Seoul, Korea Trip Highlights

I know some don't like going through other people holiday snaps so this is only for those who might be interested in a country that doesn't otherwise get much tourism publicity like Thailand or Japan.

Seoul was and is too busy trying to become an economic powerhouse to have tried to become a tourist destination although that is starting to change as well.  Korea has a recorded history of about 5000 years and is full of historical monuments that have managed to survive wars and invasions.

This is one of my favorite landmarks which was the king's pagoda for rest and leisure on a man made island in the middle of a natural spring lake in the main royal palace.

This is the gate to the main royal pavilion.

I happened to be going in at the changing of the guard.

Except these guards don't get botox subsidies like 

at Buckingham Palace.

This main palace is where the king would conduct state affairs four times a month and all goverment officials would father and fill the courtyard according to rank.

The architecture is very influenced from China has many similar architectural characteristics.

Cornices are also very much a feature and colors and designs all have significance and is ultimately used to protect the kingdom and is a form of feng shui.

The dragon and phoenix is a very popular safety totem.

All the designs would have been handpainted.

Korea is quite a religious nation and has a population that is split between Buddhism and Christianity.  When Christmas was made a public holiday, the Buddhists also received a public holiday for their religion in the form of Buddha's birthday.

There were lanterns hung in public parks to commemorate the holiday.

Even if one isn't Buddhist, it is very common to have parents or cousins who practice a different religion.

Plus the country was Buddhist on and off for over a thousand years so Buddhism has had a huge influence on Korea's culture.

I hadn't been in Korea for Buddha's birthday in over twenty years so I forgot how colorful the decorations were in small temples.

And then the decorations in the bigger temples were spectacular.
Don't let the Buddhist version of the nativity scene fool you.



There were lanterns everywhere.

The lanterns were like a giant parasol.

Royal Chelsea Flower Show 2014 - Part 2

As there was so much material to show you at the flower show,

 I have tried to post the highlights but please remember that if you are a gardening enthusiast you may want to read further and browse on the official website here.

The flower shows off the best of each type of plant such as these amazing lupins.  

My imaginary garden has loads of these.

But I can't help but feel sorry for some other plants.

Nothing wrong with topiaries and the lovely plants below 

but it is like being a vanilla pod in a chocolate convention.

Vogue France May 2014

Do you like Sophie Marceau?

I adore her.

She was my teenage girl crush.

She didn't make it huge in America but she was all the rage in Europe and Asia with her film, La Boum.

Can you believe she is 47?

I love women who give growing old a good name.

Okay okay...I know she has had a few fillers but 

I have known people to have proper nose jobs to no effect so 

I won't hold a few fillers against anyone.

David Austin Roses and their Other Collections at the Chelsea FlowerShow

Even before I ever went to the Chelsea Flower Show - there was always a certain flower that I always had my eye on.  Of course my eyes were one of millions of fans for the roses grown and cultivated by David Austin that won a gold medal again this year.

I remember having a catalogue of the amazing range of flowers as a coffee table book.

So it was only natural that I visit their stand and am sharing for fellow fans of their flowers.

David Austin produce a new rose variety every year and this year one of them was the Olivia Rose Austin.

Heidi at Adelaide Villa and the Hostess of the Humble Bungalow also have amazing varieties of David Austin roses and like many others might be interested in this year's new varieties but

 I could only find one of the new roses to show you here.

The other two might have been either hiding or they didn't exhibit.

I thought they only did one so didn't even know to ask but I went to their website and saw they have two more.

Please click here to see the other two new roses.

It is a perfect powdery pink in real life.

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2014 Part 1 -The Show Gardens and Best in Show WInner

I went to the Flower show this afternoon.

The last twenty years I have walked by Sloane Square during the show, I have never known the show not to be sold out.

I have tried my best to take pictures for you to get a gist of the mood and angles that aren't always the most photogenic.

But for those of you who are hard core gardening enthusiasts, please click onto the official RHS Chelsea Flower show website for more picture and more in depth information on planting.

There are three main sections to the show so I shall start with the show gardens.  

The first one was the M&G Garden ( more and much better pics on the link) designed by the now legend Cleve West.  

He has won best in show twice recently!

This year he won a gold medal to add to his awards.

Interestingly this garden epitomized the trend seen elsewhere where it was rather wild and loose with a lot of long grass planting.

Sorry if I have offended gardeners with my very raw, basic and inarticulate description.

The next garden of note was the BrandAlley show garden ( please click for more information on the garden) that won a bronze.  I quite liked it but the designer was interviewed by Monty Don and expressed his disappointment which is rare because garden designers rarely admit things like that!