Don’t you love a fair? The Iris Country Fair in the Southern Highlands comes together just once every four years, and whilst in previous years I’ve helped man the plant stall, this year I have a small one of my own (though I’ve contributed cuttings & hope to have the chance to visit the plant stall on the day…somehow!!).
I’ll be taking along favourite, indispensable kit….things that make great pressies for keen gardeners, or just about anyone you can think of. Here’s a little taste, and I’ll very much hope to see you there: Saturday 17 November. For all practical details, click here: www.iriscountryfair.com.au
Above – the most indispensable piece of kit at all – I am never without my twine on a stake in the garden and every keen gardener should have one! Next to it, my favourite weeding/deadheading basket – I never go into the garden without this either. It comes in two sizes & I’ll take both to the fair…
Best gardening tools – the Dutch really do know how to garden!
My favourite gardening hat – only 3 left from this shipment – I’ll take them to the fair…
The toughest of all nail brushes – the workman’s brush, ideal for all gardeners (we CAN be a grubby lot on a big gardening day, but we do our best to look respectable the rest of the time!)…
Pot brushes to sweep out our best terracotta pots….
Dish brushes, bottle brushes and favourite linen tea towels with blue stripe or red (my Christmas cake is wrapped up in one of these)…
Enamel colanders in white….
Enamel colanders in blue (i use these all the time – they’re brilliant for collecting in the garden).
Enamel pitchers of all different shape and size, in red, white and blue (they all look heaven filled with herbs & flowers on the kitchen windowsill). Then there are my favourite geranium, lavender & lemon soap balls for the kitchen sink, and my favourite cream for hands before and after gardening.
Without a spare ball of twine my cupboards are bare! This thick flax twine makes all parcels look divine – brown paper or otherwise. And a French friend recently told me that Marseille soap keeps moths at bay! Stock the cupboards – not that we needed an excuse! (by the way, I have some EXTRA LARGE balls of twine in stock – they’re huge!).
A table is never properly laid without linen napkins. I have good stock of my favourites in white and natural, and those who attend all our events can testify to the fact that the two dozen or so I have on the go are still in great nick after several years of use.
Of course, linen napkins should be ironed (alright, so I LIKE ironing – especially if things are flat – like napkins and tea towels!). Lavender linen water makes the job all the more enjoyable, and I also have stock of an updated edition of Christina Strutt’s ‘Guide to Natural Housekeeping’ – it makes a lovely pressie, if you can bring yourself to part with it….
Which brings me to ‘Bugs off Betty’ for the kitchen cupboard…..I can’t always get stock of these clove, rose-petal & citrus infused friends. They smell like the essence of Christmas itself and keep the bad bugs at bay in the pantry. I JUST took delivery of a small batch and the Barn smells incredible!
Last but not least, I’ll take along the last two remaining Essential Dresses. I promise to have more made next year, but there are only two left from our first batch – both lightweight denim – one pale, one dark. I’ll be wearing one of mine, so you won’t miss me!
Goodness I feel dizzy at the thought! See you on Saturday…..
