OOO
t

12/03/2008



DOORS

Jo from Higglety Pigglety reminded me that today was the day when bloggers from all over the world posted pictures of a door. Well the door above is my dream door, this is my fantasy hideaway, right by the sea. This door belongs to Prospect Cottage, which sits along a stretch of shingle beach in Dungeness, Kent. It is famous as being the garden of Derek Jarman, a painter, theatre designer and film-maker.

One of my ambitions in life is to have a seaside garden, I hope this becomes a reality?

'Charmed by the landscape, we decided to visit the old lighthouse. There's a beautiful fisherman's cottage there, and if ever it was for sale, I think I'd buy it. As we neared the cottage, black varnished with bright yellow window frames, we saw the green and white 'for sale' sign, the improbability of it made the purchase inescapable' - Derek Jarman.



This has to be one of my favourite books. Derek Jarman's Garden is the last book he ever wrote. It is his own record of how the garden evolved and life in Dungeness. Against all odds, Jarman made a breathtakingly beautiful garden in the most inhospitable of places.

I really love the photography in this book taken by Howard Sooley, he captures every season of the year from all angles.

Jo has asked if I have visited. Yes I have seen Prospect Cottage, J drove me down a year or so back and we drove past in the car. Properties down there are few and far between and I must say some look in disrepair. Some may say the area is pretty bleak, maybe so, but I definitely feel I have some connection to the place.

8 comments:

The Diva said...

Louise, thanks for visiting my blog. I love your photo of the fisherman's cottage by the sea. I think I would also like Jarman's book. It looks really beautiful from the cover. I hope you get to put your hands in the soil today.~~Dee

Joanna said...

Have you visited? I have always wanted to see his garden in real life. I grew up on a shingle beach, literally, mum was a windsurfer on the stony suffolk shores. So I love pebbles and seaside plants. Oh and captain rupert likes the flowers best the icing is a little too sweet for him, He rather devours primroses and I nearly have done left in the back garden. I have put them in the front garden and in the wine boxes I rescued from the dump along with some other finds I will have to keep for another post.

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

Love this man's unique garden!

The only shingle I can find in my garden is a bag of chipppings..

MX

Anonymous said...

It's somewhere I've always wanted to visit!
It's certainly a wonderful book. xx

Anonymous said...

Oh Louise, what a charming place! I like the simplicity that seems so apparent in your image. Makes the garden look almost effortless in spite of the inhospitable conditions!

VP said...

That's one of my favourite gardens, but sadly I've not visited it yet. One day...

Levin said...

what a gorgeous cottage. and the garden is beautiful too.
i hope your dream comes true for you.
l
x

shadows and clouds said...

i can understand you liking that door, the whole cottage looks so nice, would dream of having somewhere like that too!

i don't know derek jarman, but am very curious now to find out more about that book!