Mo Clayton

I had the pleasure of visiting this lovely little place to-day, but I did not know that it was one of the oldest garden centres in London. This is a tranquil oasis and the plants are in very good condition. It felt like a nice place to be and the staff were very helpful. I did not get to try the organic cafe, but it looked good. Its nice to see people creating a very good garden centre that make you feel good to just wander around. I was helping to buy some plants for my sons new home, and although he is not a gardener I think he could appreciate the plants and I hope the ones we bought will flower profusely in his garden and bring him a lot of pleasure. I have a feeling I shall be visiting this area again.

What on earth are the architects trying to do? For as many years as I care to remember the above building in a prime location on Lime Street  in Liverpool,has been disliked  by everyone.You step out of Lime Street Station an look up at this dingy empty office block. The frontage to Lime Street Station should be sorted out and quick. Just when everyone was waiting for the monstrosity to be blown to oblivion, a group of architects have come forward with the idea of saving it and cladding the outside and refurbishing the inside.  I am all in favour of saving money, but they would have to come up with something pretty spectacular and some very eyecatching cladding to fix this one.All that would cost money too. I am more for the idea of blowing it up and letting us see the Victorian Facade of Lime Street Station. I can remember looking out of a top floor window in Lewis's department store and being amazed at the structure of the glass and iron roof.The shops seen here in the picture are also an eyesore and scruffy, this is the first glimpse rail travellers will see of our city, so lets sort it out. What we do not need it yet another glass menagerie office block. or student accommodation. What would be nice is a seating area or plaza so you can wait for the train or buses in a nice environment, but I do not suppose for one minute we will get that.

I have changed the theme and name of my blog, I found myself writing a lot about my home town of Liverpool and a little less about gardening. I think it was a combination of two things one it has been winter for ever!!! and two it is the Capital of Culture year 2008 for my birthplace Liverpool.So many exciting things are happening in Liverpool that you cannot help wanting to tell the world about your home town. I still love my gardening and all things to do with plants and gardening, so I shall return in full bloom as the early spring colours and promises of lazy sunny days lie ahead. My hopes for the city are that the regeneration will not only bring fortune to the place,but make Liverpool once again the great city it was when the port was busy and trade was brisk. I am sure there will be many more stories to tell and I look forward to doing so in my blog.

 

Last night I was out in Liverpool, which seems to be something of a rarity for me lately. I went to see Ken Dodd in his Laughter Show at the small concert hall in St Georges Hall. The first thing that strikes you when entering this beautiful hall is how well it had been restored to its former glory. Then you drink in the fact that Charles Dickens stood on this stage and gave readings to the people of Liverpool. In those days you paid one penny to go to "the penny readings" this was to encourage people from all backgrounds to be able to listen to great stories often told by great writers.However, I digress from my original subject of playing with Gods.

First up is this little place:

yes be impressed, as this little number is the latest skyscraper to break the already famous Liverpool Water Front scene, even if it is a little back from the waterfront. West Tower houses very expensive apartments and on the thirty fourth floor a restaurant and bar. I had the pleasure of having a pre concert drink in the bar. The view is spectacular and all the more so because I was looking down like some God on the city I love. Drinks were not bad either. I have to point out that you probably need to take out a second mortgage to eat and drink here, but you only live once. I had one criticism the "bucket type chairs" very uncomfortable, unless of course you are the type of lizard that likes to lounge, then you will be well at home slinky down in one of these.

Speaking of Gods back to Mr Ken Dodd, here is a man eighty years young, who spent four hours entertaining his audience,believe me when I say when you go to see him you know you are "his" audience, one of the funniest comedians I have ever seen, and this is not the first time I have had the pleasure of seeing him. His show was a celebration of laughter and the laughter makers, so no better place to stage it than in a city were every other person is a comedian. He paid tribute the likes of Arthur Askey. Ted Ray and Tommy Handley, some of his heroes, but I can tell you he was right up there with the best of them. He also had the grace to include some of the more recent comedians who have hailed form Liverpool, and having seen most of them I can tell you they cannot hold a candle to this guy. His memory may not be what it was, but he is as sharp as any of the knives in the box. All the proceeds of this show went to charity, and of course there was the usual mention of his lapse of memory when it comes to money/ tax returns etc. He even had a go at lawyers and journalist in a very clever way to let them know  he had the measure of most men.

I have been one of the enormous group of people wondering why he has never been knighted.When you put him alongside the people who are now "Sirs" it is unfathomable. Maybe that little indiscretion with his tax return is the answer, but for most people getting one over on the taxman has made him an icon!! Lets hope they do not wait too long to honour one of Liverpool's finest. As he said last night " They sent me a self assessment form, me who invented the self assessment" priceless!!!!

I read a story in the  a paper claiming that if the graffitti artist Banksy ever tried to lay claim to some of his work then he could be arrested and charged with wilful damage to property and that is why if you are lucky enough to have one of his images painted on your building then it is yours. Well  I  do not know how true this is or if Banksy had ever tried to claim one of his works, but it got me thinking " damage to property" well yes I guess if you do not like his work or do not want it on your property then you have a right to get rid of it, or be annoyed. However, I was trying to compare that with the well known painter Leonardo Da Vinci, I wonder if he was alive to-day and painted a mural on one of your walls would the same be thought about him. What is Urban art? and how do people feel about it. I for instance cringe whenever I am on the train going into Euston Station and see the mess of graffitti on the walls, but I feel that someone scrawling the latest gang name or their own name is not quite the same as the clever statements made by this artist. You could say I am moving the goal posts, but I think he is very talented and wonder how he dreams up some of his art!! Anyway I have not heard too many stories of people painting over his graffitti. plenty of people are cashing in on it though. If I had an art gallery I would be begging him to come and scrawl on my walls, but I guess the secrecy behind the man is the key to popularity of his work.