So the builders chopped down the majority of foliage but have left three old trunks of wisteria which the architect wants gone and we are all hoping to persuade not to. I don’t have any faith it will mean they will have to fence around the trunks rather than going in a straight line and seeing what they did opposite to those other poor neighbours gardens verges on the criminal. Am going to try and not focus on it as its far too upsetting. It couldn’t be crazier with work and I now have to run to nurseries to buy big established plants to plant side by side to give us some privacy back and what’s more the water ban starts tomorrow. God Dam!! Poor Mungs and Maud can only go outside on leads as there is literally no back wall until the fence goes in sometime in the next two weeks as they will escape so they are super cranky. Double God Dam, it’s not the happiest household right now!
On a more positive note 3rd episode of Get Your House in Order is on tonight (8pm Channel 4) and we’re in Manchester in a super cool loft apartment. I’ve got to come up with a scheme that changes this couple’s lives, that makes them love their home as much as I love mine, and will hopefully take the focus off their mindlessly spending. Will I be able to pull if off, suspense; suspense shall leave you guys to find out!
I actually whole-heartedly believe that decorating changes lives. If you live in a pad that you’re proud of it gives you the greatest buzz, its makes you instantly happy no matter how rough the day the moment you open the door you won’t want to leave. Home is where the heart is as the saying goes, and I believe stuff like cooking, cleaning, working and relaxing is so much more enjoyable if you love your surroundings. Maybe I should become a preacher and stand on stage with a great big mike and a choir and preach this message.
Enough I here you cry!! OK, OK I am off, to meetings, to nurseries and to a full on crazy working Easter, back on Tuesday, happy Easter everyone.
This is the kind of dense foliage I am after. How I’m going to find something this tall in 2 hours (its all the time I can spare) in central London is another thing coming. Hey ho if you see a crazy woman in a white van zooming all over town this afternoon its me, on the hunt for established plants. How such plants even if I can find them will go into the van is a far too practical problem for me to worry about right now!
Try Crews Hill in Enfield. There’s a few nurseries up there, including http://www.paramountplants.co.uk/ . Good luck x
Thank you x
Try valuehedging on ebay..I have had exactly the same problem, new neighbour cut beautiful hanging gardens of babylon hedge a year ago, have been waiting for him to put a fence in ever since..finally its going in next weekend. Meantime he has leveled his garden into a seasonless dust bath/quarry with a big blue trampoline beside my haven of peace so I have to put up with his squeeling trampoline brats too. Its hard to replace the planting and costs a fortune…I gave in and put in laylandi/and red robins…still not enough…and yes..the hosepipe ban doesnt help. good luck!
I can throughly recommend http://www.majestictrees.co.uk/about-our-trees/our-trees.html. Having gone through a similar thing. hope it all works out for you sooner rather than later.
Thank you, just found out the sell the hugest bamboo on earth and so that might do as a filler in the short term x
dont dispair! I admire you so much for not letting it go even if it means people thinking its a lost game so why should you bother, yes you should bother cause it makes a difference
It’s a bit far out for you here in deepest Essex but King & Co do some fab established trees and shrubs x
http://www.kingco.co.uk/
Thank you, funny was looking at their website recently and they seem to have fab stuff
If you want expert advice, get back to me as my friend’s son is a very cool freelance landscape gardener whose speciality is the planting side of things – it does seem to me that you need help!
Good Luck with the screening plants. We had the same years ago when a beautiful established rambling rose was cut down by the neighbours behind. We had a lovely view of their dining room and kitchen, until our replacement climber had a chance to grow! A word of warning – I think the water ban started today. It’s a £1000 fine, so best to check.
i would have cried seeing all that lovely stuff cut down!!!!!, as for the question yesterday about art for your bedroom check out the work of glasgow artist Margaretann Bennett, it will blow your mind (hopefully!) xxxx
Fab thank you for this x
Abigail this may cheer you up
http://www.stylist.co.uk/life/redecorating-better-than-sex#image-rotator-1
It has indeed x
You like the same thing outside as inside, a nice dark backdrop for your pops of colour. You should paint your side of the new fence black, or charcoal gray, or greenish-black, so you have your dark walls until the greenery fills in again.
Even though indeed very sad, the chopping of the foliage, your post is hilarious, thank you very much for making me smile, and all the best on your hunt this weekend! xo
Hey Abigail. Before I say what I’m about to say, I feel the need to give the disclaimer that I am a big fan of your work, before I get hauled over the coals by fellow blog readers. I’ve bought from and love your store, I own your book, I follow and post on your blog…I’m a fan. But Abigail I have to say the premise for Get Your House in order, really troubles me and I literally had to watch that episode through my fingers. The crux of the matter is that these people being featured have really complex issues. Issues that go way beyond, a lack of respect for their home. It’s obvious how troubled these people are, and it comes across as somewhat distasteful to watch them getting shouted at and berated by an antiques dealer in a bullish and insensitive manner to “wake up and smell the coffee”, and “stop spending”. Nick comes across horribly on the show, and it makes for really uncomfortable viewing. I know some may say “It’s only a bit of light entertainment” , but there’s clearly nothing “light” about these people’s problems and it feels really irresponsible and over simplistic to boil it down to “we’ll flog your stuff, do up your house. Problem sorted”. As with any compulsive disorder these people need genuine help from mental health professionals. They may keep their house uncluttered for a couple of months after the show, but in the long term will return to their previous patterns of behaviour, as the underlying issues have not been dealt with. I think there is room for a show like this to work, handled with a greater degree of sensitivity and responsibility from the production team, but the execution leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Sorry. x
You could do a whole lot worse than clumping (not running) bamboo. It’s a very poetic plant. It grows upwards rapidly, it whispers and dances in the wind and it’s evergreen. I have it and I love it to pieces.
Abigail….guru….unrelated question to your post….
I need to combine a guest bedroom with a home office- due to space restrictions. I am getting rid if the ‘mothership’ massive husband desk to replace it with something more ‘petite’ to accommodate a queen size bed.
Desks in a spare bedroom- that must house (unavoidables) like a printer/ scanner – along with the hard drive box and all the horrid cords. What on earth do mere mortals do for choice- without going to Ikea (deep breath) for a sensible solution?
I have been looking on eBay at small desks, small timber tables….lots of options—-but there is the practicalities of a monitor, hard drive and the printer/ scanner.
I would love advice – pretty please- with sugar and chocolate Easter eggs on top
There must be millions like me- crammed for space- in the same position.
N x
(from Down under)
Lots you can do, forget about standard desks and instead look at auction houses or ebay for small tables. Brown furniture, ornate brown furniture in particular is going for a song, they practically can’t give it away. Paint or spray it a lovely colour and it totally transforms it. You could put the printer and the scanner on two little tables either side. I picked up two small side tables recently at a flea market for £50, again brown. And layer your desk with cool stuff a big bunch of faux flowers, a cool lamp maybe anything that distracts the eye from the practical stuff. Good luck
Muchas Gracias.
You are so correct re: brown timber furniture going for a song on eBay. I am currently addicted to eBay and need to purchase a much grander house to house my prizes from my growing ebay furniture addiction.
You seriously rock!
Ps. Your bulldog lamp is the last thing I look at, as the day ends…I love it.
Thank you that’s very kind of you to say. Bulldog is my favourite piece too, have mine in the hallway and he is the first thing I see when I get home x