HOME & HORT

Apologies for only one newsletter this week. It’s been a tad hectic and very stressful with the build, wretched conservation officers, and annoying brand partnerships, resulting in me having to miss the Substack Summer Fěte in London and running out of time for Thursday’s post. There will be a full update on the renovation gossip next Sunday, I’ve got so much to tell you. Plus, there’s another guest interview next week too.

Can you believe it’s not even a year since I created what is the barn garden so far? We were in the middle of the most ridiculous heatwave. It was the worst time possible to be planting, I could feel the gardening glitterati rolling their eyes as I submerged another precious English rose into soil drier than a rice cracker baked in the midday sun. But, all the stars of the show had already been bought you see, they were waiting in the wings. What was I to do? That’s climate change for you.

It’s been all go this week. Can’t wait to update you all soon. Our real life garden meet up is about to happen! It’s not too late to decide to join us at Great Dixter. All the details of where to meet and at what time are below. I only realised on Tuesday that I had a very short window to write this week’s newsletters, so today I’ve removed the paywall from one of my most-read posts for you: 19 Things That Actually Increase the Value of Your Home - plus the % increases for each job.

Nobody’s calling me a scaredy cat. This is high up let me tell you! Give me a violin and I’ll do my best impression of Fiddler on the Roof. I played Tevye once, totally miscast. I managed the booming voice during ‘If I were a rich man’, but I really didn’t suit the beard (stick on because it would have taken me nine years to grow), I’m not exactly Topol am I? They had to pad my belly, I was wafer thin at the time.

This newsletter is only possible because of all the people who pay for the gas to keep us rolling. To receive new posts, get access to the beauties on offer today and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber. The last time The Old Curiosity Shop opened its doors was back at Christmas. I can’t quite believe how quickly this year is flying by, so I thought it was about time I put the ‘open’ sign back on the door. Oh my goodness I have some fabulous things for you all.

A week of progress on the barn renovation in 91 degree heat, the scary removal of structural oak beam, plus meet my brilliant carpenters. Hanging out with the guys in the largest of the double-height dormers. That has to be the most clickbait-ridden title I’ve ever written, but it does actually sum up a very hot and sweaty week of renovation progress pretty well. Although, if you’re hoping for half naked muscle-bound men in hard hats swinging their trusty tools, then you might be disappointed.

The 4th instalment of my interview series for Home & Hort readers with fabulous guests from the interiors and gardening world. I hope you’re loving reading this series as much as I’m enjoying interviewing the guests. If you missed my first three guest interviews with the wonderful Greg Penn, the ever fabulous Paula Sutton and the hugely talented Jack Kinsey, then you can read those in the At Home With… tab at the top of my homepage.

Crammed full of photos and videos particularly for international members Happy sunny bank holiday weekend to you all. As I’m writing this Missy the dog is hot and bothered and taken shelter underneath the dining table. She loves being underneath things, she’d definitely have survived The Blitz. She’s 17 in July, so I do worry about her in this heat. I’ll put a few more ice cubes in her water bowl.

A garden sponsored by a sex shop, garden gnomes, numerous non-perfect blooms, Petunias for crying out loud! And…a very welcome sense of inclusivity, togetherness, calm, healing and hope. Loved it! I can’t imagine there’s many sentences printed with The RHS and the F word in the same sentence, but that’s kind of how this year’s show felt to me, like the gods of the flower world threw caution to the wind and told the whole planet they could come to the party.

My favourite part of any Grand Designs episode is when something goes catastrophically wrong. That’s sounds awful doesn’t it, but I think if we’re honest we all love being a bit of a voyeur in someone else’s nightmare far removed from our own everyday life, watching wide eyed as torrents of water flood the newly plastered ceiling of this week’s victim, while we grab another bite of our cheese on toast, and snuggle down on our comfy dry sofa.