London: Petersham Nurseries
My mum always spoke about Petersham Nurseries. It was somewhere she absolutely loved. When I finally went there I felt exactly the same. Funnily enough, walking in, I felt like I could have been arriving at one of my own dinners!
The candelabras and vibrant flower arrangements all seemed so familiar. I felt immediately inspired to create a magical outdoor setting. We always bring the outdoors inside, whether it’s a vase of flowers, potted forget-me-nots or even decorative rocks, but being at Petersham got me thinking about the concept of bringing the indoor out.
Seeing all the reclaimed wood furniture placed happily in amongst the greenery reminded me of a dressing table I’d had as a child, which my Mum moved into the garden. What a fabulous idea that was! She was always making use of indoor artefacts to decorate the outside, like rusty tins from the kitchen and an iron headboard from my sisters bedroom, which was eventually creeping with ivy and wisteria.
I also distinctly remember an old typewriter sitting peacefully beneath the shrubbery, with it’s keys falling off. Bringing furniture outside can create a shabby-chic aesthetic and give you the feel that you’re in a secret garden. It’s a great idea to keep in mind with the prospect of summer parties not far away.
