Edible flowers are just the thing to grow at the moment. They’re easy, your food will look amazing & many flowers are surprisingly full of punchy flavour. Let’s take every joyful experience we can right now, however small. Most edible flower plants are small, so a balcony or window-box will do just as well as […]
A considered approach to gardening, re-use what you can, plant the right plants & become more sustainable
How To Grow Herbs – part 2
Part 2 of How To Grow Herbs is all about growing annuals, quick & easy to grow, they’re gems of the herb world. Sown from seed each year, they provide flavour & variety. Most are small & ideal for growing in containers or on a window-sill. There are 2 categories of annuals, hardy & half-hardy. […]
How To Grow Herbs – Part 1
Freshly picked herbs are a complete joy, they add so much flavour to any dish. Think of parsley or coriander scattered over a dish, or mint simmered with new potatoes, they all radiate freshness & vitality. Growing your own herbs is also a great way of gardening sustainably. Shrubs, such as Rosemary, continue providing every […]
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 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 About Climate Change Overwhelm.
When climate change-overwhelm & frustration gets to you, & it does pretty much on a daily basis. Remember this positive fact. Your garden, balcony or window box, however small, forms a network of gardening spaces. There are an estimated 24 million gardens in the U.K., that’s a lot of grass, trees & plants, all providing […]
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 […]
How To Take Pelargonium Cuttings
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Gardening with less plastic.
My word, April is a busy time in the garden, but busy in a good way, with the promise of this fresh season unfurling before us. And because we’re in the garden a lot more now, it seems like a good time to think about how to use less plastic. Just a couple of small […]
Vegetables To Grow And Sow In February
What vegetables to grow & sow in February largely depends on the weather. The longer days are noticeable, but its a few weeks before there’s a good amount of daylight & milder weather that signals most plants into growth. There have been many disappointing attempts to sow seeds, I eventually realised that sowing too early […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
New Garden Gear To Make Life Easy, Stylish & Sustainable
The view from my kitchen door, early one morning, just before heading off to London last week for the day. I love a visit to London, to walk through the city seeing the sights & people-watching is always a treat. This time though, it was head down, avoiding the slippery pavements & hoping snow hadn’t […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Organic Gardening – Making Garden Bird Food
How’s your garden, now that we’re properly into winter? This shift in the season has made a welcome change, there’s a kind of stillness in mine as everything quietens down. Generally it’s still a work in progress, so we’ll skim over that until I have more to report back to you …. except I have […]
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 & […]
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 & […]
Grow Your Own Cutting Garden.
September is the perfect time to start sowing seeds if you fancy having a cutting garden like this next year. These plants in the walled garden at Port Eliot were all grown from seed by Ben of Higgledy Garden. Ben has a few half-hardy flowers in this border, but to keep it really easy stick […]
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 […]
An inspiring garden in Somerset.
I was going to write a post about gardening jobs for August, but that’ll have to wait for a few days because we visited a fabulous garden on our way to Cornwall at the weekend, and I wanted to show it to you. I’ve had this garden in Somerset in my sights for ages, part […]
Why We Need Butterflies In Our Gardens.
The butterfly population in the UK has declined by more than 3/4 in the last 40 years, that’s quite shocking don’t you think? I must admit that I don’t know much about these beautiful little creatures, most of what I do know comes from that iconic childrens’ book ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’, from egg to […]
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 […]
Bees’ Needs Week
Did you know it’s Bees’ Needs Week? And their needs really matter these days, so there’s this a big push to get gardeners, farmers and growers to help pollinating insects to survive and thrive. These small, precious creatures are vital for producing food, carrying pollen between flowers as they feed in our own gardens, and […]
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