For gardeners, there’s a fine balance between enjoying the present moment & planning ahead. It’s not a difficult to achieve this in August, because apart from harvesting the rewards of the previous months work, there’s not too much to do. However, one of the planning ahead things in the garden this month is to take […]
Choosing, growing & looking after plants.
What To Do In The Garden In July
The trick with gardening is approaching it as a pleasure rather than a chore. I’ve found the best way to do this is to have a daily wander round the garden. Stopping to pinch out the side-shoots on the tomato plants, checking how the buds on the Dahlias are fattening up & what needs tying […]
How To Grow Plenty Of Plants From Seed.
Growing plants from seed can be an uncertain business, so let me share a simple method that guarantees plenty of plants for your garden. Sowing seeds is attractive, because it’s a cheap, easy method of growing plants. However there are many variables that easily disrupt the whole process from seed to plant. The weather here […]
How To Re-Pot Houseplants
They’re there day after day, almost part of the furniture, but houseplants deserve more than a weekly watering, they also need to be re-potted into fresh compost from time to time. Their roots will stretch out into this fresh medium, & you’ll notice that water stays in the pot to be gradually taken up […]
What To Do In The Garden In March
We’re teetering on the edge of Spring here in the South-East of England. The days are getting longer, & there’s more bird song around, it really is a time to be savoured. Its also a time to have plans in place & be getting ready for the garden bursting into life. Checking seed packets is […]
How To Grow The Best Sweet Peas.
I’m dreaming of a billowing row of divinely scented, colourful sweet peas, lasting all summer long. So here’s the plan to help you grow the best sweet peas, & to have as many flowers as possible. How To Sow Sweet Peas: Fill pots with good, peat-free compost, lightly water the compost to make it damp […]
What To Do In The Garden In February
I’ve been wondering about re-naming this monthly series of looking after your garden. I don’t want it to sound like a list of chores or something you put off doing. But I reckon if you like gardening, you’ll be in it for the joy, the satisfaction & how good it makes you feel, & you […]
The Advantages of A January Garden.
As the end of January approaches, I have to admit, I’m going to miss her. There’s a clamour & a whole host of hashtags dedicated to the arrival of Spring, a sense of just hanging around, waiting for it all to begin. But I’m in the camp that sees a lot of advantages in a […]
What To Do In The Garden In January
Given kind weather, gardening at this time of year is a particular joy. I spent a couple of happy sessions having a clear-up in the garden during the Christmas holiday. Close inspection of the first border revealed small tufts of grass & baby dandelions already growing & looking settled in for the year. However, they’re […]
Glorious Autumn Colour For Your Garden.
I hope you’re enjoying the autumn colour, that last fiery farewell in the garden before winter gets a grip. I’ve made a determined effort after the high winds & dashing rain of this last week, to notice the fabulous colours before they disappear completely. I read somewhere once, that buying a seasonal plant […]
Kokedama Workshop at Jamie Oliver H.Q.
Its easy to see why houseplants are back in the spotlight, at little cost, they instantly transform a room into a more vibrant space & boost your mood, we all feel better for having some greenery around us. They also have the ability, though I think of it more as a superpower, of quietly getting […]
Growing Salad Leaves Through Winter – The Low-Down
Home grown salad leaves are one of the joys of growing your own vegetables, & there’s no need to stop at the end of summer So much cheaper than supermarket ones, you can choose to grow them organically, they have real flavour & don’t come wrapped in plastic, which means zero food miles, less waste […]
How To Avoid Watering Your Garden
We’re right in the middle of a summer heatwave here in the UK, which has meant soaring temperatures of at least 85 degrees on a daily basis, & no rain for weeks. The hot weather, which I love, has changed the way we do things. Food is lighter, & most of our meals are […]
What To Do In The Garden In July
July, what an interesting month you’ve been. Vegetables have been slow coming this year, what with the slugs that thwarted my early sowings & the lack of rain. There are pickings from our little vegetable garden every day now. Its always a thrill to nip down the garden for something fresh. Right now runner beans, […]
The War On Slugs
One of the joys of gardens is how the same one can vary from one year to the next, as new plants are added, & how the weather affects the size, shape & flowering of plants. Then there are the pests, which in my experience also vary a little each year. This year slugs […]
Plants At The Chelsea Flower Show 2018
Now that the initial excitement of the Chelsea Flower Show is over for this year, I’ve been looking back through my notes & photos, & I’m reminded just how inspirational & practical the Great Pavilion is. It’s the ideal place for sourcing new varieties of plants & the old stalwarts that are easy to forget […]
Great Gardens At The Chelsea Flower Show 2018
The Chelsea Flower Show this year was a good one, it’s inspiring to see how over the years, many of the designs have adapted to the world we live in now. Generally the Show isn’t so much about show-casing gardens to look at & admire anymore, but to inspire visitors with ideas for their own […]
What To Do In The Garden In May
May is such a lovely month in the garden. Vibrant, fresh growth, the promise of things to come, & all with a backdrop of the sweetest birdsong. But time is flying by, so here’s a reminder of just a few of the things that can be done, during the remainder of the month. Flowers: My […]
How To Grow Your Own Herbs.
Growing your own herbs is one of the easiest things to do for a more sustainable life-style, & fresh herbs straight from your garden, have so much flavour than bought ones. It’s not just about sustainability, there are many other good reasons: fresh, organic herbs a few steps from your kitchen the best tasting […]
Three Simple Ways To Garden Sustainably
Hello how’s your garden (or window box) growing? Rain has limited gardening outside, so I’ve been sowing seeds & pottering about in the greenhouse. This has given me time to think about how I want the garden to look this year… & more specifically what else I can do to garden sustainably. What can I […]
What To Do In The Garden In March
I’m not a natural list maker, I have to fight the urge to just get on & do things, but, when I’ve made one, I immediately feel organised. They’ve become essential for gardening because it’s so maddening when you forget something … & have to wait until next year. Realistically, more than one list […]
Spring Flowering Bulbs – A Quick Hack
I rather like this stage of winter. The trees are still bare, the light is steely-grey, but a close look reveals green shoots nosing their way through the earth. Change is on the way, but for now, I’m enjoying it for what it is & making the most of early flowering bulbs. I wrapped up […]
The Garden In January
It’s a bright, cold day here, & if I wasn’t writing this, I’d be out in the garden, … honestly I would, because if you’re wrapped up well, it’s a fine place to be. January is the perfect time to get everything ready for the busy times ahead, because although it looks like everything is […]
Come & Have A Look At This Beautiful Garden.
As the year draws to a close, I’ve been thinking back on gardens I visited this year. One of my favourites, had a few moments of fame as the backdrop to a recent BBC television series. Vann is set in leafy surroundings down a quiet country lane in Surrey. I visited on one of those misty […]
The Garden In December.
December in the garden is a good month. It’s the ideal antidote to the business of Christmas, a time to wrap up & quietly get on with things outside. I’ve realised that having less space than when we had the allotment, we tend to cram vegetables in too close together. It’s a tempting, but misguided […]
The R.H.S. Autumn Show 2017
Hello, it’s nice to see you here, I wanted to share my visit to The R.H.S. Autumn Show in London last week with you. I hate to miss this one, it always feels like a last hurrah, the final opportunity to visit a Garden Show, get some plant inspiration & a little garden related shopping […]
Join Me On A Visit To Sissinghurst Garden
Sissinghurst, that iconic garden, is only a 90 minute drive from us, but it’s been at least 4 years since the last visit, so on one of those beautifully, bright autumn days last week, we finally made a return visit. Unlike other famous gardens, Sissinghurst isn’t a conventional house surrounded by land, & despite being […]
What To Do In The Garden In October
I hope you’re enjoying the autumn colour, if you’re in this part of the world? It almost makes me happy that summer is over. I’ve got a whole list of things to do in the garden this month, there’s a mix of clearing out the remains of summer & preparing things for next year. Firstly […]
What To Do In The Garden In September
We’re at that time between summer & autumn, when the garden is poised & ready for change, & when a few simple tasks, will make all the difference to the garden next year. What happens in the garden this month depends on the weather, mild sunshine keeps lots of plants going, but given cooler, wetter […]
What To Do In The Garden In August.
August is a busy, productive month in the garden. The vegetable garden is at full tilt & we’re realising the fruits of our labours, picking vegetables for our dinner most evenings this month. So far we’ve had courgettes, spinach, beans & purple podded peas. The latter have been finally weakened by mildew, but I’d definitely grow […]
Delightful Dahlias & How To Keep Them Flowering.
We’ve had plenty of sunshine & rain here recently, & everything has taken advantage of this, growing at a fast pace. This of course, includes the numbers of pests like slugs & snails. Last year I was so disappointed when my 6 young dahlia plants were all eaten, snails I think… possibly assisted by slugs? This […]
A Day The Hampton Court Flower Show 2017
I have hazy memories of visiting the first Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in 1993 & my how it’s changed over the years. My impression is that in those early years visitors wanted inspiration & ideas to use in their own gardens. This is still the case, but life has become a bit more complex […]
Best Gardens At The Chelsea Flower Show 2017
The best gardens at The Chelsea Flower Show, are the ones that I find myself returning to a couple of times during the morning, taking more photos & generally just to stand & gaze at them What makes a great garden for me, is one that combines a good lay-out, has the right proportion & […]
The Garden In April
It’s all change out there, the roadsides are filling up with clouds of cow-parsley [aka Queen Annes’ Lace] & the bluebells have begun to carpet the woods with that wonderful violet-blue haze. The garden in April is full of promise, though in my garden this includes the promise of bindweed, as well as lots of […]
What To Do In The Garden In March
Hello, I’m back from a wonderful couple of weeks in India. It’s good to be back, there’s s pretty froth of blossom in hedgerows & a noticable difference in the growth of the garden. Fresh green shoots on shrubs, new growth on the roses & the hellebores are all beautifully in full flower. They’ve been […]
English Garden Visits 2017
Visiting gardens is such a joy, it’s usually inspiring, a good day out, there may be little plants to buy, & there is always cake. Every year I have a list in my head of gardens to visit when they’re at their best. This is mostly in the spring through to late summer, which makes […]
Finding Time To Grow Vegetables.
There’s no doubt that growing your own vegetables is good thing, but when I first had an allotment I got completely carried away. In my enthusiasm I grew lots of vegetables from seed, & when they nearly all germinated, I didn’t have the heart to get rid of most of them, “Why not just plant […]
How to Grow Half-Hardy Annuals from Seed
How was your weekend? I spent some time looking through photos of summer gardens this weekend for inspiration , & I’m pretty excited about the flowers I’m going to grow. Last time I wrote about growing half-hardy annuals, plants that grow, flower, set seed then die in a season. This time it’s all about growing […]
Growing Hardy Annual Flowers from Seed.
Although the temperatures here are a bit lightweight compared to say Scandinavia, what I call The Big Freeze carries on. I’m not complaining, it all looks rather lovely out there. Though I’m itching to get some shrubs planted, but the soil is frozen so I’m content to be inside drinking hot chocolate, & planning what […]
Some Of The Vegetables I’ll Be Growing In 2017
2017 is going to be the year of growing vegetables again. Not having an allotment anymore & the new garden being re-done in 2016, meant thin pickings. I missed having freshly picked vegetables, ones that I knew hadn’t been sprayed with any chemicals. I also missed having unusual vegetables, I never got complacent with the […]
My Garden In December
With the end of the year just round the corner, it seems like a good time to look back on the garden in 2016. Our garden changed a lot in late summer when the landscape people arrived & did some major work. Underground drainage pipes were the most important part of all the work. There’s […]
My Vegetable Garden in November
The clocks going back & shorter days have made a big difference to the garden here, but that’s not the only big change around here. We’ve also had proper frosts, coating the ground with a dusting of sparkles. Though our sheltered garden has escaped so far. This has given me a second chance to dig-up […]
Show Me The Way To Amaryllis
Amaryllis [Hippeastrum] are splendid, showy plants, originating in South America, they’re definitely indoor plants. I find them very cheery at this time of year. Supermarkets & garden centres sell them as gift boxes at this time of year. The box contains the bulb, a plant pot & compost. These are tall plants & the flower […]
More of My Garden in October.
According to our kitchen calendar, British Summer-time finishes at the end of the month. I’m not one for mourning the end of summer though. Autumn has been glorious here, I’d forgotten how much I like its’ soft light, fiery foliage & vivid blue skies. Gardening is a real pleasure in this weather, just as well […]
My Garden in October
What a lovely month it’s turned out to be, we were away in Suffolk earlier in the month & it really didn’t feel like October, the skies were vivid blue & we ate lunch in the garden a few times. But that time has passed, the leaves are on the turn, the days are shorter & […]
Garden Design Tips from Suffolk.
Hello, I hope your weekend was good? We’re back from a week of mostly clear, blue skies & sunshine in Suffolk. If you don’t know it, it’s a pretty county in the east of England with lovely countryside & wonderful buildings, like this house in the village we stayed in. It looked so amazing that […]
The Prettiest Onion Ever.
Have you bought all your spring flowering bulbs yet or are you, like me, just getting round to it? Either way, plant some of these & I promise you won’t be disappointed. Part of the Allium family, so not actually an onion that you can eat, Nectaroscordum siculum is an ugly name for such a wonderful […]
The Garden In September
It just so happens that September is s good time of year for landscaping to be all done & dusted & for planting to start. The construction is almost all done in our garden, there’s just the greenhouse to put up & a small summer-house is arriving in a few weeks time. The timing is […]
An inspiring day at Deans Court.
Well it’s back down to earth this week after spending a lovely day last Thursday at Deans Court in Dorset, hosted by William & Ali Hanham & Lottie Sharland. It was one of those special days that you don’t want to end, I honestly speculated about camping out in the kitchen garden, but at the […]
Plant of the Month- Cosmos bipinnatus
Hello there, what a difference a few days make, we’re into September & doesn’t it it feel like there’s been a big shift in the seasons? It’s probably because the school holidays are at an end & the shops are full of warm clothing, but although the days are shorter, the weather is being kind […]
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