Why are market baskets so beautiful?

I’ve always been a fan of baskets and bags.

Ever since I can remember I’ve  loved them – even as a child – I matched my bag to what I was wearing, and always had a new bag or basket to take on my summer holiday every year!  My first basket was bright pink and had embroidered flowers all over it, I was about four years old and I took it EVERYWHERE with me!

Maybe these early childhood memories go some way to explain what first prompted me to start selling baskets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The simplicity and timeless elegance of the humble French market basket make it one of my all time favourites.  They are perfect for using on the beach, on holiday, at a market or for supermarket shopping, and I never cease to find new uses for them.  Everywhere I go people comment on how lovely they are, and ask me where I buy them.  In France they are widely used and French women of all ages (who always seem to look effortlessly chic) carry them on shopping trips to the local markets to transport their purchases of fresh bread, fruit and vegetables.

 

I also use them for storage in the house, garage and garden, and take them to the allotment to collect produce – and off course to collect weeds and carry tools.  When they ages they just get better and better, and they are so long-lasting and sturdy with strong leather handles which are riveted onto the main body of the palm leaf basket.

If you would like one of these lovely baskets contact me at info@comfortandjoyshop.co.uk

Sowing the Seeds of Love

I have been collecting lots of seeds from the garden  recently… there are so many at this time of year!

It’s always a challenge to work out the exact time to gather them, and in previous years I’ve put it off thinking that it would be best to leave them just that little bit longer – only to be caught out by the unpredictable English weather and end up with soggy, damp seed heads which go mouldly and stubbornly refuse to dry out even when I bring them into the house and treat the little darlings to a nice warm sunbathing session on the window sills.

This year however, I have been lucky – and the sunshine has baked the seed heads to perfection.  I’ve gathered several different types, including  sweet peas, nigella and alium – as well as my all time favourite – aquilegia.

The seed pods look great too and so I always leave some for visual interest in the winter garden (and for the birds), but most of them I harvest for a bountiful new crop of flowers next year!

After all – why buy seeds when they are in such plentiful supply for free! Packets of seeds are outrageously priced, and even if you have only a small bed to fill the cost can soon mount up.   A few minutes of shaking ripe seeds into an envelope in the autumn can produce a summer garden next year that is filled with mallows, petunias, marigolds, and other favour­ites.  ­

Even prolific self seeders such as alysumm and fleabane are worth the effort of collecting seed and redistributing it around the garden to where you want it to grow! Apart from seeds from the garden I also collect them from the edges of the meadow (but never from rare wild flowers).  Many native plants in the UK can be successfully used in border planting in the garden, and I have used annuals such as corncockles and field poppies in this way for many years.

As any gardener will tell you – the easiest way to collect seed is to hold a paper bag under the seed head and snip it off with a pair of scissors.  Leave the seeds to dry out completely when you get them home – and then you can either save them in envelopes or sow them direct into the soil.

I always carry a pair of scissors and some envelopes in the car with me in-case I happen to drive past any interesting looking meadows (is that a bit sad)?!  Maybe it is but I am lucky enough to live in a very pretty area of North Hampshire and there are so many beautiful villages and country lanes – and wild flowers in abundance – I like to be prepared!

It goes without saying that I also collect vegetable seeds – tomatoes, beans, peas and courgettes to name just a few!

Some seed heads look so pretty they look good arranged in vases in the house during the autumn and winter months – honesty and poppies look great – and you can still sow the seeds afterwards!

Of course I also get given seeds from my gardening friends, who are more than happy to share and swap with me.  All in all I think I’m going to have enough to fill my garden with flowers, herbs and vegetables next year.

Apple Picking

The apple picking continues! So many apples this year…. amazing! Now we just have to think of apple recipes – any suggestions?