round and round the garden

• Beautiful orange tulips with my favourite euphorbia griffithii [fireglow]. 
• Pie the little rascal, very protective of Miss Tit these days.
• Blocks of colour against the old wall. Too many really, Mum's been helping by weeding them out.

garden moodboard - april 2014

The extra days off over Easter proved perfect for the garden, we spent time outside tending to jobs that needed doing, and embarking on others we relished the thought of. I also took the time to walk round and look: see what we have, see where there might be room for more plant life in the future. We enjoy our garden so much, it's become a huge part of our lives. It seems odd to think back and remember so many years we spent without one. We slowly got a taste for plants, at first a few indoors, then a few in the communal courtyard of our old inner city flat, followed by a few more - till we urned for a real space of our own to plant and inhabit.

Every month I gather flowers and foliage from the garden and photograph them in the form of these moodboards: it's fun to look back, see how the seasons change, what was in flower when and most interestingly how long different plants last, which flowers overlap. 

Once again I'm joining Karin and Åsa in this series of monthly moodboards.

spending the weekend with these guys

Yes, the plants in the garden! It's been an exhausting week, work wise, and I can't think of anything I'd rather do than get out in the garden and potter. Of course we won't just do that, we never do, but we do plan to spend a fair bit of time out there. There is a veg bed to weed: a fence to plan, compost to turn, mulch to spread, plants to plant and a whole lot more. Plus of course family to see, it is Easter after all! Wishing you all a lovely long weekend doing a bit of whatever it is you fancy.

brighter in the garden

We've had such sunny days lately and I've managed to capture a little of our garden. We are feeling pretty positive about it at the moment, things seem to be taking shape and we are gradually tackling different areas: reining it in and gaining a little control (not total by any means) but it feels good to us.

lately

• the sun is still out on my way home
• looking up at London Liverpool Street station
• from the train
• an evening walk, near home
• geometric pavement, London
• mosaic in Pitfield Street, London
• art in Leonard Street, London

lately

• sunny mornings make me very happy
• coffee at Fitzbillies, just the way I like
• Hayloft plant catalogue has some beauties
• turquoise and grey are so good together
• Claire de Rouen books, is worth a visit
• aren't these tiles just perfect

[links to places I like, because I like them and want to share, nothing more]

place for a posy

If there is one place I can always find room for a posy, it's in the bathroom. We spend a fair amount of time in there after all, so it's nice to brighten things up with a few blooms from the garden, don't you think. 

some good places in cambridge and london

Last week, D and I enjoyed a little time off from work and hung out in Cambridge and London. I didn't manage to take many pictures, so I thought I'd share some links instead. 

In Cambridge

• see art and life at Kettles Yard
• taste good coffee and tortilla at Sticky Beaks
• feast on delicious bread and goodness at Aromi
• try Fitzbillies for more good coffee

and in London [in and around EC2 and N1]

• Artworlds is my kind of bookshop heaven
• SCP my favourite furniture store
• everything is nice in YCN store
• eat well at Ottolenghi in Islington
• I wish the Estorick Collection belonged to me!
• John Salt is a good place to unwind with a drink

PS I haven't been asked to mention these places, they are just places I like.

found in the press

I photographed my March garden moodboard over the weekend, as I packed away I decided to press a few of the flowers. I unscrewed the press to find these, from August 2013, you'll see them with a little more life and colour here.