Fat little buds are developing on trees & shrubs in the garden, & the glorious sound of singing birds has begun. All this is usual for this time of year, but it’s been a very unusual few weeks. There have been deluges of rain, terrible floods for many in other parts of the country & […]
How to grow vegetables, fruit & herbs, with a few recipes thrown in for good measure
The Joys Of Growing Plants From Seed
The joys of seed sowing are many, but probably the most joyous thing, is how these little seeds will, within a matter of weeks be transformed into plants. There are plenty of other reasons: Seed is very cheap compared to buying plants. There’s the immense satisfaction of growing your own plants from just a speck […]
What To Do In The Garden In February
The days are lengthening, & more daylight means the garden is waking up fast. It’s the perfect time of year to get set for the coming seasons in the garden, a way of buying time for when there’ll be lots to do out there in a few months time. Plan now for the year ahead: […]
What To Do In The Garden In November
It’s that quiet time in the garden when growth slows down, at least it does above ground. Frankly, it’s quite a relief after months of rampant plant growth & unpredictable weather, meant the garden needed a lot of attention. It would be tempting to abandon the garden until next year, & buy small winter bedding […]
The Big Benefits Of Planting A Tree
The benefit of planting trees is huge. To begin with, you probably know trees have this ability to soak up CO2 emissions. We need all the help we can get to do this, because carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by over a third since the Industrial Revolution, & this contributes enormously to Climate […]
What To Do In The Garden In October
Autumn reaches its’ peak in October. The colours are at their best, not yet spoiled by wind & rain. There’s still a reasonable amount of daylight & the light is low & soft, making autumn colours glow beautifully. It’s worth bearing in mind that when you plant for autumn colour, place the plant so that […]
What To Do In The Garden In September
Right on cue, as August ended there was a real autumnal feel in the air, bringing chilly evenings & shorter days. Nevertheless, it’s a joyful month. Our little vegetable garden is bursting with fresh vegetables, including spinach, tomatoes, salad leaves & courgettes. Growth in the garden has slowed down to a more manageable rate, which […]
What To Do in The Garden In August
After months of working hard in the garden to get things to grow, August is the month when quite a bit of effort has to be put into stopping plants from growing too much. The real answer to what to do in the garden in August is to mainly curb its’ enthusiasm. Our mission is […]
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 […]
Do we need fewer garden chores?
I didn’t intend to spend half the weekend gardening, it’s just that it all took much longer than I thought it would. Does this happen to you, & if it does did you stop & consider how the garden takes up a bit too much of your weekend? I started thinking about my ground rules […]
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 […]
What To Do In The Garden In April
What to do in the garden in April, well quite a lot since you as you ask. Though its all quite manegable, I’ve been making lists & getting through them one at a time. Seed sowing & general propagation: I sowed tomato seeds last month, & they’re now tiny plants, currently in the summerhouse where […]
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 Chillies
And we’re off! … its time for the first vegetable seeds to be sown. January is too cold & dark for most seeds, but ideal for chillies. Chilli plants like warm, sunny weather, slightly cooler nights & hate being wet. They’e originally from South America, so that gives you a good idea of the conditions […]
Garden Plans For 2019
Here we are, teetering on the edge of a new year, with dreams of a garden of lush vegetables, fragrant herbs & sweet smelling roses. But this will only happen with a plan transferred from your imagination to paper. It’s the best way to get the most from your garden, not to have regrets & […]
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 […]
What To Do In The Garden In October
Bright days, cold nights & beautiful autumn colours are breaking out all over. Tall grasses that have played a supporting role, become more noticeable in Autumn, as herbaceous plants begin to die back & the garden slides towards winter. It’s good to leave theses grasses in place & watch the changes as they develop […]
What To Do In The Garden In September
September in the garden is a pleasure. The weather is mild, the Miscanthus grasses are flowering, a couple of roses are flowering again & I’m harvesting spinach, runner-beans, courgettes & beetroot. The business of the summer garden is over & everything is slowing down. Whilst enjoying the garden now, we gardeners must look forward to […]
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 […]
What To Do In The Garden In June
Here we are half-way through the year, with the longest day on the 21st. June celebrates the joy of gardening, the roses are at their best & there should be a few crops ready to harvest, In this scorching weather, its young plants & seedlings that need attention. Nurturing with just enough water to […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
A Fabulous Garden Tucked Away In The Welsh Hills.
Arriving at Allt-y-bela feels a little like driving straight into a picture, perhaps because I know it so well from all the magazine pictures I’ve seen. Despite this familiarity, it’s an impressive arrival, after driving a mile or so down a track. We’d booked a couple of nights bed & breakfast here at the country […]
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 […]
10 Tips for Sustainable Gardening, You Know It Makes Sense.
A new season in the garden, & a very busy one at that, but I’ve made time to think about how I go about gardening. We’ve been here for 2 years, so it seemed a good time to review how it’s all going, & especially my quest for sustainable gardening. I’ve got a check-list in […]
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 […]
The Vegetable Garden In March
The allotment or vegetable garden in March is gearing up to be a busy place, at this time of year I’m either about to sow seeds or I’m looking after early sown seedlings. What seeds to sow & when to sow them can be confusing, I have a couple of guides. Grow what you like […]
The Vegetable Garden in February
So what’s a good time for a vegetable gardener to go away on holiday? Of course you can’t make this the only criteria for holiday planning, but it did cross my mind when we talked at Christmas about holidays this year. Spring seems like the busiest time in the garden, there are seeds to sow […]
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 […]
My Guide to Sowing Seeds.
Our garden is frozen solid, & has been for a few days now, which is fine because staying inside & planning what to grow this year is a lovely thing to be getting on with. One of the easiest & cheapest way to get lots of plants is to grow them from seed, more than […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Vegetable Garden in September
Hello, well these last few days have been a bit of a roller-coaster for us. If you’ve got a pet you’ll know how much a dog really means to you, they find a place in your heart & become part of your family. Bonnie is my constant companion, part of the rhythm of my day, […]
Big Changes To Our Garden.
I do like growing things & pottering around in our garden, but it’s been a bit tricky since we moved here 18 months ago. The garden was a big reason for choosing this place, it’s flat, which makes it very useable, there’s a lovely old, brick wall along one side, a few David Austin roses & […]
The Vegetable Garden In August
August has had an exciting start, The Port Eliot Festival in Cornwall was fun, I rediscovered how much I like making things, and there were some wonderful people there too. We stopped off at Hauser & Wirth on the way down there which has a fabulous garden designed by Piet Oudolf. On the way back […]
My Garden & The War Against Slugs
You have to admire plants, when the conditions aren’t right they slow right down, ticking over and waiting for favourable conditions to return. This little heatwave here with temperatures up to 30 degrees C has sure slowed things down, except for the well established sun-lovers like lavender and rosemary, they’re in their element and romping […]
The vegetable garden in July
July is the month of long days and plenty of sunshine, and after all that rain earlier in the month everything has grown like mad. So whether you’ve got a balcony, allotment or garden, most crops do well now and you’ll be getting lovely fresh fruit and vegetables. If it’s hot and dry then watering […]
Fabulous Front Gardens
I went to the Hampton Court Flower Show on Monday and bought a greenhouse… I didn’t actually take it home with me, just ordered it ready for delivery in September, when our garden renovation should be complete. I’m pretty excited about our little greenhouse, it’s only 2 x 2metres and it’s got a smart dark-green […]
Elderflower & Gooseberry Cake
As a last hurrah for elderflowers and because together with gooseberries they are a match made in heaven, I’ve made a cake that combines both of these lovely summer flavours. For the sponge, you’ll need: 250g self raising flour 250g softened butter 225g caters sugar 4 large eggs, mixed together in a bowl the filling […]
Growing Vegetables In Containers
The longest day happened this week, it’s hardly noticeable … unless you’re a plant, it makes a big difference to them because light is such a big factor in their growth. The good news is that there’s still time to plant, sow and grow vegetables. Beetroot, radishes, lettuce, french and runner beans are all good […]
Rhubarb cobbler for tea anyone?
In some sort of attempt at healthy eating, puddings are usually reserved for weekends in our house, and since it’s Saturday, I’ve picked rhubarb from the garden and made a big pudding that should last all weekend. If you haven’t come across it before, a cobbler is similar to a crumble, but instead of the […]
What to do in the vegetable garden in June
June is one of my favourite months, the countryside is looking lush and green, there’s still lots of cow parsley filling the road-sides and the roses in the garden are at their absolute best. Long days, sunshine and warm soil make the begining of the summer a great time for vegetable growing, and there’s more […]