In mid April, I went outside with my camera determined to take some lovely spring photographs, only to discover that France had clearly not received the memo!
The weather was still rather grey, damp and not especially spring-like, but the garden was beginning to wake up all the same. That is one of the lovely things about this place. Even when the sky is doing its best to look miserable, something is usually flowering, climbing, sprouting or quietly getting on with the job of reminding us that a new season is on its way.
After the storm damage earlier in the year, it has been especially nice to see colour returning to the grounds. The trees are back in leaf, the stone walls are beginning to look softer again, and the roses have started to put on a proper show. Around the buildings, the pots and borders are filling out, and little by little the château is beginning to feel ready for the warmer months ahead.
Of course, spring here is not just about admiring the view. There is always work to be done. The fountain at the front of the château was emptied and cleared, which is not the most glamorous spring job, but it makes such a difference once it is done. With the château behind it and the trees coming back into leaf, the whole front of the house started to look much brighter again.
The recent Gardening Day was a lovely example of how much help makes a difference here. It brought people to the château to spend time in the grounds, help with some of the gardening jobs, and see a little more of what life at La Boutinière is really like. We are always grateful for that kind of support, because the garden is beautiful, but it is also enormous!
We have also been delighted to welcome Chateau Stay guests from much further afield. Recently, we had two separate bookings staying with us, one from New Zealand and one from Australia. Sitting down to breakfast with guests who have travelled such a long way to be here is quite something. It shows us that Château de la Boutinière is no longer just our rather ambitious French adventure. It is becoming a place that people are curious to visit, experience and enjoy for themselves.
Away from the château, Saint-Pierre-de-Maillé has also been looking beautiful. On a sunny day, the river, the bridge and the old stone houses make the village look like a postcard. It is one of the things we love most about this part of France. There is the work and activity of the château, and then just beyond the gates there are peaceful lanes, water, countryside and village life.
So although spring arrived rather reluctantly this year, it has arrived. The roses are blooming, the gardens are getting greener, visitors are coming from near and very far away, and the château is slowly moving into another busy and exciting season.
