I get asked about boat life a lot, how do you do flowers on it? Do you have mice, can the cats swim, does the boat move? The answers are squeak mainly yes.

What’s it like in the winter (effing cold my dears). How does it run? I can’t believe you have a washing machine! There’s even a kettle…Dah dee dah.

So, here for starters are some snaps of the boys pulling up in their blue barge on a sunny day and bringing our delivery of diesel, coals and gas. That’s how we roll.

A great deal of tea is drunk on these occasions and yup those really are Rosie and Jim style canisters. They are as obligatory for boat dwellers as one of these, mugs of tea, electricity cards, giant magnets and a pair of black and white collies.

And for those visitors – mainly boys popping over for a dance – who were concerned I am not in distress anymore, the flag is now the right way up swaying with white bunting, Cath Kidston style in the wind. Patriotic or just pretty?

xxx

Getty, Life and me x

A mix of canals, canoes and camelias, the perfect recipe for London living? I’m often asked about it and yes it is lovely. But, I don’t want you all to think I ponce about in floral petticoats in a hedonistic mix of swans and sunflowers. That’s for sundays.

When I’m working it’s lovely lovely to wake up and see buckets of blooms in my workroom a beckoning from my cabin or crates of roses peering through portholes.

But the endless wheelbarrow heaving up the towpath can be, gosh, achesome.

Event flowers for Jamie on the roof of my boat looked stunning – yes locally grown (well Surrey), mais, in the pouring rain, a juggle.

A photo shoot with tissue blossom in spring rather fragile in the wind, and 200 posies for a fashion show frankly lovely but teetering with them in their cake boxes along cobbles, terrifying.

All these things have led to a lot of chitchat about shops, workrooms and studios – a lot of my friends have stores and equally they come with their own problems.

So, even if I have had to watch a a prized posie topple then float past – could I really decamp with my buckets?

Then there’s the blog where the boat has a starring role.

So all in all yes, flowers and boats are a funny combination but I can not lie living on this ship has changed my life.

I’ve fallen in love here, found my tom-boy feet and peace and petal time in the heart of London.

It’s a boat full of music, marigolds and mayhem oh and secret stashes of pearly floristry pins I can never find.

Not a typical Constance Spry set up admittedly.

We’ll see.

Pondering a life in France, could we should we? Apres vous…

Bon amities…to losing leeks in hedges down the towpath, giggling in E&O at the sight of an opal, staring at friends baby bumps, finding my first delicious dash of blue bee delphs…

To sharing peach peonies with pals and giggling over homemade peppermint tea, to saving a mouse from the duke, battling with broad beans in the midday sun, enjoying sweet peas and twisting heavenly hydrangea garlands for my girls.

Here we are on this hot sunny waiting for a visit from fashion royalty, gardening till dusk, searching for derniere peonies, and hooplaa’ing for hydrangeas.

is for gardening, growing gooseberries, gardenia, great friends, graciousness, grilled fish, gretna green (at this rate), grand designs, georgina, general joviality, gershwin, geraniums, gorgeous headbands, gracelands (not the album), ganache, george formby, grumpy cats and go go dancing.

A weekend of escapism for the Gypsy Roses, daring feasts courtesy of captain upon fine vintage lace and some fabulous floral finds.

Waiting for the rain and reports on leeks, lovage and lavender to come. xx

Wednesday brings you a magical picture taken by my sailing friend Inness.

A distinguished wall of picture frames is one of my favourite things ever…

…that and fabulous emporiums. Shrimps cooked by O after a Goldbourne Fishery visit, our scented terrace and fading roses.

The Gypsy Rose garden and the boat have been invited to star in a chic coffee table book so we’re dead excited, hoping our courgettes grow in time and frantically pruning…

Today we’re sniffing back the tears as we watch peonies fade and sharing plates with mates…

Should I, would I, could I …wed in red?

A week of announcements, operatic societies and the chelsea flower show.

The bicycle made for two, planning a show stopping autumn affair and pining a pretty frock matched with dads wellies.

Flowers are delicious, tea dresses are divine and Dusty Springfield moments really shake the cobwebs away. But oh for the love of a good cuppa and a lemon slice, a mix of all is a must. Tea parties being all the rage apparently. Are you game?

It can get boring but I’ve not discovered a food and flower loving blog that hasn’t featured a Laduree macaroon and the mention of twee tea yet… oh and dancing.

I recently got to do a fantastic wedding with oodles of pots of tea, cake stands wonky vintage china and quirky champagne coups. Teacups blooming with roses and peonies, tumbling crazy horses, rose petal jams and hydrangeas too.

This summer a pal and I are planning a tea club night, free tea and cake, a babysham and a battenburg – it will be sweetpeas ahoy and any excuse to wear a fancy pink frock, silk stockings, haul out an old gramaphone and kick off our sunday shoes.

Any suggestions for toe tapping teatime tracks, much appreciated…
xxx

It’s Friday – Not a flower in sight. I’m dusting down my vicars bike, searching out Cecil’s show and prop-making paper balloons on the boat – with a dash of Lemon Barley, ice, mint and a bit of Cole Porter, care to join?

What is it about girls our age….food interiors and flowers? Whilst roaming for fun food blogs and ideas for unique parties I just discovered this great site with amazing ideas for will you marry me’s, great photography…super stylee. Swoon!

Today I’m loving Brigitte’s sulky pout and wondering what this flower loving icon was thinking? Seeking inspiration from Agatha for chapter three. A haunted Vicarage, a slice of cake, a broken down merc and a nosey florist perhaps?

If my paws don’t get stuck together with paste, I’ll dig through O’s vinyl and my shoddy 80’s tapes for my top digging you digging me tunes… as promised!

xx,