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 For a few years now I have been wanting to visit the walled garden at Glenarm Castle ,County Antrim. On Sunday, my husband and I had some unexpected free time and we decided to make the trip. What an absolute joy it was! It was a glorious day, which always improves things. It was full of all the things I love, artichokes, figs, crabapples ,sweetpea,lavender ,hydrangea,wild flower meadows etc. etc. A wall of figs, so surprising in our climate. The greenhouses emptied of apricots. Still some late summer colour. Stunning blue delphiniums. Wild flower meadows, and a place to sit. Stunning parkland views from 'The Mount.' Views of the garden, with the sea in the distance. Wonderful hydrangea. Annabelle hydrangea. We finished off our garden adventure with a delicious tea, taken outside in the sunshine. It was just heavenly. We learned that it was the last day of opening until Easter, so we were most fortunate that we were able to visit. We will be back! Glenarm Castle . I hope you h

A lovely classic scheme with a touch of country in pinks, purple and ivory. Here are Hilary's wedding flowers.  Bouquet of pale pink Sweet Avalanche roses, white freesia, a touch of gypsophila and rosemary make a gorgeous classic wedding bouquet for Hilary. Bridesmaids' design of Avalanche roses, purple stocks, pale green lisianthus and rosemary. The photo doesn't quite do this design justice, it was gorgeous. Groom buttonhole of Sweet Avalanche rose, rosemary and a touch of gypsophila. Corsage of white freesia, rosemary and a little gyp. Rhinefield House, wedding ceremony flowers. A gorgeous long and low trailing design of  large ivory roses, purple stocks and pink gypsophila with ivy trails for the ceremony table with two co-ordinating tall designs behind.  And from the other side, this design was later used on the top table so this is the bride and groom's view. Wedding ceremony flowers, Rhinefield House Natural style tall table centre of large ivory roses, purple st

Oh dear, this is what happens when you post about red shoes and toadstools and then go off shopping! These little beauties won't fit any of my nieces or friend's children, but I just could not walk past them (I tried to, honest!). No matter, I shall make a lovely little Christmas display with them. I already have a  red velvet pair that were my daughters when she was a baby. Pity they won't fit me, they look so comfy. Last week I posted that I was off to a fabric place that I hadn't been to before. It was all quite overwhelming, the place Craftswoman Fabrics, Carrickfergus, is on an industrial estate. It is upstairs, in what feels like a school building and is a rabbit warren of rooms, bunged with stuff. I didn't know where to look first. I did come away with some lovely fat quarters, felt and cotton tape, but I will have to go again soon! I am planning to make a series of cushions with Irish Blessings on. I bought a lovely book on holiday with lots of blessings in

Erica came all the way from New Zealand for her wedding at Rhinefield House so winning the prize for my most far afield bride ! Luckily the sun shone and it was a gorgeous day. The look was very elegant with unusual colours, the bridesmaid was in Magenta so I included the stunning Blueberry rose to pick up the colour. Erica's favourite was the Memory Lane rose and with the champagne and white it looked lovely. Magenta, mauve, champagne roses with white hydrangea and bouvardia make a gorgeous bouquet, quite striking with it's unusual colour combination.  Memory Lane, Blue berry and Vendela roses with white hydrangea and bouvardia for our bride.   Bridesmaid's bouquet of Blue berry and Vendela roses with white hydrangea and bouvardia. Buttonhole of magenta Blue berry rose with a little sword fern - to reflect the New Zealand heritage. Mum's corsage of Memory Lane rose, purple lisianthus, bouvardia and mixed foliages for a very soft and elegant look. Tall table centre of p

if only for a little while! As I walked to the shop on Monday morning, the fallen leaves where all around, I just couldn't resist it, I shuffled through the middle of them, kicking the leaves in the air. I was on the main road, people were on their way to work, but I didn't care, I was having fun. I blame my new Cath Kidston skirt, it has little toadstools all over it and an elastic waistband, and when I wear it I feel like my 3 year old niece Nancy. All that was missing was a pair of these. When I was a little girl I drove my poor mother mad, every time we went shoe shopping I had to have red patent leather mary jane's, nothing else would do. It is amazing that these shoes can still be bought today, and even in ladies sizes, there must be a lot of people out there as weird as me! It really has turned quite Autumnal here now, but I don't mind, I love Autumn, I somehow feel more alive in this season. I have been planning a series of workshops for the shop, the furniture

I loved working on this very pretty shabby chic scheme for Rosie. Gorgeous colours, gorgeous flowers and lots of pretty ideas with a difference for bride's looking for a bit of inspiration. Bouquet in pale green, silver and ivory for Rosie using roses, bouvardia, apple lisianthus and white astilbe with a little touch of eucalyptus. Perfect for the shabby chic but elegant look Rosie wanted.  Bridesmaids bouquet of ivory roses, pink lisianthus and astilbe with a little eucalyptus to pick up the silver.  Silver and white wrist corsage on a hand made silver wire mesh bangle with eucalyptus, white lisianthus and bouvardia. Another option for bridesmaids but perfect for Mothers of the Bride too.  Buttonhole of Dolomiti rose, pink lisianthus and bouvardia with eucalyptus to carry the shabby chic look through to the men. This one was for the groom. Ivory, pink and silver bridesmaids' bouquets, boxed and ready to go Stunning floral heart using Avalanche roses, Mimi Eden spray roses, pin

Time has just flown in for me this summer, as I have been a busy little bee. Things are picking up for me at the shop and so there has been a lot of making, painting and planting going on. vintage style bunting. hand painted scrubbing brushes. slightly mad looking rabbit cake to make, for a certain someone's 11th birthday. hanging baskets to plant. furniture to paint. cotton bunting in various colourways. Bespoke bunting for a wedding. The 'Tweed' family rabbits. Decoupaged nest of tables. A One Direction movie to watch, and photographs to be taken with cardboard cutouts, of Lois's favourite boys. So you see,a busy bee. I do hope I will be forgiven for not posting? Then on Saturday, there was 'the wedding', which has been taking up a lot of my time too. It was a lovely wedding, the couple Leigh and Stuart, had very clear ideas of what they wanted, something vintage, something fun and something different. As usual my photographing was forgotten about until the la