A diversion through the Flower Garden

Last week I told you about my new commute through Greenwich Park and how I was clocking up those steps. Well that's still happening but a week and a half in, curiosity got the better of me and I was keen to see what was on the other side of the fence in the Flower Garden. So yesterday on the way home I took a little diversion to see what was behind the banana leaves where I usually turn right.

And as I expected there was a riot of colour with dahlias and coleus.

I had to smile at all the colours and even more so when a cheeky squirrel popped his head up out of the begonias, almost indignant at being disturbed. And of course once he spotted my iPhone he didn't pop up any more...

So I moved onto these gorgeous yellow flowers, I've a feeling they could be rudbeckias, but I might be wrong. 

And then there were the echinaceas. So many colours too, and it's easy to see why they're often called cone flowers isn't it?

So curiosity satiated, now I know what's on the other side of the fence.  Normal service can once more be resumed. Well until I get itchy feet to see another part of the park! 

The Garden of the Apprentices

It's very green, has lots of hedges and yes, I loved it! Oh and by the way we're still on the Cheverny bit of our Loire trip, but this is the last post from there - and well, I couldn't not show you the hedges, could I?

This was our view as we left the chateau, with the lawn cutting going on on our right we were met with this view. I don't think it's one you could tire of. Unless you were in charge of cutting the hedges here, then it might turn into the stuff of your nightmares!

This is the Garden of the Apprentices and I tell you I wouldn't want to be an apprentice that got a bit over enthusiastic clipping here, would you? 

Many people would just walk through this garden, but I loved it. I loved its greenness, the textures and the shapes and shadows with just a few plants. I find the topiary we have - three box balls and a triangular yew tree - therapeutic to cut and snip. But here, I wonder if it might just be another job to do, or if it really is a labour of love?

There's certainly lots to cut and keep under control. And as this photo shows layer upon layer of green, and texture, and interest. And a bench. Even the apprentices must need a seat every now and then.

There was work going on during our visit - you can just peek the machinery at the end of this magnificent arch - and this path was closed. We were diverted around this and so got to view it from the side. Something I suspect we wouldn't have done, had the path through it been open.

But it certainly gave us a different view of the iron structure and the plants clambering across it, which I think were wisteria. Now wouldn't that be something to experience when it was in full flower? Especially with the alliums along the edge picking out the colour. Sadly no wisteria on our visit, but we were able to enjoy the allium border.

And before we knew it we were at the Orangerie - now a cafe - so we sat a while and enjoyed the view. And watching people trying to walk down through the arch *completely innocently* before being turned back and made to observe the closed path signs. He he, people watching is still one of the best things to do wherever you are!

Lighting a dark corner of my bedroom

Even before we redecorated our bedroom the mirror and space I use for my dressing table was a long way away from natural light, and despite the overhead spotlights often darker than I'd like for putting on my make-up. It was easily fixed of course with a table lamp, and once that was in place everything was fine.

That is until the lamp stopped working.  The last time I turned it on, it wouldn't turn off unless I pulled the plug from the wall, so that was pretty frustrating. But it made me realise I needed to replace it with another lamp, because since then we've decorated our bedroom in more dramatic colours.

The light needed to be functional and direct light upwards so that I stood a chance of applying my make-up in a non-Alice Cooper like way, and so when I dried my hair I could see what I was doing. A lamp with a shade wasn't going to help me much and so my hunt began. It turned out it was easier than I thought.

As I quite quickly spotted this light - the Claudia 2 Way Modern Touch Table Lamp - by Iconic Lights, and thought it'd be just the thing. And it is. The finish is Black Chrome, and if I'm honest I'd not heard of that before, but luckily it goes well with the darker, more dramatic decor and is what I hoped it would be. Shiny like chrome, but black. But not too black.

Oh, and in case you're thinking wow that's tidy (and for the record so am I), it's not. The majority of my make-up and other paraphernalia is in one of the top drawers and out of sight. I know where everything is, well the stuff I use regularly and I much prefer it this way, as it means I can pretend I'm tidier than I actually am!

Here's it lit up.

And despite knowing it used touch technology, of course the first thing I did once it was in place was look for the switch!  Thankfully though I'm past that now and have programmed myself to touch the base three times to get it to the bright setting I like. There's low and medium too, as well as off.

I expected the base to quite quickly be full of make-upy, smeared finger prints - but it isn't, in fact it's hard to spot any, which is just brilliant!

I was impressed that it arrived with bulbs so I could use it straight away - and a spare bulb - how often does that happen? When I'd ordered it MOH's first question was about which bulbs it took. I had no idea - it's G9 btw - I just hoped that it would be a useful and stylish addition to the bedroom, and stop me from scrabbling around with plugs to turn the broken lamp on.

I've been using it for two weeks now and I it's definitely both stylish and useful.  The lack of fingerprints are a bonus too.

And I think it looks just right in this space, don't you?

The Claudia 2 Way Modern Touch Table Lamp is available from Iconic Lights for £25 in three colour ways - black chrome as I have here, polished chrome and antique brass. And that seems very reasonable to me.

* I was sent this lamp to review as part of my role as one of Iconic Lights' approved blogging ambassadors, but all views and opinions are my own.