Well…it’s a roadside stall really. Just a little wonky table and some shelves painted the colour of a blackbird’s egg. But when the Sweet Peas and scented Sweet Williams and old fashioned Pinks are picked and the baby carrots are bunched and tied and the Rhubarb is piled high, my little stand becomes a natural, Kitchen Garden produce emporium. Passers by, holiday makers and locals alike all visit and buy and tell me how they love that what they buy is real, natural, that the flowers are from a cottage garden, or potager, where the flowers, vegetables and plants grow alongside each other as true companions.
Proud to be able to say that what I sell is ‘GROWN NOT FLOWN’ my flowers and vegetables and plants have travelled only a few yards from their growing place to my gate. And although, like any other home grown goods, they have been watered and tended from seedlings to picking my plants have also been fed with bucket loads of love. And I think that makes a big difference.
Dartmoor Flower Shed 
No wonder your lovely stall stops people in their tracks. There’s nothing quite like home grown fruit, veg, flowers and herbs is there?
Thanks so much Gillian. What has surprised me is how much people love the mixed flower bunches with Shasta Daisies and Lupins muddled up with Chive flowers. It is lovely to discover how much people want to be in touch with nature and the wildness of it!
I love the image of you, out pottering around, making everything look perfect, and chatting with passersby!
Thanks so much Kerry. I can not tell you what a difference it has made to my life. It has given me back some of the social interaction which I lost when I left my business. I have met so many lovely people and heard their stories. It is also how I came to open my garden because someone asked to see it and thought it was nice. It is amazing how such a little thing has brought so much change and happiness. Such a good, wholesome, feel-good thing too!
Looks lovely. I’ really not a fan of cut flowers, but if people do want them, this is how they should be bought! I love those bundles of rhubarb… and the colour of the shelves.
Oh thank you…the trouble is that neighbours of mine who sell things on the roadside have all had goods taken. A friend who sells eggs had the eggs, the plastic box which the egg boxes were in, the money AND the table taken! And I have had bunches of flowers taken and often people take plants and only leave a fraction of the amount I am asking….which is very little anyway. Still, most people are honest.
Oh, that’s sad… especially if you need to chain down your table. Round here we are generally lucky – many honesty boxes for eggs, jam etc and they seem relatively safe… for the time being anyway.
Excellent, Karen! I wish I were nearby to stop, visit, buy and chat with the owner of the stall! You bring your artistic touch to even the way you bundle and tie the rhubarb.
Ah….my coloured ‘Nutscene’ string! I love it too. Rhubarb is so very nice to look at too, isn’t it? Yes, wish I could say drop by…but you do actually, in a virtual sense and in that way you never fail to give your support. Thank you for that Cynthia.
That’s so lovely how you decorate everything with so much love and talent, dear Karen. I would stop, too and buy everything you have. Wish you a lot of success with this business, hope you have such a wonderful warm weather, too. Kind regards Mitza
Hello dear Mitza, I am so glad that you liked it. Sadly, the weather here is not at all summery and everyone is feeling down about that. Already the Blackberries are turning and there seems little summer left. Will you be going home to Greece? x
Hello dear Karen, I’m sorry that the weather is so bad. We had some very hot days but today we had a thunderstorm and rain. It was a very strange summer this year. We nearly never sat in our garden or balcony. But I’m looking forward to Greece in some few weeks. Then I can eat fresh figs, grapes, watermelons, etc. Have a wonderful day, have sun in your heart, that’s the most important. xxM
Ah… you are so right dear Mitza. Today I seem to have found some sun in my heart. I think it helps that I am doing my big morning walk. Exercise really does boost the spirit I think. So happy to think of you going home, but not to think of all the work you face there. But the fruit…oh yes, that sounds like being in heaven. I adore fresh figs! x x x
Yes Karen, fresh figs directly from the tree are so delicious and give a lot of energy. Of course I am a bit afraid of all the work there, but my husband likes this work so I will take some walks with my camera. Unfortunately I’m a bit sick with my stomach for 3 days. Hope it will get better soon. xxx
I love this! It is obvious by reading you and seeing your pictures that you put a lot of love and care in what you grow!! Beautiful!
Thank you so much…it does make me happy. Flowers…well, they do make me smile 🙂
Everything looks wonderful – the buckets of love is obviously the kay to success! 🙂
Thank you Joanne- I only pop-up with my shop when I have enough produce and this year the sun has not shone as much as is needed to help the flowers to bloom. Something to do with the jet stream……:(
How frustrating for you – it’s been a bizarre summer here also yet what you did have looked wonderful! 🙂
It looks lovely, visiting your beautiful shop and buying beautiful flowers and more! Just perfect, xo Johanna
Thanks Johanna, I get such a thrill when I go to the stand and something has sold 🙂 x
Karen-Oh my goodness….You make anything beautiful. You EVEN make Red Brussel sprouts look beautiful in a pot on the roadside. You must have some magic “creative” energy coming from your fingers!!!! Stunning your road stand. You can make anything beautiful:-) Wish you were in my town , so I could go and wander though your potager! maybe you can bottle your magic and sell it:-) tee hee:-)
Oh you have made me feel so good Robbie, thank you. And I tell you what, on a day like today with heavy rain and high winds- a day when I am about to light a fire and roast some chicken for comfort, that takes some doing!
I would like to have a magic lantern to rub so that I might be granted a magic carpet and a wish. I would then pop over to your garden on a rainy day!
Garden produce makes me so happy and selling it is great! I have really discovered a lot about what sells and what does not.
Everyone LOVES- Snowdrops, unusual annuals, Rhubarb and Cottage Garden flowers.
But I could not sell Amaranthus ( Love lies Bleeding).
I have grown lots of Primula Denticulata, Tibetan Cowslips, English Cowslips, etc for Spring…….and I want to order the Florists Viola’s seeds. The trouble is I just keep adding to my Chiltern Seeds order, so it is now HUGE! x
It is a beautiful day today. We had some friends visit from California yesterday. We ate outside on the Mississippi at a lovely restaurant and watched the sun set tuesday night. We have had an escape from the “hot storms” lately here in illinois
.Last night we sat in our garden and enjoyed a meal. They enjoyed it for they were from California where the “drought” is going on and fires today. We had torches + candles + water which they don’t have in their gardens in California. It is sad.
I have two gardens, one for breakfast/coffee/tea + then evening meals up closer to the house. I LOVE being outside but I don’t have a large amount of land. We have to make small garden rooms that create the illusion we have a lot of space-tee hee!
I wish I had more space, but I know some day I will find the amount I have “just right” for I do it myself for now. I often wonder if I need help-lol
I am growing multiple trays of the historic pansy to save seed since I am worried we won’t get it later…do save your see too so we won’t lose this one! I can hardly wait to see what you do….decorate a cake?
Beautifully photographed and oh so very tempting!
What a wonderful idea. I’m surprised there isn’t a traffic jam.
Would just love to pass by your house regularly.
Do you attend the stall or is there an honesty box?
I have been amazed how much people like having the stall there. But the rain, the constant rain through July and August has meant very few flowers bloomed well enough to pick. One flower which was totally lovely was annual Phlox Drummondii Leopoldii……and now I can find no one who stocks the seed. Fabulous flower which has tolerated the rain and has a long vase life.
I have an honesty box. But, sadly, it does not always encourage people to pay for the goods. 😦