Inspiration

I.  N O R F O L K

The blog starts on the long drive to Holkam in Norfolk, one of the great architectural moments of that wonderful county. I was nearby for a new project and we'd gone for a quick explore. The landscape glowed in late afternoon sun - sun after rain. 

The serene Palladian facade of the big house...

Our destination was the tiny temple in the grounds. No one is quite sure if it's purely designed by William Kent or derived from one if his sketches. It's perfect.

The perfect building within the landscape.

Here's Kent's magnificent triumphal arch at the other end of the estate.  The bright red things you see are the Norfolk County Council bins!

We drifted past the astonishing Tudor East Barsham Manor on the way home... these amazing turrets and bricks are all you can really glimpse over the gates.  But worth the detour. Merrie England!

The next day we had a visit to this amazing building, the Burnham Overy Staithe Windmill. It's in a rather sorry state at the moment but the National Trust are developing good plans for its restoration.

North Norfolk vistas - such as beautiful landscape.

Final stop - Sarah, Countess of Leicester and her astonishing plaster works in a series of barns and sheds at home - reproducing plaster busts from the original Georgian sculpture galleries at Holkham.  Amazing!

Basically, all we want in life!   You can find more details here.

11. T U S C A N Y

A few days later I was back out to Florence for a meeting for our project there. Look at this amazing view as we came in to land.

But first I was at amazing Arniano for a day.

The iconic and perfect hallway!

What a house and setting. Thank you Matthew and Camilla - and sorry, Amber, that you were away!

Meanwhile in Orkney Charlie sent me this photo of the puffins!

I arrived in Florence that evening.

We hurtled up to Fiesole for sunset.

And then back down again for drinks with Massimo Listri and supper at Cammillo's. I snapped this shot from the taxi as we crossed the Arno.

The next day we had an amazing visit to the Uffizi Gallery with the new director, Simone Verde. He's got a fantastic energy and is doing wonderful things...

Such as opening up the Vasari corridor that links the Gallery to the Pitti Palace, running along at high level over the  Arno, above the Ponte Vecchio.

Here's the view as you cross.

Blinking, you arrive out of a secret door at the Pitti Palace. Incredible.

And then, fleeting visit over, we were off. It's amazing looking down from the aeroplane window at the landscape immediately around Florence, a huge network of tiny market gardens.

So different to the scale of the giant industrial fields of England.

Looking down over what I think is the City of Pistoia - which looks intriguing and perfect! I would like to visit one day.

III. H O M E

I had a very early visit to Chelsea which was fascinating. But I confess that this was my favourite garden...

Because it wasn't trying to tell us anything or be anything or have a THEME.  It was just a lovely garden.  It's a strange situation, Chelsea, so much effort, but there's something unsettling if you stop to think.

I loved my friend George's beautiful room for Country Life magazine...

But I loved being at home in our garden a day later even more!

The bluebells were next level.

Charlie was down south for a day. I had a lovely glass of wine in the perfect sunshine.

The next day I collected our friends Frances and Wally Palmer who were staying for the weekend... Clouds has blown in, but we had a lovely visit to Stromness, and to the Hall of Clestrain, with its fantastic views over to Hoy.

The perfect Pier Arts Centre in Stromness, with its wonderful collection.

Home with Frances and Wally, and joined by Charlie returned from his travels... a soft and gentle evening - but not the sweltering heatwave that was hitting London and the south. Orkney has been cool and misty!

In the bluebell wood.

We went for a long walk the next day....

Puffins included, but only out at sea that day...

The Ian Hamilton Finlay sculpture in the mist.

Sunshine the next day.

Later that week were were over to mainland for supper, and took the late water taxi back home by moonlight.

Westness and the woods. This photo was taken at 11pm. The white nights are here.

The next day I was down to London. A beautiful still morning.

Followed by a crazy not still evening!  The launch of Scenery 5.  Westness is extensively featured!  Buy your copy while stocks last!! There's Simon, the editor, in dazzling red, with London ballet dancers en masse (they are in the mag too).

Here's lovely Brett who took all the photos.  It was a fantastic evening, hot and fun.

The Westness cover seemed to be selling very fast, even if I say so myself.  We're also stocking the beautiful Jasper Conran and Royal Opera House covers.

Back to Westness after meetings the next day - home to the mist.

Glimpses of the week follow.

The cows are out now, so lovely to have them in the landscape.

The very last of the tulips.

The ever growing nature table...

Look at this amazing mist one morning. You can JUST make out the wind turbines if you look very, very closely.

You couldn't see mainland Orkney.  Flat calm, not a breath of wind.

Meanwhile...

Charlie's veg garden is going mad now.

We followed this little fishing boat home on one of our daily walks.

Just heading out of view.  A silver sea.

Bloody Maries on Sunday.

In Charlie's greenhouse.

The VERY last of the tulips... fading now.

The next morning I went for my first swim.  Very cold at first - but I've been in every day now and it feels GOOD!  The pool is open!

What was this bird?  Google helped me look it up.  A skylark - there are so many calling now, high in the sky, but I think that's the first we've seen. A friendly little thing.

A slightly more promising light for swimming.

Poppy unfurled over night.

And - on our walks - primroses still in the verges.  It's been a cooler spring up here than in the south, for sure.  It's a rather lovely crossover.