MUSINGS FROM THE BOWER 37

Polyanthus at Harlow Garden Centre

It is here! It’s arrived! I wondered if it ever would come – but yes! We have spring. Well, some of us do. Here in the south, there has been sunshine and blue skies, although sadly, it’s not quite the same for those further north.

Unfortunately, as with everything in life, there has been a downside. I haven’t been able to go out and enjoy it as I have developed sciatica. It’s a horrible thing, with shooting pains along my back and down the backs of my thighs. The pains take me unawares, one moment I am walking along – rather wobbly, it’s true – the next minute, what feels like an electric shock has zapped my back. First thing in the morning is worst; trying to sit up in bed from a prone, or semi-prone position is awful, and then the attempted straightening of the back. Sometimes I cry out in pain. Still, these things are sent to try us, as they say, and the doctor has given me painkillers and told me that it shouldn’t take too long to heal. So, the bower awaits – but I can’t go there yet, as the bench is too low……

I called in at Harlow Garden Centre on a cold, grey day – it’s a place to go for instant boost whatever the weather – and I found trays upon trays of vividly coloured polyanthus. They were so bright that I almost needed my sunglasses. What a tonic! I love this place, not only for plants but also for the pretty things in the gift shop. It’s a perfect place to go for lunch, as well.

Audley End on a grey April day

Before I developed the sciatica, I visited Audley End with my husband. We are English Heritage members, so we were able to get in ‘free’, which is always a bonus. Audley End was built on the site of a Benedictine Monastery, and is a 17^th century house. At one time, apparently, it was enormous, almost like a palace, but is now only one-third of its original size. However, it’s still very large, with plenty to see. Its gardens were designed by Capability Brown, and contain several mock-classical monuments. Sadly, on the day I went it was raining heavily, so I didn’t get to walk round them. I did get to see the famous dolls’ house, which dates from the 1820s, though – but unfortunately damp has damaged it, and fungal spores were found. Consequently, it is in the process of being restored. A replica of the house is on show in the visitors’ reception, for children to play with.

My Tri-ang tin-fronted dolls' house awaiting restoration

I am fond of dolls’ houses, but am trying to resist the temptation to get involved in the hobby, because I have too many hobbies already. However, I must confess to having several houses. One is waiting to be restored, it is a similar Tri-ang tinplate one to the dolls’ house I had when I was small. The others are just small houses I have found on my travels. The largest belongs to my daughter. It was built by for her by her grandfather when she was little, and she acquired so much furniture that a few years later, he built her an extension!

I converted a kit to make my ideal newsagents!

I have visited several dolls’ house fairs, and marvel at the tiny goods on sale, many of them created by hand. I wouldn’t have the patience to knit a scarf or a table mat out of cotton on two pins. Yet some people do, and create all manner of other tiny things, from elaborately carved chairs to plates of food. Some people make shops, rather than dolls houses, turning them into dress shops, florists, toyshops or bakers. A couple of years ago, I built a little shop, but mine wasn’t a complicated affair, I just adapted a kit. I turned it into a newsagents that specialised in girls’ comics – well, it was my shop and I was reminiscing! It was a tie-in with a book I was writing at the time, about girls’ comics, and I created miniature comics and books using the computer. Then I visited a stockist of dolls’ house accessories and bought a little girl doll, who looked just about the right age to buy her copy of Bunty.

Do you remember Bunty? A straw poll I carried out showed that Bunty was the best loved of all the girls’ comics. I still have my Ladybird ring and my Dainty Doggie ring, which were free gifts, and I avidly followed the adventures of ‘The Four Marys’! Other favourites included Girl, School Friend, Girls’ Crystal, Twinkle, Jack and Jill, Chick’s Own and Sunny Stories. Then there was Jackie – that was a comic which shocked a lot of mums when it first came out, due to its willingness to tackle problems such as unmarried mothers in the problem pages, whilst similar magazines stuck safely to acne and etiquette! Later, like so many teens of the time, I switched to Valentine, Boyfriend, Roxy, Cherie and Romeo (not all at once – they were bought when they featured my favourite pop stars).

My Dainty Doggie Ring given free with Bunty in 1960

The shops don’t seem to sell many proper comics now – they are all product based, with a large ‘free’ gift. It’s the gift that the comic (or magazine as they really are now) is bought for, not for the reading matter. And they seem so expensive. Oh well, that’s another childhood tradition that’s bitten the dust!