The Cockroach: Made from waste

Usually at Grand Designs there’s something a bit left field, and often I find myself wandering around trying to work out where and what it is. Often though, it’s something you’re really not expecting, which was definitely true at last year’s show. I mean, even if you’d seen The Cockroach in the programme, without a further explanation you’d have been none the wiser, and may even have given it a wide berth, just in case it really was cockroaches.

I don’t expect you’d have been expecting, this I certainly wasn’t - and just in case - approached with care.

And while it was colourful, and fascinating, I didn’t need to worry.

It’s a solar powered, pedal powered vehicle for two which the board says is “capable of transporting two people in comfort over large distances” which I’m less sure about. It doesn’t scream comfort, or even something for long journeys to me, even if i wasn’t pedalling.

It’s very inventive though, and shocking too. Or perhaps less shocking really, which is shocking in itself isn’t it?

It’s made from waste collected across London including old bikes, for sale signs, mobility scooter batteries, pipes and leftovers from last year’s show. There’s even somewhere to store your provisions.

And with provisions, of course you need a kitchen…

There was a loo too, but it was mostly a pipe to a bucket, so definitely not one for the Loo Series.

While I’m not sure it will catch on as a vehicle, it’s clear what should catch on is how we deal with our waste responsibly.

Concrete wash basins at Chai Ki

After our trip around Canary Wharf admiring the lit up trees and other installations as part of this year’s Winter Lights, we needed feeding. And watering. This year, learning from our last visit, we’d planned ahead and booked at table. MOH chose Chai Ki a restaurant neither of us have been to before, and one that serves “modern Indian fare” and as it turned out, great decor too.

And with great decor - and good food - I was hopeful for the loos. I wasn’t disappointed.

They had a modern feel to them, with concrete grey and an unusually-for-a-ladies-loo blue scheme for the decor, and had a kind of railway carriage feel too. I’m not quite sure what makes me think that, and I can’t quite describe it, perhaps my brain works in a mysterious way (no need to answer that), or maybe there’s something in it.

The blue on the doors continued through onto the tiles which had a less than uniform feel to them, in direct contrast to the symmetry of sinks and mirrors above them. The soap dispensers too, added a touch of personality, and have quite obviously been chosen for the detail they add.

Actually, I think it’s the mirrors that have prompted the railway carriage feel - either way, they’re pretty stylish aren’t they? I think that’s enhanced by repeating them along the wall, not something that many of us have the luxury to do at home though.

So, this is quite possibly the first Indian loo in the series, what did you think?

The Silent Pool Gin Garden at Chelsea

Now I’m sure you won’t be surprised that I stopped by this garden, but like me you’re probably wondering why it’s taken until now - and during dry January at that - to share it here. And for the record, my January hasn’t been dry, as the meme goes I don’t need that kind of negativity in my life, but if you’ve been doing it, well done, you’re nearly there - and sorry for this post. Although there’s no actual gin in the garden, unless they’ve used it to fill the pond, but that would just be wasteful and I’m sure we’d have heard about that if it was the case…

It’s the copper features that provide reference to the gin distillation process of the garden’s sponsor, and the space aims to provide a contemporary, but relaxing urban haven for a professional couple to unwind in. And, you’ll understand when you get to the photos, I hope we’re not all expected to unwind like the couple in the last few photos, who were being choreographed while I was there. They were certainly elegant, almost as elegant as I feel after a gin or two (although sadly I think the results in real life aren’t quite the same, whatever I think).

The garden combines water, dappled shade and the copper in a space that could easily be replicated in many domestic gardens. It won a Silver Gilt medal and was voted the Best Space to Grow Garden in the People’s Choice vote, and it’s easy to see why isn’t it?

And as with many of the Chelsea gardens there’s more to it than first meets the eye. The delicate blue of the meconopsis (or blue poppy) - there’s one peeking out to the right of the Y in the tree trunk - hints at the colour of the gin bottles produced by Silent Pool Distillers. This wasn’t the only garden to have the unusual flowers in either, there was also meconopsis in the garden to celebrate the British Council’s 70th anniversary in India, in the ‘billion dreams’ garden, with its giant cricket stumps.

The planting with its blues, whites, greens and copper contributes to the calming space and five of Silent Pool Gin’s 24 botanicals are included in the garden including angelica, iris (the water loving Iris fulva is in the pale green water of the main pool) and rose.

Oh, and look - there’s that professional couple relaxing!

I’m teasing of course, this couple were clearly dancers. She moved in such a balletic way that was entrancing, and both were so supple and each were trusting and strong too, they were beautiful to watch.

So that’s another of the Chelsea gardens shown, and one that provides a welcome blast of sun just when we could do with a hint of warmth. I’m not sure what the weather forecast is for you where you are, but in London there’s threats of snow - let’s hope they stay just that, let’s think hot and warm thoughts to help keep them away!