Out in the Orchard

We've had some gorgeous autumn days in the past few weeks - clear, crisp and perfect for gathering fruit.  To celebrate our last apple picking day in the orchard, we dragged across the kids' shepherds hut and had our very own harvesters' picnic complete with vintage chairs, second-hand rugs and old baskets.  Look out for more of these photos in my new garden decoration book, coming out this Spring.

Photos: Victoria Harley http://www.split-pin.co.uk/

Retro Pumpkins

A momentous moment - my first post!  A little Halloween treat to start off with.  My five year old and two year old girls, Maddy and Isabella, were terrified by my spooky pumpkins last year, so this year I've made simple lanterns from mini squashes carved with 1950s inspired motifs and Leeds pottery patterns.  They were a doddle to make (I've still got all my fingers intact which is always a good sign) and made a truly atmospheric addition to our misty orchard...

(Photos by Victoria Harley)