Probably the best garden in the world…

Probably the best garden in the world…

This may be an extraordinary thing to say but it is rare to be completely bowled over by the design, the planting, the range of plants and simply pristine environment of a garden. Quite often only parts of a garden suit our taste but Butchart garden in Victoria, on...
A visit to a Shaker village

A visit to a Shaker village

I have mentioned before that Bill, my husband, simply loves to travel. A far cry from when we met in 1977, when he did not have a passport and had no intention of leaving the UK. I took him on a trip to Boulogne as a day tripper and, as they say, the rest is history....
A day at Thyme & The Country Brocante

A day at Thyme & The Country Brocante

I should start by explaining that Thyme in this context is a glorious country estate near my home in Gloucestershire. It is a hotel and restaurant but so much more. I have lunched there a couple of times and by lucky chance had a private tour of the kitchen garden and...
The Great British Sampler Weekend

The Great British Sampler Weekend

In March Nicola Parkman (from Hands across the Sea) asked me to take part in her incredibly exciting and enterprising Sampler Weekend at the Hilton Hotel Swindon, to be held at the end of September 2023. Living so close to the Event was a blessing and I was happy to...
Four Days in Berlin

Four Days in Berlin

A shop in the antique quarter – how could I choose? I had rather random thing happen as a result of going to a needlework fair in Dusseldorf in 1988. It was the year before the Berlin Wall came down. It is a long story, but I was working a show in Germany and met an...
Bread with a difference

Bread with a difference

Special holiday souvenirs – probably not dishwasher safe! Bill and I have just come back from a fab trip to Uzbekistan, and I have brought home some special souvenirs. (I do try not to get carried away with shopping when we are travelling as I need more stuff in Pinks...