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teoriadocaos3 · 3 years

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"Sakura the tree that never bloomed."

This is an old story, going back centuries ago. The poetic legend takes place in ancient Japan, a period of continuous conflict, where bloody battles claimed lives incessantly. At that time, many Daimyō (Feudal Lords) and their Clans waged endless wars in search of power and glory. Many brave warriors, as well as ordinary people, lost their lives, turning the country into desolation and pain. Moments of peace were scarce. As soon as one war ended, another began.

However, there was a beautiful forest that not even war could touch. No army would dare reach that precious oasis of nature. Despite all the destruction caused around it, the small forest remained intact. The Forest was full of colorful, leafy trees that gave off delicate scents and comforted the tormented survivors of chaos. However, despite its indescribable beauty, among all the trees, there was one that never bloomed. Even though it showed itself to be alive, its bare branches were dry and colorless. Some strange magic seemed to have doomed her to live without the beauty and scent of the flower.

Because of its sad appearance, the tree remained isolated. In its shadow not even the grass grew. Not even the small animals that lived in the woods approached out of fear of some strange energy. Day after day, solitude was her only company.

However, one night a curious "Tennyo" (celestial nymph) visited the lonely tree. Moved by her silent sadness, the celestial nymph declared that she would help her become beautiful and radiant, making a tempting promise to the tree; she would use her power to create an enchantment that would allow her to feel what a human heart feels and, who knows, by experiencing true emotions, it would bloom again. Thanks to magic, she could become a plant or a human being, indistinctly, whenever she wished.

However, the spell would last twenty years. After that time, if she was still not able to awaken her vitality, the tree would die immediately.

Full of enthusiasm, the lone tree clung to the celestial nymph's proposal, thrilled with the idea of being able to assume human form. In an attempt to experience its emotions, the clumsy tree turned into a man, spending time in this new form.

But the beginning proved very difficult, all I saw in this new life was war, hatred and pain. Desolate, it turned into a tree again.

And so, months and years passed. The sad tree found nothing in the realm of men to help it progress. Until, one night, while he was in his human form, walking to a stream of crystal clear water, he saw a beautiful young woman refreshing herself on its banks.

Impressed by its graceful beauty, the tree, transformed into a man, approached. The young woman said to call Sakura and during the brief encounter she was kind and affable. In return, the tree-man helped her carry water to her house, which was nearby. On the way, they had a lively conversation about their future dreams, both lamenting the destruction the country was undergoing through successive wars.

In the middle of the matter, young Sakura asked her name. The tree simply replied, "Yohiro", which means "hope". The unusual couple proved to have a perfect harmony, becoming close friends.

At dawn, every day, the happy young people met to talk, sing, read poems and fantastic story books. The more time passed, the more they felt they wanted to be, side by side. And so the relationship was strengthened.

One day, Yohiro decided to confess his feelings to Sakura, as he could no longer keep it inside himself. Determined, he also told who he really was; a sad tree tormented by not being able to find its purpose in life that, very soon, would die for not being able to flower.

Shocked by Yohiro's sudden confession, Sakura remained silent.

But, the clock of time didn't stop for Yohiro, and the magic's 20-year deadline was about to be met. Turned into a tree again, he grew sad every day, thinking of his inevitable fate.

However, one afternoon, when Yohiro least expected it, young Sakura appeared in the woods. Embracing the tree with emotion, she also confessed her love. The beautiful girl didn't want anything bad to happen to her, much less, she could bear to see him die.

It was at that moment, that the celestial nymph reappeared, the tennyo demanded a decision from the couple, or Sakura remained human and said goodbye to Yohiro, or she would join him in the form of a tree.

Thinking about the decision she should make, the young woman looked around her and remembered with regret all the pain and suffering she had witnessed during all these years of war. She then chose to merge forever with Yohiro.

And, the miracle happened. The two became one. The sad tree of yore has finally blossomed.

Together, they became the Sakura tree “Cherry in Bloom”, the most beautiful in the forest. Since then, her sincere love has perfumed the fields and gardens during the Hanami that takes place in Spring all over Japan.

#sakura #true love #fairytale #legend

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wolfcha1k · 3 years

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As soon as I started practicing kisses I suddenly can't help adding them now lmao something fluffy and firey for you heathens. Still sfw content tho ofc. Based on the new fanart I did recently so some of it doesn't match the art in hindsight :"D I think now its just gonna be a new tradition to write something to go along with my pieces.

They were taking one of their occasional adventures away from the Betterman Farm, where they would hunker down in the wilderness for several days at a time. For a while, Guy and Eep would forget there was an entire world that they shared with other people; their family. It was just the two of them, hunting and foraging and seeing the beauty the land itself provided.

She knew her home was the Farm now but her heart would never deny she was always meant for the untamed wild where the sun stretched on forever. She wasn't sure why Guy had lead her towards the desert as an area for camp, it was hot and unspeakably dry during the day, sweltering even. Her entire life had been the dusty desert and the canyon with that awful cave as the only escape from the heat.

As dusk fell, Guy had only grinned at her. They'd set up camp not long after the daytime sun joined the many nighttime suns in the sky. The sight of how many slept above her still was awe striking. Guy skinned a boar they'd hunted together, something Eep wanted to teach Dawn about someday. She knew as much as Guy enjoyed his safer, more pampered life with the Bettermans, he was still that adventurous nomad born and raised. He lived for the thrill his skills provided him and how all his ideas saved him from many obstacles.

Eep watched the fire flicker and sway, it was still surprising how alive looked. She leaned her hands out to toast her palms, the desert chilled now the sun set. She didn’t understand that either, how such a mercilessly hot place can become so cold.

The embers glowed in her green eyes when she felt Guy touch her wrist. Eep turned to him, seeing the fire reflecting in his dark gaze. He was beautiful, one of the most wonderful things she ever saw even after everything he'd shown her.

"I got the boar skinned, just need help putting a skewer through it," Guy said, gesturing towards the beast. They had parked themselves by an oasis, giving Guy a way to wash off the blood from his hands.

Eep had offered to do it, blood never phased her but Guy insisted she just rest. In the meantime she had bathed in the spring, the sand and sweat on her uncomfortable before settling down by the fire to wait on her mate. She hadn't wanted to admit it but she felt rather tired after the long trek. Guy had his reasons for picking this place but he could be so strange and peculiar about it in a way she never understood.

Perhaps that was why she loved him so much. There was nobody else in the world like him, even if she could only count the amount of people she knew on both hands.

Eep stood up from her crouching position. "Sure, I'm starving," she exclaimed, eying the pig carcass greedily. "Are you absolutely certain we can't just - "

"No, you are not sinking your teeth into that thing without cooking it first," Guy scolded her, it was more akin to when Ugga was telling off her children for causing mischief. "You'll get sick. I need to bring you back to Grug in one piece or I'll be in pieces."

"Fineeeee," Eep compromised with a dramatic sigh, leaning her neck back before walking over to help her mate spear the pig.

Eep with Guy’s help, well, mostly Eep but she liked making him feel useful, carried the spitted animal towards the campfire and held it over it. Guy had crafted some little makeshift contraption with wood and rope he'd packed, so they could use a pulley system to rotate the roasting boar

The two took alternating shifts.

"It's funny," Eep couldn’t help but muse suddenly, taking in the view. The fire made the golden sandstone burn a brilliant red color, reminding her of amber.

"What's funny?" Guy asked from his post by the pig, rotating it with a careful eye so it cooked evenly.

"Well…" Eep leaned her elbow on her bent knee, her chin on her hand. "We met in a desert and you asked me to marry you in one too."

Guy tried hiding his smile by turning back to cooking but Eep saw it, perceptive as always. He pretended to ignore her narrow eyed look. "Funny how fate works," he quipped and heard Eep snort in a very unadulterated fashion.

"You planned this," Eep accused him and Guy finally was forced to face the music because the boar didn't need this much turning on the spit.

"Me? Plan things? You must be mistaken," Guy quipped, his tone betraying him. His grin was wide. "Okay, you got me. Happy anniversary, or have you forgotten?"

"As if I can forget the night I nearly dashed your brains out with a rock," she said with more fondness than any normal person should, jumping to her feet.

Guy held her hands, leaning forward to nuzzle his nose against hers. "Me either, you're a hard one to forget."

"Well, I did call you back."

"You did," he agreed before pouting. "Not my smoothest pick up line though."

"So you didn't tell every girl that line? 'If you survive, call me?'" Eep quoted, exposing her teeth in a teasing smirk.

"Nope, you were the first and only," Guy assured her, winking. "It worked."

"It did," she agreed back, shaking her head with a giggle. "So…" Eep began coyly, averting her eyes towards the landscape colored black in silhouette.

"So…?" Guy urged her, knowing that Eep didn't need the coaxing but somehow it had just become their thing.

"What if I did come with you that night," Eep asked him, turning back to bat her eyelashes at him. "I think this is the perfect spot to humor the thought." She gazed around the desert, the ground hard with stone, much like the one she had followed Guy's fire that night.

"Well for one, your dad would have killed me because I didn't know he was part of the equation yet," Guy replied, both joking and serious as he said it. "This little journey would have definitely been way more interesting though if I had stolen you away from him."

"Stolen me," she echoed with a laugh though her ears burned from a mixture of the fire and thought. There had been an obvious attraction and two teenagers journeying alone, well, it didn't take a Betterman to figure it out. "You make this sound scandalous, Guy."

"It's not now though so that means when you took my hand, I'd do this." He lifted her palm to his lips, gently kissing a scar that led down to the pulse point of her wrist.

"No, you wouldn't have," Eep teased him. "You were too scared of me to try it."

"I wouldn’t," he agreed. "But this is a fantasy so anything can happen."

"Okay," she amused him, letting Guy continue his little story.

Guy seemed to realize a dark implication in this what if and since it was a fantasy, he could change that. "The world isn't ending, I'm still a nomad but you're just a stir crazy teenage girl instead."

"I am a stir crazy teenage girl," Eep corrected him, leaning up on her toes to brush his cheek with her nose. "And I'll remind you everyday, babe."

"You make telling this story harder than it needs to be," Guy lamented in mock offense, drawing her closer to eye her down. Eep just grinned innocently. "Stop putting plot holes."

Eep just giggled, feeling him turn her hand over to kiss her knuckles and each finger delicately. It was like having a butterfly touch her skin.

"Fine, then what?"

"We'd run away together," he continued, looking up at her with loving eyes. "Somehow outsmart your dad because Sandy would totally have sniffed us out in the morning."

Eep smirked, fighting off a broad smile in her amusement. "Would you have fought him?"

"I mean…" Sure, it was a fantasy but he was also just stronger, bigger and scarier than Guy was. Besides, hindsight wasn't twenty twenty and this caveman was now a second father to him. As annoying and abrasive as Grug had been in all the time Guy knew him, he also had a begrudging respect and admiration for him too. "Maybe we'd just bring him along anyway, save us the trouble."

"Is the log ride magic now?" Eep asked him with a wicked grin. "Does it fly us to Tomorrow? I'm sure it could if dad kicked it hard enough for us."

Guy scoffed, "This is my fantasy so there is no log."

"Aw, you're no fun," she sniggered, lifting his hand to press his palm into her nose fondly. "The log brought us together."

"Yeah but in this story you already came with me," Guy reminded her with a gentle tug, taking her hand back to stroke his thumbs fondly over her knuckles.

Eep tried hard not to laugh again, blushing as well under the soft look he gave her. He smiled at her and she melted like ice. It was intimate and vulnerable, more so than anything they'd done in all the time proceeding to this moment.

"Alright," she murmured, stroking his chest after laying her palm flat against his heart. She fiddled with the seashells dangling around his neck, idly stroking his throat and felt him swallow. "Then what?"

"I'd show you the world and since there's no The End… we wouldn't rush through it. You know, actually do some sight seeing. Fall slowly in love with each beautiful thing I show you but never seems to compare to you." Eep couldn’t help the giddy giggle as he called her beautiful, beaming bright like a sun ray at his compliment. Guy's eyes almost glazed over as he gave the silly romantic escapade story more thought, he chuckled. "Your dad would ruin all our little moments though, so it's kinda hard."

"So even in this little I went with you story, dad still keeps us apart?" Eep pouted.

"Every story needs conflict," Guy teased her. "Dad was going to catch up eventually, family in tow. We were taking the scenic route, it was bound to happen, Eep."

Eep rolled her eyes at him, tugging Guy down so they could sit with their backs to the fire. She leaned her weight against his side, feeling Guy rest his arm behind her back. "I hope things start getting more romantic for us, Guy."

Guy pressed a kiss to her temple, grinning. "It does. After hauling our crazy family cross country, we find the sun hidden on a mountain."

Eep remembered Guy's mountain, two tall twin peaks that extended high above the sky, swathed in clouds and extending out to a meadow after climbing the outcrop. They were supposed to ride it to Tomorrow, joining it among the many sleeping suns above. "How are we going to ride it to Tomorrow if I'm your Tomorrow?"

"I'm retconning stuff, stop spoiling the story," Guy scolded her, just resting his head on hers, taking in her smokey wild scent. "I realize this sooner, because the sun isn't really attainable. We go after it but it just gets farther and farther away." He extended his hand out in a reaching gesture. This meant Guy was really getting into the story.

"Are you sad for awhile?" Eep inquired, absently hugging his bicep now that Guy no longer held her hands.

"For a bit," he admitted. "I mean, my parents said to follow the sun but you really can't but…" Guy paused and gazed fondly at his wife tucked into his side, body warm, familiar and supple.

"But…?"

"I found you, light led me to you. I realize this and tell you I love you after this little journey." Guy nuzzled her cheek with a blissful little sigh. "Also then we find the Bettermans and live happily ever after in their treehouse with the punch monkeys."

Eep poked him in the chest, not really the reaction he was expecting after that happy ending. "You can't just skip an entire chapter like that and tack 'the end!'"

Guy took her hand in both of his, cupping it tender in-between his palms. "It works when your dad tells stories," he joked.

"Well, that was before you started telling better stories," Eep exclaimed with a childish huff that was so her it made Guy muffle a laugh into her shoulder.

"Did you tell Grug that?"

"You know how dad is," she replied a bit more sheepishly this time. "Least everybody doesn't die at the end anymore."

"They don't," he agreed, gazing at her fondly once again. "He's getting better though, I like happy endings."

"I like happy endings. I like you," Eep added, cuddling herself cozy as a cat under his arm and against his chest. She listened to his heartbeat, soothed by the gentle thump.

Guy stroked her back, gentle as he rested his chin above her head. "Only like?" He murmured.

"Maybe if you don't rush your endings then I'll say something else," she told him, Guy feeling her lips as she spoke against his heart.

Guy hugged her, adjusting his position so he could tug his wife onto his lap. She immediately curled up there, warm and safe as he draped his arms around her like a cocoon. "What if there is no ending yet? I like leaving our story open ended, Eep."

He suddenly found himself on his back and he gave a soft oof in surprise. Eep leaned over him, hands braced above his head as she looked down at him. The firelight made her already bright red hair even more so, blazing like the sun with the dark shadows making her eyes and face seem more intense.

"Then… I guess I can accept that," she relented after several moments, a smile crossing her face. She pressed her forehead against his, nose touching his.

Guy's eyes fluttered closed, knowing the intimate implications of the gesture amongst her people. He felt her breath fan his face before something soft touched his lips.

Immediately he wrapped his arms around her, letting his palms gently stroke the strong muscles of her back as they flexed beneath them. He'd never tired of her, beautiful and feral as she was. There was a soft gasp against his lips and he gave a quiet little growl, pressing up to mold his body with hers.

He found his words despite wanting to just keep kissing her. The moment was too right to neglect however. It took a few long moments of trading kiss after kiss that Guy had an idea to put his lips to good use in a way he wouldn't need to stop. Trailing a few heated kisses down the soft slope of her neck, he mumbled, "Eep?"

She hummed, "Mhm?" It was hardly the most direct of words but he took it.

"You lit a fire in me when we met," Guy confessed though he knew it was obvious at this point. It was no secret despite the circumstances of their relationship's beginning, he'd been infatuated and found her cute. Scary habits despite that, of course. "And you were in my every thought since then, I really was hoping you'd call me, Eep."

"I really wanted to go with you," she said, pushing him away to graze a palm down his bicep, tracing a stripe fondly before finding his hand to lace their fingers together. Her touch singed him more than the embers behind him did from where he lay. "I just…"

"You came with me eventually though," he reminded her though found he needed to remind himself to focus when she lifted his hand to her lips to kiss his longer fingers. He closed his eyes, sighing. "You gave me something even better than any Tomorrow I thought I'd find out there."

"Even if you were a stupid boy?" She teased him through the haze, bracing her weight against his again. She still sometimes made fun of him for that but in the moment he hardly cared, caging her in his arms.

"Yes," he grunted, Guy would agree to anything she said right now so long as she kept touching him like this.

Their lips met again but she suddenly paused, her roaming hands no longer roaming. He huffed against her lips, confused and a bit frustrated that she stopped.

"Guy?" Eep murmured against his lips breathily.

"Mhm?" It wasn't an intelligible response but having Eep so close to him like this always rendered him a useless fool.

"Do you smell something burning?" Eep drew away, ignoring Guy's protesting whine as their lips no longer brushed.

"Just my love for you," he told her, sitting up with what he hoped was a winning smile.

Eep flared her nostrils at the smell and eyes widening looked past Guy towards their camp fire, having completely forgotten about the cooking boar during their recent activities.

"Guy, the boar is on fire," she exclaimed.

Guy in an instant scrambled to his feet to try salvaging their dinner. "Oh crap!" He ran for a waterskin and a blanket but to Eep it was probably a fruitless endeavor.

She was never much of a picky eater anyway. Sometimes some burning did a meal good, she thought, touching her lips with a grin.

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rainesims · 4 years

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OC Quiz ! :3

Name: Madison Lothario -- was Dent Age:28 Height: 5'11 Eye color: blue Pet peeves: deffo being ignored Hobbies/interests: erm karate, yoga, photography, modelling, reading. Special skills/abilities: i dont really know but i'm trained with fire arms, blackbelt in karate, flexible and mathmatically gifted. Like i'm really good at math. Insecurities: Not being good enough? Any phobias? losing my kids or dissapointing them Favorite movies: Casablanca Favorite TV shows: Murder she wrote. sorry not sorry Favorite books: Oh i have too many! My favourite ever is probably pride and predjudice but i've been reading the chronicles of narnia to the kids and thats been a fun read too. Roxxy keeps going in the wardrobes now trying to get to narnia ahah. Any pets? two, a pitbull called princess and a chihuahua from HELL called Killer. Killer is deffo the family guard dog. Nobody fucks with her. If a song played every time you walked into the room, what song would it be? erm ahah I dont even know Ive never thought about that ahaha. I want it to be something crazy like some music from kill bill or pulp fiction though ahah that would be pretty cool. What is your idea of perfect happiness? Being with my family. They are the most important thing in the world to me. What is your greatest fear? Dorian pissing off the wrong people and the kids paying for it, its farfetched but it could happen. you see it in movies all the time. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I'm too materialistic. I admit it. What is the trait you most deplore in others? Is being dicks a trait, ... no? okay then probably mean people i don't like people who are mean for the sake of being mean. Which living person do you most admire? erm. I honestly don't know. Elon Musk probably. What is your greatest extravagance? my house, cars, clothes. I live a pretty luxurious life. What is your current state of mind? I'm in a great state of mind. Never been better. but i'm always worried about Dorian and his work. What do you consider the most overrated virtue? The most overrated virtue? uhm. I dont think any virtue is particularly overrated. I think the world could stand to have more. On what occasion do you lie? I've had to lie to the cops so many times for Dorian. So when the cops and feds are sniffing around thats when i lie. What do you most dislike about your appearance? my jaw and nose dimples Which living person do you most despise? erm Dorians ex wife Donnatella. What is the quality you most like in a man? kindness What is the quality you most like in a woman? kindness too. Ahah Which words or phrases do you most overuse? I say "look" a lot, I cant think of anything else. I Used to call liberty a monkey and then it kind of spread to everything once, like i could just be making toast and it would pop and scare me and i'd call it a monkey. so theres that. What or who is the greatest love of your life? Dorian <3 When and where were you happiest? I'm happy everyday with my family, I love them so much. Each time I held my kids for the first time and my wedding day are winners though. Which talent would you most like to have? I'd love to speak another language. I tried learning Italian but apparently i'm not good at learning languages. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I wouldn't change myself. I'm at a stage in my life where i'm comfortable being me. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Getting my diploma in Economics with honors and becoming successful in the modelling industry. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? Thats a crazy question but I think i'd want to come back as a bird or something so I could fly anywhere Where would you most like to live? I'm happy in Oasis Springs but i'd love to live somewhere a little more quiet like willow creek to be honest. I love going there over christmas. What is your most treasured possession? The last photo i got with my dad before he died. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? When you know you're miserable but you don't see any way out so you don't even try. I really dont know thats a pretty deep question aha What is your favorite occupation? Modelling. Its so fun and I get to meet so many interesting people What is your most marked characteristic? I'm easy to open up to. What do you most value in your friends? Honestey and understanding Who are your favorite writers? Jane Austen, H.P lovecraft, Steven king, charlotte bronte, emily bronte Who is your hero of fiction? Elizabeth Bennett Which historical figure do you most identify with? I don't really identify with anyone is that sad? Who are your heroes in real life? Dorian, Dolly parton and Elon Musk. My kids are also my heroes <3 What are your favorite names? Liberty, Roxanne, Jimmy and Dorian because theyre my families names <3 also my dad Nixon but that also makes me think of president Nixon and I don't like him so much. What is it that you most dislike? Ignorance and pettiness. What is your greatest regret? That I didn't visit my dad more How would you like to die? I wouldn't ahah What is your motto? Carpe Diem its cliche but it got me where I am today

#sims4 #sims4stories #oc quiz

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superiordragonlorde · 5 years

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Don’t Forget Me

April 6: Sunset | Forget-Me-Not | Sunshine of Your Love by Cream

Here’s day 6 for @kiridekuweek2k19 . Hope you all enjoy!

Eijirou sat on the edge of his bed, chewing on a nail as his mind ran in circles. It was three in the morning and sleep had eluded him like a bar of soap in the shower as he’d tossed and turned in the large bed. The left side, which he was sitting on, was warm and messy, with the sheets thrown aside haphazardly, while the opposite end was cold and untouched. The mere sight of it made a hole rip open in the middle of Eijirou’s chest.

He stood, wincing at the creaking of mattress springs, and crept down the hallway. Peering into the living room, he could make out the dim silhouette of a body sleeping on the pull-out couch, curled under the blankets. A disembodied hand gripped Eijirou’s heart, digging its claws in deeper with every pained beat. He clenched his fist, nails biting into his palm.

The world had turned itself upside-down when a villain, going by the name Wasuregusa, had attacked Izuku while he had been out on patrol with one of his sidekicks. As soon as Eijirou had received the call that his husband was in the hospital, he had raced over and tore the place apart in his search. When he’d finally found him, instead of relieved hugs and tender kisses, he had been met with wide, terrified green eyes, and a hesitant voice that had stuttered, “I-I’m sorry, but... I don’t know you.”

Izuku’s sidekick, an anxious yet headstrong girl, had later relayed to Eijirou that while they were on patrol, the villain had tried to attack her. Izuku had shoved her aside and lured the villain away. When she had finally found him again, he’d been lying, unconscious in an alleyway, with a small, blue flower tucked behind his ear.

Forget-me-not, it had later been clarified.

About a week after, the villain had been apprehended, and Hitoshi had called Eijirou, asking to meet with him privately.

“Look, I’m not going to beat around the bush,” he had started, his standard eyebags darker and heavier than usual. “This isn’t looking too good. Midoriya’s going to be fine. The quirk doesn’t affect him physically in any way, but according to past records and Wasuregusa, it does affect him mentally. Wasuregusa’s quirk causes a specific form of amnesia, so there’s going to be some... things Midoriya won’t be able to remember.”

“Ok.” Eijirou had nodded, inhaling deeply to center himself as the news swirled around his brain like a hurricane. “Can he... Will his memories come back?”

Hitoshi had slowly shaken his head, looking mournful. “None of the other victim’s have shown signs of their memories returning, and Wasuregusa said that he hasn’t had any luck either.”

“What do you mean ‘he hasn’t had any luck’?” Eijirou had inquired cautiously.

The underground hero had sighed and shrugged. “Apparently, he doesn’t have a lot of control over his quirk, so sometimes it gets out of hand. He’s accidentally used it before on family, friends, and romantic partners. I guess, after seeing its consequences so many times, he’s on an open-ended vengeance spree. Y’know, the whole ‘if I can’t have it, no one can’ mindset.”

“Sure, but—” Eijirou had started, then swallowed before pushing on— “But what kind of memories is he taking away? What is Izuku not going to remember?”

Hitoshi had fallen quiet and he’d fiddled with the trademark scarf wrapped around his neck and looked as though the weight of the world had been shoved onto his shoulders. With another deep, heavy sigh, he’d looked straight into Eijirou’s fearful, red gaze and had quietly said one word that had shattered his heart and world: “You.”

Hitoshi had haltingly explained that Wasuregusa’s quirk made his victims forget about the people they were in love with, which had meant that Izuku would have absolutely no recollection of Eijirou. The very fact that he could be so easily taken out of his husband’s life made Eijirou want to curl under his bedcovers and never see the light of day again. Or run and scream until he’d reached the end of the world.

Two-and-a-half months had gone by since the earth-shattering incident, and Izuku was still no closer to recovering his memories.

Eijirou had tried everything he could think of to help stimulate any of his memories. He’d recreated their first date, took him to the place where they’d first kissed, reread his wedding vows, and when those didn’t work, showed him the videotape of their wedding. Izuku had only watched and listened with a distant, uncomfortable gaze and a slight downturn of his lips, even if he was smiling. So, Eijirou had tried with smaller, more trivial things, like cooking Izuku breakfast in the morning, making katsudon for dinner, and even buying him special hero memorabilia. Each loving action had been met with a bright, excited smile that was still dimmed with confusion, but it had given Eijirou hope. That was until he’d brought home a Red Riot hoodie.

Izuku had held it up, brow furrowed in deep concentration. Eijirou had found his heart rising from its new residence in his stomach, soaring at the chance of Izuku finally getting his memories back.

“Who’s this? I’ve never seen this hero before.”

His heart had crashed to his feet like Icarus and his melting wings.

Maybe things would have been easier if Eijirou had someone to turn to, someone who understood a small part of what he was going through, but he was alone, the only person erased from Izuku’s life. Every member of Class 1-A, even if they had only been a part of the group for a year, still had a place in Izuku’s memories, like pieces to a puzzle. Eijirou couldn’t help but think of himself as a small, insignificant corner piece. Sure the picture was incomplete, but it wasn’t blatantly obvious, like if a middle piece was taken out, like Katsuki, for example.

Eijirou had tried so hard not to be jealous, but it was a herculean feat. Especially when Izuku was so close and happy around his friends, but politely distant with him, his own husband. He would pick up Ochako, pat Shouto’s arm, hug Tenya, hold Tsuyu’s hand, and playfully push Katsuki’s shoulder; all with a beaming, joyous smile that Eijirou would have sacrificed everything for just to have aimed at him one more time. He felt like he was a lone survivor in the desert, and Izuku’s soft, gentle touch was an oasis he would never be able to find.

To make matters so much worse, he knew that it was only politeness and concern for another human being that made Izuku stay in the same apartment as Eijirou. Not to mention, Izuku’s friends had probably somehow managed to convince him to try and be with him, a person whom he had no memory of ever meeting, more or less marrying, and yet knew almost everything there was to know about him.

Eijirou bit his bottom lip and watched Izuku’s chest rise and fall for a few more moments. He gripped the corner of the wall with all of his strength, fighting against the suffocating urge to lay in the open space behind him, wrap his arms around his waist, and bury his nose into the soft, curly hair. He shook his head hard enough he was sure he heard his brain rattle and headed back to the empty bedroom. His mind scrambled desperately for a single idea that could trigger the forgotten memories. One slowly started to form and Eijirou grabbed it tightly with both hands, watching it grow between his fingers with hesitant excitement. It was a long shot, especially when nothing else had worked, but, he decided, it was worth a try.

Eijirou looked out over the pale sand and dark blue water of the beach with trepidation. Izuku stood beside him, rubbing his arm and looking at the vast space in mild confusion and caution. The space between them felt as though it could fit the entire ocean between them, despite the fact that they were close enough to reach out and hold hands.

Eijirou settled on walking through the sand instead, picking out the perfect spot to lay out the blanket tucked under his arm. Izuku timidly sat beside him, knees curled to his chest and arms wrapped around them. Eijirou’s heart constricted at the submissive posture. His mind unwillingly flashed back to the stuttering, anxious high schooler he had first met in Class 1-A. It was like they were strangers again, but only one of them knew any different.

“Do you remember this place?” he asked, head tilted as he watched Izuku with tentative hope.

He nodded slowly, gaze darkened with foreboding, like a man about to be interrogated for the second time that day. “Y-yeah, I, um, I came here, a lot, when I was a kid.” To train with All Might, was left unsaid. Izuku had told him about his quirk after they had been engaged, with twitchy fingers and fearful eyes, like the truth would mean the end of their relationship. Eijirou had kissed him as deeply as he could and held him close to his chest, loving and adoring the new part of Izuku he had just discovered.

“Did you ever come back as an adult?” he pushed, the hope flickering dangerously in his chest.

Izuku cringed like he was waiting for a final blow as he rested his chin on his knees. A long, heavy sigh slipped out of him. “No.”

The hope, with one last, staggering gasp, died, leaving a cold ember in its place. Eijirou held his head in his hands, his eyes growing hot and burning.

He had proposed to Izuku three years ago on this beach after he’d gotten a very tearful blessing from Ms. Midoriya. Her son’s reaction had been fairly similar, except he’d dragged Eijirou up from his knees, without even using One for All, to capture his new fiance’s lips. It had been a day Eijirou had thought would be unforgettable.

He hated how wrong he had been.

“I’m sorry,” Izuku murmured, causing Eijirou to look up. “I just... I can’t remember. I know we’re married. I mean, it explains this—” He held up his left hand, the metal band on his ring finger reflecting the sun’s dying light— “And everyone tries to tell me stories about you. They really like you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kacchan care about someone so much in my life! Well, I mean... I think I’ve seen him like that before, but it’s... it’s kind of fuzzy.”

Because I was there, Eijirou bitterly thought.

“I know that I’m supposed to love you,” Izuku continued on, the words rolling out of his mouth like boulders down a cliff. “And that we’re supposed to be happy together, but I just...” He sucked in a shaky breath and turned to pin Eijirou down with watery green eyes. “I just don’t know you.”

Eijirou sighed. “I know.”

“I’m really sorry,” Izuku whispered.

Eijirou shook his head. “This isn’t your fault, you don’t have anything you need to apologize for.”

“Kacchan seems to think otherwise,” Izuku admitted, a dry smile stretching his lips crookedly. “He told me that if I hadn’t been a self-sacrificing idiot, none of this would have happened.”

“You were trying to save your sidekick,” Eijirou argued, his mouth curling softly up. “And you always put other’s needs before your own, so that’s not really surprising. You’ve been like that since the day I met you, back when you punched that robot in the face, during entrance exam. You were trying to save Uraraka and— damn, that was the manliest thing I’d ever seen!”

A bark of laughter burst from Izuku. “Sorry—” He shook his head, waving a hand to disperse the sharp laugh— “It just still surprises me how much you seem to know and care about... me.” He swallowed and looked down at his hands. His lips moved and Eijirou held his breath to catch the quiet words. “I’m sorry I can’t love you back. You obviously deserve it.”

A dull numbness settled in Eijirou’s chest, like a cheap, knock-off brand of relief. “That’s ok.” A small part of him tried to stop the words coming out of his mouth, but they kept falling off his tongue. “I get it— Well, no, I... I guess I don’t get it. But, I know that you need to do whatever helps you. You give up so much of yourself for others, and that’s what makes you an amazing hero and friend.” He turned to face Izuku, forcing his mouth to morph into a comforting smile. “But, right now, you need to take care of you, and I’m just getting in the way of that by being a really crappy friend.

“I’m... I’m going to be completely honest with you, Izuku. I—” He paused, taking in a shuddering breath as his vision blurred with tears— “I don’t want to lose you. I wanted to help you get your memories back so you wouldn’t forget about me, b-but that just— I made you do things you weren’t even comfortable with, and you went along with them, because you’re— Dammit, you’re so fucking amazing and manly and—” Izuku laughed wetly, covering his mouth with a scarred hand. “Wh-what?”

“I’m so sorry,” he apologized. “Kaminari said that was a catchphrase of yours and I didn’t believe it until just now. This is the second time you’ve said it in less than five minutes.”

Eijirou flushed and a wobbly grin stretched across his face. “Do you like it?” The question slipped out before he could catch it.

Izuku’s smile tilted into something softer. “Yeah, I do. It... it makes me feel... I guess better? Stronger? I just... I don’t know, but I really like it.”

Eijirou was sure a knife had been plunged and twisted into his chest. “Izuku,” he breathed, voice trembling. “I don’t want this to freak you out, but... I love you, and I know that I’ll never stop loving you—” He reached down and grabbed Izuku’s hand— “ But I think, the best thing I can do for you right now is to step back and let you go.” He took the ring and slid it off with gentle fingers. It sat heavily in his hand like his entire world rested within it.

“I-if you want to,” he started, failing to keep his words steady and calm. “I’d... I’d really like to become friends, with you.” He glanced up to find Izuku staring at the ring in his hand, tears dripping down his face. Eijirou’s quickly brushed them away before he could second guess himself. “H-hey, hey, it’s ok—”

“Sorry, sorry,” Izuku sniffled, wiping his eyes. “I-I— I don’t know why I’m crying. I mean, I don’t even remember you giving me that, but...” His gaze sank back down to the ring. “I feel like I just gave up something really important, and... now I’ll never get it back.”

A twisted, painful smile pulled at Eijirou’s mouth. “You don’t have to worry about getting this back,” he swore. “I’m going to keep loving you, Izuku. This—” he held up the ring— “Is always going to be yours, even if you decide you don’t want it.

“I-I’m not going to lie, I want things to go back to the way they were, when we were married and happy together, but I would still be the happiest and luckiest man in the world if you and I were still able to be friends. Do— do you want to be?”

Izuku’s gaze flickered up to his and a soft, trembling smile lifted the corners of his lips. “Y-yeah, I’d... I’d like that, too. You’re a really cool guy, Kirishima. And very manly.” He giggled and Eijirou would have kissed him if things had been like what they once were. He would have kissed him, trailed his fingers through his green curls, stroked his freckled cheeks, and told him how beautiful he looked with the sunset’s rays caressing his face.

But he didn’t. Instead, he took a lesson he’d learned from Izuku when they were still in high school together. He gave the love of his life the biggest, brightest smile he could muster, even as his heart withered with an agonized cry.

Their silence was both companionable and foreign. If Eijirou let himself imagine the past two-and-a-half months had never happened, it would be almost like the evening they’d strolled together down the beach, a ring sitting lightly in his pocket as a promise for a wonderful future. But Izuku was too quiet, too fidgety, and too uncomfortable for it to be the same.

With jerky awkwardness, Izuku lightly patted Eijirou’s hand and stood. Eijirou scrambled up with him, feeling the end of a soothing lie looming over him. As soon as Izuku was gone, reality would come crashing around him, and Eijirou wasn’t sure if he could survive it.

“Well, I, um—” Izuku rocked on his feet, rubbing his arm again. “I guess, since we’re not really together anymore, I should stay here with my mom for the night.”

“We can still head back and call one of your friends along the way. I’m sure none of them would mind,” Eijirou offered, selfishly wishing for one last moment together with Izuku on the train ride back.

Izuku shook his head. “That’s ok, it’s getting late and I don’t want to bother any of them. Besides, it’s been a while since I’ve last visited my mom, so, I think this will be a nice surprise for her.”

It was an obvious excuse, and Eijirou felt a crushing weight slam down onto his already fragile heart. He nodded, forcing himself to stay true to his promise of letting Izuku go. “Ok, sure. I get that. Um, you have my number, so, if you ever want to hang out, just... y’know.”

Izuku huffed a soft chuckle. “Right.” He took a step back then hesitated, biting his bottom lip. “Hey, um, do you— do you mind texting me when you get home? Just so I, um, I know you got there safely?”

Eijirou’s wounded heart warmed despite the suffocating pressure crushing it to dust. His smile curled into something more genuine. “I will. Don’t worry.”

Izuku nodded, relief followed by mild confusion flashed across his eyes before he blinked and they disappeared. He took another step back, pointing his thumb in the general direction of his childhood home. “I-I guess I better, um, go... before it gets too late.”

“Yeah.” Eijirou smothered the longing that tried to slip into his voice. “That’s, uh, that’s a good idea. I, um, I’ll see you around?”

Izuku’s smile was a soft blanket that Eijirou’s heart quickly snatched and huddled underneath, savoring its warmth. “Yeah, I’ll see you later.” He took another step back and raised a hesitant hand to wave. “Bye, Kirishima.” He spun on his heel and hurriedly strode through the sand.

Eijirou watched his receding back, calling out a soft “bye” in return. He hoped it wasn’t a final farewell, but he couldn’t shake off the feeling that there was something that would forever be missing from his life. As soon as Izuku disappeared from sight, he looked back down at his palm where the ring still innocently sat, heavy, cold, and empty. He closed his fingers around it, tight enough to leave an imprint in his flesh, and collapsed onto the blanket, clutching his last piece of the past to his chest.

#kiridekuweek2k19 #kirideku #bnha #boku no hero academia #eijirou kirishima #izuku midoriya #hitoshi shinsou #my fic #my writing

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livingcorner · 3 years

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Garden landscaping ideas: how to plan and create your perfect garden@|how to do your garden@|https://ksassets.timeincuk.net/wp/uploads/sites/56/2017/06/1-Garden-Southern-p140.jpg@|21

Jennifer Ebert March 25, 2021 3:37 pm

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Re-designing your garden is an exciting prospect. Do you wish you had somewhere to sit, relax, entertain or let the children play? Maybe you are just a little bored and want a garden design that is more colourful, varied or maintenance friendly. Garden landscaping is the ideal way to craft an attractive space to grow plants that give you a beautiful environment and design a practical layout that allows you to use your garden how you want.

But where do you start? Take a look at our answers to common garden landscaping questions; whether its planning and budgeting, resourcing and building or aesthetic planting, our guide holds the key to the garden landscaping design of your dreams.

How do I start my garden design?

Landscaping ideas start with good research. Take inspiration by visiting garden centres, public gardens, annual garden shows, even other people’s houses to get a feel of what is to your taste. Take into account your garden size and think about what you need your garden to do for you. Then, take to the drawing board to sketch your ideas and make mood boards from magazines and Pinterest of your dream garden landscape.

See all of our garden ideas for an inspirational starting point

Elements to consider when first planning garden landscaping ideas

Walls and boundaries Hedges and fences Paths and patios Lawns Water features Zoning areas (dining, playing, shading) Planting: trees, shrubs, pots Lighting Out-buildings

Next consider your plot. Look at the size and shape and take into consideration the direction if faces, the style of your house it will be framing and the surrounding area. Achieving balance is a strong aspect of good garden design; pay equal attention to all areas and remember that plants and shrubs will change size and shape throughout the seasons.

Do you prefer formal or informal gardens? Formal gardens tend to be tidy and geometric with lots of straight lines and clipped hedges, whereas informal gardens are made up of organic curves and planting is much more relaxed.

Garden landscaping ideas

1. Go large to make a statement

Image credit: Butter Wakefield Garden Design/ The Society of Garden Designers

Take inspiration from Butter Wakefield’s winning garden to play with scales. In this small garden she uses oversize copper containers filled with a glorious mix of trees, shrubs and perennials to create an urban oasis. The planting is chosen specifically to attract wildlife in the space.

‘Plants include multi-stem birch trees underplanted with evergreen Ferns and spring flowering Crocus; beech balls with Erigeron daisies and Muehlenbeckia and shrubs and perennials including Syringa microphyllia ‘Red Pixie’, Euphorbia schillingii, Geranium pyrcenaicum ‘Bill Wallis’ & Cirsium rivulare ‘Blue Wonder’.’

For all your budgeting questions answered read: Garden landscaping costs – how much to pay for garden landscaping

2. Soften a sloping garden with grass steps

Image credit: Helen Elks-Smith MSGD/ The Society of Garden Designers

If your garden is on different levels but you’re not keen on hard landscaping severely breaking things up take inspiration from this garden by Helen Elks-Smith MSGD. Instead of incorporating stone steps, Helen has used grass treads, integrating them into the existing lawn to connect the lower patio to the small sun terrace above. Creating a softer approach to the flow, seamlessly journeying from one space to the other.

3. Pave the way

Image credit: Claire Lloyd Davies

The trend for creating garden zones is hugely popular, meaning the need for having a garden path is great. A link that unites the different areas is not only highly practical, it can also be visually appealing as this example demonstrates.

Without a pathway you’ll soon find that you tread an unsightly channel into the lawn – which will ruin all your hard work with the overall garden aesthetic.

Read more: Garden path ideas – curved and straight walkway designs in gravel, brick and stone for every budget

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4. Favour environmental choices

Image credit: Sue Townsend/ The Society of Garden Designers

If you’re concerned about the environmental impact of your garden and looking for ways to make it more sustainable, look no further than Sue Townsend’s ‘Samphire’ garden. The winner of the Beth Chatto Award for best Eco Garden, this garden demonstrates how you can create an oasis that can benefit the planet and which is bursting with texture and visual interest.

‘The coastal garden in Suffolk uses a rich palette of drought-tolerant planting including native seaside plants, grasses and Mediterranean shrubs surrounded by a stone mulch in different sizes and set amongst paving of locally reclaimed York Stone,’ explain The Society of Garden Designers.

‘Plants include verbena bonariensis, eryngiums, euphorbias, lavender, achillea, ballota, miscanthus nepalensis, pennisetum, verbena and thymus. Make sure you use permeable surfaces to allow water to be released naturally into the ground.’

5. Plant for privacy

Image credit: Lizzie Orme / Future PLC – Garden designed by TJG Gardens

In terms of the space, the owner of this garden wanted a rear terrace to catch the evening light and provide the perfect spot for entertaining. Laurel hedging planted alongside gives the new terrace an instant sense of privacy. The imposing rear garden wall was painted a natural green colour, to blend in with the greens provided by nature.

6. Create a flowering roof

Image credit: Stuart Craine MSGD/ The Society of Garden Designers

Green roofs, living roofs, vegetated roofs, — whatever you call them, planted roofs are sprouting up everywhere! The growing new trend can be home to an array of plants from grasses to flowers, as well as being the perfect way to bring biodiversity into your garden.

‘In his garden in north London, winner of the Planting Award, Stuart Craine MSGD has created a stunning sedum roof in pastel powdery pinks – adding a softness to the abundant greenery in the surrounding garden’ explain The Society Of Garden Designers. ‘You can create a green roof on any flat surface or unsightly roof – from bin stores to bike sheds, and if you’re not sure what to plant simply lay a ready-seeded wildflower turf.’

7. Hard landscape dedicated levels

Image credit: Mark Bolton

Use hard landscaping to make a feature of a sloping garden, allowing the incline to create dedicated, defined levels for different zones.

Allow the zones to take on very different purposes – from a dining area to a relaxing lounging zone that makes the most of garden shade ideas.

8. Stick to a simple scheme

Image credit: Colin Poole

‘Simple, elegant detailing is often the key to a successful space,’ says garden designer Robert Myers. ‘People often over-complicate design by putting too many ideas and patterns into a small space, making it look busy and fussy.’

9. Go hard on the detail

Image credit: Annaick Guitteny

There’s no shortage of hard landscaping styles, from rustic to sleek and modern. In general, hard landscaping tends to be the star of contemporary designs, and the range of materials for such spaces is more extensive – mirror, metal, concrete and painted walls, to name a few – but there is nothing to stop you using these in traditional herbaceous gardens. The trick is to create a single, homogenous design.

10. Recycle materials to enhance planting

Image credit: Lizzie Orme / Future PLC – Garden designed by TJG Gardens

Recycled whelk shells light up the ground underneath this Acer palmatum at the back of the garden. The owner wanted to make a feature of the tree, and to hide the dark soil beneath – and it really does work well!

11. Change the shape

Image credit: Future PLC

Create more space by breaking free of a symmetrical layout. It’s easy to think in straight lines when it comes to garden landscaping, especially when it comes to the flooring. Adding curved lines and elongated sections can help to soften the transition from hard landscaping to planting or lawn.

Think about reshaping the lawn to allow for a sweeping shaped decking to give the landscape an interesting shape, or going for completely grassless garden ideas like in this deck and gravel scheme.

How to landscape a garden

Image credit: Mark Bolton

In order to understand how to landscape a garden, we have to understand what it actually means. ‘Landscape design is just the outdoors version of interior design -albeit with rather different materials’ says expert Tabi Jackson Gee, founder of TJG Gardens. ‘The actual landscaping bit itself refers to any changes you’re making to your outdoor space – from creating new plant beds to building walls or terraces.’

‘Garden design can mean anything that’s to do with your outdoor space,’ Tabi goes on to explain. ‘With a basic understanding of architectural software (CAD) designers are able to draw up almost anything they want to create for a client – water features, feature walls, pathways, lighting designs, meadows, orchards, outdoor kitchens and so on.’

‘Both the hard landscaping and the soft landscaping (plants) need to be designed carefully to be functional and beautiful, and with budget, site and future uses all taken into consideration. Designers then work with landscaping contractors to make these ideas a reality. There’s so much that goes into the process which people don’t see – choosing the right materials, the right finishes, the right lighting and so all is all a skill that adds up to a beautiful garden.’

‘Most good designers can do both – you need an incredible amount of knowledge not just of plants but of materials, building practices, costs, supply chains – and it’s this knowledge which allows a designer to help a client get the most from their garden.’

The other side of garden design is of course the planting. And while that may sound obvious it’s far from easy and can end up costing you greatly if you don’t know what you’re doing. ‘Different plants thrive in different conditions from one garden to the next,’ Tabi explain.

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‘Soil health is really important to this too, and understanding this alone is what makes a garden designer such a help when you’re planning your outdoor space. How to space the plants, what grows well together, what suits the client’s lifestyle (e.g. low maintenance planting) – these are all factors that a designer will think about too.’

What landscaping materials will my garden need?

Select your materials with care and check the quantity and condition upon delivery.

Image credit: Colin Poole

Common landscaping materials are:

Bricks

Timber and decking

Paving and block paving

Aggregates and sand (check that the chemicals included are suitable for horticultural use)

Concrete, mortar and render

Damp proof membrane and landscaping fabric

Exterior paints and finishes

You’ll need to consider waste removal. There are two common methods; skip hire or muck away. Consult your local council and waste removal companies to find the most appropriate method or if hiring a professional to carry out your project talk to your contractor to establish whether clearance is included in their service.

Every construction project involves a fair degree of upheaval, so plan meticulously to smooth the way.

How do I keep the neighbours onside?

Inform neighbours every step of the way and double-check boundaries when erecting fencing and walls. Where dividing lines are shared, you must get their permission in writing.

How to I get rid of hard landscaping waste?

If you do not have access, ask neighbours or approach the local council if the area is public. Hire a skip for large amounts of soil, rubble and plants; expect to pay around £50-£200. You need a licence to put a skip on a public road; apply for this at your local council. Your landscaper can organise this for you; ask to see the permit. A landscaper will need to pay to use a commercial tip. If you tackle the project yourself, contact your local residential tip to see what it will take. Find out more at direct.gov.uk.

At this stage you should have realised whether your landscaping ideas will be a hands-on DIY job or a complete overhaul that will need the skills and labour of a professional landscape designer or tradesman that can do the work for you.

How do I landscape a garden the DIY route?

If you are tackling the job yourself, there are plenty of books, online guides or even short construction courses to help you get started. Most building materials (mentioned above) are easy to obtain from garden centres and builders merchants. Don’t overlook access points to your garden if materials are to be delivered and stored.

Image credit: Colin Poole

Also look into machinery hire – you may need a cement mixer or even a digger to prepare the ground. Off-the-peg materials such as bricks, blocks, slabs, timber are rectilinear and so are more straightforward and cost effective when building along straight lines. If your design is curved, use more flexible materials such as gravel, poured concrete or drystone techniques.

Related: Small garden ideas to make the most of a tiny space

Do I need planning permissions?

Planning restricts differ widely from one area to another. The answer is usually yes if you intend to build walls over 1m by a road and 2m elsewhere, or lay impermeable paving as part of your front garden ideas. For listed buildings and in conservation areas, you may need permission to remove and install hard landscaping.

For everyone else, outbuildings of up to 2.5m high are permitted beside the house, and those of 4m and taller need to be 2m away from the house. Decking and outbuildings must not take up more than 50 per cent of the garden.

Consult the planning department of your local council before going ahead, especially if you live near a Conservation Area. If planning permission is necessary your Planning Department will require an application together with fairly detailed plans and a fee. Find out more at www.gov.uk.

How long will my garden landscaping take?

This depends on the type of project. If you have the budget and are employing the professionals, they will give you a detailed time-frame and work-plan in their quote.

Image credit: David Giles

Working in stages can help with the cash-flow. Hard-landscaping should be completed first, if possible during winter months so the garden is ready for planting in the spring. Do not build walls or patio’s below 3 degrees as frost can weaken new concrete and mortar.

Which plants should I choose?

One of the simplest ways to transform your outdoor space, be it an urban garden or country garden is to invest in a scheme based around your plants. A good selection of flowers, trees and shrubs will create year round interest. Spend some time getting to know your soil and aspect in terms of sun, shade and exposure.

For structure invest in larger hedging and trees. For colour spend money on bedding plants and bulbs. Further research in books, garden centres and online will throw up so many planting suggestions. Potted flowers and plants are a great option for adding easy colour and the movability means you can change your design when the mood takes you. Be sure to plant them with plenty of drainage and water regularly.

Image credit: David Giles

The late, great garden designer Rosemary Verey once famously said, ‘True gardening is as much about the bones of a garden as it’s planting.’ Indeed, few outdoor schemes are complete without some form of hard landscaping. The materials used – from paving and aggregates to decking and decorative edging – will add texture, character and structure, leading the eye through the landscape.

While the best time to redesign your space is in winter when plants are dormant, looking at it in summer gives you the chance to really understand how you use the space. Or if you just want to add new surfaces, you can do so now and reap the rewards this summer.

Will you be using any of these garden landscaping ideas to create the space of your dreams?

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danithebookaholic-blog · 5 years

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REVIEWS! - ROMANCE

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Spring has sprung and Romance is in the air! With this weeks reviews you’ll find the following: some swoony, some funny, and some just short of the mark, but all are romances (in some essence of the word.)

So sit back, and take a look at this week’s romantic line-up:

📚Daphne Dubois’ Only the Beginning (2018 Contemporary Romance) 📚Leddy Harper’s The (Half) Truth (2019 New Adult College Romance) 📚Adriana Locke’s Tumble (2019 Romantic Comedy) 📚Elinor Lipman’s Good Riddance (2019 Women’s Fiction Rom-Com)

From one bookaholic to another, I hope I’ve helped you find your next fix. —Dani

Only the Beginning

By Daphne Dubois

Publication Date: April 25, 2018 Genre: Adult, Women’s Fiction Literature, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

After a heartbreaking betrayal, Melissa Legacy shuns romance. So when her best friend joins the Lovers Oasis website and fears her fiancé will find out, Melissa agrees to meet the anonymous Romeo, prepared to explain her friend’s change of heart—then she sees him.

Failing restaurant entrepreneur, Craig Wheaton hasn’t been home since his mother’s tragic death. Now he’s back to confront his demons and stand beside his brother as best man. Dreading the reunion, he agrees to meet his avatar lover, but at the last moment he reconsiders the arrangement—until he lays eyes on her.

When Craig assumes Melissa is his online consort, she impulsively plays along, resulting in an afternoon of unexpected intimacy. But with Melissa using her friend’s identity and Craig dealing with a family fallout, is a future together impossible, or will they discover that love at first sight is Only the Beginning?

Goodreads

Purchase:

Amazon / B&N / Kobo

Review:

Only the Beginning is a a cute romance that has just about every known romantic plot in it, including an Oh-sorry-to-have-run-into-you-knocking-you-to-the-ground / Love-at-first-sight-but-we-won’t-realize-it-until-the-end meet-cute. But don’t let these common romance novels antics dissuade you from picking Daphne Dubois book up!

While Only the Beginning may have all of those romance plots in it, Dubois did a wonderful job at making them all new and fresh rather than seeming old and dry. The constant change in perspective of the story line helps keep the reader in a constant state of wonder - reading to the breaking point of a change-of-events, only to have the next chapter begin from the other person’s point-of-view, and a few steps back. This constant flip-flop keeps the reader on their toes, transforming the escapades and tricks from the usual mundane to fun and flirty.

Craig and Melissa essentially meet because of an online messaging forum called Lovers’ Oasis. I feel like not many people are are logging into online forums to anonymously chat and hook-up anymore, so I did find to be a bit old and dated. (But then again, maybe that’s because I’m married, and I’m not experiencing this myself. Please tell me if I’m wrong…) But other than that dated feel to the book, I found Only the Beginning to be a pleasurable and easy romantic read that warmed the heart.

Dani's Score out of 5: 🍾🍾🍾🍾

The (Half) Truth

By Leddy Harper

Publication Date: February 19, 2019 Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, College, Romance

Synopsis:

Tatum Alexander is so close to realizing her dream of becoming a sous chef she can taste it, but working at her ex-fiancé’s restaurant with his new girlfriend was never in her career plan. To save face and prove she’s moved on, Tatum cooks up a lie that she’s in a relationship with her best friend’s superhot cousin. There’s just one problem: Jason only recently moved to town, and he has no idea they’re already “dating.”

Jason’s a recovering ladies’ man who shouldn’t be on the menu, but that doesn’t mean he’s immune to Tatum’s quirky charm. Giving her lie a kernel of truth, they decide some no-strings-attached fun between the sheets can’t hurt. But as Tatum’s forced to keep making up stories to cover her original fib, she has a hard time separating what’s real and what’s fake—including her feelings for Jason.

With too many tales spun, Tatum can only watch in horror as her collection of yarns begins to unravel, leaving everyone she cares about feeling betrayed. After so many lies, will it be too late to set the record straight? And more importantly, will she be able to convince Jason there’s truth in their love?

Purchase:

Amazon / B&N / IndieBound

Review:

Leddy Harper’s The (Half) Truth is a great read! It’s fun and quirky, awkward and romantic. By far one of my favorite (fun) romances I’ve read.

Harper has a way with picturing something in her head and making you see it just as clearly in your own mind with her beautiful imagery. Adjectives are great when used in moderation, and Harper shows the curve of a smile, the grass-green sparkle of an eye, and the trail of a finger so perfectly that you can see them; you can feel them.

Tatum Alexander’s extremely awkward way of handling stress gives this love story a breath of fresh air, making all of the serious life lessons something not to stress over but to sigh and laugh at. Add in Jason Watson’s womanizing history and change of heart and you have a recipe for a zesty and flirty rom-com! Fans of the more serious romance novels will enjoy it, too, though, with it’s real life heartache and life-altering decisions. And while it’s not overly done, the sex scenes are quite hot, too!

The (Half) Truth was entertaining and delightful. I found myself staying up until 2 am, and getting up a couple hours earlier just to read before life started. I found ways to squeeze reading it into every crack of my day because I couldn't wait to find out what Tatum would get herself into next and how Jason would help her laugh it off. And I cannot suggest it enough to anyone who needs a little laughter (and spice) added to their life.

Dani's Score out of 5: 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾

Tumble (A Dogwood Lane #1)

By Adriana Locke

Publication Date: February 26, 2019 Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Humor

Synopsis:

After being burned by her dream job in New York City, sports journalist Neely Kimber suddenly finds herself jobless and paying a long-overdue visit to her hometown in Tennessee. Her plan? Relax, reset, and head back up the corporate ladder. There’s just one unexpected step. Neely’s back in Dogwood Lane for barely a day when she sees the man she ran from nine years ago: the bad boy next door who was her first kiss, her first love, and her first heartbreak.

Devoted single dad Dane Madden knows he hurt Neely in the worst way. He’s got a lot to make up for. And as passionate as their reconnection is, it’s a lot to hope for. Having her back in his arms feels so right. But falling in love all over again with a woman who wants to live a world away is bound to go so wrong.

What’s it going to take for Neely to give him—and Dogwood Lane—just one more chance?

Purchase:

Amazon / B&N

Review:

Adriana' Locke’s Tumble is a cute southern romance with a lot of heart. But Neely Kimber and Dane Madden’s relationship reminded me a lot of Melanie and Jake’s relationship from Reese Witherspoon’s rom-com Sweet Home Alabama though.

While Neely and Dane aren’t husband and wife like Melanie and Jake, you still have a girl form NYC returning to her southern home and falling for her ex all over again. Granted Locke’s story involves a child, while Witherspoon’s did not, the similarities between the two stories felt too close for me to really feel like I was reading something new, and that was disappointing. What was even more disappointing for me was the fact that Tumble was so highly anticipated for the romance community, that I became very excited for it, but was let down in the end.

I won’t say that Locke’s story isn’t good, because it is. She writes extremely well and knows how to tell a story with beautiful imagery. Her characters were deeply developed, and played off of one another very well. Overall, the story of Neely and Dane is a good one, I just wish it would have been a little more unique.

Dani's Score out of 5: 🍾🍾🍾

Good Riddance

By Elinor Lipman

Publication Date: February 5, 2019 Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romance, Humor

Synopsis:

The delightful new romantic comedy from Elinor Lipman, in which one woman’s trash becomes another woman’s treasure, with deliriously entertaining results.

Daphne Maritch doesn't quite know what to make of the heavily annotated high school yearbook she inherits from her mother, who held this relic dear. Too dear. The late June Winter Maritch was the teacher to whom the class of '68 had dedicated its yearbook, and in turn she went on to attend every reunion, scribbling notes and observations after each one—not always charitably—and noting who overstepped boundaries of many kinds.

In a fit of decluttering (the yearbook did not, Daphne concluded, "spark joy"), she discards it when she moves to a small New York City apartment. But when it's found in the recycling bin by a busybody neighbor/documentary filmmaker, the yearbook's mysteries—not to mention her own family's—take on a whole new urgency, and Daphne finds herself entangled in a series of events both poignant and absurd.

Good Riddance is a pitch-perfect, whip-smart new novel from an "enchanting, infinitely witty yet serious, exceptionally intelligent, wholly original, and Austen-like stylist" (Washington Post).

Goodreads

Purchase:

Amazon / B&N / BAM / Kobo / Google Play / IndieBound

Review:

Good Riddance is one of those books that I can see being turned into a movie. Mae Whitman would play the part of Daphne, the MC. Rebel Wilson, the part of crazy-neighbor, Geneva. And Lucas Till would play the role of Jeremy? I don’t know, I’m still questioning the male lead role, but the ladies I could see playing these roles as plain as day, as if the parts were written for them. And seeing how (it seems) that author Elinor Lipman is such a big fan of the TV show Riverdale, I can see why she would want to write something that would maybe, eventually make it to the screen.

SIDE RANT: On the Riverdale note, I, too, am a fan of the show. I both liked and disliked the constant mention of the show and it’s characters, but for the life of me, I couldn’t place “Timmy” at all. So, I’ll admit, I did totally IMDB the show, looking for a “Timmy” which does not exist, but please, if you can figure out who “Timmy” is referring to, because it’s totally going to annoy me until I re-watch every single episode until I find him. Then, maybe, I’ll have Jeremy’s actor nailed down! END SIDE RANT.

However, that being said, I don’t think this novel should be made into a movie in the slightest. While I did find myself LOL-ing several times while reading, I often found myself either bored or annoyed. Daphne was too whiny (not a reflection of Mae Whitman, FYI), and I found the dynamic between Daphne and Geneva, and Daphne and Jeremy to be very out there (both of which usually make a good movie.)

On top of that, the story of “the yearbook” in question never really comes completely to fruition, and I felt that someone like Geneva never would have given up as easily (whether if that is to finish what she started or to just badger Daphne about it.)

Last note to make about this book is that while it is classified as a “romance,” I have a very hard time classifying it as such myself. “Humorous Literature?” Yes. But “Romance?” Definitely not. Yes, there is a love interest/relationship, several actually, but not in the “Literature Romance” sense. So if you’re looking for that, this is not your book. If you’re looking for something to LOL to, then this one will give your your chuckles.

Dani's Score out of 5: 🍾🍾🍾

Pair Them All With: Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

A fresh, juicy wine with vibrant acidity and plenty of weight and length on the palate. Ripe, tropical fruit flavor with passion fruit, melon, and grapefruit. Classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc aromas of lifted citrus, tropical fruit, and crushed herbs. Pairs brilliantly with fresh oysters, asparagus, lobster, or summer salads, and of course these romantic reads!

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