A rum with a view of the garden

We’re hopping over to Barbados for today’s post, and back to Hunte’s Garden - the place that quite literally took my breath away. As is the well tried tradition, there was a shop, but not just any shop. And reassuringly it was a leave by the shop either.

When I say not just any shop, it was one displaying artwork which I’ll agree isn’t that unusual. But how many gift shops have a sideboard laden with rum?

Exactly. And it was there for sale - either by the bottle, or by the glass. And while it might have been relatively early (though I’m sure it was 5pm somewhere) after a look around the shop, we succumbed. You’ll have to wait for your glass, we need to take a look round the shop first.

I quickly fell in love with much of the artwork on the walls. You know how much I like colour, so it wasn’t really surprising was it?

The green shutters provided the perfect backdrop for yet another colourful plant picture.

There was also plenty of nik-naks, including a photo of Cilla Black - a visitor it seems - and a collection of Royal memorabilia, including a Charles & Diana mug. The verandah was where the rum was, and that too a pleasant - and welcome - addition.

Well, it would have been rude not to enjoy this view, so we happily sat for a bit and enjoyed our rum. It was good.

And so was the view.

And the artwork? I couldn’t resist leaving without some for myself. These two cards are somewhere in my house - I wish I knew where, I think I’ve put them somewhere safe, but right now that’s still a secret (even from me) - but I wish I’d bought a third for no other reason than we have one of those three aperture frames, and we agonised over which to have. It would have been easy to have more, and as it turns out sensible too.

Now I’ve told you I can’t find them, I’m hoping they’ll turn up. Keep your fingers crossed…

Books and bed...

So now we know our post-lockdown tiers. For London it’s tier 2, which is what I expected really, and hoped that it wouldn’t be tier 3, I do feel for those that have unexpectedly found themselves there. I think it was probably close for London, and to be honest with the amount of people out and about on ‘essential’ trips, it could quite easily escalate.

And so, books and bed is quite apt. That feels like a very sensible option. So I thought it was a good time to share the bedroom in the holiday cottage we stayed in last month, ahead of all these tiers. It was a small, but perfectly formed space.

So small that it was mostly the king size bed. The ‘room’ itself had two ‘doors’ or rather curtains across each entrance. There was no walking around the bed, and the bed was high. So high, that there were small stools to help you climb in. But it was a fab space.

The alcove above the pillows held plenty of stylish looking books. Carefully arranged, but books that were clearly well used. As books should be.

The colours drew me in. And then the books did too.

The childhood memories from these Observer’s books came flooding back. I’m sure we had a similar series of books, if not these.

Definitely a world of information at your fingertips.

I told you the room was small didn’t I? But one stuffed full of character.

And despite the decorative approach to the wardrobe there was plenty of inbuilt storage space. Under the bed. That’s why it was so high. The pull out drawers were large enough to hold our travel bag. That alone was worth climbing into bed for.

I hope you’re coping with the latest announcements and the restrictions they bring. I’ve a busy few weeks at work ahead, but the thought - and promise to myself - of books and bed will get me through it.

Stars and the White Garden

I thought that we should head a little further afield for this post, and while we’re there we can pick up some sun at the same time. Yes, for this post we’re heading over to the Andromeda Botanic gardens in Barbados. Clearly I’ve not been there recently, what with it being 2020 and all that, but we did visit at the end of 2019 and our visit is rapidly approaching its year anniversary, which is also crazy.

It was our second time in Barbados, the first time we went for a friend’s wedding and as part of a larger group we spent a lot of time socialising rather than sight seeing, and it was great. But when we went back - and part of the reason for going back - was to see more of the island, and of course the rest of the reason was sun, rum and relaxing.

There were two gardens on my visit list in Barbados, and this was the second one we visited. We booked a cab and off we set. The Andromeda Botanic gardens, is a wonderful place (as their website says) and is both beautiful and informative. It’s also a partner garden of the RHS, and so - and rather bizarrely - I was able to use my RHS membership to enter.

But anyway, on arrival you’re given a clutch of laminated papers with lists of what you’ll see. I was doubtful that it would be useful, but I was so, so wrong. The list fan in me loved it, as I made MOH visit each number in turn, and yes it was hot.

The white garden, you’ll not be surprised to learn included plants that had - or while have - white flowers and/or foliage. We set about looking for the white ginger, bush clock vine, a busy lizzy (found that one), crinum, varigated mondo grass and so on.

Well we spotted some of them, but more than that we enjoyed the garden, and this part of the garden especially. The ‘instructions’ told us to turn left onto the deck, and to take a seat and admire the views.

Who were we to argue?

But then I spotted something hanging from the branches, and so it wasn’t long before I was off to find out more.

I was mesmerised by the stars. It was instant admiration - and many photos were taken as I was convinced they would be easy to replicate. I think they probably are, but I still haven’t tried.

Looking closer I was convinced they were made of newspaper, sprayed - or maybe even just bleached by the sun - and covered in glitter.

They would make stunning Christmas decorations. I even found a website, which I have squirrelled away somewhere, with a tutorial on how to make them. I’m sure that one day I will.

And then MOH spotted the busy lizzie - a plant he knows, and we were off again. But not before stopping and admiring these leaves, which were not only variegated, but huge!

I think these leaves - which are quite similar in shape to the leaves of my Lords and Ladies - are fab, and could have admired their ‘markings’ for much longer than I did.

But with views like this, Andromeda isn’t a place that you stay still in for long.