s Belfast Tulips are blooming earlier than usual

CBC

time13-05-2025

  • Business
  • CBC

Warm weather means P.E.I.'s Belfast Tulips are blooming earlier than usual

Belfast Tulips U-pick set to open for 5th season this week, with a bigger field than 2025 Belfast Tulips is getting ready to open a week sooner than expected after an early spring led to its first tulips being ready to bloom. The U-pick tulip field in eastern P.E.I. that has become known as a seasonal photographer's heaven is set to open to visitors this Friday, seven days before its previously planned opening date of May 23. Trisha Viaene, who does the marketing for the family-owned operation, said she's looking forward to their fifth season kicking off on the long weekend. "It's bigger and we get better every year," she told CBC News. Belfast Tulips started in 2020 with two acres of U-pick flowers grown from bulbs, and this year they've expanded to four and a half acres, located between Lower Newtown and Eldon in southeastern P.E.I. Viaene said there are three growing stages in tulips, and picking them earlier in the blooming season has its advantages. "You got buds, you got early flower, then you got the full bloom, so we're seeing buds with a little bit of early flowers coming in now," she said. "There's a lot of advantages. One is, like, you get the first pick of the crop, and... they're going to last you a long time." Rotating them through the fridge She said past patrons have some tricks for extending their cut tulips' lives. "They'll leave them in the fridge, so they're able to actually enjoy their tulips for a much longer period of time. We did have somebody tell us before that they had their tulips last like a month and a half, by kind of just rotating out their bunches, so that's a big bonus [for] coming now." The U-pick tulips are sold by the bucket, with each bucket provided to pickers holding up to 100 stems for people to break down into smaller arrangements for different rooms or for sharing. As for colours, Viaene said they have "the whole rainbow" across all of their fields — almost. "You're going to see everything there except for blue; blue is not really a natural flower colour... but you'll see honestly every colour there, including some mixed-colour tulips," she said. "A lot of people enjoy getting that perfect Instagram photo or getting family photos in there." The operation's Facebook page says the first weekend it's open will be best for those interested in picking tulips that will last longer, with the field between 30 and 50 per cent in bloom. The second weekend is best for photos, with 65 to 80 per cent of the flowers in bloom. And the third weekend will offer people their last chance to visit the remaining full blooms. Belfast Tulips also programs events around the tulips' high season, such as a paint night on May 30, a vendors' market on May 31, and yoga sessions in the tulip field. "There's a lot of different things you can do," Viaene said, adding: "You can bring your animals in too as long as they're on leash. "It's kind of just a great family or friend day out in the fields in springtime."

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