RICHMOND | Cider with Rosie

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A M O N G S T T H E F L O W E R S .

Growing up, garden centres visits were something of a ritual.

My family and I would meet my cousins and uncle at one or other of our many local garden centres every other Sunday, for cake and tea and hours of chatter.

I’d pick up my Grandma on my way home from lectures on Wednesdays during my first year or so of university, and we’d head over to the garden centre just across from where she lived for a happy afternoon of shopping and pottering and updating one another on our lives.

Christmas just wasn’t Christmas until we’d visited the festive displays in our favourite local nursery, and my sister and I would comment every year on how it never felt as sparkly or magical as the previous year’s display. Over the past decade, these traditions have changed and evolved, as our family has done the same.

But nevertheless, a garden centre visit still holds a special place in my heart…

I met Tania in Richmond a few days ago, and together we moseyed our way along the river towards Petersham Nurseries. Tania had never been before, you see, and so we thought it was about time for a visit!

I’d been to Petersham 18 months or so ago with friends, back when the nursery was beginning to bloom in full summer glory.

This visit was decidedly chillier, a little breezier, but my goodness, just as beautiful as ever.

Summer’s soft pinks and corals and lilacs have faded away, and instead the flower beds and potting tables now are filled with deep rust and berry tones.

The vines that have threaded their way across the ceiling of the greenhouse (that doubles as a cafe) are heavy with grapes, and the whole nursery is a feast for the eyes.

Not to mention the camera lens…

We could’ve stayed there all afternoon, Tania and I. And thinking about it now, we pretty much did.

Lunch was bought and enjoyed in the greenhouse (a taleggio and kale bake for Tania, chickpea and potato curry for me, plus a slice of chocolate cake to share), and we fell in love a hundred times over with the idea of owning a vine-filled greenhouse big enough to set up a dining table in. Can you even imagine the dinner parties?

The rest of our afternoon was spent wandering up and down the beds, taking 101 photos of the vibrant dahlias and herbs and greenery, and talking about how much we both loved playing hide and seek during the garden centre visits we made as children.

Not that there was ever any doubt that our friendship were solid as a rock, but sharing a love of garden centres cemented it that bit further.

I’m wearing :: Scarf (< almost identical!) || Roll-neck jumper || Riding pants || Boots | Handbag

I must just take a brief minute to talk to you about that dreamboat of a roll-neck I’m wearing. It’s without doubt the most cosy, yet effortlessly stylish jumper I’ve ever owned, and I’m yet to go a day whilst wearing it that it doesn’t get complimented.

All that, *and* it doesn’t need hand washing? Consider my heart officially stolen!

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Last week, my little Mum and I took an impromptu afternoon trip in to Richmond, for a little midweek sale shopping and a date with Whole Foods. (Sidetone: I don’t think I *ever* go to Richmond without it being totally impromptu and off the cuff! What’s going on with that?!) Even though, as I said last week, my only resolution for this year is to go gentler on myself and not to makes any great changes to my diet or get healthier or anything of that sort, there’s still something about January that always makes me want to eat lighter, more organic foods. Maybe all those ’10 healthy meals to make this January!’ articles I read on Buzzfeed at 1am when I can’t sleep are being osmosed into my psyche! ;)

We wandered across the green (stopping to admire the few remaining Christmas trees and wreaths brightening up the beautiful houses that line the edges of the park), before swinging by Anthropologie for a quick check in on the sale. I tried on some 15-odd dresses, all of which looked glorious on the hanger but horrendous on me (why does this happen? I always feel so duped!) before heading over to Whole Foods for lunch. And I know I’ve mentioned it on the blog already once or twice, but that salad bar? It’s magic. Top tips of what to pick out? The black olives (so salty, so great), the pickled beetroot (just be sure not to spill any down your top), the super creamy feta, and the aubergine from the hot food counter, that comes marinated and cooked in some sort of sweet and spicy sauce that tastes like total heaven.

After lunch we went on a mad dash round the grocery aisles (a mad dash because we were keen not to get caught in rush hour traffic), and bought up one of pretty much everything in the shop. Like sugar snap pea crisps (the caesar flavour is the best!), spelt crisp breads with pumpkin and cheese, chia seeds (I’m finding them pretty repulsive so far, I can’t tell a lie…), freshly ground peanut butter, and some flavoured matcha iced tea. It’s a total feast for the eyes, Whole Foods, don’t you think? We stayed in there for almost two hours- wondering how on earth quinoa flakes can be so incredibly expensive, weighing up the merits of one almond milk over another, sniffing the ripest and mouldiest cheeses, and debating whether or not to try a matcha cupcake.

And my Mum and I played our favourite game the whole day, which is to make dream-plans about where we each might live in the future and the houses we might buy, and what fun it’ll be when she can retire and we can have more time for days like this one. And more time for my Mum to play photographer’s assistant to me, which I know she’s secretly the most excited about ;)