The colour purple

Purple seems to be the current hue du jour. The lilac bobbing about on its slender stems outside the sitting room window, the almost black Queen of the Night tulips grown long and leggy and the little delicate violas that are dotted about the garden. On Monday, in the drizzle, I planted two clumps of dark purple gladioli bulbs - so there will be more purple to come.

The purple sensation allium buds are just waiting to go pop at Wisley. I was thrilled to spot that all of the allium bulbs that we planted earlier this year have sent up flower heads - fingers crossed the grey mafia won't notice them.
And it isn't just limited to the great outdoors. Our new storage ottoman adds a delicious dash of purple to our bedroom. Fabric from John Lewis. All credit for covering it so beautifully goes to The Dormy House (there was a fab special offer in the March issue of Country Homes and Interiors). It makes my heart skip a beat when I look at it.