london – Page 3 – Gardens. Travel. Life.

Posted on September 29, 2017March 10, 2021 by happyretiredblog · 7 Comments

Have I told you I’m retired.

Have I told you I’m retired. Oh. Yes I guess I have. A lot. It’s approaching two years now. Two whole years. I am still getting asked. Aren’t you bored yet? I always give the same answer. Bored. Bored? Only with being asked that question.

I have lists to get through. Lists given to me by Ian. Some things I have ticked off. Some still remain after two years. Like the loft. My theory is if it’s waited 15 years what’s another two. I have gardens to see. Workshops to do. Galleries to peruse. Oh. And add in a few trips to Andalucia. New plants and bulbs to purchase.

I agreed, with myself admittedly, that I would have one day off a week. One day where it was all about me. Ian would say what’s different to the other 6. But I wanted a day where I could do what I liked. No home duties. No shopping. Just a me day. Admittedly some weeks I have two. This week was one of those weeks. Ok some weeks I have seven. Especially when I’m in the garden in Spain.

I have had a a busy one. Involving gardens. A museum. A theatre visit. Making the most of a bit of late sun. In London.

Yesterday was a good day. Starting in Blackheath with a pretty good bacon sarnie, a bus ride across the heath and down into Greenwich. It’s pretty surprising what you find when you have a bit of a wander. Aimlessly with you camera. And no sense of purpose.

Having left Ian at the station I wandered along to the river. I used to cycle to Greenwich on my way to the office. Admittedly it was in a previous decade or two. I know that as at that stage I could and did wear Lycra. So in some ways I was retracing old steps. This time not in Lycra. It wasn’t a pretty sight then. It would be shocking now.

I used to go through the foot tunnel which is adjacent to the river. I was surprised yet delighted to find a small patch of planting close to the entrance to the tunnel. Even more surprised that it was not your usual planting , not the odd geranium here and there and bedding plants. Now. There’s nothing wrong with that combination. Planting is important. Of all kinds. But it’s great to find something different.

Having the Piet Oudolf garden near us in Somerset has made me a fan of this style of planting. But for me it’s great in summer and Autumn. I’m not a Winter or spring fan of prairie. Give me lots of Spring bulbs. Daffs. Bluebells. Tulips.

I love the effect of the planting against the harsh concrete and glass in the distance of Canary Wharf. Continuing colour into Autumn. With the drying seed heads. Canary Wharf. The destination of my cycle rides. My work destination for 28 years. Now tthe cycle rides are qin the dim and distant past. In later years I drove. Not through this tunnel of course. But through a different one.

My destination of the day was the Sky Garden at the Walkie Talkie building Fenchurch street. But before my allocated slot I had a bit of time to kill so I had a wander. It’s easy to walk around London when you live here with your eyes closed and miss the things that are around you. To take things for granted. Like the phone box and post box combination. Typically British. Very nostalgic. Since retiring I have had the opportunity to wander. Aimlessly and often. Here and there. There and here. Wherever here or there is at any given time!

I had wanted to go the Sky Garden for a long time. But for whatever reason I hadn’t managed to get a ticket. It’s free but you have to book a time and they only come in two week booking slots. I had booked for last Friday but somehow failed to get into town in time. Luckily you can change the time and day online and I was determined to get there. So I took the boat. From Greenwich to Tower Hill. The brilliant Thames Clipper. When I first started work in Canary Wharf decades ago I used to travel from Embankment to Canary Wharf on the original river taxis. It was the old days and traffic was light. There was a large boat. And a 12 seater which sometimes we were allowed to board. Things are different these days. A fabulous service where you can get a drink on board too! A great way to see the river frontage enroute up the Thames.

I digress. Which I do a lot. So to the Sky Garden. Situated on the 35th floor of 20 Fenchurch Street.

Yes there is a queue for the timed entries. Yes there is airport security as you enter. But boy it’s worth it.

The views from the viewing platform and from inside the building are stunning. London sights. St Paul’s. The Tower. London Bridge station. The London eye.

There is a great cafe with some awesome cakes. Hot coffee. Suitable for all the gardening fraternity who seem to like a bit of cake. Me included.

The planting is interesting. People know I am a bit of a fan of tree ferns. Of Agaves. Succulents. There are plenty here amongst a lot of good planting.

I loved seeing a couple of pearly / foxtail agaves which we have in our garden in Andalucia.

The tree ferns were pretty spectacular too and there were a lot.

I had been to the Crossrail roof garden the week before ( yep on another day off). I love that garden. The major difference to me is that there you walk through the garden. At the Sky garden you walk around the periphary. The planting hangs down two sides and you walk around it. And look up to it. Does that make sense? It somehow feels that you are part of the planting at Crossrail and they have some cool information boards on the planting.

The Sky Garden is a great space and I wonder how the garden will evolve. It’s an oasis in the city and worth a visit for sure. For me the views take over from the garden as they are spectacular. I found the garden secondary to the views.

It’s amazing what you can see from 35 floors up. These are two fabulous looking roof gardens on city of London rooftops. I have no idea of whose buildings they are but it’s great to see the diversity and greenery in the city. You would and do walk past these buildings with no idea what’s above you.

You often don’t realise how green the city is. Greenery splashed wherever you look.

So. It was last week but I’ll include some pics of Crossrail place roof garden. It’s an amazing quiet space in the hustle and bustle of Canary Wharf. Canary Wharf is an amazing place. Yes. Concrete. Glass. But tee are some wonderful,diversions. Green spaces. Art. Sculpture. They do a great guide to Art on the Estate

There are a lot of green spaces around the Canary Wharf estate beautifully maintained and an oasis. It’s definetly worth a visit. Despite having worked on the Wharf for 28 years I am still a huge fan!

Earlier in the week I had wandered into the Wallace Collection A free entry museum in Marylebone. An excellent collection and a fabulous gallery. As usual I found a flowery picture to send to My friend Georgie Newberry

A nice autumnal painting by a Dutch artist.

Next weeks another week. And another garden. We are off to Blenheim Palace. With my camera of course…..

Posted on September 25, 2017September 25, 2017 by happyretiredblog · 4 Comments

Highs and lows of Summer ‘17

So I’m back in London. You can tell I’m in London. I am wearing long trousers. And socks. The garden here is looking tired. It needs a bit of a haircut. A bit like me. The lavender in the window boxes want s great whilst it lasted but is failing fast but the red of the geraniums and the blue of the lavender was a striking combination this year. The geraniums are still blooming despite the voice in my head telling me I should have been deadheading.

The geraniums still going strong in London

I have left behind in Spain a garden that is still dry. Is pretty green in parts with some glorious seedheads dripping future plants across the garden. Agapanthus and jacaranda being the two biggest culprits. There is a lack of colour. Yes the plumbago is still blooming. There is the odd flower on the oleander. The white oleander, the pink has none. The yucca is flowering, but is about to go over, jasmine has some flowers dotted here and there but its more a spring and early summer garden. When we wee viewing in March the scent of freesias was noticeable as you passed by, Needles to say my bulb order will include freesias.

This summer has had both highs and lows for me. The biggest high finally finding and deciding in a heartbeat that the garden and the house – see what came first- in Andalucia was right for us. Seen and bought In a matter of 8 weeks. Any regrets? Four months in – not one. A huge learning curve, well really more like a steep ascent up the highest mountain, on foot with a huge backpack, but great fun to see what has appeared so far and what will appear in early spring. Add the challenge of watering and you get the picture.

Casa Verano Eterno – House of Eternal Summer

The low – the acceptance that something had to give and after 23 years it was the Cottage in Somerset. The cottage is on the market and we will be sad to be moving on. But for one last season I was able to garden in all three gardens. All very different. All challenging in their own way. The wet West Country. The dry villages of Andalucia. The space restraints of London. Different environments. Different plants. Different requirements.

In Somerset I had to forgo some of my favourite plants this season. Dahlias. I have only grown to love them in recent years and now I am deserting them. I will not be able to grow them in Spain and the garden in London will need some rearranging to accommodate. But having seen Jack Wallington & Christopher Anderson’s garden open for NGS I think I may be able to do it. Not quite as spectacularly as Jack thats for sure, his Dahlias are huge and gorgeous.

I have loved the new Mediterranean garden as those who know me have been inundated with pictures, words a bit of a blog and stories of our trips there. Getting to grips with new plants. With new soil. The constant heat – I don’t know about the plants but at times I have wilted. In the shade! The joy of seeing what was in the garden. The excitement of being away for two weeks and finding new plants when I returned. New colours. New Scemts. The range of plants is excellent and the previous owner had an eye for detail. Some will need to change to take in the fact that we are not there peramanemtly. Some additions, More agapanthus more succulents. Some Mediterranean wildflower seed for the banks. A chop for the prickly pears to see if we can rid them of disease, a lesson in citrus.

Then coming back to London to my window boxes. My small patio garden at the back of the house. So very different to Spain. Tree ferns. A black bamboo. Salvia, Monarda. A bit of lavender. Oh. And more agapanthus. Delighted to find that the agapanthus in Spain self seeds as easily as have the London ones.

The ‘expensive ‘ book Ian commented on when I bought it has proved invaluable to identifying a lot of the plants. It also helps that the author Lorraine Kavannagh has a Garden centre – Competa just outside town. Something I didn’t know when I bought the book. Needless to say we have visited. On more than once occasion. I have also bought another book. Wildflowers of Southern Spain. That’s my reading material for my next flight. In 3 weeks time and will prove invaluable for the Spring months.

Back in London I have ordered the tulips for this years window boxes and pots. I like to change the colours but cannot move away totally from the lovely Brown Sugar. First seen at RHS Malvern and grown for the first time last year. I have ordered a delivery of Alliums, freesia and Chionodoxa for Spain. All from Karen at Peter Nyssen who is so generous with her time and help. Especially with those of us who know a bit and need some guidance. I always say that I garden. I am not a gardener per se and Karen is so helpful with suggestions of what to plant whenI need some help, So my orders are in and no doubt I will add to them as I remember things I’d like. I’m hoping that by the time the Alliums arrive in Spain the ground will be easier to plant. Fingers crossed there will have been some rain. Otherwise it’s hi ho hi ho it’s off to work I go – with a pickaxe. Which in fact I have in the garage full of tools we bought with the house. I now realise why there is a pickaxe there.

The planting of the bulbs in London will be a more sedate and easier affair! There is no major worry of frost in Spain ( he says glibly) but I must collect some straw from the local farmer in Somerset to put in the crowns of the tree ferns in London. I didn’t last year and was lucky. We seem to have a micro climate in the garden here which they seem to like as does the little olives and the banana. We had geraniums still blooming one a first floor window in January.

The back garden London
Our Cottage in Somerset is to be sold. I have loved having a typical Cottage garden – foxgloves,roses,clematis,poppies,honeysuckle fruit trees and a bit of veg. But all good things, like plants, has a life cycle and our time in Somerset has been wonderful. I have made so many gardening friends there and have had the opportunity to see some amazing gardens. But the new adventure is exciting. Hard work but fun. When I know what I am doing it will be even more fun, There will be mistakes. I have already made one or two planting errors. But thats part of the fun. Isn’t it

So I head into Autumn with an air of excitement. New bulbs new choices for London. New bulbs and a wonderment of what’s to come for the Spring in Andalucia.
Who said that retirement would be boring.

Posted on June 20, 2017 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

London Calling

So I said goodbye to sunny Spain. Sadly left the mew Mediterranean garden and the heat behind to catch the delayed flight to London. Down the long and winding road. Again. This time singing to myself. Ian flew back a few days ago.

Nothing better than sat waiting to board the plane whilst an irate passenger berates rather rudeley the girl at the gate. Who smiles sweetly and let’s him rant. Well done I think. Then says. In broken Spanish. Thank you sir. I am Ryan Air. You are travelling British Airways. Boom. A deflated and embarrassed angry man.

We eventually depart. A full flight. An announcement goes over the tannoy. ‘Today we have a passenger flying with us who has a severe nut allergy. We will not be serving nuts. We would also ask you to refrain from eating your own nuts. ‘

Childish I know. But I collapsed into a heap of giggling childish laughter.

Did I say escape the heat. Huh. It’s hot back in London. Without the air conditioning and everyone complains how hot it is. Even me.

There is another constant. My love for agapanthus! They have gone crazy whilst I’ve been away. Combination of the heat and the feeding of Lou’s pooh in the spring. We had great leaf growth and I had thought I had overfed. But the number of buds has been great. Agapanthus that struggled to flower last year are bursting.

I almost love the opening buds more than the full flowers. Or maybe the seed heads after flowering.

We bought two plants a good few years ago and put in a large pot in the centre of the front garden. Garden is an wxagatration. It’s an area at the front of the house. But this agapanthus never ceases to amaze me. There are loads of buds every year which virtually appear over night. Small light blue flowers. I keep thinking I ought to split them. Maybe next year. Maybe not.

The agapanthus by the front door were bought at Columbia Road flower market a few years ago. Cheap. Cheerful and have been great. This year they seem taller than usual so I will need to be careful that they do not snap off. Or get picked like they did a few years ago!

I know that this one will be the darkest of them all. The tell tale signs of the bud give it away. It’s a really dark colour – like a black almost.

But like Spain a lot will open whilst I’m away which happens every year! The good thing is that they have a good flowering period. Oh. I’ve just found a self seeded one about to flower in the orange tree pot.

The back garden is small and I mean small and has to incorporate everything. Like a washing line amongst the plants. All the plants without exception are in pots. The tree ferns.a couple of olives. An almond tree. Easy to move around. But a pain to water.

An empty chair. Usually occupied by one of the cats but it’s too hot for them. They are sprawled out behind s tree fern.

I have always had window boxes. I think it’s an inherited thing. My parents did hanging baskets. Hanging at their front door. A bit of a show off with next door as to how could have the best. . So I like to have the front looking good. I maybe have missed one or two years where I have had a break but this year I decided to go back to the good old geranium. They were great in the pots in Somerset last year and went on right into the autumn only being moved to make room for the tulip planting. Which I also did in the window boxes here for the spring.

This year for the first time I added some lavender to the boxes with the geraniums and it’s worked really well. Even if I say so myself. I also used good old lobelia for the side boxes something I haven’t planyed in years. My parents always grewv it along the front path accompanying allysum which I don’t think I’ve seen at a garden centre or nursery in a very long time. That and the good old Busy Lizzie! Their garden was a homage to the planting of the time. Lobelia. Allysim. Petunia. Tagetes. Godetia. All grown from seed.

I digress.

Gardening in London is a challenge. The garden is small. There’s lots I want to grow but can’t. Dahlias another of my loves are rubbish here. We get overrun with snails. Not slugs. I have one climbing rose. A lovely David Austin bought my a good friend of mine Emma. As a thank you for staying at the cottage.

But the upside is that we have a sheltered garden where most years we don’t have to cover the crowns of the tree ferns. Tracheospernum grows well. Jasmine grows like crazy up the drainpipe out of a ridicously small pot. A black bamboo whist scraggy is over 10 foot tall.

There have been disappointments. As the garden is small I like to have some scented plants. The jasmines flower at different times and the smell of both is very very different. So I bought a Philadelphus to add to the mix. A belle etoille which we have had in Somerset. Gorgeous smell. White flower with a purple throat. But it appears that it’s not what I got. Pretty. But plain white with little scent. Annoying. It will have to go. It’s not what I want and I don’t have room for mistakes!

The email has arrived from Peter Nussen re Speing bulbs! Oh. Lordy. I’ll have to make decisions for next year soon!

Right. I’m off to water. Yet again

Posted on April 9, 2017April 17, 2017 by happyretiredblog

Tulips. More tulips. And tree ferns?

I hadn’t been to our garden in Somerset for two weeks. I expected the grass to be as high as an elephants eye but to be fair it wasn’t that bad. Needed it’s first cut of the season but it wasn’t too daunting a task. Especially in such glorious weather.

What I hadn’t expected were the tulips to have burst into life. I had potted up a dozen or so pots and had left them on the rear terrace. The terrace is south facing and I bring the tulips on there ready to be played at the front of the cottage where there is sun for only part of the day. So with some assistance we heaved the pots through the house to the front.

Two days later with this weather the majority had opened. Last year was the first time I had grown tulips at the front and it was a huge success. I like to change the front so this year the tulips weee changed too. My mother would have said it was showing off. To be fair I couldn’t disagree. The cottage is right on the road. You can’t help but notice the tulips.

Ian is no gardener but he saw tulips he liked at the Malvern show last year so as he showed an interest I decided to buy them. So the pots were planted with Brown Sugar. His choice and separate pots of Purissama -mine. As usual with the generous advice of Karen from Peter Nyssen I ordered others as well. Too many as usual so I have planted a lot in a cutting patch. Which will all flower when we are not there.

The Purissima are stunning opening into great big blousy flowers which at a quick glance look like they have a bee inside. They are stunning and close up tight again when the sun passes.

The pots have opened well and to be fair look great at the front of the cottage against the warm Somerset stone.

Back in London I grew tulips in one window box and two large containers – and with very different colours to the Somerset tulips. I hadn’t used them in window boxes before but good old Karen assured me they would be ok.

These have opened beautifully in the morning sun – and have been a joy.

The pots at the back have spring into life this weekend. Tulip Belle Époque has opened and there are a few rouge Brown sugars in there too. I didn’t mention earlier that these also have a lovely scent.

Tulips are a new one for me to be fair. But on the basis of how they have been over the last two years they are here to stay!

We also had a wander around Lytes Cary a NT property on Saturday where they also had some amazing Tulips. I have a list as long as my arm of what I’d like to grow next year thanks to the Instagram,twitter and Facebook posts of everyone’s favourites. At Lytes Cary these were added to my list. Such a beautiful colour and in the sunshine just dazzled.

It Was also good to see that the professional gardeners get a rogue tulip here and there too.

This one was very obvious! Along with what was probably one of last years that missed being dig up!

I don’t feel so bad now with the odd one here and there that I have found out of place!

So it was back to London for a busy week ahead – I know. I’m retired. But I’m busy! But first to water. When I left on Thursday the tree ferns were good. They had kept a lot of their fronds over winter. I hadn’t had to put straw in their crowns. But I get back and all hell has broken loose. The two days of sun has made them spring into action and they are about to burst forth. As long as Fred stays out of the crown that is.

I love tree ferns and we are lucky that we have a micro climate in the small ( tiny) garden we have here. But the tree ferns. The olive. The banana do well.

So move over tulips. It’s tree fern time.