The Echeveria Gallery at RHS Wisley

It seems like a lifetime ago since we visited RHS Wisley, but it was actually only six months. So much has happened across the world since then. I’ve not been as present on my blog as I usually am, but I’m hoping to be back here more often. Just a scroll through my unedited photos was enough to inspire me to start posting, and start editing photos again. I’m not sure if that’s coincidence that that coincides with a couple of days off, or something deeper.

I’m not sure if this is a permanent installation at Wisley, but I very much hope it is. The next time we’re there I’ll be heading to the hot houses (as usual) to check.

Either way when I saw these framed succulents, I knew they were right for today’s post. Before lockdown, I had plans to create my own frame of succulents but that’s been slightly scuppered as going to a garden centre hasn’t happened yet, even though they’ve reopened. My succulents over-wintered well, but I don’t have quite enough to fill a frame, and if i’m honest, I hoped to add to my collection!

Not that I plan to compete with this display, a single frame was my aim.

But maybe I should aim higher? And if not hight, be more ambitious. Though I suspect that once you start they’ll be addictive. I’m sure I’ve got a few more old picture frames hanging around. Well, not actually hanging around, but you know what I mean.

I’m not sure mine will be as grand, especially as I planned to hang them on the garden fence!

Looking more closely at the frame on the right in the picture below, you can just see some of the mesh which keeps the plants in place. I’d not worked out how I would do that, but this gives me some clues. I’m sure I must have something that could also work, though chicken wire might be too ‘open’.

The frame on the left above, I’ve just realised is much more stylised than I’d ever hope to achieve. Actually growing succulents vertically is my aim!

A 'green' ironing pad

One of our finds during lockdown is cheese deliveries. I know, what a find, and quite a treat. We’ve had three so far and each time we’re encouraged to order another after tasting the fabulous British cheeses. They arrive well packaged, using WoolCool to insulate the packages. The pure wool insulation is reusable and if you look at #LetsBoxClever on social media, you’ll start to see how.

I’ve talked before about my mini iron, a birthday present this year, and how just by having a mini iron I’ll sew more - because having an iron near the sewing machine, is a real boon! What I quickly realised is that not having anything to iron on, was my newest dilemma.

I tried a towel, and while it was ok, it wasn’t great. Then I remembered the insulation from the cheese deliveries. I was convinced it would work, which to be honest was based on little more than enthusiasm.

So off I went to create.

I found some material that I thought would be wasted on face coverings, and made my ironing pad big enough to fit the material!

Before I cut the wool insulation, I thought it might be nice to leave the natural fibres on display. However once I cut it and saw the mess it left behind I quickly changed my mind!

It’s working really well, and hopefully will inspire more people to try this #LetsBoxClever idea.

The loo we couldn't find at first

Once we found our hotel in Lyon - which was trickier than you might expect, as the entrance was low key to say the least, we learnt we’d had a room upgrade as we checked in. That doesn’t happen to us so often, so it was quite exciting. As we were shown our room we took it all in our stride as we were shown around, but as soon as she was gone, we were exploring for ourselves, looking out of the window for the view, checking the snacks on the dressing table, the wardrobes with its towelling robes, and the bathroom. It’s just that one thing was missing. And that was the loo.

Seriously.

A huge bath, luxurious toiletries, fluffy towels, a fancy sink. But no loo.

There had to be one. And then in clicked.

It had to be off the mirrored entrance-way…

And so it was, opposite the wardrobe. The brass door knob in the picture above was the only clue we had. And neither of us were quite ready for what was behind that door.

Yes, our very own OTT hand-painted chateau-scene. If It’d have told you beforehand, I’m not sure you would have believed me, and seeing was believing.

It was totally bonkers, and totally made for my Loo Series posts - did they know? And what were the other room’s loos like?

In truth, it was a bit like a caravan loo, just quite a fancy one. But still bonkers.

Only in Lyon. Or is it?