Monday 7 July 2008

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
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...
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?!!)

***

Have a great week! x

23 comments:

  1. What a lovely place to visit, looks like you had a great day and weren't you lucky with the weather?! Nice goodies too!

    Congratulations to big stinky boy!

    Enjoy the week - ignore the rain if possible!

    Clare x

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  2. I visted Stonehouse Cottage Garden last August as part of my birthday treat. It's so pretty isn't it and I love the fact that it's not too neat. It's not very far from me..... I feel another visit coming on! Lovely photos.

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  3. Well done to "big & stinky", you must be so proud of him.
    Love all the garden photos, think we may be paying that one a visit.
    As for the anniversary haul, I MUST search that shop out, I 'm in love with the love birds!
    Julia x

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  4. Congratulations to you both! Looks like a perfect weekend - How on earth one talented lady looks after that huge plot, I can't imagine - and good for you treating yourself to those lovely goodies. I really love the wire letter tray.

    And well done to your son - I have my fingers crossed for my two eldest daughters, that they will sort their lives out soon too!

    (Still looking for the towelling swimsuit! ;-))

    Have a great week,
    Niki x

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  5. Happy Anniversary, I love your goodies,the place you visited looked gorgeuos and very peaceful. My hubby loves going around gardens and he would love your job! I've got two of the spotty cath kidston bags, I bought one for myself and one to giveaway on my blog as I know it will be in big demand......see I'm a good girly by not sticking it on ebay, I think its disgusting too!
    Congratulations to your stinky boy!! Just think how much he will save you on your extension....Claire xx

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  6. Sounds like you both had a lovely day.

    Garden does indeed look fabulous.

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  7. What a great way to spend your anniversary. I am going to leave this post up so my hubby can see it (and take a hint or two!).
    Cathy X

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  8. £24.00 on ebay, I should maybe put my wellies on and drive down to our local Tesco and buy all their stock. They certainly haven't sold out here!
    Whoops got a bit excited there, happy anniversary to you both. Your day sounded perfect to me.

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  9. That mat is darling! I have never heard of Greegate...I will need to investigate this!

    M ^..^

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  10. What a lovely way to spend a day together.
    I'm after one of those wire thingys for the wall too...beats a desk drowning in bits of paper..I found them cheapest at Live Laugh Love (website)
    Nice bathroom flooring, same as mine!

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  11. Oh no, you've gone and introduced me to another lovely shop...I've already ordered something from them after reading your post. You should get a referral fee! :-)

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  12. Thank you for all the wonderful garden photos...So beautiful it made my heart ache a bit! ...Katie

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  13. Looks a nice place to visit and I agree goodies for the home much better than flowers!
    I have that exact same address book! Not noticed those 99p bags in my Somerfield will have to look out for them and congrats on your son getting a college place.
    Sarahx

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  14. What gorgeous gardens & lovely goodies too.

    Congrats to George on getting his place at college!

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  15. Hi, I have just discovered your blog and I am so glad that I did! Lovely, lovely photos and such interesting posts.
    Thanks for all you share. I shall be popping back again!

    Sheila

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  16. the house and garden are amazing!
    my tean had a tough few years at secondary, and now she is at collage coming top of her subjects and having a blast! good on stinky boy!

    Kath
    x

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  17. well done George, fab news!
    I have the same bags -lovely husband stopped on the way home fromwork 'specially-aren't they fabulous? Have been using one of them all day today, lugging stuff about in town. We also have the same telephone. Heehee.
    Love your cute anniversary birds in a tin! How sweet are they?!

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  18. Well done George and all the best for college!
    What a great anniversary treat, Woody doesn't really do gardens I'm afraid but he fancies an allotment so maybe I'm working on him!
    Lovely things too, I bought my mum those swwet little birds for my mum's birthday and I have the same address book too (took me ages to decide as well!) I'm hankering after that Greengate mat too - great minds think alike! I'm developing a bit of a Greengate obsession.
    Stephx

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  19. The love birds are beautiful how romantic sounds like we have simlar husbands It can take me two days to decide on which one to get X

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  20. What a lovely trip..I love visiting gardens.Glad you had such a good time.
    The Greengate mat is gorgeous!;-)

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  21. I am so glad to hear Stinky boy has a place at college - chin up eh?? That is disgusting about the bags - people are so greedy arent they. I am off to somerfield tonight!

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