London pubs in bloom (by kerouac2)

[Deleted]

In the big cities of Europe, there are certain similarities of architecture, business districts, urban layout, etc., and that's what helps to make the differences all the more noticeable. One thing that struck me in London last week was that a certain number of pubs -- a minority but an extremely visible one -- seem to find their floral displays as important as the ales they sell. One of the nicer condescending remarks that the French have always said about England is that it is a "nation of gardeners," but when you see some of these pubs, it can only be a compliment. Some of these places were still in full glory while others were at the end of their blooming, but I thought they all added a nice touch to the mostly stony grey streets.

[bixaorellana]

Pretty! I really like the way so many of the pubs are painted black with dull gold touches. And certainly the flower colors really zing against the dark background. I also love that last picture, with the flowers coordinated to the bricks. This was a lovely & clever thread idea!

[patricklondon]

Thanks for noticing this and pulling it all together. It's the kind of thing we locals tend to take for granted. Now that I think about it, I have a feeling that it's a relatively recent development (I mean in terms of decades). It would perhaps have been expected in the typical "picture postcard village", at least since about the 1950s, but not so much in the cities. There have been a number of major changes in the financial and management arrangements for pubs over the last 30-40 years, and of course the growth of the pub as a place to take families for a meal - probably it's linked to that; and I'd be interested to know if it's just a London thing.

[bjd]

I would also think it's rather a recent development. I certainly don't remember London like that years ago when I spent quite some time there.

Paris too has become much more "in bloom". I have noticed over the past years that a lot more people put window boxes on their window sills than before.

[tod2]

You captured some really magnificent old pubs Kerouac. Not only are the flowers and hanging baskets too lovely for words, but the pubs themselves are proffering information about their origins by their names and more importantly their signs hanging off an outside wall above the sidewalk.

The most interesting one you snapped was The Salisbury St. Martins Lane, Covent Garden. The gentleman on the pub sign is the Marquess of Salisbury, Robert Gasgoyne-Cecil, three times Prime Minister from 1885 to 1902. Originally built in 1892 as a restaurant called the Salisbury Stores, evident by the double 'S' etched into the windows.
Between the two angels over the doorway the Cecil coat of arms.

[fumobici]

Some of these pub facades are quite remarkable in a whimsical way. Very photogenic, all.

[Deleted]

Cool pics! Are most of these all done up especially for the recent festivities there or is this pretty much the norm?
I'm curious about the overabundance of the spiky maroon phormium or dracaena like looking specimens in at least half of them.
I'm not real mad about that particular "touch" but, each to his own. They must be en vogue right now just like the sweet potato vine craze of the last few years in window boxes all over major US cities.

[mossie]

Quite some pub crawl ;D ;D Glad you were still able to hold the camera straight at the finish.

[mich64]

All are delightful but my favorite is the last one.

Our City has a contest every summer with a business and home category for blooms. Next year I hope to remember this thread to show you our varities.

[Deleted]

Actually, the whole thing that started me on this subject was when I went to the Camden markets and saw the huge contrast between "The Elephant's Head" and the surrounding décor. I realised that I had seen other such flowery pubs and decided that I had to hunt some down.

Note: even though I made my first trip to London in 1971, I have still never set foot in a pub.

Note 2: before anybody starts making any incredulous comments, I have never been inside a bar in the United States either. (However, I have been in a few 'cocktail lounges', which I do not consider to be the same thing.)

[htmb]

That's a bit curious, k. I've only been to England once for a week in 1980, but even I've been to a London pub.

[Deleted]

My very existence generates intrigue.

[tod2]

I guess it does sometimes......

The thing I like about some of the good old pubs in London, is the wonderful old interiors. Some nicer than the outside.

Flower Baskets:
Casimira wrote" Are most of these all done up especially for the recent festivities there or is this pretty much the norm?

Answer: Yes they are the norm. I have always been intrigued how they get them to look so wonderful. I think it could be down to a flower basket design like this: (Scroll down to the hanging basket picture when opened)

www.yougarden.com/

[Deleted]

However, most of the flags are obviously because of the Olympics.

[patricklondon]

I have always been intrigued how they get them to look so wonderful.

I rather think there are companies that specialise in supplying and maintaining planted baskets for commercial premises (and that most of the pubs will have automatic watering systems). Given that most of them are likely owned by big commercial organisations, there's probably a block contract for all the pubs in the chain.

[tod2]

Patrick I think you are absolutely right about the baskets being a commercial venture by some gardening company or other. The baskets never look 'thirsty' so the automatic system must be in place!

I popped down to my local garden shop this afternoon and was told they used to have a similar basket some three years ago......... This means I have to fly back to the UK to buy a few and ship them home - please don't think I am determined in any way to get my hands on the right thing ;D ;D ;D

[Deleted]

That's the way all of that is done in Paris -- nobody buys plants; there is just a rental and maintenance contract. The employee drops in once a week or once every two weeks to snip a few things, replace anything that has died and check the watering.

Anyway, even though I purposely limited myself to pubs, I saw that a lot of the Italian restaurants and French bistros in London were decorated pretty much the same way -- but of course most of them are located in former pubs anyway.

[lugg]

Note: even though I made my first trip to London in 1971, I have still never set foot in a pub.

Patrick - I dont think it is just a London thing. Although of course here in Herefordshire most pubs are rural, in Hereford City ( 60K population and a cathedral ), pubs and restaurants are also decked out with flowers in the Summer.


Of course the rural pubs here have beautiful gardens as well in many cases. Here is one of my favourite places to have a beer

SPOILER: Click to show

[auntieannie]

lovely pics, K!

I guess only the pubs aimed at tourists or more financially comfortable punters have these contracts.
Imagine the landlord perched on a ladder, copper watering can in hand... ;D not!

very nice, lugg! mine's a bitter, thanks!

[nycgirl]

These are such sweet, friendly-looking pubs! I'm going to keep my eyes open for similar flourishes on the pubs here (but I bet I won't find any).

[kerouac2]

[bjd]

The flower baskets seem to be less flourishing than a few years ago. Maybe the flower supply company raised its prices too much?

[kerouac2]

I'm thinking that it's still early in the season. They're probably designed to be best in July.

[lagatta]

I missed this thread before, including lugg's beautiful garden.

We like to have a picnic at the Montréal botanical gardens. People can only picnic in certain designated areas, but the view is equally nice.

I remember when I was first in Paris, some decades ago, and was thinking how beautiful it was, but that it was a bit grey and needed more flowers and foliage. That has changed considerably over the years. There are more flowers now, and overall Paris is much "greener" than before. Back in the early 80s Parisians thought Alsatians overdid it with the flowers.

[tod2]

Gosh, I hope a lot more baskets will be forthcoming! That is the beauty of London. The masses and masses of hanging baskets.

[bixaorellana]