Swing when you’re winning

Posted by Tiggy Salt on January 22nd, 2007

So the week started well: in spite of the snow I set off on Tuesday with my dog Alfie to visit the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden in Surrey to see the Fletcher and Myburgh Moon Swing in the flesh. It was vital that I saw it as this early stage as the lead time for all of their swings is at least three months, particularly in the busy run up to Chelsea.

The sculpture garden itself is amazing: ten acres of woods, water and magic, well worth the visit, by appointment only. The copper of the swing had begun to age beautifully so I think that is the finish we should go for, but with a diameter of 200cm, it was clear that this would take up too much valuable space in the garden which is only 450×400cm. So, I confirmed the order and F&M are going to make us a smaller bespoke version with a diameter of 150-175cm. I think its important to keep it as big as possible to maintain its beauty, impact and symbolism, but not to let it dwarf the other key elements of the garden.

I received confirmation from Jekka’s Herb Farm that they can grow us some plugs of Roman Chamomile, which they will be sowing before the end of January to ensure they will be ready in time. So exciting to think of all these plants being planted so well in advance and that the garden is already in existence, albeit in little pieces, scattered all over England.

Hardy’s Cottage Plants, who are growing our angelica and hosta, have run out of the particular purple foxglove I was looking for, so I’ll have to choose another variety or resort to bribery and corruption and get someone else to grow it for us.

I’ve been in touch with the archive at Glyndebourne who tell me that, tragically, the monster suits that were made for the 1985 production of the Wild Things were partially destroyed and the rest sent to a museum in Los Angeles. Apparently the opera house in Chicago made some replicas, and if they are not available for hire, then they do have some photographs of their construction which we could perhaps borrow to make our own versions. Is anyone good with a needle and thread?

Beds, beds everywhere, but not a place to sleep… On Thursday I drove to Westerham in Kent, where I have a friend who deals in antiques. He had arranged a punishing itinerary to vist all his contacts who sell beds… We visited warehouses, showrooms, factories and the more beds we saw the more elusive Max’s became; it felt like the desperate last minute shop at Christmas when time is running out and everything you look at seems more and more wrong. They were too big, too frilly, too smart, too serious and not one had Max’s name on it. We limped back home feeling like a whole day had been wasted, but today I feel better and convinced that I’ll know it when I see it.

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