Going outside

Ten hours can you believe we all slept last night, no midnight dashes out to the garden for potty or fox barking straight through. Amazing! I would have slept for longer if I hadn't been woken up with Maud on her back prodding her foot in my ear. By the way if the weather doesn't improve soon I'm moving to LA - watched most of the series of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills on the plane to Oz a few weeks back and now I'm hooked. I want to be a housewife in LA. If anyone in LA needs a wife email me, I have a few little (only little) requirements but other than that I'm pretty easy and relaxed to live with, I reckon! Right talking LA or at least sunshine I wanted to spend a little time this morning yabbering about outside spaces because in this country at least we are often times a little neglectful. Whether you have a balcony, small backyard or grand lawn the trick with outside areas is to treat them like inside areas. I create little vignettes all over our garden, plus I took the plunge and starting planting trees in the middle of the lawn (actually pebbles) to break up the doctor’s waiting room style garden I previously had with everything planted around the perimeter. So in spring (if it ever arrives) you can't quite see what is in front of you and subconsciously your senses are more excited. We have a big old olive tree right at the end (which will have to come with me if I'm relocating to LA, told you there were a few little requirements), and two quite large eucalyptuses nearer the front of the house. So when they grow the plan is that they touch providing a lovely canopy to sit under when the sun comes out (if the sun comes out). Outdoor furniture is a fright,  I find its so bloody awful to look at, can't go near so I mix old with new. Starck's Toy Chairs and old French cafe chairs  hang out with a couple of lounging plastic Marc Newson chairs.  My plan was to create an outdoor room as cool as my indoor ones so the eye doesn't stop at the garden. Lighting is key, as fundamental out as it is in. B&Q sell cheap but very good outdoor lights which highlight our trees and jasmine, looks magical at night.  I've got fakes in jugs all over the place because I need a bit of colour, but you can just as easily use grape hyacinth which I adore, and the smell - intoxicating. If you are London based go to Petersham nurseries, amazing pots, plants and super cool stuff for outside and in, even if you use it as inspiration. And this year I am researching window boxes (I know they get a bad wrap for being a tad suburban) but I reckon we can do something about that. I need anything that hides the (how to be polite) ugly building adjoining us! I use this image all the time (forgive me) but it takes outdoor rooms to a whole other level! Me done, have to walk the two M's, whizz up a smoothie and get the house in order for a photo shoot at ten. Busy, busy busy