Waiting on our new arrival of flowers which should have arrived yesterday but didn't so hoping they will be here today as we are so low. I'm often asked about the best part of my job which I can rattle off in a second (designing, teaching, writing) etc etc but the worst - suppliers! They tell you one thing which often translates to another thing. You plan, you plot you think you've nailed it when low and behold that shipment due in say yesterday turns out it hasn't even been made yet! Nice!
The new flowers will be in if not today then certainly early next week - mark my words, I will keep you posted as I know there are alot of you guys on the wait list, me included!
Anyways I thought if you don't mind we would talk gardens this morning. Its going to be a warm sunny weekend in London so I for one plan to be out there, digging, watering, planting which sounds pretty blissful no?
One of my pet peeves talking of gardens is the front one, neglected beyond belief I find. I guess its because we don't sit out in them so they don't get the same attention but I would say they are even more important as they are the first entry point into your own world, if you have one that is. If I didn't own an interiors store I would own a garden store because there is the hugest gap in the market, not just in pots and furniture and other gardeny stuff but also plants. I would sell all those plants that people sneer at like mile a minute (I am obsessed with the stuff, love its rambling crazy ways). It grows in an instant, has the prettiest flowers and is all twisted and tangled (not unlike my hair) and it climbs up anything even in shade!
When it comes to planting, I find if you restrict the colour palette it has way more impact. If everything is a different hue it will look a mess, rather if you restrict to a few beautiful hues it will have way more impact. I am drawn to box (I think from my days as a child walking around the grounds of Stately homes, pretending I was a princess). Even better in the winter when the wind is beating your face and its raining and you come in from a turn around the garden to a roaring fire and sip of something. Should have been born in a different era I reckon! Anyways a couple of box images to inspire. In my front garden I have planted balls of box at varying heights, a big fig tree in the middle and a hedge of yew. Donezo!
One of the things I neglected big time in this house in the early days was the impact of the back garden especially as we had taken out the back wall over two floors so we were forced if you like to look at it hours each day. I figured out quite early on that I couldn't just have stuff around the perimeter and I didn't want it all neat and tidy. I wanted it rambling I wanted it so you when you entered into it you couldn't quite see in front of you. Gardening like interiors takes time - we started with one tree, we now have 10! Bonkers maybe but now there is so much movement in the garden that I love it. No straight lines, lots of scented plants - jasmine, honeysuckle, lilac, herbs, lots of little seating areas if I could I would live outside all the time I would. Except its not practical and I have to work.
I leave you with a beautiful image to kick start your weekend have a lovely one. Off to Shoreditch House this eve to meet an old friend who for some crazy reason I haven't seen in years, time needs to slow down a bit.
Have a lovely weekend
