Yesterday morning we had a gathering at the home of a parent who works closely with our school library. He's on the equivalent of the PTA, in charge of library support. He thought it would be nice to throw an end-of-the-year appreciation brunch for the library staff, which was a really kind thing to do.
He lives in St. John's Wood, so I walked down there yesterday morning. The brunch started at 10 a.m. and I was a few minutes early, so I decided to take a swing through the Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate, which I've shown you many times on this blog. It's very well known architecturally as a landmark of Brutalist style, designed by Neave Brown in 1968 and built the following decade.
Weather-wise, the day was ideal. I was wearing shorts and sandals and the sky was sunny and clear.
There's a lot of interesting planting at the estate, with colorful flowers spilling over the walls and cordylines, yuccas and palms casting tropical-looking shadows.
Eventually I made my way over to the brunch and stayed about an hour and a half. Most of the "action" took place in the family kitchen/dining area, which unfortunately had a lot of hard surfaces -- marble and granite and the like. I found it quite loud and had a hard time hearing people. I think my ears are just not suited to crowded rooms anymore!
It was fun but I was eager to get back outside and spend some time in the garden. So I soon headed home.
This was the gate into the enclosed courtyard where the parent's townhouse was located. Eye-catching, right? I've actually photographed it before but never from the inside with the light coming through it.
My afternoon was pretty quiet. I got a delivery of compost so I was able to repot one of our hostas, which sprouted some tiny leaves this year but has stubbornly refused to grow. I thought perhaps it needed some fresh soil so we'll see if that does the trick. I also mowed the lawn and did some other routine garden maintenance.
Remember how last year I was battling slugs on my dahlias? Well, this year...
...there is nary a slug to be found. It's been so dry they're just not out and about. The plants are flourishing.
It sounds like a lovely day of sunshine, architecture, and gardening, with a thoughtful (if noisy) brunch in between—fingers crossed the compost revives your hosta and that the dahlias are faring better this year!
ReplyDeleteIt was indeed a lovely day overall.
DeleteIt is nice not having to tiptoe my way down the garden through the slugs when letting the dog out at night! Last year it was solid with them on the lawn!!
ReplyDeleteI agree! I've barely even seen a slug this year!
DeleteA lovely gesture of thanks.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how wherever you go, everyone is drawn to the kitchen... possibly the heart of a home?
I get what you feel about crowds..being in a garden is better than being hemmed in by people!
Yeah, the kitchen always winds up as the gathering space, but in this case it was intentional as the kitchen/dining area were on the ground floor of the house and everything else was upstairs.
DeleteBrutalist and plantings are a nice (necessary) mix. I do love that gate. Great news about the slugs, for you and the plants.
ReplyDeleteI think Brutalist buildings can be very cool looking, but yes, they do need landscaping! (As do all buildings.)
DeleteSeems that the Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate could do with a damned good jetwashing. Mind you, that would probably take a team of workers a month or more to do. Thanks for not showing us an image of you in your shorts and sandals as I am eating my breakfast.
ReplyDeleteYou're right -- it's a large estate and that would take a lot of time, particularly if they wash the backside of the buildings (which are practically windowless and face the railroad tracks).
DeletePlants soften harsh exteriors.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely!
DeleteAhh, yes, the most common scourge that hearing-impaired people all share! Going to a social function where there are lots of people and hard surfaces is a nightmare. The hard surfaces mean the sounds bounce around, and any meaningful conversation is lost in the "boom, boom, boom" of the room, and the voices of many people at once in a small area. I've worn hearing aids for nearly 20 years, and this is the kind of social situation I dread. I still go, but the noise (and booming echoes) are horrendous and I generally come home with a headache, vowing to never go out again. Of course, I do go, (my husband sees to that) but it is the one thing hearing-impaired people all have in common. Welcome to our community, Steve! LOL
ReplyDeleteI've never noticed it as a problem before but it really struck me this time! I probably do need some kind of hearing test.
DeleteConcrete never weathers attractively does it!
ReplyDeleteNo, it doesn't! Perhaps they didn't realize that when they first built these buildings?
DeleteI have seen that housing complex in so many movies; I like the futuristic, non-futuristic look of it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's kind of like the old "Tomorrowland," futuristic and retro at the same time.
DeleteI love that light installation. The brutalist style, not so much, I think. But the overhanging blooms are lovely. That was a lovely thing for the family to host. I thought of you yesterday as I'm dealing with geraniums I wintered and finally took outside and the leaves rapidly turned white and wilted. I'm trying to decide if they can be saved or if I should just dump them (sacrilege, I know!) and use the pots for something else. "What would Steve do?" I kept saying!
ReplyDeleteI would give them time. When you first move them outdoors any existing leaves will scorch, but new ones should grow in that can survive the sunlight. My geraniums look pretty terrible right now but I have faith that they'll do their thing in a month or two.
DeleteThat was a nice gesture, to return the appreciation. I hear you on the difficulty in loud noisy rooms, but I have much better figure ground hearing since my hearing aids came into my life. They're much better now at filtering out background confusion.
ReplyDeleteMaybe a hearing check might be good? I lost a lot of stress when I finally got hearing aids.
I'm not sure I've ever had a hearing check. To be honest I've never had problems up til now!
DeleteIt's great that so many of the residents in that building have plants on their balconies.
ReplyDeleteI also love the photo of that colorful gate. You had a nice walk going to and from that brunch.
Yes, the residents clearly know how to make their community look more appealing. I wonder if there are directions about the types of plants to plant. So many of them seem similar to one another.
DeleteI do not get the appeal of that brutalist style. There's only one colorful spot of flowers that I can see. All that concrete and gray with zero adornment is just depressing. And apparently the insides aren't much better.
ReplyDeleteRe hearing, we're watching the second season of Andor and it doesn't have subtitles and I can't understand a word they say. One in five or ten. I've given up trying to figure out what they are saying, just hoping I absorb it somehow so I can follow the plot.
I think the plantings make it much better than it would be otherwise. There were other spots of color too. I suppose the appeal of Brutalism was partly that the buildings were strong and would not need a lot of painting or other upkeep. But as YP pointed out, they do need pressure-washing, and maybe the designers never foresaw that!
DeleteI'm surprised there are no subtitles available for "Andor." We often turn on closed captioning just to help us hear dialogue.
That gate pleases me to no end. All gates should have that feature! And walls! Everything! Color, color, color.
ReplyDeleteI was about to say the same thing as Ellen about the Brutalist style. Why? It's plain ugly and simply painful looking. At least to me.
Was the food good at the brunch?
I agree -- I love the gate. I don't mind Brutalism but I know a lot of people hate it. I think it's often interesting in terms of shape and mass. The food was OK -- coffee cake, a sort of french toast casserole, and fresh fruit, among other things.
DeleteThe brunch makes a lovely staff appreciation gathering. The hosts are thoughtful and generous people.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the Brutalist style complex has no appeal. The trailing plants hanging from the balconies are an attempt to soften all the cement. The plants seem to thrive.
It's a very sunny space so yes, the plants do very well there as long as they are kept watered!
DeleteThe more I see of that building the more it appeals to me. At first it was like getting stabbed in the eye! Brunch is sort of like elvenses? maybe more elaborate.
ReplyDeleteHa! I've always thought it's a pretty cool building. Very innovative for its time!
DeleteThe entryway is delightful! Don't you know kids who live there would love making up games in it?? (or do kids still use their imaginations that way?)
ReplyDeleteI wonder?! It does seem like it would be fun for a game of "Twister"!
DeleteThat estate reminds me of some of the buildings on campus. I'm sorry you had difficulty hearing. I hope that isn't a permanent situation.
ReplyDeleteYeah, same vintage! The Business building at USF is definitely Brutalist.
DeleteI always liked get togethers with staff. One principal used to have home made wine just before school opened
ReplyDeleteOh, that's pretty fun!
DeleteI love that estate. Britbox has filmed a fair amount there. I like those buildings a lot, they're stark and purpose built.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the TV stations need to pay to film there -- and if so, who gets the money?
DeleteI love that gate! Very creative!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it? So colorful!
DeleteThat sounds like a lovely day! I spent most of my day doing laundry and watching sports. I think spending some time in the yard would probably have been better for me!
ReplyDeleteI try to do a mixture of indoor and outdoor activities!
DeleteI've seen that apartment complex before, and in spite of greenery, it just looks so shabby.
ReplyDeleteThe gate with the light shining through the colours is quite amazing.
I think it actually looks quite good, though parts of it definitely need upkeep.
DeleteYou were wearing shorts?? I think I've had them on once or twice so far but now we're in for some rain and cooler weather so back to jackets.
ReplyDeleteI was in a jacket just a few days ago! The weather turns on a dime at this time of year.
DeleteIsn't it freeing when the weather warms up enough to shed that much clothing! (before it gets uncomfortably hot, that is)
ReplyDeleteThat gate made a fantastic photo!
Yes, it feels so good to shed all those layers!
DeleteWhat a cool gate. I can't wait to see where you put those obelisks. I am so jealous of your luck.
ReplyDeleteWe probably won't use them right away, though we should probably plant Dave's clematis. It doesn't seem very happy in its pot.
DeleteWhen I was there two years ago, I found a street that looks very much like that estate area just around the corner from my hotel. It appeared to be used by the university. That gate in your photo is great. I love all those colors shining through.
ReplyDelete