Category: Environment

Chelsea Flower Show – finally off my bucket list

Published on by Seema Rampersad1 Comment

I have been meaning to go to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show since the mid-1980s. I recall listening to the BBC World Service programme in Trinidad, where local horticulturalists had presented and won a gold award at the flower show.  And although I have been keen on gardening in London since 1997, I still had not visited the show and have only ever looked at the coverage on TV and magazines.  So this year it was a special treat to visit the show and see how it was in real. 

The flower show developed in May 1827 at the start of the growing season for the then Horticultural Society of London.  Moving around different London locations until the Royal International Horticultural Exhibition on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Since 1913, the show has been running there where the familiar name ‘Chelsea’ (rather than RHS) has been stuck. The hospital building is impressive too as you can see the building from parts of the main exhibition areas.  The Chelsea Pensioners who live there, were very visible and celebrities in their own right with several persons taking photos of them – including me!

As I live in London, getting to Chelsea was quite straightforward and it was nice to go through some of the residential part of the neighbourhood with their red brick architecture typical for that part of town.  The show attracts around 145000 people per annum, and there was definitely a sense of excitement as with the 1000s of people who were also at the show on the day I visited. The women especially were dressed up with the best floral or colour themes fabrics on a warm spring day – there was definitely a festival vibe. 

As we entered through the main ticket halls, there was a long arcade lined by trees of stalls made up of creative market stalls with products for the garden, homes, fashion etc. I couldn’t help thinking of how great it was to see all the creative businesses and artefacts if you are passionate about that industry.  We recently just finished landscaping my garden at home, so I also was excited by all the great products on display. 

Once we had secured our flowers show programme with a map, we made our way to see all the large show gardens.  Having seen some of the built-up media coverage earlier in the week, it was nice see the best in show in real for the large show gardens with the enormous sculpture lying on one side. In fact, going around all the large show gardens were fabulous to see – I loved the planting, the use of paths, trees, sculpture, structure and water features.  Several of the gardens were raising awareness of some causes – from the Lady Garden Foundation ‘Silent no More’ for gynaecological cancers that claim the lives of 21 women each day in the UK; The Children’s Society Garden with an urban landscape reimagined to offer young people the care and reassurance they need during the most formative years of their lives; and the Parkinson UK’s garden inspired by a workshop for gardeners living with Parkinson. The Parkinson society also launched a scentless rose for the charity to highlight a common symptom of the loss of the sense of smell.  The Sightsavers Garden which aimed to raise awareness around inclusion while also championing disability rights. And DKMS who were creating a new rose ‘Stems of Hope’ to encourage people to join the stem cell register. I was pleased to see that there were messages and causes by the garden to raise awareness and to support those communities.

I could also spot some of the more tropical palm tree on display, but even I am aware that some of these do survive the harsh British winter. There was an international element with the Japanese garden designed Tokonoma Garden Sanumaya no Niwa by Kazuyuki Ishihara and Paul Kenko Tange.  The garden was simple with understated Japanese aesthetics with foliage for changing season, moss baubles used for carpeting a wall, and building structures to represent going into a home and rooms.  There was also a representation from Barbados which I saw – unfortunately I understand that Trinidad did not exhibit this year.  The Barbados showcase won Gold with their ‘On de Road’ garden,  which had very similar tropical plants and flowers displayed that reminded me of the Caribbean from orchids, anthoriums, bird of paradise plants and heliconias. It was nice to have a chat with Barbadian representative who told me that Grenada were also in the show. In the Pavilion, it was stunning to see the flowers on display from peonies (which I had in abundance about over 25 years ago), orchids, roses, sweet peas, tulip, succulents and daffodils.  There was a lot more to see, but it was a very hot day and the Pavilion was really hot and humid for walking around.

The Balcony and Container gardens were really beautifully displayed and popular with the attendees. They were small but perfectly formed – full of inspiration and fun.  Some of these were sponsored, such as The Whittard of Chelsea Garden which celebrated 140 years of the simple pleasure of enjoying a unique tea blend with the design and sound of pouring the perfect cup.  Another was the ‘Little Garden of Shared Knowledge’ sponsored by cruise company Viking, with a London townhouse garden designed for a well-travelled retired couple who have downsized  – “it reflects a lifetime of learning and exploration and a desire to share knowledge and experience with others”. This area was good to see what is possible in smaller, urban spaces and different (like on riverbanks) locations.  In terms of colour, the Seasalt Painted Garden had bold colours and used recycled materials. The North African inspired planting, water features and mirrors where also used to show small courtyard designs.  The container plants again where great to see from the geraniums, nasturtium, alliums, stachys, herbs and some vegetables like tomatoes.   The gardens in this area were smaller but were there to inspired showgoers to take the ideas back to their own spaces.   

Sustainability and the reminder of the importance of gardens to our ecosystem for all living things and beings was apparent at the show.  We need plants and trees for our oxygen, food, and other raw materials – with wildlife considered in garden designs.  I did not see many vegetable gardens but there was a use of herbs, and some gardens used recyclable materials and features.  The Whittard Garden had all materials from recyclable pipes to copper container built into the design features. There was one arid garden design that reminded us of hotter climates and how the planting reflected this.

As the site was large, there was time to walk around…but with breaks.  We stopped for some coffee and a snack in one of the cafes, and at lunch time it was too hot but a cold drink was very welcomed.  I also like that there were picnic areas but they were really packed especially in the hotter lunchtime session.  There was entertainment throughout the week and the day I attended had a choir and a 1950’s vintage all female singing band.  It was great to take in the sounds, the sunshine and sights whilst enjoying an ice cream. There were champagne bars, and lots more to keep you entertain. 

The show had a lot of ideas for creating your own gardens but there were also lots of businesses from ornaments, materials, designers, plants and everything horticultural. I saw some beautiful sheds in various colours, and it reinforced my ideas as the next day I was actually going to be painting my own shed at home.  I loved a shed on display which had a bar, a couple of sofas and a vinyl player.  It was perfect for a warm barmy afternoon in my own garden! 

We could have easily spent the whole day there but we left after a few hours. I would recommend it but would say that it is very busy with people if you don’t like crowds. I certainly would visit sometime in the future and plan the day out a little more now that I know what to expect. There is good handy guide from Visit London here. Most of all, I was struck with the plants and flowers chosen, and the designs of the beautiful gardens and these will stay in my imagination and memory for a long time.

Home sweet Home

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We have all hear or seen these beautiful words to remind us of the place where we live or feel most comfortable.  The ‘happy place’ or ‘forever home’ are some of the more modern words that I see on social media.  I do have a sense of home and had to learn it the hard way when I left my happy home as a teenager to study in London.  I missed my parents, my friends, the socialising, family gatherings small and large, the space, the plants and the loving home in my formative years. I eventually got used to being a country and new home very far away from what I was used to on a tropical Caribbean Island.

I decided to write about homes this month as we are in the third cycle of doing ‘stuff’ around my home and garden.

I have been spending a lot of time looking at gardens, plants, interior designs and furniture. I always had a love of these things having helped my parent clean and care for our home.  I distinctly remember loving the plants and cutting flowers for vases and although I don’t do that so often in London – I have an appreciation of gardens and obviously interior designs.  I also recall doing a project for Home Economics when I was about 14-15 years on bedroom designs where I had some beautiful images from a catalogue belonging to my friend’s mum on soft furnishing and fabrics. I really enjoyed doing that essay or booklet but in those days in the 1980s, being an interior designer or gardener were not even discussed as a career choice, never mind encouraged. I do believe that times have changed with more opportunities for commercial interior designs and landscape gardening.

So although I am having to navigate around the mess the last couple of months have brought to my home, I am researching some of my favourite things and looking forward to when it is all completed. One of my favourite tip is using my local library card to access Libby for looking at online versions of some of the best homes and gardens magazines. Some of the well-known ones like House and Garden, Country Life and Good Housekeeping are free to view electronically with my local library login! However, I know printed copies are more leisurely for browsing but they are rather expensive to buy now.  I do sometimes treat myself if I have lots of leisure time but it is very rare then I do have so much spare time.  Talking about Country Life – I used to love looking at all the beautiful home in the magazine when we circulated it in printed copy in the 1990s.  The prices then for large expensive home is the price you probably pay for a tiny flat (apartment) in London.  However, I recently visited another library and the staff said that it is still very popular with their patrons!

I recently saw that the Open Gardens Scheme is running and it is now easily able online. I went a long time ago in my local area and was inspired by some of the creative gardens that Londoners do in smaller spaces.  I was also impressed with some long and narrow garden who had divided areas in made it interesting to explore.  I hope I can visit some gardens this Spring and Summer in and around London again.  As part of my research, I have been looking at local Estate Agents to see gardens for homes that are up for sale.  I do live in an area that has been ‘gentrified’ and have skyrocketed in value (like most parts of London), so the homeowners seem to have money to invest their lovely homes.  I recall in the 1990s having to get homes information in paper format from your Estates Agents and some of the conditions of the home then were appalling! The internet has definitely made homeowners proud of the visuals, buyers have more visual choices in requirements they need, and it may even shame you or devalue the price if your home is terrible to a prospective buyer. I know this is not the care for all homes for sale but I love getting inspiration from real homes that are on sale too.

This brings to mind those who do not have homes or who cannot even afford to buy their own homes.  I know different countries have different lifestyles – like renting in Germany, flats in Italy and massive homes with basements in North America as it is so new compared to Europe. There are also different climates and access to outdoor spaces depending on where you are in the world.  There are also a lot of people displaced in the world due to war, political or economic challenges.  I remember a friend who lived in a war-torn country but she said that her mum made sure that she was clean at bed time in the temporary home as it was part of their routine.  This has been resonating with me recently we don’t have a washing machine, cooker and kitchen sink whilst our new kitchen is being installed. We are adapting to microwave meals, a launderette and eating out for a few weeks whilst we cope with these changes.

Taking Five – Five ways to spend downtime

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Take Five – used to tell someone to stop working and relax for a short period of time

Source: Cambridge Org – https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/take-five#google_vignette

In the last few weeks I have been taking some time away from work to help me relax and spend some downtime at home.  I didn’t get to spend much time at home last year so I truly embraced the time.

1. Get Gardening – I few weeks ago we had our garden redesigned and this was difficult in the wintery months but in recent weeks, it has become more Springlike and I was looking forward to checking out plants and working with the new minimalist style.  I have always been fond of gardening and miss the tropical plants and trees I grew up around in the Caribbean as I like in London.  However, with almost 30 years of understanding British gardens and plants – I now know what will thrive in my garden and have a list of my favourite plants and love research them online or checking them on social media. Therefore, I was armed with a list of plants to source in recent weeks.   I have visited about four garden centres in the last two weeks and spent a small fortune getting the plants I want.  I don’t mind spending money on plants if they are perennials and will keep on giving in future years.

Some of the plants I listed were not yet available from the shops, such as Echinacea.  However, I am sure to visit some more garden centres again.

I have noticed that younger homeowners are really into plants too so there are several new florists and plant shops in my neighbourhood.  I think plants and gardening definitely have wellbeing and health benefits – the only risk is hurting myself with too much physical gardening! However I am looking forward to the imminent blooms. And last but not least, I am really pleased that I have booked two special garden visits already with close friends and looking forward to the Chelsea Flower Show in May.

2. Savour Good Food – I love cooking and experimenting with new recipes.  My family are real foodies and I come from a rich heritage of cooking, baking and…eating! I know I am good at various recipes and have had real masterclasses from my Indo-Caribbean mother and Italian mother-in-law.  Whilst I was on vacation (as the North Americans say) I have baked, make dishes that take more time, spent time browsing shelves in local food stores and tried some new restaurants.  I recently visited a restaurant that does amazing brunches and they also have a special Mediterranean brunch.  It was really good and I am looking forward to taking some of my female friends there for lunch.

I also went to the famous OXO Tower restaurant again for lunch on a very beautiful sunny day as a special treat.  The dishes and the flavours were delicious and the ingredients are so innovative that it is good to savour the meal.  I love the way that great chef out together creative dishes and have all the admiration in the world for them!

3. See some Films – I was just beginning my downtime at home when a family member started a series on Netflix.  Normally I try to avoid series as I don’t have the time to look at time or the patience to deal with soap opera.  However, I certainly got hooked on the series that I was looking at and it became the highlight of my evening to relax and discuss with my family and friends.  The same thing happened at Christmas and actually… I think it great that we have this technology at home to enjoy great films.  I always have things I want to see on a ‘normal’ weekend but sometimes don’t seem to fit them into my relaxing schedule but this time I certainly was able to enjoy a series.

I also went to local cinema to see the film Midwinter Break.  I was one of the youngest persons in the cinema as it was about 3pm and all the other customers seemed to be pensioners as the film story was about an elderly couple visiting Amsterdam on holiday.  I sometimes forget to go to the cinema as we didn’t have one locally for years but I hope that I can make time to see film in the cinema more often as the bigger screens and sound systems definitely add a bit of magic to films.

4. Window Shopping – I couldn’t get away from having some errands in my downtime so I had to go into town to see the optician.  I was pleased to go to the nearest shopping mall near me at Westfield.  I really appreciate having this about 30 minutes away as I used to have to go to Bluewater in Kent, which was about 1 hour plus away.  I was able to check a couple of my favourite fashion shops and ended up ordering a dress that was on display but they did not have my size in stock.  I had to turn away from all the bargains as I have too much clothes already. 

I was able to admire all the lovely stuff in the homeware department at John Lewis and guess what…. I was able to buy some garden furniture that I have been researching for the last two months! I saw a table in stock that I did not see online and as my husband was with me – he agreed that it was good and we were able to buy it there and then.

I will be honest and say that I really am a natural online shopper now and I love click and collect for my favourite shops but it is great to still have retailers where you can still browse, touch and feel if you really would like to buy something.  Anyway, a little retail therapy is good for the soul!

5. Going out for fun – As we go about our busy lives, there is a difference in taking time for leisure and fun things.  Lately I am having to remind myself of this and having downtime has reminded me that sometimes I don’t have to go far to find fun things to do in my neighbourhood.  There multiple pubs, a few museums, theatres and creatives venues a little future in central London. I have recently been to some local entertainment gigs but I will have to be more proactive and see some bigger and ‘more expensive and famous’ acts in the near future.  I know the Spring weather is only starting and therefore there is a sense of making best use of the extra daylight time in the next few months.  This is definitely what I intend to do to make sure I have quality downtime.

Festive Christmas Time in beautiful Italy

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This year was a big anniversary milestone for my husband and I plus it was 30 years ago since I first went to Italy. So we decided to go to Siena as I had never visited the city and then to see family in Campania. 

I had always wanted to visit the Tuscan city of Siena as I worked with someone who went there, and I was aware of the medieval city design and architecture as well as the famous Palio di Siena race in the Piazza Del Campo.  The city is a UN World Heritage site as ‘an embodiment of a medieval city’, and great for understanding the traditions of the contrades, city zones, community, family and most of all…the preserved traditions and creativity.  Born out of medieval sports and traditions, the Palio occurs in the summer.  It is taken seriously by the Sienese from the motifs and symbols of the contrades.  There are fabrics and colours and good old fashion brand in the clothing, flags and some motif identity of the neighbourhoods we walked through in Siena. Two of the restaurants we visited have homage to the Palio mainly showing people, the horses and the representation of various contrades.  I would still like to visit Tuscany in future and who knows, maybe I will be there one day for the Palio.

The Piazza del Campo itself is spectacular and scalloped or ‘D’ shaped.  The medieval building surrounding it encourages excitement and awe of the epicentre with the imposing Tower and piazza.  It is also not flat as Siena is situated on a hill.  There was activity on the foggy night as well as the sunny daytime walks.  The restaurants and bars all seem to have a long history of entertaining, feeding and providing for those visiting the piazza.  And like some other model of piazzas – this is one that truly was special and spectacular in our modern times too!

I love walking along the street with the beautiful architect and they were still very well maintained.  The street were narrow but still wide enough for some car traffic but the core historic centre was mainly pedestrianised.  What made it extra special was once we had arrived at our lovely hotel, we were able to take a walk with fog around the city street and the twinkling of the Christmas lights and decorations.  It truly was magical! There were not many tourists but I can tell those visiting was also captured by the beauty of the lights, fog and festive decorations.

I have a bias, rose-tinted view and love of Italy to visit. However, you can really see the effort and art of shop windows of independent, and even retail chain shops in Italy.  It is great to have a walk and to see all the shops.  I was able to spot something interesting each time I went for a walk along the many streets. In Siena, even the bookshop had a great history of once beginning outside the original city borders although it was not far from the Piazza del Campo.  As it was Christmas time, it was lovely to see families and people walking and enjoying the sights, restaurants and even ice skating in a ring in a nearby park.

I had been to Florence 20 years ago but we decided to go for the day.  There were transport strikes the day before our trip but luckily we were advised that it easy to get the Rapido Bus from Siena to Florence.  The bus was not expensive and a very pleasant trip to and from Siena.  I loved looking out at the winter colours on the Tuscan trees, hills and fields.  The drive was not flat and the Tuscan countryside was really made of rolling hills, mist, fog, sunsets and beautiful vistas.

Florence is bigger, lively and very busy compared to Siena.  The last time I went it was April, and I have fabulous memories as it was more relaxed as we spent a few days in an apartment in a villa near the Baboli Gardens. I loved seeing the sights again and walking around the centre.  Having studied the Renaissance in Trinidad for A ‘levels, I know the significance of Florence as the birthplace of the Renaissance, innovation, creativity, art, music and science etc. 

Walking around the city, you can’t miss the beautiful architecture and spectacular openings onto more piazzas, buildings, churches and great shops. The Ponte Vecchio bridge is a great piece of history on its’ own with the amazing jewellery shops that tempted passers-by as they traverse across the river Arno. I love seeing the places I recalled from 20 years ago and it was reassuring to see some things still the same but that other small aspects had changed.  I had always planned to visit Florence again as the first time we went – there is not a single photograph as we had a problem with our old-fashioned camera (non-digital).  At least this time, I was able to have some photos. 

The final part of our stay was to make our way down to Caserta in Campania to visit family that we have not seen for a while.  We took the Flix Bus from Siena on a cold foggy morning to Rome, and then with one other bus change to Caserta. It was nice to see the city again and it was my first time there in winter.  It was still sunny apart from one day when we got caught out walking in the rain.  We stayed near the Royal Palace in Caserta – which I thoroughly recommend that you visit, but it is better in warmer climate for the amazing gardens. It was good to stay central to walk to all the great shops, restaurants and to visit family. 

I had visited Caserta in 1995 and again, the shops make an extra special effort for displays and showcases.  There were many times I wanted to buy something but was busy getting from A to B.  There are obviously the impact of online buying and other changes in recent years with some closed shops but this is having an impact everywhere. It was nice to see the festive decorations, cafes and people visiting for the nightly walk to see the shops and to meet friends etc. 

My time in Caserta was mainly to catch up with family and therefore, it was really nice to see them and spend time reminiscing on stories and remembering those who are no longer with us anymore.  The fact that we are making our own memories now made me happy that we at least found time to visit this year and see those dear to us.

I have now been back to London where I spent the rest of my Christmas holidays.  However, I thought that this little time was truly special to me and was definitely a great way to spend some time in December (when I am usually working).  I hope you enjoyed me sharing this trip highlights with you.  Before I end, I wanted to wish you all the best for the new year!

Fun outreach work in interesting places

Published on by Seema Rampersad1 Comment

In recent weeks, I realised that I have been ask to work with partners at their locations for events or conferences.  I actually like working elsewhere on occasion as this adaptability must spring from my sense of adventure in going to new places and meeting new people.  This is probably a good thing as it helps me to think outwardly, as well as see what is on the horizon beyond my every day.

It was nice to be invited to the Camden Libraries staff conference at their Swiss Cottage Library again.  It was inspiring and motivating to hear the great work they are doing from the launch of their Reading Strategy (which I was able to take part in as part of their Reading Strategy board), work from parts of their libraries from new Health and Wellbeing Librarian or to the newly refitted Holborn Library, where we have also delivered two workshops.

There were great presentations from maker spaces to talks on how valuable libraries are for culture, creativity and for literacy. One of the presenters mentioned spending lots of time as a child in the summer holidays in the library whilst her parents were at work – the library was a safe space but also facilitated the development of her love of reading, learning and eventually working in libraries and the community too.  I was able to also present a workshop on customer service especially since we had recently hosted Camden Libraries along the theme of ‘The Reference Interview’, and it was a natural follow up for us to discuss how good customer service links with a good user experience and exemplary library services. I also attended a workshop on implementing the Camden Reading Strategy, and it was reassuring to hear from volunteers at their Highgate Library talk about ways that they encourage children to read and do interesting activities in the library, which also improve their literacy and use of space. There was also an explanation that their users are usually mixed demographics as there are areas of deprivation in Highgate despite the area being perceived as a wealthy neighbourhood in most parts.

In the lunch break, I was able to have a look around the library to see the children’s Library with the inviting seating areas, mini theatre and reading spaces.  I also like the physical items that you can see which demonstrates that this is a community library with the 60-year-old building still being useful and beautiful.  In the lunch break, there was an energising and great vibe for the Flamenco dancers and guitarist.  It was a great colourful and rhythmic session that got a few people off their feet for a lunch time dance.  I truly look forward to working with Camden Libraries again in the next few months and hopefully years to come.

I also had an invitation for our British Library team to present and help support businesses at the Festival of Upholstery in Sandhurst.  It was a little further than my normal route, so I was able to spend one night and two days at the festival with a hotel overnight stay.  Sandhurst is world famous as a military academy and grounds is great and wide – especially for those military parades that it is known for. The building inside is a training centre, so there were many rooms for this purpose.  Once inside, it was striking to see all the colonial links especially with India with many pictures and images of Indian soldiers.  I obviously thought of my Indian ancestors.  There were several Gurkhas on the premising and surrounding area too.

The Festival of Upholstery was held in a great hall with other exhibitors in the industry, businesses and interesting furniture, makers and materials.  I loved the prints on display, and there were some more important themes of creativity, restoration and reuse with new and old furniture and the items on display. 

It was great to see a thecutting-board by Erica Jane, that enable someone to do their designs on their dining table.  There was also some interesting materials used for filling the upholstery from horse hair to coconut husks called coya ( it reminded me of old-fashioned mattresses in the Caribbean).  However there was a great discussion on this in relation to sustainability and natural fibres or materials.  I was invited to be on a panel on the first day to discuss how we can support business but it was also great to hear the challenges and stories of upholsters on practical and inspirational advice they wanted to share with attendees – from renting spaces to studios, to switching careers, using social media to gain customers, pricing models, or to choosing materials that will not be wasted. The event had about 800 attendees over two days, and it was interesting speaking to several people on why they were there, how excited they were after doing courses on upholstery or that they just had an interest or business in upholstery.  One of the committee members and tutor mentioned that upholstery started 800 years ago, and it was fascinating to hear how it started with fabrics, cushions, stitching etc for chairs.

There was also a fabulous dinner in the evening with a delicious authentic curry.  It was nice to meet and chat to several of the dinner guests who all had great stories on why they were there.  There was definitely a tribe for those who had careers and family commitments, but now wanted to start something new that has always been a passion.  I also spent time chatting with an upholsterer Amanda from New Jersey, who is one of the few American upholsters, and I learnt a lot about some of the terminology on traditional or modern upholstery.  I also realised that it is a skilful trade that you also have to be physically adept.  I left the Festival of Upholstery feeling happy, welcomed and hoping that these lovely people will go on to make nice things and carry on the art, hobbies and businesses they have.  I hope my colleagues and I can continue to support them in future festivals or for visits to the Library.

Closer to home, I was invited to take part in a Fashion event at the new reopened and renovated Soho Theatre. I was free on that Saturday and was able to meet some local designers.  One of them, Naila, is actually showcased on the British Library’s business page, and I am able to have a good chat with her.  It was good to see a milliner, sustainable fashion designs, patterns and other great items on display.  I didn’t have time to ask my friends to come along but they would have liked it too.  I was able to quickly check out the new restored grand stage, and will certainly try to book a show there in the near future. 

Obviously, I still help run workshops in my local area and therefore meet businesses all the time. I must admit that I have been a bit quiet on the local activities in recent years and that is because my professional life has been a bit too busy, but I hope I can find a better balance so that I enjoy and support more local causes.  For me, being asked to take part in these events enables me to understand various sectors, people and communities better and give me an opportunity to meet people and have some fun too!

Sense of Spaces

Published on by Seema Rampersad2 Comments

It is good to go to old and new spaces in the city to see how they energise and inspire us with their physical layouts, meeting and social spaces.  I have been to only a couple of locations in the last few weeks and the sense of spaces with purpose and flexibility is what I can think the most of sharing with you.

One of the venues I visited this month is a Jeans factory during the day, but a restaurant called Slow Burn at night.  I had visited it for the local art trail, but this was the first time that I visited the venue as a restaurant.  The restaurant is the only ‘craft jeans factory’ in London known as the Blackhorse Lane Ateliers but known as SlowBurn in the evenings.  The venue did have a feeling of being in a warehouse or factory with all the machinery, worktop tables, fabrics and threads etc. And on this occasion on a Friday evening, there was someone still busy working in the space.  I couldn’t help noticing the large jeans dying or washing machine which was right next to the dining table.  It felt like we were right there in the creative centre of a fashion house.  Look at their website for their style and business showcased the more glamourous side of denim and pointed to their more front facing retail venue in Granary Square – which is only a short London underground journey on the Victoria line from Blackhorse Road to King’s cross. I must not forget that the food was actually delicious too! There was a focus on making vegetables the star of the show, but we did have some chicken, octopus and rabbit ravioli which was delicious.  I also love their motto on one of their pictures – Make Indigo, Not War.

I have worked in central London for over 30 years, and I will look at some of spectacular riverside venues I have worked at and some of the more city-based locations.  The city has changed in this time from more formal dressing with suits and smartly dressed people to a more relaxed and smart-casual informality with brings comfort and a new sense of identity.  This too has been reflected in the workplaces over the years.  I have been in more fluid and flexible office spaces since the mid-2000s (usually the physical library is the first space to cut back on).  However, this has worked for my benefit too in terms of giving me the opportunity to do more online and being more flexible with my work life balance. 

I have recently visited a co-working space in Camden at Impact Hub, and it boosted being a net-zero carbon venue.  It was very modern, and the layout demonstrated the flexible ways that people work and do business.  I have written a blog post about co-working space pre-pandemic which was a business model that was growing before the hybrid, and homeworking became more popular. However, I heard that some venues are actually closed as the demand was less.  However, the location of Impact Hub on the day of my visit showed an area that was used in multi-functional ways – from whole teams in a room to more fluid individual working, communal spaces for bigger events and a kitchen area for refreshments and breaks. As with changing times, our workplaces reflect this, but they are places for quiet working, contemplation and team working.   This venue is also a business – with the spaces being the main product and services available in the venue. That surely is a great example of space planning. 

Libraries are obviously my place of work, and I have always worked in ‘an office’ as well.  As a business librarian, I am more inclined to recommend and use co-working or flexible work venues.  I remember doing an enquiry in the 1990s on co-location and co-working. I understand too the pressures of small businesses who may not have the capital to have permanent venues as well as those who may license their products to manufacturers to make – so their focus may be on storage and retail outlets for their business. 

I have noticed though that libraries are becoming increasingly multifunctional. This is reflected in the services provided in council wide customer services call centres, spaces for activities for citizens such as dementia groups, GP-drop in, pocket gardens, film clubs and other areas that are interesting for various communities. I recently attended the London Libraries Conference 2025, and it was so interesting to see how public libraries are being used by various groups.  It was also inspiring to hear form Children’s Poet Laureate Joseph Coelho, on his use of the library from a child, during his school and formative years to adulthood. It reminded me that the library was also a part of my learning especially in my teenage years before the internet. I loved looking at magazines such as the National Geographic Magazine, Time and Newsweek. I also loved their series of other countries of the world which gave me a glimpse of places I still hope to travel to one day (this is like the equivalent to Instagram posts by a travel influencer that I see now).

However, back to the topic of discussion.  At the conference I also co-presented a workshop with SBREC which was once called the City Business Library.  I remember going there in the 1990s when the world was so very different to now.  There were physical shelves of business information, newspapers and other library resources.  But as with everything else, this library has fully switched to a business hub and no longer has a physical library. 

Trip to Bonnie Scotland

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I visited Edinburgh about 24 years ago and it was great to see Scotland then when the train trip only cost about £36.00 in advance and the internet had not infiltrated out lives has it has now.  I do have printed photos somewhere but need to see them again one day.  Last time I went we also visited Portobello and Leith but this time was I mainly here for work and some leisure at the weekend.

On my way to the University of Sterling, I stopped at Edinburgh for a while to see the city again. One of the best aspects of going to Edinburgh by train is the coastal views from York to Edinburgh – I was mesmerised by the green of the grass and the blue-grey skies so close to the railway route.  In the distance you can see Holy Island which I still remember from the ‘Lindisfarne Gospel’ held in the British Library. It is also amazing to see the town of Berwick upon tweed as it curves on the same route to Edinburgh.  I would definitely recommend a trip to Edinburgh by trip just for this journey!

 It was great to see the sights of the hilly city with the imposing Edinburgh Castle perched on the hill, the Monument, the gardens and my favourite recollection of the Royal Mile with great shops and architecture.  Princes Street also seemed to have changed from the shops that were once there and the famous Jenner Department store is no longer there. 

There is definitely something magical about the hill and the ability to see views to far out of the city to the sea and rolling country side.  The shops around the Royal Mile features a lot of the things that Scotland is famous for – whisky, cashmere, tartan, shortbread, haggis and many more.

It was great to see the Adam Smith statue and to see the location where the true inspired story of the novel on the Strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. There is also the sound of the bagpipes player at various spots in the city and it true resonates across the city. I do like the undulating hills around Edinburgh which enhances the architecture from the various angles you may see it. It great to go back again and unfortunately, I didn’t realised that I was actually quite close to the National Library of Scotland but hopefully I can visit again another time.

I got a short train journey from Edinburgh to Sterling for the Business Librarian’s Conference (BLA) as they celebrated their 50th anniversary.  I was encouraged to go by my ex-colleague who recommended their conferences for their relevance to our work.  The conference was great for getting to know other Business Librarians who are mainly based in academic business schools.  There were a lot of synergies with our library services in a publicly funded business library and we have similar resources and framework for our users.  The challenges and opportunity with artificial intelligence and new developments in the sector were discussed, presented and digested in a conference over three days. Business information suppliers were also in the exhibit hall and they presented their products and services.

Delegates were warmly welcomed and it was good to meet about 70 other delegates from across the country and abroad.  The campus at Sterling was set in beautiful green grounds with surrounding forest, ponds and buildings that were quietly set in this scenic part of Scotland. The facilities, hospitality and library were great to see and I felt that wellbeing benefits ranked highly in this setting. Thanks to the organisers of the BLA conference and I look forward to taking part in future.

Sterling was very green, clean and beautiful with the journey from the train station to the campus at the University of Sterling.  It was nice to see the monument to William Wallace who was the main character in the well-known film Braveheart. Some of the historic aspects of the stories are still around – such as the bridge where the battle occurred.  Also famous for the Sterling Castle from a distance and to also tour the castle at the weekend.  I loved the garden and views of the surround countryside especially on a beautiful sunny day (there was a heatwave in other parts of the UK on this day).  The Castle itself is steeped in Scottish history with its’ most famous resident being Mary Queen of Scots, and a statue of Robert the Bruce in the main entrance.  The castle tour and views are truly worth the visit. I also had dinner with our conference delegates at the Sterling Castle Hotel with a surprise tour of the observatory at the top.  I couldn’t believe it that I saw two observatories in one month! I would definitely recommend a visit to Sterling Castle with its proximity to both Glasgow and Edinburgh. 

This is exactly what I did once the conference was finished.  I went to Glasgow by train as I had never visited the city.  We also have partnerships with the Mitchell Library for their Business & IP Centre but I had haven’t visit it as yet.  Glasgow was also a bit hilly in parts with the river Clyde running through it.  You can tell that the city had a long history being close to waterways and there seemed to be elaborate Victorian and Glasgow style architecture.  The city was urban and edgy especially on a lively Friday and Saturday night.  There were great areas for restaurants and bars – with the obvious influence of immigrants from Italy with long established restaurants and cafes.  I also visited the Kelvin Grove art museum and was pleased to see the areas which explain the history of the Scottish people that was in my imagination as I saw Scotland.

I couldn’t write about Scotland without mentioning Whisky! I was able to have two whisky tasting sessions and it was an education on the drink and how it developed over hundred if years as direct result of the farms and earlier residents of the country.   It was actually know as priests in the early days as aqua vitae.  The two taking session had a similar format and told the story if the famous drink but one was set in a quaint temper building in Sterling and the other was in Glasgow near the river Clyde and docks. 

I have always wanted to see the wilder rural side of Scotland but knew I didn’t have a lot of time to do so due to other work commitments.  So I booked a trip by mini-bus to see Loch Lomond, the Trossachs and another round trip to Sterling. The Loch was only about 40 minutes outside of Glasgow and I would definitely recommend if you visit Glasgow.  It was so grand and big – it was amazing to take the ferry on the Loch to see in the hills in the distance and the expansiveness of the Loch.  The best part of the mini-bus and boat tour are the audio recordings which told the stories of the Scottish people and the natural beauty of the landscape. The tour also took us to the beautiful secret scenic spot in the Trossachs to see the vista of beginning of the rolling highlands, trees, ferns and heathers. We were taken to see some highland cows that were in a field near a convenience and tourist shop. 

This was only a short trip mixing work and play in Scotland, but would definitely like to see more of the highlands, shores or islands of Scotland. I am so glad that was able to see it again and this time I have some newer memories that I will be talking about for a while to come on Bonnie Scotland!

Gardens – a piece of heaven on Earth

Published on by Seema Rampersad1 Comment

I have been keen on gardening since a child and remember pulling out weeds and picking flowers for vases when I helped around my home.  There was a time when I didn’t have access of a garden and I guess that made me appreciate it more than ever.  Since the late 1990s I have been keen on buying plants, going to garden centres to buy plants, and getting inspiration for visiting gardens and other wonderful use of plant and floral displays with garden designs.

A few months ago, I joined a library and information visit and tour to RHS Wisley in Woking, Surrey.  It was an opportunity I didn’t want to miss event though it was an early start to get to South of London.  It was great be where gardeners are trained and how one becomes qualified in the facilities there.  The older building still had a functional library but they had recently built a new office area, library, restaurant and engagement area on the ‘hill’.  I was impressed and love the plants, Wisteria arch, nursery, glimpse of the tropical garden and some of the woodlands that I could see in the distance.

The library show and tell was a great experience for showing some of their special collections from 1500s and the development of our interests in gardening.  There reference and borrowing collection were amazing with books, journals and information for members who are interested or studying in depth about gardens.  There was also an area for children to engage with the subject.  There was more to explore such as the herbarium and a section on sustainability for ideas to take back in our daily lives.  It was amazing to see the new office area with beautiful plants (obviously!) and to hear some of the reference enquiries that they receive from garden who want to solve some of the problems they encounter in gardens.  The best part of the visit was when an ex-colleague came to say hello at the end of the tour.  I was so happy to see her! It was definitely a lovely surprise and such a great library to work in.  I didn’t have a long time to stay to chat or wonder more as I had to make my way back to the office for an evening shift, but it was definitely worth the visit.

Talking about going back to the office, The British Library where I work has an exhibition on until August called Unearthed.  It is a great name as it exhibits all the fabulous books and story of gardens, gardening and the importance of plants in our lives.  I attended a webinar this week and had a quick look at the exhibition.  The curators highlighted the early gardens designs from housewife manuals to clergy records.  It was also interesting to see the history of plants recorded and documented as well as the importance of plants for food, medicines and other things we take for granted such as trees.  I particularly like the stories of the European encountering potatoes in Peru and the various types of potatoes that are available.  When potatoes were introduced to Europe, the general popular were actually sceptical about it but soon gained momentum and became a staple in our diets (no pun intended).  Potatoes played an important part on our history as well as the nutrition it provided for the population after they were encourages to plant potatoes in Europe.  I love potatoes and find it very versatile.  I just have never grown it as yet but who knows – maybe I will try to do so one day.

Another aspect of the exhibition I liked is the innovation that has developed over time for gardens – one example is the lawnmower.  There is a great display of an early lawnmower and recently I was looking a vlog were there are those mini mobile lawnmowers that look like a gold cart.  I don’t think I would ever need one but garden equipment and designs are innovating all the time.  I recently met a passionate garden at work who has obtained all her qualifications and does not mind the physical hard work that goes into creating her garden business.

There were images and stories of allotments and community gardens in the exhibition, which reminded me that I should try to find time to help with a community garden we created but now need some weeding and care. I think gardening brings people together but also give you time to find peace and reflection in a place of natural beauty.  I don’t have time for an allotment but it great for people who do have them to spend outdoors and to perhaps grow their own vegetables and plants.  I remember our relatives in Rome had an allotment in a convent garden with amazing tomatoes, vegetables and plants. 

Another way that libraries help with the love of garden and gardening is by providing access to magazines and books on the topic.  I recently renewed my library card at my local library and it gives me access to several electronic magazines which I can access on my own device from home.  I have recently checked out some of the beautiful garden designs in them and it is great to see the many types of gardens across the world. I have some gardening books at home and have not bought some recently but it is nice to have access to the magazines from the library for when I have time to read them.

Every year I gear myself up for gardening in Spring and look forward to tidying my garden after the brutal effect of winter on my plants.  I know it is a cycle of life and care with the climate where I live.  I do remember that it is much easier to grow plants and flowers in Trinidad as the climate is tropical and therefore plants thrive longer.  The seasons are still interesting to observe and I have grown use to spending a little fortune in plants and refreshing my garden every spring and summer.  This is ‘everyday gardening’ that I do but I do look forward to it.

By this point, you should know that gardens and plants are crucial for our wellbeing and helps us to think and practice sustainability. I love small city gardens to large wandering green spaces.  From tropical gardens to those that we find in Europe.  I also love the butterflies, caterpillars and lizards in the garden at home that I remembered as a child.  All of which is important to our mental health and the rich ecosystem that we live in.  I also know that urban development has impacted a little bit on this but I hope we can find ways to improve our environment and surrounding area with the knowledge we have of how important gardens, gardening and plants are for us.  And at this time of year, I wish you many views and exploration in gardens where ever you are in the world.

Things that make me say… Wow!

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I made a conscious effort to do a few fun things but I still didn’t get around much. 

 So this time, I  going to keep my post here sweet and short!

This month I went out with some friends to see the Medieval Women Exhibition again and to have some lunch. The exhibition was amazing and informative as I mentioned before on here with many inspiring displays of women doing great things in Medieval times. 

Granary Square is busy in summer with lots of activities such as open-air cinema and children’s activities but certainly a bit quieter in colder months. It was good to have a lunch at Dishoom – who specialises in Indian Street Food with good decor. Although I am of Indo-Caribbean heritage, it is still fascinating to try their black dhal, paratha with cheese and fried ochres. I definitely want to try the fried and crunchy ochres at home! The chai was good too, especially on a cold day.

There are great reminders of good old fashion love this time of year.  There was more heart shaped decorations all over London – from St Pancras, flower shops, interior designs and restaurants.  I tried to resist buy something that I did not need but it was nice to see.  There was one shop board with ‘Love is in the Air’ but I didn’t take a photo.  The shops had several heart-shaped items and love mementos for Valentine’s Day! There were some interesting item in local shops and ideas for creativity and sharing with loved ones.  The most interesting is long matches which can be used for ambience with some nice candles. 

One of the most ethically conscious charity shop windows I saw was Crisis – which ran a campaign on waste of fabrics in the everyday shirts.  It was a good display to raise awareness of the issue.  One aspect that I like is that the shop is based in Walthamstow market and very frequently I see ‘out-of-line’ clothes from high street shops being sold in the market.  I do like that these items are given a chance to be used at normally lower costs rather than ending up in some landfill without even being used.

I have been out and about too for work from Bromley to Woolwich.  I’ve only been to Woolwich once about 20 years ago and even so, I drove there for a house party and therefore did not have a walk around the area.  It was good to firstly use the Elizabeth Line underground to that part of London and it was not a bad journey from where I live. As soon as you come out of the underground station, there is a last gate of Woolwich Arsenal which was the historic area for making ammunition in the British wars.  It was also the original home of the football club Arsenal with the cannons or gunners still visible on the gateway. 

It was also good to see some of the local shops and market traders with their chants to entice people to buy from their stalls.

Once inside the library, there was a section on local history and community-based displays and resources.  It Singer sewing machine and HMV music gramophone were both on display in the library. Bromley library also had a great display of historical items from the Romans, Anglo Saxons and local heritage throughout there history.  These displays are great to see, especially as I don’t live locally and I usually have to rush back home or to the office.  This reminds me that I have been too busy to visit my local library but I hope to do so when I have some time later this month.

 Although some of my walks were normal travelling from one place to another, it was good to see some everyday things that still surprises me.  Such as a bus which was repurpose as a Barber Shop! It looked quite cook and it must have been a lot of bureaucracy to get the bus to be permanently based on the local square but certainly a great idea!  Just after seeing the re-purposed bus, I saw a London Taxi car also re-purposed to a mobile café.  They were really interesting and extraordinary. 

My journeys on the underground is a time when I think, prepare mentally for the day ahead and to observe what is going on around me.  This itself is a time to experience the everyday and extraordinary but perhaps for another time to write about my travels on London Transport.  For now, I will continue to admire the places, people, scenes and things that make me think or say – Wow!

Restoring the balance – Give me five!

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It is that time again when I am thinking what shall I blog about. I really have not been out much later since the post festive season and a busy time generally.  The weather has not been great too and therefore I am looking forward to Spring! The inspiration for this blog came from my journey on the train to work when I spotted an advert for HelloFresh for restore the balance.  This resonated with me as I was preparing some work about burnout and finding a balance the weeks before.  I think the whole world feels a bit too war torn and bruised and you really have to seek out humanity.  There has been a lot more discussed on making choices that improve and maintain our wellbeing, as well as kindness at the core of what we do.

I will explore five tips to pledge to myself – I can’t promise I will stick to it but it is a note-to-self.  Here goes…

  • Wellbeing and Healthy Living – It will be five years since the pandemic and on a professional aside, there are still significant changes that have not made life easy or straightforward.  I have learnt to look after myself and my wellbeing for over 18 years of constant change that may not have always made me feel settled.  One of the positives of this is that I have gained resilience but I still have to remind myself to stop, take some hours for myself or do something that I enjoy. I would like to spend more time going to a spa or for a massage like some of my female friends, but again it is the time required to do this.  I hope I can put this on my to-do list every day.
  • Exercise – should be at the centre of all our lives and I admire people who set aside time to go for a run, get on their bike, hot the gym or any physical activity that would maintain and improve their quality of life.  I stopped my gym membership over a decade ago but since then I have tried to keep busy by doing Pilates, walking, swimming and cycling. I can still all of these but I need to ensure that I add time in the week, and especially at the weekend to do this. I am looking forward to Spring when I know it will be easier for me to step out and trying some more physical activities.  Hopefully I can fit some of this fresh air and exercise as soon as tomorrow with my first weekend with little planned.
  • Good Nutrition – requires some proactivity and planning. I don’t eat junk food (perhaps only once a week I get a take away) but I have been eating things on the go in the office or getting home later to leftovers which may not be suitable for me to eat.  I do like salads and fresher foods but being in the heart of winter, I gravitate to warm and comfort foods I am married to an Italian – so I have to keep my pasta intake in check as it could be 3-4 a week if we eat the same meals all week. I need to get back to preparing meals at night or as someone pointed out recently, I can get a salad at a discount rate in the staff canteen. At home, I need to ensure that I put my items on the shopping list so that I plan my meals ahead. Wish me luck!
  • Socialising – and spending time with friends is definitely what I do when I have time.  However, I had a busy autumn and cold winter so I have not socialised much lately.  I am pleased to get texts from my friends in the last couple of days for us to meet up.  I have also arrange a meet up with my close friend in the next couple of weeks.  My school friends from the Caribbean are also visiting me in Spring and with a couple of trips planned. So I have no excuse but to organise some fun, entertaining and even sightseeing. Spending quality time with family and friends so boost our moods (I know not all the time). There is only limited time on this earth and I am counting my blessings all the time.
  • Celebrate the small stuff – as I mentioned above, there is a whole lot of craziness going on in the world.  I literally have to zone-out from terrible things that we see in the news and it has changed for the worst in recent years.  It is not that I am a realist. Instead I am reminding myself of beauty, joy, kindness and love. I reminds me when there were other tube posters with ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ which I loved. I am not very so active in community events at present but the best part of kindness helps me think of the role models I have and the way they may have done something because it needed to be done, given or shared.  Kindness is also natural and ingrained where you may not have even had time to think of a reaction.  So it really to build in this inner compass to help you when times are tough.  I am especially pleased to see that this is talked about a lot more in leadership styles and it is safe to show compassion, manners and good old fashion principles.

So these are notes to myself and they seem sensible and not too difficult to follow. Hopefully I am setting up myself to succeed and hopefully my life would be a little but richer because of this list.  Wish me luck!