Samstag, 20. Januar 2018

DIY: Dreaming of brick walls

Dear readers,
I have been dreaming of brick walls since I first been on a vacation to Ireland. My host families´ house was built from brick, as were most of the other houses in their neighborhood. In the city centre of Dublin I saw more of these beautiful brick houses with the famous colorful doors. Blues, yellows, reds, looking so beautiful in combination with the colour of brick. 


A beautiful house in Salisbury, England. I love the colour of the door. I think it goes so well with the colour of the brick.

Only some years later, I went to Ireland again. That time I visited the countryside, spending some hours at the beautiful walled victorian garden at Kylemore Abbey. That´s when I realised, brick does not only look good with houses, but brick walls are the most wonderful backgrounds for plants. Is there a more romantic sight than a climbing rose climbing up an old brick wall? Here some examples in pictures:


Rosa Cecile Brünner at Treasurer´s House and Garden, England.


Rosa Zephirine Drouhin at Hever Castle, England.



Rosa Colcestria at Mottisfont Rose Garden, England.



Rose Garden Mottisfont Abbey, England.
Roses and brick at Sissinghurst Castle, England.


Roses and brick at Sissinghurst, England.



Not only does brick look lovely in combination with roses, but also with other plants.

Foxglove at Mompesson Garden, England.


Sweet peas at Mompesson Garden



As I am so in love with brick walls, you might imagine that I have long been wishing to have my       own brick wall. In summer 2017 when I moved to a new flat (my parent´s former flat), finally an opportunity to have my own brick wall came up. My flat´s terraces are divided from my neighbours´ terraces by greyish white walls. They look rather modern and I wished to have a more nostalgic background for my plants. And so I thought "Wouldn´t it look lovely if these walls were brick walls?" Once I had my brick wall idea, I couldn´ t put it out of my head any more. My parents were very unconvinced by my idea. My mum "But what if it does´t work and looks ugly in the end?!", my dad "It won´t work." No matter what they said, I had to try it. And so I started to make my own brick tiles from clay, fired them in the kiln and used some paint to make them look aged. I glued them to the wall and in the end grouted it. 




the self-made tiles
  






In the beginning




The result















snowdrops and brick






I had expected the project to be a lot of work, but not as much work as it finally turned out to be. It took me about two months. Luckily, the wall turned out the way I had imagined it and though it was a hell of work, it was worth it. I finally have my own brick wall! However, this is just one wall, and there are still three walls to go. What do you think? Do you like the wall? I can´t wait for spring and summer, when I can finally see roses and other plants climb up the wall! I´d love to know if you have some brick walls in your gardens and what you think about them?


Have a lovely day!
Best wishes,
Lisa

11 Kommentare:

  1. I am very impressed Lisa, you have done a brilliant job. Once they mature and your plants grow over it the wall will look as if it has always been there.
    I have stone walls in my garden, the Cotswolds is not an area that uses brick, but all of my previous properties were brick.

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    1. Dear Rosemary,
      thank you so much! I was on two vacations to England last year and I also visited the Cotswolds. It is such a lovely area! I love Cotswolds stone at least as much as brick! Cotswolds stone goes so well with plants I think! ( I visited Hidcote Garden and I really liked it). Our travel guide told us about Cotswolds stone. She said that all the houses in that area must be build with that kind of stone. This is maybe also why the houses and the landscape and everything fits together so nicely. In Austria, brick or stone walls are rarely seen and in most areas everyone can build with whatever materials they like. It is quite a mix- super modern houses next to very old ones. So every time when I visit England I am so amazed by all your beautiful buildings and how they fit the landscape so beautifully.
      Best wishes,
      Lisa

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  2. This is a magnificent wall. If you don't pan out I would think it is a huge brick wall. Your plants will look outstanding against this brick wall. This gives me all sorts of ideas. Here a I could purchase these bricks. They use them inside houses for decorative walls. Why not outside?? Well done!!

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    1. Thanks a lot, Lisa! You should totally give it a try in your garden! Here in Vienna we can also purchase them as they are also used for inside and outside walls. However, the ones for inside might not be frost resistant, at least that´s what I read.
      Best wishes,
      Lisa

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  3. So what do your parents think now? I think it looks fantastic, and even more so because you took it on and did it all by yourself.
    I would love a few walls, but everything around here is either white plastic or wood... far less interesting than high stone and brick walls.

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    1. Thank you for your kind comment! My parents are surprised at how well it worked out in the end. Now that it´s finished they like it too and think it was a good idea after all. Yes, walls are such great backgrounds for plants. I see your problem. In my garden in Vienna I only have one wall and the rest of the garden is surrounded by a very modern fence. I really don´t like the fence, but I can´t change it. Of course, an old wall would be a much nicer background for my plants. However, one can not have everything and I am truly happy to have a brick wall on my terrace. Maybe you too will find a possibility for some kind of wall in your garden after all.
      Best wishes,
      Lisa

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  4. Dear Lisa, I am stunned!!! It looks Just like the walls in Engeland. You have to grow some pink or salmon roses against the wall. And the terracotta pots are the same colour. Beautiful. I think you have to do the other walls to. I am fan!! Groetjes Hetty

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    1. Thank you, Hetty! I think I will go for some pink roses! One is already planted- rosa Caroline Testout.
      Best wishes,
      Lisa

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  5. I don’t know how the posts from the blog roll work. But thanks for trying to introduce me to your readers! Groetjes Hetty

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  6. I'm impressed that you made your bricks! I like the soft color. It'll look great with the roses climbing up it!

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    1. Thank you, Sweetbay! I can´t wait for the roses to climb up the wall!
      Best wishes,
      Lisa

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