Pretty...Stonehouse cottage gardens (and a pretty shop!)

Usually for our Anniversary,Pete and I go to an open garden or house somewhere ...we are definately not your roses and a romantic meal type..a cup of tea and some yummy cake does for me and we would rather spend money on something nice for the house than on expensive cards.(more on nice housey things later)

I'm sure I'm not alone..well I hope I'm not or you'll think I'm really mean!!

This year we went to

Stonehouse Cottage gardens and nursery

It's not very far from us in Malvern, near Kidderminster and for £3 it's certainly worth a look...

You may have seen it featured in a magazine.I first saw it in 'The English Garden' but I think more recently it was in Country living (or Country homes?) It's a walled garden with towers and follies, all hand built by the current owners out of reclaimed bricks..

You can climb up the very narrow spiral steps in one tower (a bit scary to say the least) and take a peek out over the three quarters of an acre gardens...

...which are truly beautiful..and very English.

They are not overly immaculate gardens,the roses needed deadheading and the lawn edges and hedges needed a trim, but when you think just one lady looks after all this by herself and runs a nursery selling all the plants from the garden,they are pretty amazing. (My photographs really don't do it justice)

We were the only people there (apart from the owners friendly Collies after a bit of fuss) and timed the weather perfectly as we had blue skies and sunshine..lovely!

Afterwards I dragged Pete off to Hereford (in the pouring rain!) for some retail therapy..I'm sure the Child benefit is meant to be spent on things like school shoes ,food or actual children..but hey-ho never mind..I'm sure the stinky boys will appreciate all my new goodies :0)

We went specifically to Hereford to go to one shop...

Berry Red

the most fantastic little place tucked away down an alley.

Our wedding anniversary gift to ourselves, little teeny love birds in a tin (ok this is about as soppy as we get!)
A new address book

( which must have taken me 15 minutes to decide between the 3 different ones..Pete has the patience of a saint!)

A pretty Greengate beaker for the bathroom.. which matches the new mat I got last week!
I love Greengate things..

...and a wire letter tray.I really like these..next time I'm going to get the one that hangs on the wall.

My wonderful mother-in-law bought me the 2 new Cath kidston Tesco bags,they seem to be sold out everywhere and going on eBay for up to £24 (they are £3.50 each) I must admit I have a problem with that..they are after all, for charity and a cancer charity at that, I think the eBay sellers should donate all their profits, imagine what Marie Curie could do with all that extra money..The stripey one at the back is a 99p one from Somerfield..they have three very similar styles to the Cath Kidston ones if your interested!

I must just add this little bit (it has been a bit of a long post, sorry!)....today I'm the proudest mum EVER...my big stinky boy has got a place at college..not on his exam results...on his own merit! He's had such a tough time with school, the last few years have been a bit of a nightmare to say the least and I can't tell you how pleased we are..well done George!! (you do realise you will have to build our extension when you are qualified?!!)

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Have a great week! x