Gravetye Manor, William Robinson, Nora Murphy, Lost Forest Jewelry and More on Weekend Meanderings
WEEKEND MEANDERINGS
Good morning and a happy Saturday to you! It’s time for weekend meandering with Kim and Juliet, our weekly series where we share all of the things that piqued our interest and caught our eye over the past week.
I have a question, is Pre-Fall something new? What us it? Is it a collection that is released before all of the Fall goods? Am I missing something? Is it a new “season”? Let’s just call it what it is. It is Fall goods that are released months before the actual season, promoted early, so that a month before Halloween we can be celebrating pre-Christmas.
Speaking of which did you know that 38% of people have their Christmas shopping before Halloween? By the way, if you are a Bonne Maman jelly fan they released their Advent Calendar yesterday!
Ok, let’s meander. I have lots to share this week and I think you are going to enjoy it.
WANDERLUST~Gravetye Manor
English garden lovers have I got a treat for you, Gravetye Manor! This is the former home of William Robinson, the ‘grandfather of the modern English garden’. Robinson believed that each and every garden should be individual ‘to each gardener’s individual imagination and ability to create his own private, personal wilderness’. He hated formal gardens, in fact on a visit to France he call the gardens of Versailles terrible!
His work was influenced William Morris, as well as, his good friend, Gertrude Jekyll who shared his same ideals. Robinson was a journalist, horticulturalist and author. His first two books were about the gardens of France, then he wrote a gardening magazine and finally the books he is most famous for, several of which are still in print today. The Wild Garden and The English Flower Garden are two of them.
With the proceeds from his best selling books he bought Gravetye Manor and its 1000 acres. When Robinson died, he left the house and gardens to the Forestry Commission who have leased it out as a hotel since 1958.
In 2010, the hotel was bought by Jeremy and Elizabeth Hosking, and since then they have worked to update the house so that it will be here for generations to come. They also hired Tom Coward as head gardener, he is sympathetically restoring the gardens to Robinsons wild style.
Gravetye Manor is a beautiful country house hotel with a Michelin star restaurant, world class spa, walking trails, croquet, the beautiful gardens and so much more. Not to mention it is just 15 minutes from the home of everyones favorite bear Winnie the Pooh and 30 miles from London!
I know that I say this about every country house I have featured but this is another one to add to your list to visit, even if you only have afternoon tea and a tour of the gardens.
More about Gravetye Manor and William Robinson
William Robinson (1838-1935), Horticulturist, Garden Designer, Writer and Publisher: A Brief Life
Irish gardening hot-head who made the English go wild
One to Follow~Nora Murphy
Are you a fan or Nora Murphy? In 2011 she left her job as Executive VP at Ethan Allen and started Nora Murphy Country House, using her own home as inspiration.
Next came her online shop, Hunt Club Collection, then a magazine, her first book, a brick and mortar store and last but not least another book!
It is now available for pre-order and will be released in February! A great Valentines’ Day Gift or a late Christmas gift.
For Nora Murphy,a country house isn’t so much a place as it is a state of mind. A country house is warm, welcoming—at once down to earth, yet elegant. A country house has genuine character, tells a story, and is truly, wonderfully lived in. Here Murphy explores the tenets of country house style, as illustrated by her own “new” country house, and the many other striking homes she has curated for the book.Each one of these homeowners has embraced country house style—but each implements it in their own unique way.
Should you find yourself in Chester, CT you can visit The Little Shop. You can follow Nora on Facebook. and Instagram and Youtube.
For more about Nora check out these articles.
Nora Murphy opens The Little Shop in Chester
Nora Murphy’s 18th-Century Country Home
Nora Murphy’s Country Style to Inspire!
Country House Lifestyle By Design
Lost Forest
I recently discovered Gillian of Lost Forest on YouTube and fell in love with her cottage garden. Then I went down a rabbit hole and found her gorgeous Instagram account, blog and handmade jewelry.
Each piece of Gillians’ jewelry is handpicked and handmade. These special one of a kind necklaces would make a wonderful gift for the gardener in your life.
The “looking glass” collection is inspired by the book ‘Alice Through The Looking Glass’. Each necklace contains real Irish wildflowers, and it looks like a miniature replica of the Irish countryside.
In addition to the “looking glass” collection Gillian also makes foraged necklaces and earrings and gemstones from the Folklore collection.
See more of Gillians work and life on the blog, Instagram and her shop.
Links
Now you can put Pop-Tarts on your Crocs… and Crocs on Your Pop-Tarts.
The Mystery Genes That Are Keeping You Alive
Which is the Best Position to Sleep In?
Why I Returned to Renting After a Few Years of Home Ownership
Why Everyone’s Worried About Their Attention Span—and How to Improve Yours
What’s Up with All of Seattle’s Little Free Libraries?
These Are the Most Beautiful Places to Shuck and Eat Oysters in the West
The Inspiring Coffee Bars of Jean Stoffer Design
FINDS
Boden has lots of new things this week, including this blouse.
This is a great jacket, it reminds me of a Barbour.
Have you checked out the Fall finds from Pottery Barn? I love the pumpkin plates and high ball glasses.
Looking for more fall finds for your home, check out my Fall Shop!
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT~ON THE BLOG THIS WEEK
Monday I shared a fun book I think you will enjoy, the
Aside from Magic Bars and No-churn ice cream, baking with sweetened condensed milk is not something I do often. This week I made a batch of easy and delicious Sweetened Condensed Brownies and they were scrumptious! Bookmark the post so that you can try them!
Outfit details, just in case you like a piece or two, sweater//white shirt//jeans//shoes///bag//Autumn perfume.
Friday Favorites featured easy white bean and ham soup and the most delicious pizza, to name just a few of the recipes, 3 books, an outfit for Fall and of course lots of links you may have missed this week! You can see all of the details in my Cozy Fall Finds Shop.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
I hope that you enjoyed Gravetye Manor, William Robinson, Nora Murphy, and Lost Forest Jewelry on Weekend Meanderings .
Last weeks post included the beautiful and moody Alice Grace Interiors, The Grove, Entertaining Outdoors, and more, just in case you missed it.
If you missed any of the previous Weekend Meandering posts you can find them all here.
Have a wonderful weekend friends, thank you for stopping by!
Don’t forget to pop over visit my friends Kim and Juliet.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA STYLE
This post contains affiliate links if you make a purchase from a link on the blog I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
More Fall Finds
So interesting about Nora Murphy! Thanks for that, Elizabeth. Have a great weekend.
Mary Ann,
Nora is an is an interesting lady! Have a wonderful week.
Hi Elizabeth , always so many cool things to peruse on Saturdays with you! Gravetye Manor looks beautiful! Also I had no idea about Nora and now going to check her out and that book.
Those necklaces are so sweet.
I love the Boden blue stripe and the argyle sweater. I’m really so ready for fall.
I agree with you why is the next season so pushed on us? Frankly, I don’t get people who do their shopping that early. It’s hard for people to return things that are bought two months before. I think it removes some of the joy and spontaneity of holiday shopping!
We are heading into another week of humidity thanks to a storm and I don’t know how you guys do it.
Hope you have a lovely weekend!!
xo
Kim
Hello Kim,
I hope then when you go to London this Fall you are able to take a few side jaunts to some of these fabulous gardens.
Nora is amazing! And incredibly talented. I think you will enjoy her blog and books.
Boden has a some beautiful pieces for Fall, the sweater is one of my favorites.
Have a wonderful week Kim. Stay cool. I hope that the storm does not affect you too much.
xo Elizabeth
Elizabeth, I swear you need to put together a UK garden travel tour. I’ll be first in line. It might need to last a month though … to get around to all these beautiful homes and gardens. Thanks for introducing me to Nora Murphy. I’m a huge Ethan Allen fan and keep meaning to visit their new local store format and write a post about my long love affair with their furnishings. I’m now following Nora and I’ll preorder her new book. And off I go down the Lost Forest rabbit hole! Happy weekend. xo
Juliet, wouldn’t that be fun! A fabulous garden tour of England. I believe that Deb from SG Geneva does tours of the gardens of UK and France. The Countess went on one of them.
Nora Murphy is amazing. Her books are so beautiful, as is her house.
Have a wonderful week Juliet!
xo
Beautiful garden views.
Thank you William!
Hi Elizabeth
I know it’s been a while. I love Nira Murphy and her Hunt Club.
Her last book is a favorite and i look ar it often. .
I never heard of pre fall.
Cindy, I know that you are busy with Peanut and living life. It is always nice to hear from you.
Nora is amazing, I love her books.