I am not a huge gardener, but I do get truly get excited at this time of year by the weekly unfurling and blooming, and I am fond of the jungle-like nature of my garden. The abundance of that fresh acid green everywhere makes for happy days and I genuinely look forward to the end-of-day commentaries on the telly from the annual Chelsea Flower Show, which kicked off on Tuesday.
Given my very passive, armchair interest in gardening, I suppose my excitement must just be down to the combination of two things that always pique my curiosity: colour (and its pairings in nature) and the natural world. Both are everywhere. So, what with this time of year and the Chelsea Flower Show, I thought I would make an attempt at bringing florals into the home.
Fabric-wise, my choice was no brainer as far as I was concerned. Acid greens, soft blues, pastel pinks, browns, maroons and greys jostle together, resembling an unkempt flower bed (mine?).
To pair this full-on fabric, the obvious choice for a gentle, traditional, country look would be those glorious, floppy soft linens in pale shades. But who likes obvious? Actually I do, especially if it involves floppy, soft linens in pale shades. But it’s good to branch out.
I gave myself the challenge of pairing this huge, bold traditional floral with a more ‘contemporary’ friend.
But how? No idea but I thought an experiment with the unpredictable would be fun. So I opted for a contrasting geometric pattern in a bold blue. Why not?
I appreciate large-scale florals aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but at this time of year, it is difficult not to embrace the colours of our parks, gardens, hedgerows, allotments and window boxes. Who can resist a bit of flower power?
