Word Origins | Up The Garden Path

Ever felt you’d been led up the garden path (and not in a ‘come and see my greenhouse tomatoes’ kind of way?) Join us on a journey through the veg beds to find out the origins of the phrase…

Being led up the garden path, meaning to be misled or caused to proceed wrongly, is a phrase dating from the early 1900s when many homes had a garden of various beds and veg plots, which pathways wound through. 

The phrase is  uncertain in origin but may come from the practice of village elders tricking a young man into marrying a, shall we say ‘less than attractive’ veiled bride in order to get her off the shelf. 

Weddings often took place in gardens so the unsuspecting groom would be led up the garden path, to find his bride, hidden behind a veil, at the end of the garden. Once married, he would lift the veil and, if disappointed by what lay beneath, it would be too late! He had been literally led up the garden path already. 

So, a rather uncharming fable about young men, but an interesting piece of etymology. We’re not so sure those veiled young women necessarily felt they’d found a real catch either. Let’s hope, despite the shallow husbands, they at least had a beautiful garden to console themselves with. 

Fascinatingly, in Australia one is lead down the garden path, which we suppose makes sense, geographically speaking. 

In our July issue, our My Place pages feature lots more beautiful garden paths to be led up such as the one by Libby Webb @docleaves above. The issue is on sale now or you can buy it from our online store.

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More from our July issue…

More garden inspiration…

Think | Why the best kitchen tables look lived in

Like laughter lines, stains on a well-loved table are a sign of a life well lived. We’re rethinking all those imperfections and taking a look at the marks, spills and stains that every table needs

Red wine

From that memorable dinner party where your friend brought an unexpected guest (who was that?) and they spilled a full glass of Merlot while reaching for the cheese knife, and then one of your other guests didn’t go home for two days because their hangover was so appalling and then Sunday lunch happened. 

Candle wax

From the time your book club turned into a bit of a counselling session and no one noticed the candle burning too low and pouring all over the table top. 

Sharpie pen

From the one and only time you forgot to put a plastic mat under a child’s artwork and they drew a (very unflattering) portrait of you complete with “bigg bottom”.

Curry sauce

From that evening when your best friend had had a row with her partner and turned up <just> when it was too late to stretch dinner, so you piled it all into Tupperware and phoned for a takeaway instead. 

A deep scratch

After the time you briefly took up lino cut printing and got a bit over-enthusiastic with the small ‘v’ gouge while carving a pastoral scene into your linoleum piece.

White heat marks

From the lunchtime when you were so pleased with the paella you’d made, you put the skillet straight down on the tabletop without thinking.

Dents from shoes

From the day you had a few friends round and a quiet drink and some nibbles turned into impromptu karaoke and your sister didn’t take off her heeled boots before strutting her stuff on the table to Don’t Stop Me Know. 

If you also see the joy of a well-loved kitchen table, you might like to read our My Place feature this month, which is looking at views around the kitchen table, such as the one by Samantha Hansard @vintagecuratorinteriors, pictured above.

More from our November issue…

More things we love about home…

How to | Have a Proper Lie-In

Leave your guilt at having a lie-in at the bedroom door. Done properly, it’s an artform. 

Oh the joy that is waking up early on a Saturday… and then remembering you don’t have to get up at all; it’s like stealing back a couple of hours from the world. While the element of pleasant surprise is a large part of a truly joyous lie-in, there’s a lot to be said for planning it well so you can really make the most of it. 

Here’s how to prepare thoroughly for a thoroughly decadent hour or two of extra duvet time. 

1. Set a date. If you live with others, let them know about your lie-in so there’s no chance of anyone asking you to help with anything come the time. If you have pets or children that need attention in the early morning, delegate these tasks in advance. 

2. Get to bed reasonably early the night before, and definitely don’t drink too much. A hangover is a total waste of a lie-in, You want to be able to enjoy it properly. 

3. Arrange catering. If you’re lucky enough to have someone willing to help with your lie-in, you could let them know whether your preference is for tea or coffee and what sort of breakfast you would like in bed. In our experience, though toast is the ‘go-to’ breakfast-in-bed item, it is the most crumb-sheddy also. A small fruit salad, or a little yoghurt with granola might actually be a better option. Or even a bacon sandwich. If there are no catering staff available, you’ll have to think a little out of the box; a Teasmade is always a good investment, but tea or coffee in a Thermos, taken up to bed with you the night before should stay nice and warm. In terms of sustenance, a cake tin under the bed containing a bit of banana loaf or something else to accompany your tea might work. No need to worry about what anyone thinks about your breakfast choices - no one else need know. 

4. There are a few things you’ll need to hand that can really make a lie-in. Firstly, a good alarm clock that you can set late but then put on snooze if you feel you want another forty winks before you are awake for the day. A radio is also a bit of a must. You can listen to whatever your choice of station is, but we must say The Rev Richard Coles on Radio 4 on a Saturday makes for excellent lie-in listening. Bonus points if you manage to stay in bed until the end of The Kitchen Cabinet at 11am. Also important is a light cardi to throw over your shoulders should you have a sudden burst of energy and decide to sit up in bed to drink your tea. Do also have a spare pillow to hand - because there’s nothing like a nice cold pillow to press your cheek to - a lie-in, after all, is a new event not a continuation of the night that precedes it, and as such it needs a new pillow. 

5. Consider media. You’ve got your radio, of course, but you might like to read a book or magazine as the sun peeks through the curtains. There’s nothing more annoying than not having exactly what reading material you fancy to hand, so take a good selection to bed with you and make sure they are within reaching distance. If you’re a podcast fan, that might also be a pleasant way to while away an hour or two. 

6. We are not fans of mobile phones in bed. Idle scrolling is not luxurious and won’t feel like a morning well spent. However, if you enjoy a natter of a weekend morning, you might like to have a phone to hand to call a friend. Even better, arrange for your friend to synchronise lie-ins with you and you can hold a duvet conference. Please note, this is no time for video calls - unless you know you happen to look very good first thing in the morning. 

7. Regarding a time to actually, rise, we recommend somewhere between 9am and 11am. You don’t want to be downstairs too early or it doesn’t feel like you’ve given the things a proper go. On the other hand, stay malingering in bed too long and it all starts to feel a bit sweaty and unwholesome. Enough is as good as a feast. 

8. When you’re ready to get up, do so slowly. Perhaps put on a little relaxing music and do a few stretches under the duvet before letting your toes reach out and find their way to your slippers. Morning!

The picture above is just one of the ‘views from my bed’ featured in our My Place pages in the February issue. Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our February issue…

More ways to enjoy your bed…