Post Comment Love 7-9 February

Hello there and welcome to this week’s PoCoLo, a friendly linky where you can link any post published in the last week, which I co-host with Suzanne. We know you’ll find some great posts to read, and maybe some new-to-you blogs too, so do pop over and visit some of the posts linked and share some of that love.

It’s been a busy work week for me, and one where I’m not sure I’ve achieved quite what I set out too at first. I’ve even headed in earlier than I would normally, taking breakfast at least once. Though I quickly demonstrated I’m not really a morning person by making tea, but forgetting my tea bag. I returned to my desk with a mug of hot water with milk, adding the tea bag and making tea in reverse. Not ideal, but drinkable.

My photo this week is from the vegetable garden at Wisley. For me, no visit to Wisley is complete without a wander around the vegetable plot and the alpine house. Even vegetables can bring colour and interest.

in the veg garden at RHS wisley

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Reflecting on my week 115

Often when weeks are busy everything merges into one and it could be any week. This week though it’s been a little different, as usual the weekend has been loaded with more than during the week, but the week got off to quite a civilised start. It was MOH’s first day back at work, or rather back online, and I also worked at home. So we found ourselves set up either end of the dining room table working away in companionable silence. It was nice and something I’m sure will happen again, though not sure it’ll become that regular an occurrence, even though addressing my work-life balance is something I’m working on.

a double working from home day

The week started and ended with trips to the hospital for MOH though. Monday evening saw the repeat blood test with thankfully none of the repeat drama of the previous time, which I think everyone involved was very pleased about, not least MOH. Saturday we were back there again, and this was my view, along with the Saturday papers.

providing a taxi service and enjoying the view

For a change we were up and out on Saturday at a respectable time, and as a reward we headed on to RHS Wisley, where I’d booked an entry time slot into their latest exhibition in the hot houses. I love a Wisley visit in the winter, whether it’s for the butterflies or the houseplants that are taking over, the hot houses are always a good place to visit.

So this weekend we notched up our third garden visit in three weekends, which we may struggle to keep up for much longer, but we can give it a good go! I’d not been to Wisley since their work moving the entrance completed - the work is fab by the way. But it does bring you into the garden in a different place (obviously) and that meant our focus was on a different part of the garden too.

We were drawn to the colour of the dogwoods as we headed towards the hot houses, and then along the winter walk where the irises were already out and we discovered a new-to-us plant, Edgworthia, which was also in the garden section of the Sunday papers too. Must be the time of year for it, but more on that another day.

Dogwoods on a sunny winters day at Wisley
Irises in the Winter Walk at Wisley

We were here for the RHS’ latest exhibition, and if you can go, definitely go. There’s so much to see, and luckily for us, it was fairly quiet. There weren’t any queues but you can book timed entry slots so you can avoid any queues there might be - I suspect it’ll be busier in half-term week.

The giant houseplant takeover at RHS Wisley

There’s six rooms: the hallway, living room, bedroom, kitchen, dining room and bathroom and each is overrun with houseplants. I’ve loads of photos, and will share more here, but it’s safe to say I loved it.

A hatstand being taken over by plants.jpg
A standard lamp in the living room is in there somewhere

Saturday also gave me the opportunity to see how work is progressing next door. The glass surround is due to be going in this week, and the scaffolding will be down soon after that. It’s been up a while, and longer than expected, but it’s kinda needed for the job to be done safely. I’ll not be sorry to see it go though and once it has there’s a fair bit of clean up work to take place, but our neighbour has said he’ll pay for this, so we can’t ask for more than that.

progress on next door's work

We headed into town Saturday night, which made a change. We had dinner at Gunpowder at Tower Bridge and the food was great. it’s been a while since I’ve seen this view, and couldn’t help but be the tourist.

City Hall and Tower Bridge
cocktails with a dried chilli garnish

The food was good, and as usual there’s no pictures of that as it didn’t hang around for long. It’s the first time though that we’ve had cocktails garnished with dried chillies. That was clearly a theme as Sunday night I added some dried chilli to the impromptu pasta sauce I made, and also my eye - ouch!

This week I’ve some planning to do, working out how to get everything for a couple of nights away into hand luggage. That wouldn’t be so bad, but MOH has booked a bit of a swanky restaurant, and the outfit I want to wear needs heels. I’m sure I’ll manage it, somehow…

Create your perfect garden this February

This month it’s the month to get planning, and to plan you need to know what you want, and the same is true for gardens. So to start creating your perfect garden start by writing down what you want from it, whether that’s a space that’s inviting and welcoming, vibrant and fun, private and protected or somewhere to unwind and relax.

Think about the style, the features you want to include, the colours you love and the plants that appeal. Use books, magazines and Pinterest for inspiration and sketch out your ideas. Different plants lend themselves to different garden styles, whether clipped, clean and formal or big, bold, bright and tropical, so take a look at your local garden centre too, and in gardens where you live to see what grows well.

And if you’re not sure, then the RHS have advice to help you choose your style, as whatever your taste and lifestyle, there will be a garden design style to suit you.

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This monthly gardening linky is open to any garden related post, whether it’s planning your own garden, an update on your space, or a garden you’ve visited and enjoyed. All posts are welcome, whether old or new.

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