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Tuesday 11 January 2011

The Pansy Shed and Rush Munro's

I have always adored everything about Rush Munro's Icecream Garden here in Hastings. When I was little it was such a treat to go to Rush Munro's for a peaked cone icecream. I never could make up my mind between the passionfruit or gorgeous feijoa flavours. I still prevaricate even now. I have, on the odd occasion, resorted to half & half. Charles & Catherine Rush Munro arrived here in Hawke's Bay in 1926 (about the same time our house was built) & set up shop in town selling excellent quality confectionary. Oh dear, the legendary 1931 earthquake ruined their dreams & hard work in a minute. Yet they tenaciously carried on, moving to Heretaunga Street & starting all over again.

 Icecream eventually became the legendary trade mark of the Rush Munros' & they have now long enjoyed an excellent world wide reputation & a dedicated local
 following. This all looks a tad breezy for the winter, no wonder that it all quite soon became a good deal more substantial. I suspect that the goldfish-pond-come-wishing-well was established quite early on as the concrete work has just the same feel as the seats & ponds in our local Cornwall Park dated in the 30's.
 Distinctive logo.
 I had a fascinating chance encounter with an elderly gentleman a year or two ago when I was working at the Curiosity Shop in town, and he told me the story of when he was a lad & Rush Munro's first opened & how it was at that time called "The Pansy". Now that absolutely captured my imagination!

(A very old Parisian
seed packet label that
I happily purchased
 recently.)
Of course, I couldn't wait to rush home & tell Rob about my great discovery! About this time my darling man had begun the slow but well crafted process of revising a yukky old shed sited at the end of our garage. One part was to become The Larder & the other The Pansy..of course!! and what did he do for me but create Rush Munro trellsing & paint it the distinctive Ice cream garden Green..sooo sweet!
Tucked under the benevolent care of our ancient plum tree.
Christmas time has seen the completion of my dearest Pansy Potting Shed. Oh I just adore it! 
Such brilliant detail.



  $2 at St Matthew's Fair
and another..quite perfect for such a place of nurture
So whatever else would you do with two ratbags after they have finished trimming Katie's topiary
and eaten their fresh taste-of-summer honey & pearl sweetcorn?
 Head off to the Icecream Garden to visit the fish of course!

love the red accents



What fabulous devotion to the original essence of this happy institution of deliciousness. 
 Still here creating memories for generations to come.

And what a perfect day for such a post..exactly a year since an angel turned up in the garden.
Thanks so much for popping in. Fancy an icecream?
 Do come & visit again sometime : )
MUCH
 



6 comments:

  1. Hi Catherine, your potting shed is fantastic! All the talk about ice-cream is making me hungry :) Have a great night, Tamara x

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  2. Oh Catherine I ADORE this post....I want to come & visit your Pansee potting shed....We can sit amongst the cool green of your garden admiring our surroundings while licking our Rush Munro's icecreams & we can laugh at the little ratbags....hahahahha....HEAVENS but I haven't heard that term (or used it) for a while....Do you also use 'bathplug' over there in place of ratbag....** sigh **....You've just whizzd me back to 1973....HAPPY times....!!

    THANK YOU so much for your recent comments re my siphoning 'mishap'....Would you THANK Rob for me....I told Mr SVJ & said he had to fix it properly so tonight he'll be climbing under the van to drain the radiator for me....I could do it but I think I've played my fair share of 'mechanic' this time around.... :o) !!

    Well Lovey I hope you're having a REMARKABLE week....Rufus wanted me to tell you he is VERY HAPPY over here....!!

    Cheers for now,
    Tamarah :o)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hola!! precioso su blog y sus fotos un saludo.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Catherine, this is such a colourful, joyful, wonderful, just full place to sit with a cup of tea on a grey Northern morning as you try to warm up after taking suns to rugby practice! Thank you! And thank you too for linking to Willows- this is just the day for a cosy mole hole here! I can't wait for your post- mmm!

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  5. i saw an angel following me and came to look at her beautiful blog.
    this post is such a wonderful read and has everything!
    now i want to read more posts :o)
    so far,your blog is a joy xxx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh what a sweet little picnic hamper! I have always yearned for one of those!

    ReplyDelete

So lovely of you to leave a comment. Thank you!! So sorry if you've tried to leave one & it hasn't worked. You are welcome to email me at catherine@sunshinevintage.nz instead, if you'd like to, much love Catherine♥

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