Mews

One of my "living in foreign lands" fantasies involves living in (on?) a mews. According to the ever-useful Wikipedia, a mews is "a chiefly British term formerly describing a row of stables, usually with carriage houses below and living quarters above, built around a paved yard or court, or along a street, behind large London houses of the 17th and 18th centuries."

Like this:
(Photo from Lurot Brand)

They're just delicious! I guess I have always had some sort of fascination with little unusual living spaces. Carriage houses, garret flats, living atop a bakery, that sort of thing. The best part of the Sabrina films was always that Sabrina lived above the garage with her father. And Peter Pan? Treehouses, fairy houses, and heck, maybe the Darlings even lived on a mews? They certainly had mighty romantic windows in the Nursery, regardless...

Dreamy Garden Characteristics

I love picket fences, especially with lavender and nasturtiums growing against them. (Photo from lindabaz)

Really, I guess I love "cottage gardens". I love the mess of it. I have no idea how that harmonious pandemonium is created, but I adore it. It seems to involve a lot of tall plants, like delphiniums, foxgloves, and hollyhocks.


(Image from English Borders)