May is my favourite month in the garden. So full of optimism of the year to come, this is the month when the garden really takes flight. With March giboulées and April's occasional storms, increasing soil temperatures and day length nearing its peak, the garden appears to grow before your very eyes. As the Alliums … Continue reading May Garden To Do List
Welcome to my favourite time of year. The Swallows have returned and Spring is now firmly under way and brings with it the optimism of the year to come. Equinox is firmly behind us and the days are rapidly drawing out. All this means the garden requires more of your attention, but to help you … Continue reading April Garden To Do List
At long last spring finally arrives this month and we have equinox to look forward to. The clocks go forward late in the month and the days become longer than the nights. From hereon in its all go in the garden. Lawns Winter in the Poitou-Charentes can be quite wet and so not only have … Continue reading March Garden To Do List
The majority accept that there is overwhelming evidence climate is changing because of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide caused by human activity. I remember this subject being discussed in school in the 1980's and nearly 40 years later we are still discussing it with the trend in average global temperatures still on the rise. Just 100 … Continue reading Reduce your carbon footprint
By February I am more than sick of winter. The winter blues have thoroughly set in and yearning for warm, sunny days reaches maximum levels. But the signs are there: The tops of spring bulbs tease at what is to come by poking through. Daylight is creeping in the right direction and the nights noticeably … Continue reading February Garden To Do List
There's something so refreshing and vibrant about filling your house with flowers, with their various scent and colour. And what better way to do so than with your own cut flower arrangements. The process of growing flowers can be relatively cheap. It is also good for pollinating wildlife and lifts the spirits. Additionally, growing your … Continue reading Cut flowers & arrangements
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL. On the bleakest of winter days, lots of persuasion is needed to head out into the garden, especially when being lured indoors by a comfy chair and a hot cuppa beside a warm fire. If you are a regular reader of my blog and you have already undertaken all … Continue reading My book recommendations
Happy New Year to you all. Winter solstice is out of the way. As we inch towards longer days and shorter nights, so Hellebores, Cyclamen and Snowdrops emerge and we too can start to feel optimistic that spring is not too far away. What better way to celebrate the lengthening days than by getting out … Continue reading January Garden To Do List
The days are almost at their shortest and the mercury has plummeted, but even in a brisk December there are a few things you can do in the garden to keep you warm and get ahead of the game ready for next year. Your December gardening to do list: Prune deciduous trees and shrubs I … Continue reading December Garden To Do List
Encouraging soil microbes and other creatures together with fungi by adding organic material such as compost to your plantings is beneficial to your plants. Together they make nutrients available to the roots of your plants, reducing or eliminating entirely the need to apply fertiliser. A soil more rich in organic matter will retain moisture for … Continue reading Build your own composter
