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Chris and Albion Together Again!

14 Jul in Brush Cottage | Comments (3)

Chris and “Albion” (His name comes from the Brighton and Hove Albion football team… apparently) were reunited at last today!

Peace and Quiet reigns again at Brush Cottage!

Sweet Peas

06 Jul in Brush Cottage, Flowers | Comments (0)

Sweet Peas, such unassuming little things… their scent gives their secret away though….

Summer Pickings

04 Jul in Brush Cottage, Flowers | Comments (2)

Isn’t it great when you can wander into your own garden and pick flowers for a vase? My garden is loving the summer sunshine as much as I am!

Introductions are necessary

20 Jun in Brush Cottage | Comments (5)

Yesterday, Dave, Tessa and I took Poppy for our usual daily walk – we were on the recreation ground when we saw something in a tree. We stopped and went a little closer – and in no time at all – an African Grey Parrot launched itself out of the tree and landed on David’s arm…. honestly – I’m not having you on!

We brought her home – popped her in our old hamster cage and set about looking for the owner. This is one of the tamest parrots I have ever seen – She likes to sit on my shoulder and have me stroke her head. Some poor person out there has given this bird a lot of love and attention and must be devastated to have lost her. I hope we can reunite them. In the meantime we have nicknamed my husband …. The Parrot Whisperer!

Elderflower Cordial

12 Jun in Brush Cottage | Comments (0)

Elderflower Cordial is something that epitomises English summer time for me and we love it so much that I try and make loads every year, so that it lasts me into the winter as a reminder of warm days and blue sky.

The hedgerows of full of creamy, white elderflower right now, so it’s the perfect time to get out there and pick some – don’t wait too long as before you know it, the flowers will have gone and the berries will have started to form.

Ingredients:

20 heads of elderflower

1.8kg granulated or caster sugar

1.2 litres water

2 unwaxed lemons

75g citric acid ( available from a pharmacy or asian supermarket)

Method:

1 : Shake the elderflowers to expel any lingering insects, then place in a large bowl

2: Put the sugar in a pan with the waterand bring up to the boil, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.

3: While the sugar is heating, pare the zest of the lemons off in strips and slice the lemons.

5: Add the lemon slices and zest to the flowers and pour the boiling syrup over. Stir in the citric acid. Cover with a cloth and leave at room temperature for 24 hours.

6: Next day, strain the cordial through a sieve lined with muslin and pour into thoroughly cleaned or sterile glass bottles. The cordial will keep for a couple of months in the fridge or can be frozen in plastic bottles.

To serve:

Dilute the cordial to taste with sparkling water and serve with ice, a slice or 2 of lemon and a sprig of mint.

Elderflower cordial is also fantastic in gooseberry fool, or

Vinaigrette:

Mix with wine vinegar, a touch of mustard, salt, pepper and a light olive oil – delicious with a courgette, lettuce and broad bean salad.

Try it with sorbet or just spooned over vanilla ice-cream.

Last year I struggled to get hold of citric acid, so froze the flowers and used them a couple of weeks later – perfectly good!

Long Barn and almost a scrap

11 Jun in Brush Cottage | Comments (2)

Last night, my friend Colleen invited me to an Alresford Chamber of Commerce evening which was held at Long Barn. Alresford is one of my favorite places to go if ever I am in need of something that little bit different – it has a high street full of interesting little shops filled to the brim with wantable stuff. However, in the spirit of Faux Fuchsia, I am Embracing Thrift and so am giving Alresford a wide berth at the moment. By 6pm all the shops were closed and it was safe for me to head to Long Barn, which is a beautiful barn, on the outskirts of the town.

The owners started their lavender growing and distilling business from some fields near Owslebury and then bought the land in Alresford and have developed it into a very attractive outlet for their range of lavender based products and other related items as well as plants and general garden paraphernalia.

From the moment I walked in, I knew that it would be difficult to keep my purse firmly in my bag…..and then …. they were offering a 10% discount on everything bought during the evening…. I ended up getting the perfect Fathers day gift, some chocolate brownies and a little bud vase. We were almost out the door, when we spotted a very nice slate table mat, just the right size and for such a great price – too good to pass up really – so there we were …… both saying ” No you have it” and just when Colleen throught I was going to say ” No I absolutely insist that you have it” I said instead ” Well thanks Col, what a kind and giving friend you are” and quickly, in one swift move, handed the sales lady the slate and my debit card….

I have to add though, that Colleen did not come away empty handed as she did take delivery of a bespoke and completely unique Twinkleberry Wood and Pearl Cluster Ring……

Mme Isaac Pereire

10 Jun in Flowers | Comments (4)

This magnificent rose is in full bloom in my garden at the moment – Mme Isaac Pereire. It’s a real showstopper – with a scent that makes you think you have died and are in heaven. I took this photo this morning and have used it as a desktop background and being the giving sort of girl that I am – thought I would share it with you! Pick from the sizes below to download the right one for your desktop – but if you need a size that isn’t here then contact me and I can do one for you!

Sex and The City Shoes….

02 Jun in Brush Cottage | Comments (0)

I’m off to see Sex and The City 2 tonight …. I’m wearing my new Lola Cruz shoes…..

Hmmmm … it’s not going to be long before these long, gangly legs and baby feet start “borrowing” things from my wardrobe……

Right Now I Am Loving

28 May in Music | Comments (0)

I first heard Palladio – The first movement from Diamond Music in a beautiful little church in Hursley. It was played by the Winchester Area Strings Orchestra led by the ultra talented and inspirational Gideon Baker – and it was spellbinding. One day, I hope my daughter might play in this orchestra….. Mums can dream!

In the meantime, I still love the piece…..

Gloire De Dijon

23 May in Brush Cottage | Comments (0)

I came across a blog called Found, Now Home very recently and yesterday’s post, which I have just read, reminded me of the first rose that has just bloomed in my garden.

This rose is special – when we lived in South Africa, many years ago now, I used to collect old roses. They were not easy to come across – they were not as popular as they are now and David Austin’s amazing work at re-introducing them had not yet taken off.

In order to obtain one of these rare and elusive plants, you had to sniff out a special, once a year sale which few people knew about or skulk around with some secateurs at the ready – should you come across one of these lost and forgotten gems in an unlikely corner. Gwen Fagan was instrumental in establishing a collection at Boschendal and this is where most of my plants came from.

By the time we left South Africa I had crammed about 50 old roses into a postage stamp sized garden – it was my pride and joy. But there was one rose that always eluded me – I looked everywhere always hoping to find one and never did – Gloire De Dijon.

Then, on a visit to Mottisfont Abbey, the Home of the National Trust’s Heritage rose collection – I saw one for sale – there right in front of me – FOR SALE!! I could not believe my eyes and snatched it up immediately.

I planted it, loved it, watered it, fed it, talked to it but it did not thrive and my heart sank – perhaps this was just not a rose I was destined to see bloom in my garden.

In a last ditch rescue attempt – I dug it out last autumn and moved it to another spot – not very carefully, and not even the ideal recommended positioning for it, but would you believe… it grew.

These roses only flower once a year and so I waited anxiously for the first leaves and then masses of buds and then….. my first rose flower of the year opened yesterday.

It was the centrepiece of my dinner party table last night – and I could barely tear my eyes away!

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