There's something so fresh and lovely 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
I remember climate change and the greenhouse effect being talked about when I was at school in the 1980's and here we are still talking about it nearly 40 years later. Whether you accept that global warming is caused by human activity or not, the ongoing Australian bush fires provide stark evidence that the climate … Continue reading Tackle climate change and plant a tree
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
There are two passions in my life. Gardening and Coldplay. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a MASSIVE Coldplay fan. I've been to many of their gigs in various countries around the world. I have all their albums and many of their singles in various different formats, including some bootleg demo stuff. Their … Continue reading Coldplay: the optimistic gardeners
The garden is now winding down towards its winter dormancy, but this does not mean there is nothing to do in the garden this month. Your November gardening todo list: Plant tulips Plant your tulips in the ground now. It is said that the colder conditions of November reduce the risk of your tulips developing … Continue reading November Garden To Do List
The swallows have gone and summer temperatures of 30 (or even 40!) degrees seem like a distant memory. This does not mean however that the garden should now wait until May. With a little ongoing maintenance over the autumn and winter months you can have a garden to enjoy come spring, rather than spend your … Continue reading October Gardening To Do List
I advocate making use of the garden 'down time' during autumn and throughout winter to get ahead of the game so that you can start enjoying the garden right from spring. If you wait until spring to restart your garden maintenance regime you may not be able to fully enjoy it until summer. Waiting until spring … Continue reading The Autumn Garden: To cut back, or not to cut back?
Previously living in Bristol not far from the edge of the Cotswolds and working mostly in Bath and the surrounds, I was often in contact with limestone. My journeys through the countryside from garden to garden were often guided by a labyrinth of limestone walls that define the aesthetic of the area. The light and … Continue reading Building a Dry Stone Wall
