Category Archives: Uncategorized

Say Amazon and most of us probably think of the on-line shopping monster, then maybe of the  South American river or one of the planet’s last great pristine wildernesses, inhabited a few “primitive” indigenous tribes. However, despite the legends of … Continue reading →

We have got  a bumper crop of aubergines in the garden this year because they were  only thing that loved the intense heat and I’ve just finished cooking and freezing some of the surplus.  They seemed very exotic when I … Continue reading →

I was tidying up my treasure trove of old magazines when I was distracted by the colourful  image above of an elaborate swing seat under a chinoiserie shelter. It headed an article by Michael Huey called “Garden Variety” in The … Continue reading →

In 1568 a young Flemish merchant arrived in London to seek opportunities for his family business. His father was an Antwerp-based  dealer in luxury goods, particularly diamonds,  so was wealthy enough to ensure his son was well educated. He was … Continue reading →