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What to do in the Garden in January

January 14, 2021 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

It’s been a cold few days here, temperatures below freezing at night and barely climbing above zero degrees in the day. Hard to believe then, that a lot is happening in the garden in January. Underground, roots are developing, gearing up for the year ahead. Above ground, if you look closely, hellebore buds are fattening […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Growing Food, Plants, Uncategorized Tagged With: Clematis cirrhosa Wisley Cream, hollyhocks from seed, the garden in January, what to do in the garden in january

What to do in your Garden in October

October 15, 2020 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

October is usually a nice month here. The days are shorter, but mild and lovely to be outside, it clears the head and steadies the nerves. The Vegetable Garden in October: It’s nice to be planting vegetables and looking ahead to next year. Garlic is one of my favourite vegetables to grow, it’s simple to […]

Filed Under: Blog, Growing Food, Plants, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: organic gardening, what to do in the garden in October

Sustainable Gardening – One

August 22, 2020 By Jill Anderson 2 Comments

August is a busy month in the garden, thankfully a lot of that is harvesting vegetables and cutting Dahlias. But I’m also thinking about the bigger picture of sustainable gardening, and how I can do more of it. One of my goals is to improve the ecosystem in our garden, so as many plants, animals, […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Plants, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: sustainable gardening, the garden ecosystem

How to Collect and Store Seeds from your Garden

August 5, 2020 By Jill Anderson 2 Comments

borage flowers

Deadheading plants is a nice task, almost mediative, and it keeps plants flowering for longer. However, if you want to collect seeds from your favourite plants, you have to let the flowers go to the next stage and produce seeds. The advantages of collecting your own seeds are many: You get free seeds, which is […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Plants, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: collecting seed from your garden, how to store saved seeds, saving seeds

Favourite Gardens from R.H.S. Hampton Court Show

July 10, 2020 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

Following on from yesterdays post about past Hampton Court Garden Shows, here’s more of the glorious show gardens from recent years. In no particular order, but starting with The Summer Retreat Garden, designed by Amanda Waring and Laura Ariston. Inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, it featured this lovely summer-house. Going back to 2011, […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Plants, Uncategorized Tagged With: ideas for small gardens, RHS Hampton Court Garden Show

The Joys Of Growing Plants From Seed

February 28, 2020 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Blog, Growing Food, Plants, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: how to grow plants from seed

What To Do In The Garden In November

November 14, 2019 By Jill Anderson 2 Comments

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 […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Growing Food, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: how to grow garlic, how to make leaf mould, what to do in the garden in November

Do we need fewer garden chores?

June 26, 2019 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

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 […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Growing Food, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized

What To Do In The Garden In November

November 23, 2018 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

Winter is a balance between getting things cleared away & ready for the next year whilst not being over-zealous about clearing away too much. I’m fond of a natural slightly wayward look, as long as the lawn & the paths are cleared of leaves. I rather enjoy the repetition of raking up leaves, theres a […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: what to do in the garden in November

What To Do In The Garden In July

July 2, 2018 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

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, […]

Filed Under: Blog, Growing Food, Plants, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: what to do in the garden in July

The Garden In December.

December 1, 2017 By Jill Anderson 4 Comments

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 […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Plants, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: My garden in December, what to do in the garden in December

Hardening Off Plants Ready For The Big Outdoors

May 15, 2017 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

borage flowers

This is first year of having a greenhouse & it’s been so helpful to have extra growing space. Though without heat, seedlings were still housed on bedroom window-sills, which meant daily turning trays of seedlings to give them as much all-round light as possible. Now we’ve reached that time of year when small plants have […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: growing plants from seed, hardening-off plants

Join Me On A Trip to Wisley Gardens.

November 29, 2016 By Jill Anderson 6 Comments

A world famous garden just 30 mins drive away, you’d think I’d be there every couple of weeks, but a couple of months can go by without a visit. But yesterday was a visiting day & the weather was perfect … crisp & cold with bright sunshine. I started off at the herbaceous borders, they’re […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Miscanthus sinensis Kaskade, RHS Wisley Gardens, Rudbeckia fulgida deanii

What to do in the Garden in November

November 21, 2016 By Jill Anderson 2 Comments

Planting spring flowering bulbs is such a positive thing to do at this time of year, when the days are short & chilly. It’s the promise of good things to come & always feels like such a big reward for so little effort. It’s the perfect time to plant tulip bulbs, & don’t tell anyone, […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: what to do in the garden in November

Goodbye allotment

December 7, 2015 By Jill Anderson 4 Comments

My vegetable growing life is about to enter a new chapter, and I’m quite excited about it. I’m saying goodbye to the allotment in favour of a little vegetable plot in the new garden. There’ll be a scaling down of the amount that I grow, but the stroll to the end of the garden rather […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Growing Food, Uncategorized Tagged With: grow your own, growing organic vegetables

Book Review – The Crafted Garden

October 21, 2015 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

I remember reading somewhere that Beth Chatto always has a small bunch of seasonal flowers in the house where she can really appreciate them. Bringing home-grown flowers inside is a real pleasure for me too, you get to see the fine detail on petals and leaves close-up. If you’d like to do something a bit […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: Louise Curley, The Crafted Garden

Growing spectacular flowers from seed.

August 6, 2015 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

We’re back from a few days in Cornwall and a visit to the wonderful Port Eliot festival. There was lots of creative stuff to see and do, some good food and walled gardens with spectacular flowers grown from seed. Many of the plants were supplied as seeds by the charming Higgledy Gardener. There’s always something quite […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Plants, Uncategorized Tagged With: californian poppy, cornflowers, Eschscholzia, growing annuals from seed

Friday gardening favourites

July 17, 2015 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

white pelargonium flowers, daisies and oregano

Gardening stuff that made my week: this dahlia flower growing on the allotment, the five plants there are beginning to flower: this plant pot by the front door that’s filling out nicely: harvest from the allotment. Happy gardening, Jill photos: Jill Anderson

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: collarette dahlia, white pelargonium flowers

Plant treasures from the floral marquee Hampton Court

July 2, 2015 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

orange flowers of Helenium Moerheim Beauty

I always leave my visit to the Floral Marquee at Hampton Court till last, not so much saving the best till last, but mainly because photographing outside needs to be done early before bright sunshine sets in. By the afternoon the exhibits in the marquee are complete and looking pristine, it’s a welcome oasis of quiet […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Gillenia trifoliate, Hampton Court Plant marquee, Helenium Moerheim Beauty, Pelargonium Attar of Roses, Veronice longifolia Charlotte

What to do at the allotment in May

May 9, 2015 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

what to do at the allotmen

This month I’m coaxing the more tender plants, like chillies, basil and tomatoes, along on the window-sill at home, the slightly tougher or more advanced ones, like french beans, have been upgraded to the cold frame by the back door, whilst some vegetable seeds are already in place at the allotment. We’re well into May […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Growing Food, Uncategorized Tagged With: GYO, how to sow courgettes, sowing seeds at the allotment, what to do at the allotment in May

Tips for a low maintenance garden

April 24, 2015 By Jill Anderson 2 Comments

tips for a low maintenance garden, paved garden path

You probably won’t be too surprised that gardening is a big part of my life, but for most people this definitely isn’t the case. Work, hobbies, a house to run, children and families take up most of the time and gardening, even if you love it, has to be fitted in around all this other […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: tips for a low maintenance garden

How to grow herbs in a plant-pot.

April 22, 2015 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

how to grow herbs in a plant-pot

It’s a joy to have fresh herbs in the garden, they’re obviously useful for cooking and they’re all good-looking plants too. But the really satisfying thing about growing your own herbs, is that once you’ve bought the plant everything is a bonus, they’re as fresh as can be and without any polluting transportation-miles or expensive trips […]

Filed Under: Gardening, Plants, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: growing herbs in plant-pots, growing rosemary, how to grow mediterranean herbs

How to harden off seedlings ready for the great outdoors.

April 20, 2015 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

how to harden off seedlings- basil seedlings

No matter how many times I do it, growing plants from seed always seems like a magical process, all that potential in a tiny speck. The seeds have grown into little seedlings and have so far led a cosseted life on the bedroom window-sill. The plant containers have had to be turned a couple of […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Growing Food, Plants, Uncategorized Tagged With: hardening off seedlings

Growing potatoes

February 23, 2015 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

growing potatoes, www.growingnicely.co.uk

It’s just over two weeks since we moved, and whilst unpacking and settling in continues, not really a chore because we love the new place, time for the allotment is difficult to find right now. So I’m particularly happy to have managed to buy the first seed potatoes of the season. I’ve nestled them into […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Growing Food, Uncategorized Tagged With: chatting potatoes, first early potatoes, growing potatoes, Pentland Javelin potatoes

Growing rhubarb & making rhubarb cake

February 21, 2015 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

rhubarb & almond cake, how to grow rhubarb

A home baked cake is always a lovely thing, it’s as fresh as you like and you know exactly what’s in it. In this case it’s rhubarb from the allotment that’s been stashed away in the freezer since last year. Planting fruit makes sense for sustainable growing, once it’s in the ground it carries on […]

Filed Under: Blog, Recipes, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: growing rhubarb, rhubarb & almond cake, sustainability, sustainable growing

What to do at the allotment in February

February 17, 2015 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

What to do at the allotment in February

There’s much to be done at the allotment and February is storming along at a fast pace. I have to admit to neglecting mine for the last few weeks while we’ve been busy moving house, but with only a 10 minute walk from the new place, I’m hoping to spend more time there. I made a […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: broad beans, growing garlic, pruning apple trees, what to do at the allotment in February

What to do in the garden in February

February 13, 2015 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

I’d like to put a good word in for the garden in February. It may feel a little like everything is on hold waiting for the warmth and the extra daylight of Spring, but there’s lots going on out there, right now. Although not in such abundance as high summer, there are plenty of flowers […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Uncategorized Tagged With: Daphne bohlua Jaqueline Postill, prune wisteria, what to do in the garden in February

Lets get ready to sow some seeds

February 5, 2015 By Jill Anderson 2 Comments

small pots for sowing seeds, lets get ready to sow seeds

Freezing temperatures and occasional snow flurries are making gardening impossible at the moment, so I’m more than happy to wrap up warm and head to the greenhouse to get everything ready for seed sowing in a couple of weeks time. There are a bewildering selection of containers and composts available, so here’s a run-down of […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Plants, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: compost for seed sowing, how to sow seeds

The perfect evergreen shrub

January 7, 2015 By Jill Anderson 2 Comments

Nandina domestica, the perfect evergreen shrub

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 an altogether easier thing to find. My perfect shrub is the rather elegant Nandina domestica,  sometimes known as sacred bamboo. It’s not part of the bamboo family, […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Plants, Uncategorized Tagged With: Nandina domestica, the perfect evergreen shrub

What to grow at the allotment.

January 4, 2015 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

Swiss Chard, how to choose what vegetables to grow at the allotment,

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 filled with a mixture of excitement that’s tinged with a mild sense of dread at where to start. The only way to over-come this […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Growing Food, Uncategorized Tagged With: what to grow at the allotment

Christmas decorations from the garden

December 20, 2014 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

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 decorations. Pine cones are just the job for this, they look nice and natural, but they need a touch of glitz to stop it looking as if you’ve […]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Making natural plant dyes from your garden

November 24, 2014 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

making natural plant dyes from your garden

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 dyes. Just about every part of a plant, including the bark, berries, roots, leaves and flowers can be used to make natural dyes that produce […]

Filed Under: Blog, Plants, Uncategorized Tagged With: madder, making natural dyes from plants

How to plant a tree

October 20, 2014 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

how to plant a tree, apple trees at the allotment

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 sausages and boil a kettle over a little stove. Though the reality would probably be quite different, woods need looking after, so there probably […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Growing Food, Uncategorized Tagged With: how to plant a tree

Trees for small gardens

October 17, 2014 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

Prunus serrula, Tibetan cherry,

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 get started. Most of us have relatively small gardens but don’t let that put you off planting a tree, because there are lots […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Growing Food, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: Betula jacqumontii Silver Shadow, Malus John Downie, Prunus serrula, trees for small gardens

Planting pots to last through winter

October 6, 2014 By Jill Anderson Leave a Comment

Cyclamen hederifolium

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 for immediate attention again for weeks or even months. Planting pots to last through winter definitely falls into this category, a bit of effort […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Plants, Recycling & Sustainability, Uncategorized Tagged With: compost for winter pots, Cyclamen hederifolium, plants for winter pots, RHS Wisley Gardens

Join me on a tour of the Rose Marquee at R.H.S. Hampton Court.

July 11, 2014 By Jill Anderson

Rose-Floristry Marquee-Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2014

The Rose Marquee at Hampton Court is a must for me to visit every year, why not join me on my tour. The scent is the first thing that hits you when you enter, then the sight of all those roses, in short it’s a feast for the senses. Not only is it good to […]

Filed Under: Blog, Gardening, Plants, Uncategorized Tagged With: David Austin Roses, Hampton Court Rose Marquee, Rose Golden Celebration, Rose Maid Marion, Rose Munstead Wood

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Hello, I’m Jill Anderson.
This is where you’ll find good, solid information about gardening, growing fruit & vegetables and how to keep it all looking good.
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The healing, calming power of nature in one photo. The healing, calming power of nature in one photo.
These wonderful autumn colours won’t be around for much longer. But that’s ok, because now is what matters, & their fleeting beauty makes them even more precious.
It’s easy to see how being among trees & nature is so beneficial for our health & wellbeing. 
Have a great Sunday.
Savouring all the autumn colour, & doesn’t it lo Savouring all the autumn colour, & doesn’t it look spectacular with this bold front door.
Today has been hard work, after a lovely time last week in Norfolk. The north coast there is spectacular. Realising these last few months, that there are so many beautiful places here. 
Have a nice evening.
Charming glasshouse at Houghton Hall, Norfolk. Vis Charming glasshouse at Houghton Hall, Norfolk. Visiting to see the Anish Kapoor sculptures, which are amazing, but unprepared for the beauty of the grounds & garden. 
Such a treat, worth coming to Norfolk for this alone!
Hope you’re keeping well, & managing to smile some of the time. x
P.S. more of Houghton Hall & Anish Kapoor on my stories
We stopped off on the way home to pick blackberrie We stopped off on the way home to pick blackberries, after coffee & cake, sitting in the churchyard - the cafe was full, & the churchyard is a quiet, peaceful spot..... as you’d expect.
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One little advantage of lockdown is walking so much more, rather than using the car. Though it shouldn’t have taken something as momentous as this, for me to change bad habits 🙁
Hope you’re weekend is going well.
My hazel arch, a bit lopsided 🙄 using wood from My hazel arch, a bit lopsided 🙄 using wood from a random clump of hazel on the garden. Now looking much better covered in winter squash plants, so you can’t see just how ramshackle it is. I like to think it has a certain home-spun charm .

Great for small space gardening, imagine how much room you need to grow these without vertical supports.

I’ve got 2 Uchiki kuri, lovely nutty flavour.
1 Turks turban, for its flamboyant shape & colours, though it also tastes good.
One unknown, grown by my grandsons in their homeschooled science lesson.
Close-ups of the squash over on my stories.
Stay cool my friends x
I wanted to show you this lovely lily ( Lilium reg I wanted to show you this lovely lily ( Lilium regale) which is flowering right outside our bedroom window. 
It gets sun for about 4 hours only, you can order the bulbs now for planting in September. It’ll reappear every year & waft delicious scent around your garden, or through your windows.
Have a very happy Monday x
It’s British Flower Week, there’s a lot to be It’s British Flower Week, there’s a lot to be said for fabulous seasonal flowers that haven’t travelled thousands of miles ...... & are wonderful for biodiversity
A bit of rain, nice long days (it’s almost mid-s A bit of rain, nice long days (it’s almost mid-summer!) & it’s, mostly, all growing nicely.

Spinach, courgettes & garlic in shot here. 
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday x
Hope is a decision I’ve thought long & hard abou Hope is a decision
I’ve thought long & hard about how to view the tumult in the world we’re living in now. 
The only thing that works for me, is to choose hope.

It’s a tall order, but avoiding mainstream news & speculation helps avoid the anxiety, that’s often waiting in the wings.

One day soon there’ll be grandchildren clambering over this again.
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