A NEW FAVOURITE PLACE...

'Frankie's Farmshop'

Good morning!

I do hope you are all well, this sunny Wednesday morning?  I haven't been as conscientious with the blog as I would have liked these last few days....I don't really know where the time goes?  We had a lovely bank holiday weekend.  Saturday brought torrential, almost monsoon like rain which was actually a huge relief for the garden, and for me, as my evening watering can often take a couple of hours!  The rest of the long weekend, the sun shone, and particularly on Monday when we enjoyed a wonderful barbecue party with good friends at their lovely home over in Sussex.

Today I would love to share with you a new favourite discovery of mine.....'Frankie's Farmshop and Nurseries' in nearby Staplehurst, Kent.

This long established nursery has been growing and supplying plants for London markets and nurseries throughout the southeast for many years, but only last year opened their stunning farmshop and cafe......housed in a beautiful oak framed building.  The open kitchen allows the customers to see the chefs hard at work, producing wonderful lunches and teas using fresh top quality local produce, and the cafe is a lovely place to sit and enjoy this before taking a stroll around the fantastically stocked farmshop and nursery.

 The other Friday afternoon, I enjoyed afternoon tea there with my daughter Georgie, after I had picked her up from the station as she was home visiting us for the weekend.  Tea and cake and a stock up with delicious things from the shop was the perfect start to the weekend.....

The greenhouses are packed with thousands of healthy plants....and at Christmas time they are the largest supplier of Poinsettias in the South East.

I couldn't resist a tray of beautiful white mini cyclamen....

 These I have potted up in an urn in my kitchen...

And filled a wooden 'trug' with the rest....

Cyclamen are always symbolic to me, of the first hints of Autumn.....

A slight 'nip' in the air and the days drawing in earlier.  Although I always love and welcome the changes in the seasons, I am also determined to enjoy and make the most of these last few weeks of summer. 

I am spending as much time as possible outside at the moment.....a necessity, as the kitchen garden is overflowing!  Harvesting, pickling, bottling, chutneys, jam and jellies are the activity of the moment. I do admit though that the novelty of this favourite of activities is slightly wearing thin now!  However, come the Autumn, I am sure I shall be able to admire my larder with a slight smug pride that it's all there to enjoy over the Winter, and nothing went to waste!

I look forward to sharing one or two of my favourite preserving recipes with you later in the week....

Have a lovely day!

Sophia xx