Hi all. Joining in again on Amy's (Love Made My Home) weekly linky party, Five on Friday.
I am changing it up a bit this week. Usually I choose five pictures from my cell phone's camera to share here each week. Not this time. Today I am going to share the 5 prettiest flowers (in my opinion) from the Columbia Road Flower Market.
My daughter and I recently visited the UK and stayed in London for over a week. I had seen so many pictures of the Columbia Road Flower Market showing its colourful beauty that we made it a priority to visit it on the one rainy Sunday morning we had in London.
It was also "Mothering Sunday," so it felt the whole of London was there trying to buy fresh buds for their mummies. It was crowded and cold-- but totally worth it!
Number One: Tulips. Thousands of them in every shade and colour. This photo shows the flowers belonging to just one vendor. Imagine 20 more just like it!
Number Two: Blue hydrangea. I have been trying to grow these in my garden for over 6 years. I have 4 plants and none of them ever gives me very many flower heads, let alone turn this lovely shade of blue. And yes -I have added the acid to the soil in hopes of changing my pinks into blues. Still now luck!
Number Three: Ranunculus. These really are the trendy spring flower of the day. I love how they begin as tight little balls that gradually open into crepe like petals. And you gotta love this intense pink colour!!
Number Four: Look at these! Are they the prettiest colour? They are peach down inside and round the lower bud, then each petal unfurls itself into the prettiest of rosy pinks. Isn't it amazing? If my research is right, this could be a "Sheila's Perfume" rose or a "Daily Sunrise" rose. Who knows? But it is beautiful with such a vintage feel to it....
Number Five: Now look at these showstoppers! Don't they look like peppermint sticks? They would be perfect at Christmas, don't you think? While we standing and admiring them, the flower seller sold 4 bunches right from under our noses. They were very popular - it must have been their distinctive look. (Name: "Ferdinand Pichard" or maybe they are "Henri Matisse?" )
That's my five on Friday, but if you are still interested in a few more Columbia Road pictures, keep reading!
This gentleman was selling crates of primula for 5 pounds each. Five pounds for all of those flowers? If London was home I'd be taking two!
Columbia Road was a meeting place, too. I had made earlier arrangements to meet with a bloggy friend, Gemma. She blogs at Gem's Country Life Dream. Even though she has recently lived in and around London, she had never been to Columbia Road . She was eager to see its stalls of floral gorgeousness as much as I was.
After meeting at a nearby train station, we walked to Columbia Road, getting to know each other better and coming up with a game plan to deal with the crowds.
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| Before we reached the end of the market, Gem had chosen some flowers for her own home and some tulips for her Mum and Nan. |
I had mentioned earlier how wet and cold the day was, so next we searched for the perfect place to have a cup of tea and some cake. Within minutes, we found this cute little shop:
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| Here we dined on carrot cake (Gem), lemon tart(me) and a strawberry cupcake (Afton.) Tea and rose lemonade on the side! |
It was lovely to be able to spend some time with a long-distance friend. Gem turned out to be just as sweet in person as her blog-demeanor shows.
Now when are you coming to Canada, Gem??
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
It's Mother's Day weekend here in Canada so I'm looking forward to a bit of pampering now, too!
OXOXO
Bronwyn
Some really great flowers, I love the tulips they are a real delight. Hope you have a great Mothers day.
ReplyDeleteMother's Day was lovely. The trees are all in bloom here so I had more flowers to enjoy!
DeleteI love the Columbia road Sunday flower market, I try to visit there 2 or 3 times a year. When my daughter was partaking of a photography project we popped over there as you rightly picture, it's a photographers haven of flowers, but people and objects too. glad you managed to visit. There's a little bagel shop that we always visit too for our refreshment x
ReplyDeleteIt would be the perfect place for a photography class. Lots of opportunity to capture colour and light!! Missed the bagel shop...maybe next time! : )
DeleteIt would be the perfect place for a photography class. Lots of opportunity to capture colour and light!! Missed the bagel shop...maybe next time! : )
DeleteSuch beautiful bunches of flowers!! I love that peach/pink rose. So nice that you were able to meet a friend met through your blogs. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteWendy
It was lovely! We tried to see a similar market in NYC 2 years ago and it was a real letdown. This one definitely lived up to its billing!
DeleteIf I ever make it to London, I'll visit Columbia Road for sure. Thanks for sharing! Hope you get the pampering you deserve. x
ReplyDeleteYes, you must!! London AND the market! Both are definitely worth the $$ it costs to get there and the $$$ is costs to stay for a few days!!
DeleteHow lovely!! The meeting with your friend and the flowers! The flowers are so beautiful aren't they, not a thing to choose between any of them, but gosh, it would be hard to ignore those tulips!! The primulas at £5 a tray was an amazing price wasn't it! Thank you so much as always for joining in. I hope that you have a great weekend! xx
ReplyDeleteIt was lovely! Meeting Gem was a lovely treat to top off a day spent with beautiful blooms!
DeleteHow beautiful! It's a pity the market is only open on Sunday mornings. :-)
ReplyDeleteIt would be lovely to have it available one weekday too, wouldn't it?
DeleteI will make it one day Bronwyn and when I do you can show me around :)
ReplyDeleteLove the sneaky shot you managed to get there hehee and the photo with Afton is lovely.
It was so nice meeting you both, I'm really glad we got the opportunity to finally meet, a shame the weather wasn't better but it certainly didn't dampen the day :) x x x
Please do, Gemma! :)
DeleteSo glad we could spend some time with you, too. It was nice to have a personal touch added to our time in London. Flowers, tea and friends - what could be better? XOXO
I've never been to Columbia Rd either. One of those places we've always talked about going to. I will put that right. I love the Ranunculus/
ReplyDeleteGo as soon as you can - but avoid Mother's day at all costs!!
DeleteI've never been to Columbia Road but if they are selling things that cheaply it will be worth a visit to stock up my plants! So glad you met up with a fellow blogger, maybe it will be me next time :-) Take care and love to all the family xx
ReplyDeleteActually the prices were very reasonable on all of the flowers. Afton and I agreed that if we were staying at the same hotel all week we would have bought some flowers for our room. However, we had to switch hotels the next day and it would have been too hard to move our vase of blooms on the tube!
DeleteLove the Five on Friday post, what a lovely idea. I also love Colombia Road Flower Market. Although it was so busy when I visited I couldn't really get many photos, maybe I need to sharpen my elbows!
ReplyDeleteYou captured it so well. You did take lots of photos on your visit to the UK didn't you?!
Have a lovely day.
Sarah
www.morethanjustacupcakelover.co.uk
Love the Five on Friday post, what a lovely idea. I also love Colombia Road Flower Market. Although it was so busy when I visited I couldn't really get many photos, maybe I need to sharpen my elbows!
ReplyDeleteYou captured it so well. You did take lots of photos on your visit to the UK didn't you?!
Have a lovely day.
Sarah
www.morethanjustacupcakelover.co.uk