Hi everyone, happy Wednesday! Glad to be back!
Though currently I have neither the time nor space to garden, I harbor a strong suspicion that within me dwells a latent desire to putter around the yard, one that will surface with a vengeance once I hit, oh, 50 or so. But I’ve always loved visiting a botanical garden, and during lockdown, my mom and I watched a lot of feel-good British TV, including many many episodes of Real Gardens and Big Dreams, Small Spaces (Monty Don! What a guy!) Which is why, when planning where to take a summer vacation this year, I picked England in mid-August.
I wanted to see Gardens, with a capital G: tidy hedgerows and quirky topiaries, secluded statues and rose-coated trellises, winding gravel paths and water features out the wazoo. After all, if there’s one thing the English know how to do, it’s how to garden. Though I’ve sadly now returned to the realm of steel and concrete, here are a few things I discovered during my trip to keep the botanical spirit alive.
Up a Tree
TREE IN BLOOM CANDLE - DIAPHANE CANDLES (£156 £117)
At “curated concept store” Koibird (you know the vibe), I stumbled across Diaphane Candle Co.’s gloriously sculptural Tree of Light candles, its branches unfurling like a waxen menorah. The plain moss green candle reminds me of a saguaro cactus, while the Tree in Bloom version, encased in a swathe of puffy flowers, resembles a cherry blossom tree in its full early-April splendor.
All Abloom
ISSUE 4 PRE-ORDER - BLUMENHAUS (€33)
At Magalleria, an independent magazine shop in Bath, I stood paralyzed with indecision; my eyes skittered over all the coolly inscrutable zines and artsy periodicals before landing on an issue of Blumenhaus, which bills itself as an “art and botanical review.” Inside, you’ll find stories about horticultural techniques, flower symbolism, and full-moon gardening alongside high-fashion editorials of placid girls in gauzy dresses lolling in wildflower meadows. I spent half an hour leafing through it and have already placed a pre-order for their next issue, which comes out in October.
Boots on the Ground
ITALIAN GARDEN CLOGS - GARDENHEIR ($78)
In the Kew Gardens gift shop, I picked up a pair of four-centimeter-high green wellies on a keychain, and promptly became obsessed with finding a life-size equivalent. Though they’re not boots, these Italian garden clogs from Gardenheir have come the closest so far. They have the same rubbery texture, the same pleasingly curvaceous silhouette, and the same deep forest green shade. (And as a cherry on top, the colorway is called British Green).
Tried one of my recs and loved it (or hated it)? Wanna get something cool on my radar? Drop me a line at kittylguo@gmail.com or swing by my Twitter @kitguo!
I wiiish I had a green thumb. I really do. I am so so envious of people who can love and care for plants🪴