I'm busy getting everything ready for my Summer pop up next week and am very excited to welcome you through the doors. Princelet Street in Spitalfields is a short walk from it's famous market on one side with vibrant Brick Lane on the other, and tucked between old Georgian houses squeeze into narrow 'Dickensian' streets, some of the oldest in all of London. These early Georgian houses built just after 1700 were inhabited by immigrant Huguenot silkweavers and from which precious silk was woven into jacquard silks which graced the nobility and royalty of the time. Whilst the architecture is remarkable, what I find most charming about the area is the sense of community and camaraderie that persists no matter how much the area has changed in the last 20 years. I used to live in this very street many years ago and have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to return, 'adopting' a house from a friend.
Alongside my pop up, which runs on Friday 15th 12-6pm and Saturday 16th 11-6pm, eight local homes are opening their gates to welcome you into their 'secret gardens'. Tended with love, the gardens of Spitalfields have the same mysterious charm as their interiors, feeling rich with history yet springing with new life. The National Open Gardens Scheme weekend, with open gardens on Saturday 16th, gives us all the opportunity to take a sneak peak inside and witness the pride and joy of local residents in their full blooming summer state. Make a day of it by visiting my pop up before exploring the eight local gardens in the area, both on Princelet, Wilkes, Fournier, Spital Square and Elder Street, and relax at the end with a home-made tea at 5 Fournier Street!
To find out more about the scheme please visit the National Open Gardens Scheme website:
A local blogger and historian, a favourite of mine who writes under the pseudonym 'the Gentle Author', sent out a wonderful post earlier in the week about the event. Below I've included a few photos from his blog for a taster of what you might find...
Looking forward to seeing you next week!
Justine x
Photos credited to The Gentle Author. To find his blog, which I'd thoroughly recommend, please visit Spitalfields life: