A STUNNING KENTISH GARDEN....

Good evening!

I do hope that you are all having a lovely week?

Photos: Sophia Home

Regular readers may remember that I started a little 'gardening club' a few weeks ago.....nothing too serious, but a nice excuse to get together with keen gardening girlfriends to visit each other's gardens, perhaps visit some of the selection of glorious local gardens open to the public in our pretty part of Kent/Sussex, swap seeds and plants, drink coffee and chat....yes, 

quite a bit of the latter! 

Having met up at my home last time, our friend Elizabeth suggested that for this get together, we visited a private house and garden called 'Old Place Farm' in nearby High Halden, Kent. This glorious private garden was open to the public today, in aid of the charity 'Gardening for the Disabled Trust', along with a plant sale, supported

by local garden growers and nurseries.

Four of us who were free, 

   set off for the morning.....

What a treat lay in store....

A four acre garden, mainly designed by Anthony du Gard Pasley around a pretty 

Elizabethan period house.  

All photos: Sophia Home

All photos: Sophia Home

A variety of beautifully arranged areas, including parterres, mixed borders, old shrub roses, ponds, a small lake, a wildflower meadow......

A paved herb garden, and decorative potager...

Gazebo next to lake.....

Back of house......

Beautiful lake...

Decorative wirework sheep....

Coffee and cake and delicious salad lunches awaited visitors to the stunning oak framed barn in the grounds.....

My absolute favourite part of the garden.....a magical topiary woodland garden.....

Cones, spheres, spirals, cubes....

.....even 'birds in a nest'...

....it was true inspiration to a topiary lover.

*****

We all came away with great admiration for this stunning, immaculate, masterpiece of a garden, which had so obviously been a great labour of love over the years to its owners.....and also with a few lovely ideas for our own gardens!

*****

Wishing you a very happy Tuesday evening....

Sophia xx

RELAXED SATURDAY EVENING....

Photos: Sophia Home

Early evening sunshine streams in to the house tonight.....

After a hard day's work in the garden, a cold glass of wine on the deck to survey our hard work is very welcome....

A chilled and relaxed evening planned, with pasta and a movie.....bliss!

Hope you are having a lovely Saturday evening, whatever you have planned.

Sophia xx

SUMMER SKIN....

It's that time of year again when, at the first glimpse of sunshine and warmth, our thoughts turn to days outside.....summer wardrobes.....lighter footwear.....and oh my goodness....
bared pale flesh!

Photos: Sophia Home

I am on countdown to a much anticipated week away in Portugal in less than three weeks time.  A week of sight seeing, good food and wine and relaxation with my husband, before a busy summer of work for the two of

us.  The thought of discarding cosy winter layers and boots, for summer dresses, flipflops and dare I say it...a bikini.....requires a deep breath and a seasonal leap of confidence!

So, what is a girl to do to embrace the body beautiful and dare to bare a winter hybernated bod?

Well, for starters I think a good body 'exfoliate' followed by an upmarket self tanner is a must, and does wonders for our new summer look and confidence!

Shunning an overpriced, chemical loaded exfoliator.... I thought I would try my hand at creating what looks like a deliciously scented, effective and good enough to eat 'Sugar body scrub' from the lovely book 'Gifts from the Garden', written by Debora Robertson....which I have blogged about previously.

Described as enormously luxurious to use, like something you might find in a smart spa rather than your kitchen cabinets....it has to be worth a try!

Sugar body scrub...

150g caster sugar
50g demerara sugar
15g dried rose petals
15g dried lavender flowers
8-10 drops rose essential oil
8-10 drops lavender essential oil
120ml sweet almond or jojoba oil
1 tablespoon glycerine

1 x 250g jar

In a bowl, whisk together the sugars, rose petals and dried lavender.  Sprinkle on the essential oils and mix.  Trickle over the almond or jojoba oil and glycerine and stir until well mixed.  You may want to add slightly more almond oil until you get the texture you want.  Scrape into a cold, sterilised jar with a spatula and seal.

The scrub can be used all over the body, but is particularly effective on hand, feet and dry patches such as elbows and knees.  Massage in for a minute or two, then rinse off.

The scrub will keep, sealed, for up to a year....

*****

Here's to summer skin and also.... 

wishing you all a very happy weekend!

Sophia xx

CALL THE MIDWIFE!

PHOTOS: SOPHIA HOME

We woke early this morning to a misty landscape, with the promise of a beautiful sunny day ahead.

 I just love this time of year, when our neighbouring field turns in to a busy 'delivery unit'....with newborn lambs appearing daily!

These little ones above, were all cuddled up together first thing, and I couldn't resist popping outside with my camera, to capture their still sleepy early morning start to the day.....

Much time can be wasted in our household in the month of April, as we find ourselves looking out at various times of the day from the kitchen deck with our binoculars, hoping to catch the first sightings of another new lamb 

entering the world....

  As an extra treat over breakfast, we spied this rather handsome visitor outside the kitchen french doors....

Photos: Sophia Home

Yes, this really is one of my favourite times of the year....Daffodils are in full bloom and the tulips are ready to burst shortly.

Photos Sophia Home

 Morning coffee outside was a treat.....

Photo: Sophia Home

Nature really is a wonderful distraction....but time now to get on with some work!

Wishing you all a happy day.....

Sophia xx

GARDEN PLANTER LOVE...

The sun is shining, and spending more time outdoors is top of my list of priorities at the moment.  Indoor projects have either been completed over the winter, or take a back seat for the next few months....giving way to projects in the garden.

When we designed and built our home, a large deck which wraps around two sides of the house was on our wish list....and when complete, gave us the backdrop of the 'outside room' space that we wanted to achieve.  Morning sun at the back of the house....perfect for breakfast and morning coffee.  Afternoon and evening sun on the side deck which leads off our kitchen/sitting room.....a great entertaining space.  

Over the coming weeks, as summer (hopefully!) approaches, I shall be concentrating on these decked areas.....to complete the next stage of my plans to turn the space in to true 'rooms'.

All weather rattan sofas and chairs are planned, (which I shall share with you soon), and I am also on the look out for some new planters.....

Browsing 'pinterest' recently, these are just a few of the stunning options I found.

Love the whicker planters in this picture, and all those in the first!

The contemporary styling and repetition of the second picture is striking and defines an 

area so well....

A simple and pretty option....

Rustic and informal....

Love these wine crate planters.....shall definitely start collecting these for stylish new seed trays in the greenhouse!

Both of the above would be perfect for what I'm looking for.....love the striking look of the slate grey but also the oak equally. Would suit both a contemporary and traditional look...

Gorgeous 'French' planters.....fresh green and white planting.....always my favourite.

Olive trees.....on my wish list!

***

I do hope you are having a lovely week...

Sophia xx