Christmas Market in the Sun

The Gardens of the World is the rather grandly named garden that is open to the public and not far from where I live.  It was started in 1990 when a Granny Smith apple orchard was cleared to make way for the garden.  It is divided into garden rooms and each one is planted for a different continent.  New Zealand, Australia, Africa, America, Asia and Europe.  There are also a formal rose garden, herbaceous borders, a lake and fountains.  This is the first year they have hosted a Christmas Market with the entry donations going to the upkeep of the garden.  It was the perfect morning to wander and check out the stalls.  I solved one Christmas present problem by buying a unique set of blocks for wee Finn.  The are Redwood timber and very light and in a range of shades as is the natural wood.  They are irregular shapes with different sized faces to stack one on the other. I will put in an extra because it is too hard to explain them.   Made locally from reclaimed wood and rubbed with bees wax so they can be sucked.  I am pleased to have found these craft people.  In the blip you can see some of the stalls across the lake.