Flowers, London and vegetables

 I've always wanted to go to the Chelsea Flower Show in London, and this year I finally did! 

DS's girlfriend and I talked about it over Christmas and a couple of months later she surprised me with tickets. It was such a fun Girls Day Out, and I took home plenty of inspiration, too.

You can not imagine the sheer number of magnificent flowers and beautiful garden designs that are on display at the CFS, and they all look as if they've been growing there forever. In reality, everything has been brought in and planted just a week prior. 

The displays were absolutely dazzling and extraordinary, and we saw the most amazing tulips, roses, and peonies, along with hundreds of other flower varieties.

 My favourites were the wildflower, herb garden and vegetable patch displays. I found it touching that humble plants, herbs and vegetables were as much celebrated as their famous and glamorous floral cousins.

Some of the main walkways were lined with artist's booths and tents with house or garden-related merchandise. 

DS's GF and I are both rabbits in the Chinese Zodiac,

and so we naturally identified with these "curious hare" sculptures by Irish Artist Donnachan Cahill:

Vegetable patch perfection

Outsized salt and pepper mills in the form of wooden chess pieces; a perfect gift for DS, who loves playing chess.

During the Chelsea Flower Show, so many shops, restaurants and hotels around Chelsea, Pimlico and Belgravia are decorated with stunningly beautiful, fun and charming flower displays. 

I could have filled the entire post with photos of these!

The coronation only took place a couple of weeks prior, so Union Jack buntings were still around in many places.

As always, I stayed in my favourite London "home away from home", the Number Sixteen Hotel in South Kensington. 

All rooms are decorated individually with different colour schemes. How fitting this stay's red, blue and white theme was for the post-coronation, Union Jack decked London streets!

I've toyed with the idea of a vegetable patch for a long time and, partly inspired by the CFS, decided to finally take the plunge. 

I'm lucky to have a friend with the greenest of thumbs who has been singing praises for a "potager" for the past two years on our Sunday walks with the dogs.

The starting point:

I loved all the different alliums at the CFS and, as luck had it, came across a field where hundreds of them were growing in the wild. 

I think that they make such a lovely backdrop against the wall. I would have liked to add a few more, but the field has since been ploughed, so there are none left. So glad for the few I've got!

In just over a week, my small plants have put on beautiful growth and started making the tiniest of peppers and tomatoes. Still waiting for the first sign of the courgettes and cucumbers; fingers crossed.

Fresh mint

I also held my first workshops in May and June, and they were so much fun. The hours went by far too quickly but were filled with joy, laughter and happiness. Everyone was fabulous and great, and really got into the swing of things!

Thanks so much again, ladies, and bravo for the beautiful things you made.  I  had the best time with you xx

What could be more satisfying than sitting at a table with a view of the new vegetable patch? I can't wait to pick our future dinner ingredients from there.

It's been a busy May and June ... a relaxing day by the beach is exactly what we all needed!

(Dress by LaDoubleJ and bag by Ortigia Sicilia. Isn't it great how the bag's lower design goes with the dress?)

Links to the products, places or companies mentioned above. As always, there is no affiliation, sponsorship or paid advertising. Just sharing things and places that bring me joy.

Chelsea Flower Show: rhs.org.uk/chelsea-flower-show

Dress (at the flower show): Artemis by La Double J here

Hare sculptures: Donnacha Cahill donnachacahill.com

Chess figurines salt and pepper mills: Millstone millstonemills.com

Number 16: https://www.firmdalehotels.com/hotels/london/number-sixteen/

Beach club: workshop-destinations.com/mediterranen-beach.html

Dress (at the beach) Sleeveless Big Dress by LaDoubleJ:  www.ladoublej.com/sleevelessbigdresscowgirl

Velvet bucket bag by Ortigia Sicilia: ortigiasicilia.com/velvet-bags

My workshop: https://maitaicollection.com/products/event