All these dogs were hanging out at the Columbia Road Flower Market.
Who knew that so many dogs were plant lovers? What other explanation can there be?
This is the second time we've taken in the flower market. Today we arrived via the Overground around 11:00am. The early morning plant-buying hysteria had ended by then and it was a bit easier to navigate the market.
I think the vendors are one of the main attractions of this market. They really work the crowd with a mixture of insults and humor - all directed to move as much product as possible.
I continue to be amazed at the low prices. The vendors like to move items in bulk, so often the offer is three for a fiver (£5) or a flat for £10.
Today I saw palms, tree ferns, and birds of paradise for sale.
Oh, and citrus trees too.
The cut flowers are exuberant and affordable. If I lived in the area, I'd buy a big bouquet each week.
Look at the selection - and this is just one stall.
And look at everything leaving the market - cut flowers, plants, orchids, trees. All of it getting carted away by hand!
The Geffryre Museum is right next to the Hoxton Overground station, so we decided to visit. The museum is housed it a set of 18th-century almshouses. It is devoted to the history of the home and shows how homes and gardens reflected the changes in society, behaviour, style and taste over the past 400 years.
The museum has eleven different halls or living rooms.
The earliest is from 1630 just before the time of London's Great Fire.
Other living rooms date from 1695, 1745, 1790, 1830 and so on...
...through 1990!
It may sound dull, but the items in the room and how the room was used by the middle class say much about the cultural and social history of each period.
The Geffrye Museum also has a series of small gardens which again showcase the changes in plants, herbs, and tastes throughout the several centuries.
I consider the museum to be a little gem!
9 comments:
I need to get to that museum next time I go to London... fascinating. Your photo mosaics are lovely.
Oh, I don't think the museum sounds boring at all.
You must feel so tempted and perhaps frustrated at not being able to buy plants!!!
The flower market might be a serious competitor to my stitching stash
I've been away for the past six days and am just now catching up on my blog reading. I was thinking you would be back home in Oregon by now, but obviously not! What an amazing trip you and your mom are enjoying, Beth...
Loved all the London photos, but my favorite was of that darling thatched roof cottage from your Friday post! I used to collect David Winter cottages and it is so reminiscent of them.
Enjoyed your pointing out the blue plaque honoring Caldecott, too! I'm another childen's book collector--mainly for the illustrations :)
You really are having the trip of a lifetime--how wonderful that you've been able to blog about it each day!
That museum sounds fascinating to me! And I love the flower market too. Wow! So cool!
I love that market!! It looks like this trip is a perfect one for garden lovers.
The Gaffrey looks wonderful...we all have our style but I can appreciate all the others. I may not choose 1950 for my home but that is what I grew up and it is always comforting to see a whole room that way .Your visits to flower markets make me think just like you if I lived there every week would bring a new bouquet in the house. I am really enjoying the tour.
I am so ready to pack up and move to London! I know, soon I'd take it all for granted but up until that time I'd have a ball!! Th museum was a great find, it's always interesting to see how things we use on a daily basis (except at my parent's - NOBODY is allowed in the living room except company and my sister's dogs - don't ask on that one it's a very sore subject with my sister and me!! 8-)) have changed. The flower market would be to tempting.
I love seeing all the many and varied photos of all the neat markets you've gotten to visit on your travels! Also the dogs :)
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