holloways

I have found myself at home again this weekend to celebrate my cousin's wedding. Today it was all hands on deck to help with flowers in the church over in the Herefordshire countryside. On our drive over mum and I stopped off at one of our favourite places, Holloways.

Holloways is an antique haven hidden away in the rolling hills of Worcestershire. But this place doesn't specialise in pictures, prints or jewels, instead it has one of the greatest collections of garden troughs, figurines and outdoor accents I have ever clapped eyes on. From C.S Lewis inspired lamp posts to old staddle stones, Holloways is the place to visit if you're looking to add a little whimsical style to your garden.

   

   

The mix is varied and all totally magical. Everything is kept outside and therefore exposed to the elements- so there's quite literally layers of history on each piece. Mum and I really liked the big old troughs. We have one by our front door which has been planted up and it's so big and heavy it'll always be part of home. 

   

These staddle stones are my favourite. We have four already but I think a fifth would be required. I'm not sure dad shares my opinion though. 

   

   

Wouldn't this tunnel be lovely in a rose garden? With your Sabrina goddess sitting quietly underneath and a fountain at the end it would make the most perfect arrangement in the right sized space. 

   

                

   

Next time you see that old stone urn or pot in the undergrowth, don't think about throwing it away as it's likely to be worth something and you may even be able to plant it up like this one here. 

We have all our fingers and toes crossed for sunny weather tomorrow for Fliss and Rob! 

L. 

columbia road flower market

Sunday was the best day for two reasons:

i. It wasn't the end of the weekend

ii. We finally went to Columbia Road Flower Market

The American is always pretty great and let's me drag him to antiques markets most of the time (he bought me two beautiful antique egg prints from Portobello Market and had them framed for my birththday) but he outdid himself this weekend when he suggested going to buy flowers in the East End. 

We attempted to wake up early and beat the crowd but quite frankly, it's not very easy to get to from Parsons Green. We arrived to a bustle of sounds and sights- at the top of the road was a jolly musical duo who played the soundtrack to our flower perusing and all around us were couples, families and tourists, all trying to get their hands on the floral prizes. 

   

I came here with one thing on my mind: to buy peonies. Luckily for me it's the beginning of the season and there were hundreds of them. 

                 

We slowly made our way down the road, squeezing past trolleys piled high with pot plants, Hidcote lavender and orchids. It seems that one side is for bedding plants and the other for fresh cut flowers. I wish I had a little garden in London so I could buy some lavender but that will just have to wait for now. 

   

   

   

   

   

Perfect bunches of sweet peas!

   

   

Orchids for a snip.

   

   

We both loved these lilac roses but only realised them when going through our snaps after. I think they would make perfect wedding flowers teamed with frothy white cow parsley. 

We scouted out the best deal for peonies and also spied some amazing bunches of roses- 20 for £6! It would have been rude not to. Peonies are a little pricey- five stems were stil £7 but this is still much cheaper than any florist shop I've been to. 

   

I just can't tell you how happy peonies make me! They are just so beautiful.

               

               

I've been told two things about this market: either get there very early to avoid the heaving crowds (it was very overwhelming and for someone who loves to faint in public, it was a little hairy..) or get there at the end of the day when the market boys slash the prices even more. I would also suggest, if anyone is getting married in London, to buy your flowers from here, it will save you so much money.

We both would have loved to have popped into the little bric-a-brac shops lining the road but found it a little too busy to get in. I imagine these shops are much quieter any other day of week. We spotted a lovely Ercol chair for £85. All it needed was some love and attention and it would have been fit to go. 

The market is open every Sunday of the year except Easter.

I hope you all had a lovely bank holiday and enjoyed the sun in its fleeting moments. 

L. 

the bluebell wood

This weekend I headed back home for a mini birthday celebration. We had a tea party, Colin the Caterpillar cake and dinner out- my favourite way to celebrate an early birthday.

Today, mum and I took the dogs for a walk across the farm and went to the wood to sea the bluebells. They always flower around my birthday- I've had parties in the wood and spent hours walking through the sea of blue. They may be a wild species but here, they grow in abundance. 

   

   

   

   

There has always been an old shepherd's hut here- once used for its original reason, once for storing bird feed and now it's empty, standing like a relic from the past. Mum rather fancies cleaning it up, giving it a lick of paint and having it in the garden as a shed. I think it should be made into a hideaway for reading and enjoying cool summer cordials. I'm not sure what the farmer would think about this though... 

   

   

Bella would just sleep in it, I'm sure. 

   

For my 9th birthday I had a treasure hunt across the farm. Mum and dad hid little gifts in the fields, the wood and under the trees. They wrote riddles to crack and lead us to the prizes- I think tennis balls were hidden here. Anyway, the afternoon started gloriously, with the sun beating down. We were driven out on the back of a tractor and trailer, all excited, but suddenly the heavens opened and my parents found themselves stuck in the middle of the farm with 20+ nine years olds running around in the pouring rain. The tractor got stuck in the mud and we had to be rescued and taken home to dry off and finish the party indoors. Dad quickly thought on his feet and we had one massive game of charades. It was one of the best birthdays ever and even now, friends talk about it. My parents will certainly never forget it! 

It's funny how places like this evoke so any memories. I shall always come back to the woods around my birthday to see this beautiful sight- and chuckle about that eventful party.

I hope you have all enjoyed the weekend, whether you've celebrated VE Day, run half marathons or simply relaxed with the dogs.

L.

points of interest

For those of you who know me, though it's fairly obvious, I am a little bit of an interior nerd. I get overly excited about glossy home magazines, spend hours curating my dream house and browsing sofas, beds and furnishings for that home I do not yet own. It's a curse, but also a blessing. I am a copywriter for Joss & Main and spend my entire day writing about beautiful products- so perhaps being this much of a geek aids me with my 9 to 5. 

I thought I'd do a fun little post this week and give you a snap shot of things that are inspiring me- from food and drink to homes and furnishings with a few random pieces thrown in for good measure. My brain is usually pretty organised but currently it is bursting with images that are making me go weak at the knees. 

So here they are- call it a snap-shot into my little world. 

Colours & accents:

How about eating a crisp salad with these bad boys? 

  

Or serving mezze from these totally beautiful plates and bowls? 

Calming colours for a kitchen, living room or bedroom that's on-trend and glowing. 

Simple and beautiful. I'm thinking getting my paints out again- I am sure they are covered in dust by now.

Copper and maps- a dream combo. So now, so great.

Kitchen & food:

It's my birthday next week- I am always after kitchenware. Surprise presents are most welcome. 

Seasonal salads in tea-cups? Genius! 

Simply a beautiful image.

Let's all get together for a dinner party- one of my favourite pastimes. I need a slightly large table for this to occur...hmmm.

And so to bed:

Dreaaaammm.

I could go on and on and bore you to death with images but perhaps just take a look at my Pinterest page for inspiration. I try to update it as often as possible- mostly during my lunch break or if I find myself in a coffee shop with my iPad. 

Have a lovely week - don't blow away!

L.