I’ve been tidying the shed over the last couple of days as during May it becomes an installation for the Open House Exhibition, and because this year it was ‘The Shipwreck Shed’ there are lots of old bits of rope hanging around, as well as wood, shells and pebbles which I’ve collected, over the months, from various Cornwall and Sussex beaches.

I find it difficult to throw shells away; they usually end up grouped in some darkened corner for eons, so this morning I thought I’d give them an airing on The Table…

Finding flowers to complement the shells was a bit tricky but I still had a stem of Euphorbia which I had brought back from a Cornwall trip in April, and the colour of the Californian Poppies completely matched the Periwinkles…

I love having pieces of worn wood in the garden, ( although there is probably just a bit too much driftwood at the moment as a result of The Shipwreck Shed )…

I found the old lobster pot in a truck bound for the tip which was parked outside a pub having a make-over in Brighton. My son found the rusty pole in Hastings and although I have a real love-hate relationship to metal objects in water, I think it kind of suits the garden and I love how the Quaking Grass softens it’s solid, yet decaying form.

This old chair really had its day some years ago, but I haven’t had the heart to throw it out or burn it. 

Before it’s appearance in the shed during May, it hosted an abundance of old sticks and branches, but I’ve since planted new things in its absence, so it has to find a new home in the garden…preferably not hanging from the Buddleja…

This old piece of wood was at the bottom of the garden somewhere when I moved here 13 years ago. 

I noticed how beautifully weathered it had become last year so I decided to show it off amongst the Montbretia and Hollyhocks…

I also utilise the old Echium stems as, although they’re hollow, they’re really quite robust and great for supporting the Dog Rose/ Virginia Creeper arbour I made.

I wish that the Flat Winkles could somehow be shown off in the garden, and although I’ve tried putting them in pots of succulents… they just really end up looking like you’ve accidentally spilled a can of sweetcorn!