The foulest of days turned into the most beautiful of evenings last week, just as I found myself walking past the houseboats on Cheyne Walk. These are some of the most expensive and prestigious houseboats in the world. There was some interesting planting on quite a few of them, just a little too far away for me to take a picture of. One had a good screen of Trachelospermum jasminoides for some much- needed privacy, and another had apple trees in barrels – quite a surreal sight, bobbing on the Thames. But I liked the planting on this one best – the contemporary (and mostly edible) planting looked good against the black backdrop.