To expand the photo to read, if using an i-pad or phone, place two fingers on the pic and spread thumb and finger. The picture will expand so you can read it easily.
Here’s the link for the recipe this week. It’s apple crumble cake, making use of the windfall apples.
Monty Kitten keeping me company in the garden while I sweep up leaves. It’s been a productive year, growing fruit and veg in the poly tunnel raised beds. I grew Pot Black aubergines in Dalefoot sheep wool and bracken compost. I created some grow bags by cutting holes in the top of the compost bags for two plants per bag. The compost has comfrey leaves, which adds potash-rich nutrients. Drainage holes were spiked through the bottom of the bags. Book recommended this week. It’s a thought provoking read, with lots of ideas for making our gardens more insect-friendly places. As insects are part of the wider food chain, we are helping all wildlife by attracting them to our gardens. The garden is surrounded by mature beech trees. They turn a lovely golden hue in autumn. Stepping out of the top gate, this is the view of the lane in all its misty autumn colours.
The weather has turned really cold here. We’ve had high winds and hail. I’ll be sorting through my seed box and making plans for next year this weekend. And keeping warm. All my tender plants have been stored in the greenhouse and poly tunnel, safe from freezing temperature. What gardening tasks have you been doing recently?
15 thoughts on “Latest news from the plot from Garden News magazine”
Karen I love your publication in Garden News, it is very interesting. The Greenhouse is your sanctuary for you and Monty with the heat, all the wonderful plants you have, and the divine flora tea towels, I love it. You grow micro greens and winter salads, great. The Polytunnel full of life and crops like the “Baby” tomatoes that you have been growing since 1950, I love it. The wicker basket full of greens and vegetables is wonderful and appetizing, I love it. Your dahlias are fantastic this time of year. The book you recommend reading must be very interesting and insects are one of the pillars of organic gardens and orchards. Karen thank you so much for the apple crumble pie link, it looks delicious. Monty is your official helper-companion in the garden: he is very handsome and adorable, I love him. The color of the beech trees in your garden is divine, I love it as well as the photo of the lane with its palette of autumnal colors and the fabulous trees. Here it is snowing and due to the low temperatures and the cold north wind the thermal sensation is below zero. Karen keep warm by the fireplace with the company of Mr B, Grace, Meg and Monty. And Merlin and the Hens in their warm winter chicken coop. Health, strength, encouragement, positive thinking, hope and much love for your whole family, Mr B and for you. Be very careful with the Covid. Take good care of each other. All my best wishes to everyone and all my love to all the people of Bramble Garden. Happy Gardening and happy week. Very affectionate greetings from Margarita xxx 😘🙏😃🧣🧤💟
Thank you Margarita. Thank you fir all your lovely comments, thank goodness we managed to get a new coop and run made in time for the snow which arrived this weekend. The hens are loving their spacious new home. The roof is covered over with recycled corrugated iron sheets to keep them nice and dry. And this is now a legal requirement as we have a bird flu outbreak in the next village. Hopefully the covered roof and new run will keep our birds safe in the new flu outbreak. Keep warm. Have a lovely week ahead. Lots of love from us all. Affectionate greetings from karen xxx 😘 💚🍁🌸
Karen I hope that the bird flu from the neighboring village does not affect your chickens: poor little ones, adorable as they are. Karen you don’t have to thank me for my comments, you know I say what I feel. I am so glad that you found a new cooperative before the snow arrived. Stay warm. Much love to all. Very affectionate greetings from Margarita xxx 😘💚🙏🍂
Thank you. He’s always going to be a kitten I think. Can’t imagine calling him anything other than Monty Kitten. He’s curled up on my lap at the moment and we are both in front of the log burner. Goodness it’s cold outside! And there’s snow which has settled on the lane. Hope my greenhouse heater can cope! Have a good week. Karen xx
Thank you Cathy. Always something to do here. Gosh it’s turned cold though, and the snow has settled on the lane. I hope it’s going to go back to milder weather though. I haven’t planted all my tulips, or swept up all the leaves yet. Have a good week. Karen xx
Thank you Derrick. If you are viewing on an I pad or phone, you can tap the picture and make it larger by pinching your thumb and finger placed on the screen and expanding them. I’ll just have a look to see what to do if you are looking on a computer. Many thanks as ever for your very kind comments and encouragement. Enjoy your weekend. Karen
Your harvest looks so yummy, our season for fresh local is sadly over, I miss it. Monty is adorable as ever and I love your atmospheric photo of your lane… it could win a prize!
Ah, thank you Eliza. That’s the very last of the tomatoes. They were the ones kept behind in the greenhouse to turn from green to red. So pleased they ripened. I left them on the vine, which helps. Enjoy your weekend.
Bramble Garden 
Karen I love your publication in Garden News, it is very interesting. The Greenhouse is your sanctuary for you and Monty with the heat, all the wonderful plants you have, and the divine flora tea towels, I love it. You grow micro greens and winter salads, great. The Polytunnel full of life and crops like the “Baby” tomatoes that you have been growing since 1950, I love it. The wicker basket full of greens and vegetables is wonderful and appetizing, I love it. Your dahlias are fantastic this time of year. The book you recommend reading must be very interesting and insects are one of the pillars of organic gardens and orchards. Karen thank you so much for the apple crumble pie link, it looks delicious. Monty is your official helper-companion in the garden: he is very handsome and adorable, I love him. The color of the beech trees in your garden is divine, I love it as well as the photo of the lane with its palette of autumnal colors and the fabulous trees. Here it is snowing and due to the low temperatures and the cold north wind the thermal sensation is below zero. Karen keep warm by the fireplace with the company of Mr B, Grace, Meg and Monty. And Merlin and the Hens in their warm winter chicken coop. Health, strength, encouragement, positive thinking, hope and much love for your whole family, Mr B and for you. Be very careful with the Covid. Take good care of each other. All my best wishes to everyone and all my love to all the people of Bramble Garden. Happy Gardening and happy week. Very affectionate greetings from Margarita xxx 😘🙏😃🧣🧤💟
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Thank you Margarita. Thank you fir all your lovely comments, thank goodness we managed to get a new coop and run made in time for the snow which arrived this weekend. The hens are loving their spacious new home. The roof is covered over with recycled corrugated iron sheets to keep them nice and dry. And this is now a legal requirement as we have a bird flu outbreak in the next village. Hopefully the covered roof and new run will keep our birds safe in the new flu outbreak. Keep warm. Have a lovely week ahead. Lots of love from us all. Affectionate greetings from karen xxx 😘 💚🍁🌸
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Karen I hope that the bird flu from the neighboring village does not affect your chickens: poor little ones, adorable as they are. Karen you don’t have to thank me for my comments, you know I say what I feel. I am so glad that you found a new cooperative before the snow arrived. Stay warm. Much love to all. Very affectionate greetings from Margarita xxx 😘💚🙏🍂
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I have grown hyacinths in water but I have never tried the narcissi so thank you for the tip which will be perfect for this year. Amelia
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Thanks Amelia. It’s been a snowy weekend here with freezing temperatures. Hope you are keeping warm over there. Have a good week. Karen xx
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Never a dull moment che toi. Delightful Monty, is he still a kitten. He is adorable. X
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Thank you. He’s always going to be a kitten I think. Can’t imagine calling him anything other than Monty Kitten. He’s curled up on my lap at the moment and we are both in front of the log burner. Goodness it’s cold outside! And there’s snow which has settled on the lane. Hope my greenhouse heater can cope! Have a good week. Karen xx
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Always interesting to read what you are doing on your plit Karen – I like the connection you gave with the Blaby tomato!
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Thank you Cathy. Always something to do here. Gosh it’s turned cold though, and the snow has settled on the lane. I hope it’s going to go back to milder weather though. I haven’t planted all my tulips, or swept up all the leaves yet. Have a good week. Karen xx
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Briefly mild again, but not for long – hope you can get your tulips in! 🌷
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Lovely photographs, especially the misty on and Monty’s stretch revealed by the focus change. Clicking on your article didn’t work for me
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Thank you Derrick. If you are viewing on an I pad or phone, you can tap the picture and make it larger by pinching your thumb and finger placed on the screen and expanding them. I’ll just have a look to see what to do if you are looking on a computer. Many thanks as ever for your very kind comments and encouragement. Enjoy your weekend. Karen
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I always look on a computer. Those other devices are too small for me 🙂
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Your harvest looks so yummy, our season for fresh local is sadly over, I miss it. Monty is adorable as ever and I love your atmospheric photo of your lane… it could win a prize!
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Ah, thank you Eliza. That’s the very last of the tomatoes. They were the ones kept behind in the greenhouse to turn from green to red. So pleased they ripened. I left them on the vine, which helps. Enjoy your weekend.
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