Mum has been a keen gardener for many years but I have only just been let into the secret. I have always appreciated a beautiful garden but until the point of having my own, I hadn’t fully appreciated what time and effort goes into maintaining a garden and what happiness consequently comes from it. There is something so innocent and pure about watching a plant grow from seed…..it requires patience which is an antidote to modern life. There is very little that you can do to speed up the process - it takes the time it takes. You’re also beholden to the natural elements - that, and the SLUGS. Who knew that one could hold such hatred for those little brown squidgy things - urgh! RIP my foxgloves. SOB.

Something that you may not know is that Plumo have very chic gardening gear. This tool roll would certainly raise my gardening game…! As an aside, they also stock these lovely seat cushions… when the weeds build up, distract your guests with sensational derrière comfort….

For an outfit with a lot of volume, like the one that I am wearing here, it is helpful to bear in mind a few things.

The top that I am wearing is essentially triangular in shape, so in order to keep the outfit balanced, a tapered trouser works extremely well (an inverted triangle). Ideally, you also want your ankles (and wrists) on show to balance out the overall fabric. A slim leg capri style trouser would also work but for a more directional look, a wide leg tapered trouser is the one. If you are going to pair an a-line shaped top with a jacket, particularly if the jacket is shorter than the top, the jacket should be a-line too. That way it sits neatly over the top and looks intentional, rather than just thrown on.

I’ve mentioned Plumo’s cardigans before but for our new followers, I need to mention them again - they are SO SOFT. They feel like cashmere but they are in fact Scottish lambswool. Plumo always nail the colours. They pick relatively unusual colours that are still very wearable. The olive green is as versatile as navy or black but is so much more interesting and probably a more forgiving colour for most people’s complexion. It also comes in this red which is scrumptious, it is the one that mum wore here.

I have mentioned outfit ‘disruptors’ before. It is the item of clothing or accessory that you add to an outfit to prevent the overall look from appearing too ‘matchy matchy’. So for example, mum is wearing all olive green and cream. The outfit would have certainly worked like this but it is the pop of red from her earrings which adds a complimentary contrast and in doing so elevates the look into something more interesting.

A Brucie Bonus, Plumo have shared a discount code with us - enter HOMEGROWN at the checkout to receive 10% off everything (excluding sale items). The offer last until 20th June so there’s enough time to have a little think….enjoy!