I'm wondering if it's a sign that I've finally reached middle-age when my idea of a good afternoon is wandering round other people's gardens looking at plants! So be it. It's been a gloriously warm and sunny weekend in London but halfway through Sunday morning we remembered that there was an open gardens afternoon in Petworth, Sussex, organised by the Red Cross to raise funds. Off we went and arrived a little early, so just had to repair to the pub in the square to sit it out. Anyway, you basically pay for your ticket, get your little map and off you go - like a grown-up treasure hunt. You can walk the entire 'course' which takes in a wide variety of privately owned gardens, from grand sweeping lawns and terraces with views over the downs and the Shimmings Valley, to tiny courtyard gardens bursting with colour and innovative planting schemes that make the most of the space. We got to wander down narrow alleys, peep behind old brick walls and discover lanes and higgledy piggledy houses and gardens that we never dreampt existed. I took rather a lot of photos too, so here are some to whet your appetite.
{A Rectory, Almshouses and the old School House}
{Lots of the gardens had separate vegetable plots...I loved this one with the box hedging}
{The smell in almost all the gardens was intoxicatingly sweet from all the old-fashioned roses}
{A poppy bud just about to burst}
{These frothy peonies reminded me of paper pom-poms}
{Most of the gardens sported a water feature of some kind, or other decorative elements designed to please the eye}
{A wealth of beautiful plants}
{I loved seeing all the different seating areas/styles - all designed to maximise views or create a special place to be still}
{This beautiful old house boasted the largest tree I think I've seen in a long time}
It was a wonderful afternoon, so thank you to all the lovely people who shared their gorgeous gardens with us. It's already in the diary for next year!
Just like the Lilac sugar recipe, this gorgeously fragrant syrup makes good use of things that are around us abundantly at this time of year. Growing in my back garden are two large, spreading, sprawling climbing roses in cream and damask yellow. They smell divine and the blooms although they flower for a fairly longish period, once they open they're only good for a few days before my garden is sprinkled with petal confetti. I always mourned the loss of these flower petals but here is a wonderful use for them...similarly rhubarb. Can't get enough of it, I love it stewed until just tender in a little sugar and cassis, then stirred into creamy greek yogurt, or accompanying a vanilla panacotta, or just piled high on it's own. This is a new use for it and one I'll be making and giving to friends!
You can even use it to make rhubarb/rose bellini's by adding it to prosecco, or pour over ice and add soda...it's up to you...it really is summer in a bottle....
It's very early on a summer's morning and I'm sitting in the garden, well before the rest of the household stirs. It's quiet and so very, very still. I've written about my love for early mornings here - although we want to be up and about by choice, not insomnia! Anyway, the air is cool and my early morning tea is hot and steaming and the birds are singing with delight as the sun edges its way into the new day. But I'm not alone. That old friend 'The To Do List' is ever present, trying to nudge its way rudely into my thoughts. Come on, the old friend urges; things to do, places to go, hurry, hurry, no time to stop. Hey! Who's in charge here? I'm stronger than my old friend and there's a rule that accompanies this first cup of tea and it's this; there's no planning, scheming, list making or worrying whilst drinking my first cup. This is my meandering, creative, daydreamy time, when I can indulge in crazy thoughts and ideas with no self-censoring. Just let it all unravel and follow wherever it wants to go.
It's important to build stand-still time into our lives. We are all so busy 'doing' that we need to consciously give ourselves the time to pause and slow down, to sit and loosen the noose of preoccupations, worries and responsibilities. We are all hostages to life's business to some degree; I have a full-time job, family and other responsibilities and for me, this morning cup of tea is when I can find some 'moodling' time; time to just sit and be. It's not exactly a classic meditation, but it does require your presence in the present, rather than thinking ahead about your day. So, here I am, sitting quietly, watching the widescreen of my mind, waiting to see what it brings me today.
When the sun is shining and you have a few hours free (and you're in striking distance of South West London) then you couldn't do better than head for Ham House on the banks of the Thames, just beyond Richmond. Built in the 17th century, it was the wife of Lord Lauderdale, Elizabeth Murray, who brought the gardens to life with a combination of hard work and vision. The National Trust now have custody of both the house and garden, and I have to say that whenever I visit it always feels like a house that was once a home. The kitchen gardens have now been restored, as has the French Parterre Garden and once you've been round the house and garden, you can have a wonderful stroll along the River Thames, either towards Teddington Lock or Richmond town.
I don't normally hanker after houses in the city, after all I live in one; but this one happens to be just around the corner to where I live and I certainly wouldn't mind swopping - it's the garden that really gets me...
What a beautiful space. I love the way the garden is reflected in the greens and creams used in the living space so that it flows seamlessly. One day....
I guess everyone dreams of a space they can call their own. Most of us can squirrel away a corner in our home and some of us are lucky enough to have a room all to ourselves. I don't wish to be greedy, but what I really want isn't a corner, or even a room tucked away at the other end of the house. I want a Shepherd's Hut. Used predominantly in the late 18th to mid 19th century, they were the temporary home of the Shepherd when the sheep were lambing or the flock was far from the farm. As the hut was never meant to be a permanent home they were pretty sparse inside. There was usually space for one man, his dog and the occasional orphaned lamb. There is also some evidence from surviving original huts that some had a stove built in too for warmth. Nowadays most people use them as an extra guest room, or glamping accommodation, but I would have it as my office and hideaway from the world. I'd have a wood burning stove, bunting, a squashy leather chair to read in, soft cashmere cushions and rugs underfoot. On top of the stove a kettle would boil merrily and tucked away
at the far end, my lap top and a few treasured possessions; a place to work, dream and hide.
I've always been drawn to the colour green; maybe it's it's supposed therapeutic qualities, or just because it draws out the colour of my eyes!! Whatever the reason, green has been a lifetime love of mine. I'm also fairly passionate about eating my greens; As a child I hated them, despite the fact that all our veg was home-grown in my Dad's allotment. Now I love the crunch of Savoy cabbage, the subtleties of spinach, and Kale is my new best friend, as you know from here. I've recently discovered that if you massage kale, yes, you heard that right. Massage. Ifyou massage kale it takes away it's bitterness and you can eat it in a salad....this is one I'm definitely going to try (because I have loooads of time to be massaging veg, right..) Recipe for kale salad with poppy seed dressing here.
Anyway, if you don't fancy that, here are some other super green recipes to help you on your way.
Petersham Nursery is a little oasis of calm, residing just off the Thames tow-path near Richmond. For many years it was the home of Australian chef Skye Gyngell, whose mediterranean food won the restaurant there a Michelin star in 2011. The nursery itself is a curious mix of plant and plate, vintage furniture and quirky terracotta pots, but there is an overwhelming feeling of love about the place; the plants look happy and the tearoom is always pretty busy, although I have to say that I've never seen anyone buy any of the furniture, beautiful tho' it is; maybe that's because it's astronomically expensive!
{huge old mirrors and Venetian glass candlesticks}
{succulents - at a price!}
Despite the prices, a wander round Petersham is a restorative experience. It's a peek into a lifestyle that I'd like to emulate; it's genteel and cultured. Once you've pottered around the nursery, you can then take a lovely walk across Petersham Meadows, which have now been donated to the National Trust, into Richmond itself, and then loop back on yourself along the river path to Ham House.
enjoying 'The Simple Things' with a coffee on Richmond Green//sweet little candy tin from favourite Italian deli//bubbles by candlelight in the garden
vapour trails over the house as dusk sets in...
beautiful pastels: hydrangea//gelati //
the beautiful newly 'refurbed' Italian Gardens in Kensington Gardens//
piles of pillowy merangues//slabs of Eton Mess cake//Kensington Gardens boat lake//
I know! I should have posted this yesterday, but a truly stressful past week and difficult start to this one has meant I'm lagging behind in the posts! Last week saw me return to school after the summer break whilst also dealing with some serious family illnesses, so, by the time the weekend came about I was more than ready for some down-time. Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!
Don't you just love a blowsy, overblown peony? I can't get enough of their full pink or white skirts, their buxom form is just a joy to look at! I know I've posted pics before but just can't resist showing you these!
The peony is named after Paeon, a student of Asclepius,the Greek God of medicine and healing. When Asclepius became jealous of his pupil Zeus saved Paeon from the wrath of Asclepius by turning him into the peony flower. The Peony is a close relative of Runuclus, another flower that I love, a smaller version, not so top-heavy I suppose, but just as captivating in it's own way.
If like me you live in the city, it's not always easy to find the space to grow things, whether that be flowers or food, but that doesn't mean it can't be done. I've found some ingenious ideas to help you create a herb garden. Herbs are a good safe bet for the most part, as the majority of herbs need very little looking after (the exception is Basil which I never seem to manage to keep alive for very long - I'm told they need gravelly soil). A few herb pots planted up imaginatively can make you feel very Nigella ish with relatively little outlay in terms of effort or money...who doesn't like to add fresh herbs to their dishes, wandering round the house or garden with a pair of kitchen scissors, snipping merrily!
There are many, many gorgeous pots out there that can be planted up with herbs - it's fine to mix and match plants in containers, BUT NEVER put mint in anything but it's own pot. It grows rapidly and takes over, spreading very quickly, so needs to be solitary and contained - don't say you haven't been warned...
You could try layering them like this planting - a smaller shallow bowl placed on top of a larger shallow bowl..
Or this...
layered effect herb garden. This would work equally well indoors.
Some of my favourite ideas however, are the ingenious, eclectic ones. How about using an old crate like this one
or plant in separate pots and group together for impact like this:
Check out these ideas - a great use for tin cans don't you think?
and Mason jars!
These ideas tho' are my favourites - for those with no outdoor space here are some fabulous ideas straight from the Summer edition of Sweet Paul Magazine.
Lovely pots to grow them in can be found again at good garden centres or on-line at Primrose Garden where they have a great range of different types of planters.
For tips on planting up your pot have a look at this
Then sit back and reap the rewards...happy gardening...
