Stained glass and plenty of colour

As well as the colour there’s plenty of green, and texture and height. A pristine path runs through the centre of this garden which was one from the Chelsea Flower Show in 2018, and as you can see in the Pavillion.

There’s plenty of flowers too, but what I like about this garden - apart from the colour - is how the green provides a backdrop for all the colour, which complements the stained glass window. The window itself, for me I see a landscape, the sea and the sky, but maybe you see something different?

It also shows how height makes a garden work, whether that’s through mixing the plants, or adding sculpture. Though the obelisk above looks like it could really do some damage.

In some ways the photo above is what I dislike about gardens, it’s all a bit matchy- matchy. For me, the colour in gardens need to be a bit clash-y, I think they work better - what do you think?

A bit more than a hint of lavender

For this burst of lavender and today’s flowers on Friday we’re heading back to the Chelsea Flower Show last year, and into the Grand Pavilion, which if you’ve been to Chelsea will know it’s an assault on your senses. Often a pleasant experience, but confusing at times too with the sheer array of exhibits on display.

And while we’re not in traditional lavender season, there is some rhyme to my logic, as in the autumn sun on my morning walk to work, I’ve been smelling lavender. There’s bushes edging the boundary of a development as I head towards Greenwich Park, and when the sun’s out the air is filled with lavender, which I’m sure the insects, and residents alike are enjoying as much as me.

So when I headed into my flower photo store and stumbled across, rather than brushed past, this lavender from that moment on there was only one flower I was sharing today. And when I say one flower, I clearly mean one sort with many varieties. No longer is lavender just purple, or lavender.

But often wherever there’s lavender, there’s bees and the Chelsea Flower Show was no different, although these were probably the best behaved and inside their hive, or it was empty. One or the other. Though imagine if you were a bee and stumbled upon the whole flower show, surely too much for one bee to cope with.

But, ah, just breathe in - can you smell the lavender?

Copper flowers, and a spot to relax too

For today’s Flowers on Friday we’re heading back to the 2018 Chelsea Flower Show, for a closer look at these copper flowers by Myburgh Designs. I’ve just taken a look at their site, and believe me it’s a very beautiful and potentially dangerous place. They had a garden at Chelsea this year, but when I fell in love with these copper flowers - and more - last year, they had a corner plot which I’m not sure many people stopped by and enjoyed.

These poppies look right at home in the border mixed with the red and white flowers. They’re relatively reasonably priced too, which is always a result, as I have a tendency to sniff out the priciest items.

I think a mixture of sizes works well, and the website says they have a life of their own collecting water for birds in the garden, or could be used to hold candles.

But my favourite way to enjoy them would be just as it was at the show, from this copper pod.

Which I’m sure proves my earlier point about falling for the high ticket items, but who can blame me?