Mr McGregor's garden

As we wandered around the vegetable garden, quite unexpectedly we stumbled across Mr McGregor’s garden. Not quite sure what it was, it was great to discover it was The Mr McGregor from the Beatrix Potter stories. Well, probably not his actual garden, but that’s a mere technicality.

In case you’re not up to speed, Mr McGregor was intent on keeping hungry rabbis out of his vegetable garden, sometimes catching them for a pie, and appeared in two episodes of the animation of her books in 1992. And from the looks of things, he’s having some success.

Perhaps it’s the sign that’s helping?

It’s a garden with everything though - there’s a shed, slightly ramshackle, but it’s a shed. There’s rhubarb pots, and even a cold frame.

It was a magical little space, that was jam packed full of vegetables. And not a rabbit in sight…

Fog in the park

This year has been a bit of a one for weather, hasn’t it? And it keeps on coming.  The latest instalment was a bit of a pea-souper, or fog if you’ve no idea what I mean, and it made yesterday’s walk to work through Greenwich Park just a little bit more tranquil, and mysterious, than normal.  So much so that I couldn’t help but pause, just for a moment and capture it with my trusty iPhone. 

Somehow the fog makes the trees look more delicate, and more beautiful than they would against the usual morning sky, don’t you think?

As my route took me through the park I was curious to see how the fog had enveloped it, hugging it’s contours and softening the distant views. 

But, even so, it’s still not what I’d call cold, and that’s something I’ll happily take, but just so you know weather, colder isn’t needed, and nor is any more of your extremes, if that’s ok... 

The Turquoise Drawing Room at Castle Howard

One of my favourite rooms from our visit to Castle Howard back in the summer was the Turquoise Drawing Room - and it’s easy to see how it got its name, isn’t it?

It’s the type of room that makes use of a single pattern and colour.

Everywhere.

On the furniture, on the walls and at the windows.

It’s definitely bold, and better for it. As with many of these grand houses, the rooms are large and therefore need everything on a much larger scale than in our domestic settings.

And of course there’s the matter of showing off, or making sure your wealth isn’t hidden. And the turquoise here is set off against the gilded furniture and picture frames, which I think gives it an extra pop.

The window dressing though had me remembering festoon blinds from the eighties, which of course, just goes to show that even interior trends come around time and again.

I’m a fan of it in this setting, I’m not sure it’s a colour I could live with in my own home though, what do you think?