gardening, growing food, plants and flowers.
It's true that I did bang on quite a bit about Uchiki kuri winter squash last year, but they were fun to grow, romping away up their cane wig-wams, producing lovely flowers followed by the squash themselves. They were easy to grow too, attractive and dramatic, what more could you want? They've … [Read More...]
I've just begun to notice how the days are gradually getting longer, the daylight is managing to stretch throughout to 5 p.m., inching its' way to spring. The last … [Read More...]
When it's wet and windy outside all those little changes that are happening in the garden don't get noticed as I rush past everything on my way to the shed or the … [Read More...]
Aside from the miles of transportation, there's something about the brightness of imported, exotic flowers for the house in January that jangles the senses. In … [Read More...]
Finding the perfect black dress, or the perfect restaurant is not an easy thing. Fashions change, the chef may have an off-night, but the perfect evergreen shrub is … [Read More...]
The quiet dormancy of winter is a good time to plan for the year ahead at the allotment. If you're a novice allotmenteer, or new to growing vegetables, you may be … [Read More...]
We're having an allotment meeting at the pub next month, it'll be a nice, sociable thing to do, but the main reason is to share notes about what grew well last year … [Read More...]
Christmas is just around the corner and there's still lots to do, but this hasn't stopped me having having a little craft session to make some Christmas … [Read More...]
The allotment in December looks very different to the abundant place of a few months ago. The pickings are a bit sparse, but I'm impressed that such short amounts … [Read More...]
Much as I like spending time in the garden, having a whole range of demanding plants that need a lot of attention is a real chore, but a few of them to spice up your … [Read More...]
Who can resist scented flowers in the house, even better if you've been able to grow them yourself in December. I planted some paper-white narcissi bulbs 3-4 … [Read More...]
Shrubs can get a bad press, they're labelled as a bit dull, but as the dramatic plants and flowers come and go, it's good to have some shapely shrubs that give … [Read More...]
Our Christmas preparations are well under-way, we bought the tree at the weekend, it's sitting outside in a bucket of water for now waiting to brought inside next … [Read More...]
It’s chilly out there and there’s not very much daylight, so you’ll be pleased to hear that there’s not too much to do in the garden in December. On the days when … [Read More...]
It's nice to have birds in a garden, apart from looking pretty there's nothing quite like bird-song to announce that spring has begun. They’re champion pest … [Read More...]
As we get into winter with chilly weather and shorter days, I usually turn my attention to indoor plants, it’s nice to have fresh, greenery around. But it turns … [Read More...]
As well as eating plants and and growing them to decorate our gardens, you can also connect with your creativity and use them to make a whole range of natural … [Read More...]
Garlic is so easy to grow and can be used in so many dishes, it's also a plucky little plant growing through the harshest winters, in fact it's the first frost that … [Read More...]
If you fancy a trip to a nursery for a spot of winter plant inspiration, Petersham Nursery next to the Thames in Surrey, is the place for you. Though it’s called … [Read More...]
An indoor plant with big, glamorous flowers is just what's needed at this time of year to brighten things up, and Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) are perfect for … [Read More...]
Plant some of these now and they’ll be up and flowering in 6-8 weeks and the small, elegant flowers with paper-thin petals will fill your house with a delicious … [Read More...]
If you're wrapped up warm, it's lovely to be out in the garden, and one of the easiest jobs to do now is planting a hedge. I'm not talking about big, heavy hedge … [Read More...]
Did I mention that we’re moving house? Not straight-away, the right place hasn’t turned up yet; but it’s just a matter time and I’ve been thinking about making a new … [Read More...]
It’s proper autumn out there, and whilst I love sitting by the fire at this time of year, there are a few things you can do in the garden this month to keep it all … [Read More...]
It’s at this time of year that I have to make a supreme effort to be upbeat about gardens, the change in seasons takes a bit of getting used to. One of my techniques … [Read More...]
Sweet chestnuts are the perfect foragers food, they’re easy to identify ( I’m a bit scared of picking wild mushrooms, because of the awful consequences if you get it … [Read More...]
Meanwhile down at the allotment, it’s been a good year so far, I've made a few silly decisions, like not really thinking about how tall the sprouts would get and … [Read More...]
I would love to have lots of trees, in fact I hanker after a small woodland, just three or four acres would do me nicely. Somewhere to swan around, day-dream, cook … [Read More...]
It’s coming up to the perfect time to plant a tree and since it’s one of the biggest things you’ll plant in your garden it’s worth a bit of consideration before you … [Read More...]
The days are getting shorter and it's cool and damp out there, but by way of compensation there are glorious autumn colours out there. It's a month of change … [Read More...]
Lemon is a favourite cake flavour, but if you want to avoid buying lemons that have been shipped across, the perfect alternative could be growing right outside your … [Read More...]
I always like looking round food shops and supermarkets when we’re on holiday, I like seeing what local people buy, what the packaging looks like and buying food, … [Read More...]
There’s a nice feeling about the slow pace of the garden at this time of year, knowing that when something gets done, it’ll stay done for a while without the need … [Read More...]
There are times when you don't make too many plans or over-think a visit and it turns out to be a wonderful experience. On the other hand, look forward to something … [Read More...]
Growing winter squash is pretty easy, but it's crucial to get the bit right between picking and eating them to get the best possible flavour. The easiest ones to … [Read More...]
The great thing about growing your own, herbs, fruit and vegetables, is that you get lots of lovely, fresh food, but no matter how hard you try, there's always a … [Read More...]
Years ago gardeners and farmers used to save all their own seed every year from their best plants, building up a supply of strong, healthy plants that they could … [Read More...]
Tulips are a favourite, I plant them every year, but they need treating differently to other spring flowering bulbs, so I thought they deserved a post all of their … [Read More...]
Pruning is one of those gardening jobs that confuses most people. It was the topic that most people wanted to know about when I used to teach beginner gardening to … [Read More...]
A pond is great for us organic gardeners, it's a good way of attracting friendly creatures like birds, frogs and toads into your garden to eat up slugs and other … [Read More...]
I admit that I have a bit of a dahlia obsession, along with many other I suspect, my current passion is for the colourful, geometric, little pom pom … [Read More...]
The Wisley Flower Show is a gardeners dream, choc full of specialist nurseries, it's the perfect place to find a wide range of plant varieties. It's on until Sunday … [Read More...]
This is one of those times of year when we can start to slow down and change pace in the garden, ready for a new season. The days are getting shorter, but it's … [Read More...]
As well as enjoying what's going on now, we gardeners are always looking forward to the next season. Although the best time to plant spring flowering … [Read More...]
August is a good month at the allotment, all the work during the summer is paying off and there's plenty to harvest, even things that didn't quite live up to … [Read More...]
Soil may not be one of the most exciting aspects of a garden, but if you're new to gardening or want to know how to be better at it, this is probably … [Read More...]
With its' large rosette of glossy leaves and column of delicate flowers, you could be forgiven for thinking that Eucomis bicolor could be difficult to grow, a bit of … [Read More...]
When I started at my allotment three years ago, I thought that growing vegetables without pesticides would be a real headache, and while it hasn't all … [Read More...]
Sage is a favourite plant, a perfect pairing for rich flavoured meat like pork and adds lots of flavour to potato dishes and bread stuffings. I thought it would be … [Read More...]
One of my favourite pastimes is visiting gardens, no surprise there probably, but as the days are getting shorter I'm determined to get some more garden visits in … [Read More...]
I love the big, fiery flowers of dahlias and sunflowers at this time of year, but if you're after late summer flowers with a bit of understated elegance, Japanese … [Read More...]