This blog is dedicated to highlighting special people who are gardening to make a difference. The Phyllis Tuckwell charity has to raise £25,000 every single day to fund the hospice care it provides. Just take a moment for that to sink in. £25,000. Every single day! It’s an amazing challenge. Open gardens is one way the organisation raises funds. I’m sharing details of the gardens here, in the hope that if you live in the area, you’ll visit and help them reach their targets.
Poster for this year’s events. A range of gardens open between 29 May and 14 September 2025.
For a complete list of gardens taking part, download the brochure here:
Phyllis Tuckwell is the only Hospice Care service for adult patients, and their families and carers, who are living with an advanced or terminal illness such as cancer, across the whole of West Surrey and part of North-East Hampshire.
“Every day we support over 250 patients, relatives and carers, through medical and nursing care, therapies, counselling, social work advice and practical support. We offer this care on our In-Patient Unit, through our Living Well service, and in patients’ own homes and care homes.
Our specialist, compassionate care helps patients to manage their symptoms, improve their wellbeing and remain as independent as possible throughout their illness. We also support the families and carers of our patients, as well as local healthcare providers, building skills and confidence in palliative and end of life care… because every day is precious.
As the NHS/Government only cover around 25% of our costs, we have to raise over £25,000 every single day to be able to offer all of our services, which we provide free of charge to our patients and their families and carers. That’s why events such as Open Gardens are so incredibly important. By taking part, you’ll be helping us to raise these vital funds – and we really appreciate your support.”
Thank you for reading my blog. Please leave a comment in the box below, sign up for e mail notifications and pass on any good news you’ve heard on this blog! We can all help one another just by sharing what we know and by supporting everyone trying to make a difference. Thank you.
Forget me nots, cow parsley, wild allium, mint, honeysuckle, aquilegia, white flowering dead nettles and red clover.
I tour garden clubs in the East Midlands giving inspiration for growing cut flowers at home. An hour’s talk is only long enough to give a flavour of the subject. Here are some notes to accompany my talks.
Chose a backbone of useful shrubs:
Dogwoods:
Cornus Westonbirt.
Cornus Westonbirt has the brightest red stems in winter. Only a few stems are needed to add a vertical element to flower arrangements. To get the brightest stems, cut the shrubs back to 20cm in March. New stems will grow back strongly.
An autumn bouquet with just three stems of dogwood.
Physocarpus Diabolo:
A beautiful backbone shrub, growing to 8ft. Comes into leaf early in spring. Produces pretty pinkish white flowers. Flowers then produce interesting seed heads. good strong stems for floristry and a lovely dark colour to set off all flower colours. I grow mine on a north-facing border directly in front of a hawthorn hedge. Copes with dry soil and semi-shade.
Physocarpus seed heads
Viburnum Eve Price
The pink flat heads are viburnum Eve Price. Surrounded by ivy, gypsophila, rosehips. Euonymus, and Rosa The Fairy.
Viburnum Eve Price flowers all winter. It has evergreen leaves and is tough and hardy.
Plant Roses:
Timeless Cream
Timeless Cream and Timeless Purple are part of the new home florists’ range . Few thorns and wonderful scent.
Timeless Purple
Grow a patch of wildflowers:
I have a bed 3m long by 1.2m wide with paths surrounding it. Grown from a packet of wild flower seeds (Mr Fothergill’s or Sarah Raven). The plants that emerged included white oxeye daisy, blue cranesbill geranium, pink campion. These come back every year. The grasses grow in a strip along the edge of the lawn. Quaking grass is particularly lovely.
More perennial plants: Grow white argyranthemums.
Argyranthemums with ammi, verbascum and rudbeckias.
Argyranthemum or shasta daisies grow to 70cm and can be grown in a garden border in full sun. They need dividing every three years and will need staking. They provide flowers from June to September. Most garden centres sell these plants.
Annuals to grow for cut flowers :
Sweet Peas:
Wiltshire Ripple
Sow Sweet Peas in October in long root trainers with 50 percent compost and 50 percent grit for drainage. Place the pots inside a clear plastic storage box to protect from mice and the weather. Storage boxes can be brought indoors and stacked up like a mini greenhouse if the temperatures go below freezing. Lids can be removed in good weather. Do not allow seedlings to get too wet over winter. Plant out in good soil in April.
An A-Frame structure made from hazel poles purchased from farm fencing suppliers. These are used as binders in hedge laying. Ammi, gladioli and cosmos are planted down the middle. Calendula on the outsides.
Locally, Musson Fencing sell bundles of hazel rods in winter and early spring. They sell out quickly so it’s best to order your supplies.
Alternatively, Rutland Willows make bespoke willow and hazel supports and frames and run courses to make your own. We have had many hurdle fences and supports from them and have been very happy with everything.
At this time of the year (mid-May at the time of writing) I would probably buy in pre-grown plants from Easton Walled Gardens. A good excuse to visit them and have a walk around the beautiful cut flower gardens and landscape. Order your seed now to be delivered in late summer for October planting.
Annuals:Calendulas.
Calendula Snow Princess
Sow calendulas in autumn and overwinter them in pots in a greenhouse. Or sow now. Use plug plant trays, one seed per cell. Use seed compost with 50 percent vermiculite. Cover seed with vermiculite. This helps with drainage. Most seed sowing failures are due to watering – either over or under watering. A soggy compost is death to seedlings. Better to be on the dry side that too wet.
A note about compost: I use peat-free Melcourt seed compost and I add vermiculite, or horticultural sand whichever I have to hand. I don’t use multi-purpose compost for seed sowing. It contains fertiliser which burns delicate seedling roots. I move plants on quickly, water with seaweed extract every time I water and get plants in the ground or into big pots as soon as possible.
Tips on seed sowing:
Use spotlessly clean pots and seed trays.
Warm the compost in the greenhouse before using. Or bring indoors. Never use cold, wet, soggy compost – especially old compost from the bottom of pallets at garden centres.
Read the back of the seed packets for information such as whether to cover the seeds or not. Also follow germination temperatures and time to sow guidelines.
Use fresh seed. Home-saved seed is always likely to germinate faster than bought seed.
Buy seed from the best companies – Mr Fothergills, Chiltern Seeds, Higgledy Seeds. Do not buy from garden centres where seed will have been too hot, too old, or might have got wet. Best to buy mail order.
Water with a fine rose so as not to disturb the seeds. Always use tap water as water barrels contain pathogens which might cause seeds to wilt and die.
Protect new seedlings from too much sunlight. They are like babies.
Sow very thinly to prevent damping off. Make sure you ventilate the greenhouse in hot weather also to prevent mould and damping off problems.
Only sow half a packet at a time. If that fails for any reason, you’ve got a second chance with the other half of the seeds.
Always harden off plants before planting outside. This takes about seven days and involves bringing the plants in at night be putting them out in the day.
Soil Improvers:
We use and highly recommend PlantGrow fertiliser and mulch. There’s also a liquid feed which I use on established plants needing a boost. The 10 percent discount code for blog readers is bramble10. I’m not paid to recommend them, but I do like to support family companies and this one is based in Norfolk.
More annuals: Cosmos:
Cosmos Psyche White.
Cosmos should be started early as it needs a long growing season. It’s best to start seeds in February in a heated propagator at 18C. Most garden centres are selling pre-grown plants now. Sarah Raven sells small plants in spring. It’s safe to plant them out in the first week of June. They will flower until first frosts. My tip is to grow just a few but grow them really well. Pinch out the tips to make them bushy when they are about 4” tall. Support them with canes and tie them in well as they rock about in windy weather.
Cosmos Apricot Lemonade. Cosmos Seashells PinkSeashells White
More Annuals: Sunflowers
Sunflower cut flower mix from Mr Fothergill
Sunflowers can be sown in April and May. Earth Walker and Velvet Queen are good varieties. Look out for the multi-headed dwarf sunflowers. I grow mine amongst the sweetcorn and the vegetables help to hold the sunflowers upright in stormy weather. Calendulas and courgettes are grown at the base.
Velvet Queen
I start seed off in a propagator at 18C. Plants are grown on until they are about 20cm tall. Any smaller and the slugs will eat them. Spray with garlic extract to protect from slugs and snails. The recipe is on the blog in the search bar.
Dahlias:
Dahlia David Howard grown with Alstroemeria Indian Summer.
There’s still time to buy dahlia tubers from the garden centre and pot them up indoors. Take cuttings now to get more plants. Each tuber can provide 7 cuttings without detriment to the mother plant. Cuttings need to be tiny, 2-3cm only and placed in a 9cm pot with the 50/50 compost vermiculite mix in a propagator at 18C. They will readily root and can be planted out the first week of June. Cuttings will flower this year. If buying potted plants, there are some good mail-order nurseries offering stock. Todds Botanics are recommended.
Nuit D’Ete is a lovely cactus-type dahlia. Dahlias, cosmos and dogwood. Senecio Vira Vira is from Coton Manor nursery. Protect dahlias from earwigs. Add pots of straw or newspaper to the top of canes. Tip them out each morning. Dahlia cuttings.Today’s bouquet.
Don’t forget to just look around the garden and use what you have! I have cow parsley, poppies, alliums, Dutch iris, aquilegia and violas just now. Not many flowers are needed to make a jam jar posy. These were not planted specifically for cut flowers, but taking just a few won’t harm the spring display.
Answering questions from last night’s talk: How do you grow cow parsley?
These won’t compete with lush grass, so use a spade to lift a patch of turf. Plant plug plants into the bare soil. Plant with cranesbill and foxgloves. Plants will die, but will set seeds for next year. Keep the patches free from vigorous grasses. You can plant delicate shaking grass though. If you have a large enough space, I would plant a swathe of them to get the best effect.
Peak cow parsley time in my garden today.
Question 2: What honeysuckle are you growing?
Common honeysuckle, Lonicera periclymenum caprifoliaceae. I recommend Jekka’s Herbs for plants. Wonderful scent and beautiful red berries. Plant with the roots in the shade and it will climb to reach the sun. If you plant the roots in the sun, the plant often succumbs to mildew and aphids. It is a woodland plant, essentially. Its habit is to climb and then flop down. In nature you often see plants dangling from high up in trees. So it is not ideal to try to control it and plant it over an arch or on a trellis. It will always want to go skywards. It wants to use other trees and shrubs as a climbing frame. Be careful when buying honeysuckle as some varieties do not have any scent, which is such a disappointment if you’ve waited several years for the plant to flower!
Question 3. Where can you buy the little wooden and metal stand containing four glass bottles for flower arranging?
My stand came from Jonathan Moseley. He sells floristry materials, flower cutting snips and vases at various flower shows all over the country. He also has an online shop. I use this stand every day and place it down the centre of the kitchen table. Vases can also be arranged in a circle with a pillar candle in the centre. I have created mini posies for this photo, but equally you can just pick a few stems and place them directly in the jam jars and they look ‘arranged.’
All white theme with Italian ranunculus, cow parsley, hyacinth and Lily of the Valley. Wonderful scent from such a small arrangement.
Don’t forget that cow parsley can be used even when the flowers are going over. The little lime green seed heads are still attractive. I also use seed heads of parsnip, onion, carrot, chives, mustard and leeks. I found out by accident by leaving some vegetables to go to seed. I now leave them on purpose to supply free seed heads for floristry. Fluffy clematis seeds are also saved for winter decorations.
If this has inspired you to grow something for your own cut flowers, then I’m very happy. I’m hosting a cut flower course at Barnsdale in September. It’s a lovely garden and the owners are kind and generous people. There’s a lot included in the price. I can highly recommend the cream tea!
Thanks for reading my blog. Please leave a comment below if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer them. Or e mail at k.gimson @btinternet.com.
UPDATE: The free tickets have been won by Gary Legg. Thank you everyone who took part in the prize draw.
Thank you to everyone who took part in the recent prize draw for the NEC Gardeners World Live show.
Now there’s an opportunity to win two tickets for the Beaulieu show for Sunday May 4th.
Frances Tophill presenting from one of the show gardens. Bug and butterfly hotels feature in this show garden at GW Live.
Gardeners World presenter Arit Anderson will be appearing at the show. She was recently presented with the RHS Veitch Memorial Medal, awarded to those who have made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the science and practice of horticulture.
The show organisers say:
“We can offer a pair (one winner) of standard adult tickets for the BBC Gardeners’ World Spring Fair at Beaulieu. Tickets will be valid for Sunday 4th May, 9.30am entry. RRP £52.00 per pair.
The winner will be emailed a link to register online and will receive their tickets by email.
Tickets are non-refundable, non-exchangeable and non-transferable, and do not include travel, accommodation or expenses. There is no cash alternative. Details of giveaway and prize correct at time of print. Ticket terms and conditions apply https://www.immediatelive.com/ticket-terms-and-conditions .
To take part in the prize draw, please leave your name in the comments box below and a winner will be drawn randomly on Easter Monday at 6pm. Please include your name as otherwise the reply just says “someone.” And check back to see if you have won. If there’s no reply from the winner within 24 hours I’ll chose another name.
Please note, this competition is for the Beaulieu event only, and not for the NEC event.
Car parking
You’ll find information about parking at Beaulieu here and disabled parking here.
Good luck everyone and Happy Easter!
A quiet pool of water at the GWLive show.Primrose Hall Peonies.
Derrienne Bell has won the two free tickets for GW Live in the prize draw competition. All names were included in the draw and Derrienne’s name was randomly selected.
Thank you for taking part in this prize draw.
The organisers have also given me a discount code to pass on to blog readers. Please read the terms and conditions carefully. Remember that car parking is not included in any offers and is expensive.
The organisers say:
You requested a discount code for your followers. These are:
SAVE20: 20% off standard adult/concession entry tickets (applies any day),offer expires 23:59 on 7 May 2025
SAVE15: 15% off standard adult/concession entry tickets (excluding Saturday),offer starts 8 May, expires 23:59 on 4 June 2025.
*Discounts valid on adult/concession standard entry tickets. Not valid on VIP, 2-day tickets, added extras or with any other offer. £3.95 transaction fee per advance order. Details correct at time of print.
I’m looking forward to viewing the show gardens again this year. There’s always a good selection of styles, and they are more relevant to me than the expensive RHS show gardens.
Thank you again for reading my blog. Have a great gardening week! Look out for more book reviews and tickets coming up…..
You might find this info and link useful for car parking for the show, which can be expensive if not purchased in advance.
“You’ll find parking info at the link here: https://www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com/whatson/getting-to-the-show/. The organisers strongly advise advance booking for pre-paid parking (up to 24 hours prior) to save time and secure the best rate, £8. This price has been subsidised by Immediate Media.”
*Please remember to leave your name, or comments just come up as ‘anonymous.’ Thank you.
Dan Hartley Eco Oasis Garden
Each year, the organisers of Gardeners World Live offer my blog readers the chance to win two free tickets. This has been successful and I’ve had wonderful reports back that winners have enjoyed a really lovely day out.
It’s very simple to enter. Just leave a comment in the box below and names will be randomly selected on Sunday 30 March.
Please read the terms and conditions carefully. Tickets are for a specific time and date. The prize does not include car parking which is expensive.
The organisers say: “We can offer you a pair of standard adult tickets, valid Sunday 15th June, 9.00am entry, RRP £58.00 per pair. The organisers will not be issuing paper tickets. Winners will be emailed a link to register online and will receive tickets by email.
“Tickets are non-refundable, non-exchangeable and non-transferable, and do not include travel, accommodation or expenses. There is no cash alternative. Details of giveaway and prize correct at time of print. Ticket terms and conditions applyhttps://www.immediatelive.com/ticket-terms-and-conditions”
Please leave a comment below including your name, otherwise the comment just says “someone.” Look back to check if you have won the tickets. The draw will be at 6pm. If there’s no response within 24 hours, the prize will be re-drawn. Good luck!
Update: Derrienne Bell has won the two free tickets. Thank you for taking part.
Here’s some info from the organisers regarding parking for the show.
“You’ll find parking info at the link here: https://www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com/whatson/getting-to-the-show/. The organisers strongly advise advance booking for pre-paid parking (up to 24 hours prior) to save time and secure the best rate, £8. This price has been subsidised by Immediate Media.”
Details on the Broadwell Manor website say Lauren trained at the world-renowned Central St Martins. Lauren found it impossible to ignore the lure of plants, which were the focus of her degree show. Her love for the natural world is perhaps to be expected, given that Lauren is Rachel de Thame’s eldest daughter and she grew up surrounded by plants. Some years after graduating, Lauren decided to focus on botanical painting. Predominantly working in the time-honoured, traditional but painstakingly slow technique of applying layers of watercolour to vellum. For this workshop she will be showing how to use watercolour on paper to paint the charming detailed ‘faces’ of individual auriculas. Lauren was recently featured in House & Garden Magazine and her work is being widely commissioned and collected.
Lauren recently produced a series of paintings of flowers and graphite drawings of insects for A Flower Garden for Pollinators, written by Rachel de Thame.
The website says: This workshop is aimed at complete beginners and you will leave with an understanding of how to mix colours, both on the palette and on the paper. You will also take home your own set of watercolours and a brush to continue practicing!
Meet at 5.30pm in our Coffee Room, before embarking on a two hour class from 6pm-8pm, where you will learn the basics and beyond of working with this special medium. You will leave with techniques you can replicate at home and a deeper understanding of colour.
The website says: If your garden is not achieving everything you envisaged and you’re unsure what to do, then why not join internationally renowned garden designer David Stevens for this very special workshop.
David will take you through all the basics, as well as looking at specific plants, showing how they work best in a garden, planting techniques and preparing a planting plan.
David is in great demand as a designer and lecturer in garden design all over the world, so this day is a treat not to be missed!
Price includes tea/coffee, lunch and entry to the Gardens.
Thank you for reading my blog. Are you planning to attend any courses this year? Please leave a message in the box below. If you are new to the blog, please follow and sign up for notifications via e mail, and remember to say hello in the comments below! Happy gardening!
A big welcome to members of Southwell Garden Club! I hope you enjoyed my talk last night! Here’s more photos of my garden, to give some inspiration for creating spring colour.
Our garden was created from a field. We moved here when we were in our 20s.
We planted 260 tiny sapling trees which came from a scheme promoted by the Woodland Trust and Rushcliffe Borough Council. The plants were free to anyone converting farm land to woodland.
Down one side of the plot I planted a kind of ‘avenue’ or ‘holloway’ of ash trees given to me by Michael Beeby. He was a lovely, keen gardener who lived in our village and wanted to save the little seedling saplings growing all over his garden. He regularly visited the garden to see how his trees were getting on. Sadly he passed away a few years ago. In memory of a kind and generous gardener I’ve named this area of the garden the Michael Beeby Walk. And every time I walk along this path I think of Michael and how he cared about nature. He was always smiling, always supportive and encouraging. He’s not forgotten.
There are some wonderful sunsets from the gardenTrees on the hill
There’s a gap in the hedge. I walk to this point every day and look through the hole in the hedge. I see hares, deer, owls. No one can see me.
I mark the changes in the seasons. Each day, the view is different.
All the trees we planted have grown to produce a lot of shade. Over the years, the lavender, penstemons and salvias have had to give way to woodland plants. Snowdrops thrive in the cool shade. Madeline is a favourite with its elegant ‘lightbulb’ shape and delicate yellow markings.
I have a little helper in the garden. He’s three years old. We are at the same stage in life, both marvelling at the beauty in everything. Living in the moment.
Polar Bear, a new variety, late flowering. Viridapice with green tipped markings Robin Hood. Named for the X markings. Appropriate as we live right on the Nottinghamshire border. Plain, simple single snowdrops, Galanthus Nivalis. Still my favourite to be honest. In my grandfather’s Sankey terracotta pots.
Hellebores also thrive in the semi-shade of trees. I bought a few colours from John Massey at Ashwoods Nursery in Birmingham. They have seeded all over the garden in shades of white, cream, pink, and inky- black.
Some remind me of stained glass.
Floated in an inch of water in an old zinc container.
A favourite double cream-white hellebore. In amongst the hellebores we have wild violets. The sweetest scent. Originally from one single plant my grandfather brought here over 30 years ago. Now the whole gardens is full of them. I look at them and think of him. Wild anemones. Such a joy, emerging just as the snowdrops are going over. And full of bumblebees today. Crocus Joan of Arc. The best white. Also bumblebee heaven! Phlomis Fruiticosa. Also ladybird heaven! An important plant to grow as they hibernate within the soft woolly leaves. A posy for my mum with flowers from the garden. Small flowering cherry, Prunus Kojo-No-Mai blooms on bare stems and has glorious orange and red autumn foliage. Come back another day for some summer-themed flowers.
Thank you for inviting me to talk, and for reading my blog.
I’m karengimson1 on instagram.
Please leave a comment in the box below, and sign up for e mail notifications for further posts. Enjoy your gardening!
Thank you for reading my review of Daffodils by Naomi Slade. The winner of the prize draw copy is Cathy from https://wordsandherbs.Wordpress.com.
The book is published by Pavilion/ Harper Collins UK who kindly offered a spare copy to give away in a prize draw.
Narcissus Viridi
The author highlighted 60 different varieties, including this striking viridiflorus seedling propagated by WF Lee and and raised by Manuel Lima. Images are provided by one of the world’s leading floral and garden photographers, Georgianna Lane.
Pink Paradise
Pink Paradise is another variety that stands out in the book. “Ivory white double petals that form the basis of this flower would be unassuming enough, were it not for the immoderate presence of rogue petaloid segments that have stuffed and wedged their frilly selves in between more modest neighbours.”
Lilac Charm
“The white petals are elegantly reflexed due to the flower’s Cyclamineus heritage and their waxy, rather than papery substance comes from a crystalline finish, giving the flowers a gleaming, sparkling quality. The snout is similarly shapely, with a prominent, slightly flared funnel, ribbed along its length with a kicked-back frill to the end; forming a cylinder that is pistachio-green at the very base before becoming a pale yellow-peach followed by a rapid transition to a pale and lovely lavender pinkish hue.” Lilac charm was bred by Brian Duncan in Ireland. It’s a fantastic and eye-catching variety for the show bench, the garden and for cutting.
A double page spread from the book
In my opinion, it’s the most beautiful book of the year! I have the book open on different pages each day, set out on my kitchen table where it can brighten my day while I work.
I never fail to be delighted and amazed by the beauty of flowers and daffodils in particular are such a spring joy.
Congratulations to Cathy for winning the prize copy. There are many more books to follow. It seems a particularly good year for horticulture-themed books. And also free tickets for flower shows are coming up.
Can there ever be anything more cheerful than the first sign of daffodils in spring. I sigh with relief as soon as they emerge from the recently frozen, muddy ground. The worst of the winter is behind us. Spring is well and truly on the way. We have come through the cold, dark days and survived the winter once more.
Naomi Slade’s latest book is a joyful celebration of daffodils. Colour springs from every page with the wonderful photography of Georgianna Lane combined with the glorious descriptions by the award-winning author. It really is the kind of book you’d want to leave open on a different page every day. Just to gaze at the photographs and read Naomi’s words is like a balm.
Contents page
Naomi splits the daffodils into categories: charming and cheerful, ruffled and fluttering, demure and delicate, glorious and glowing. There are sections on the history of narcissus, as well as growing advice, and information on pests and diseases.
Excerpts from the book Naomi describes 60 varieties with suggestions for planting, growing and cutting. The book would make a lovely gift for any fan of spring flowers, for gardeners, florists and collectors alike. Actaea. One of my favourites. Selected varieties are each given a page of description. Delnashaugh – a large double cream and apricot variety. Ruffled and layered, makes a lovely flower for a vase or a bridesmaid’s posy. Royal China. Introduced in 1997 by British grower Clive Postles. ‘The rounded petals present themselves in two overlapping layers, in a gentle shade of pearly white that sparkles subtly in the sunshine. The central corona, meanwhile, is exquisitely formed; ivory white along its length with a greenish yellow splash at the base and a crisp pink frill to the rim.”Lilac Charm Pink Paradise Trigonometry The ever-popular tete-a-tete Katie Heath
Katie Heath is a muted palette of pink and cream. Lovely with willow twigs and catkins. “Named in honour of the mother of Brent Heath, who has himself found fame as one half of the well-known American bulb nursery duo that is Brent and Becky’s Bulbs.”
About the author and photographer
I can wholeheartedly recommend ‘Daffodils’ by Naomi Slade. It’s written in a cheerful, enthusiastic style with just the right amount of detail to answer all your questions.
Daffodils is the latest in a series written by a Naomi and photographed by Georgianna. Previously, I’ve reviewed Lilies, Dahlias, Ranunculus, and Chrysanthemums. There’s also Hydrangeas and Lilacs. This latest book is just as brilliant and inspiring as the others. A triumph again for this super talented duo!
Thank you for reading my blog. The publishers have kindly offered one copy to give away to readers. To be included in the prize draw, please leave a comment and your name below. Sorry, uk only. There’s no cash alternative and the publisher’s decision is final. The draw will be on Saturday 15th March 6pm. Please look back on Saturday to check if you have won. The prize will be redrawn on Sunday if there’s no reply from the winner.
Ian Piper faced one of the saddest situations in life, the death of his baby grandson Otis. Otis died aged just 7 weeks. He and his family were greatly helped by Rainbows Children’s Hospice in Leicestershire. I met Ian while I was giving a talk to a garden club, and Ian told me of his fund-raising activities for Rainbows. I’m sharing his story here as I feel we all need inspiring people at the moment. Ian and his endeavours remind me there are wonderful people in this world doing good things and helping others. Here’s Ian’s story, in his own words.
“Five and a half years ago our first grandson died at Rainbows when he was seven weeks old. The support and kindness provided inspired us to see if we could help in any way. We especially loved the remembrance garden. Otis’s name was engraved on a glass leaf and displayed on the memorial tree in the centre of the garden.
“The opportunity for us to start fundraising happened when we had a glut of pumpkins on my allotment in October 2021. As we are not permitted to sell allotment produce, my wife, Jayne, suggested that we could put them at the end of the drive of our house and ask for donations which would go directly to Rainbows. It proved to be surprisingly successful, so we decided we would continue with other surplus produce from the plot. In the spring of 2022 and all through the growing season that year we continued to raise funds from produce. I said to Jayne that it would be wonderful if we could raise £1000 by the end of the year. She was doubtful and I tended to agree.
Fruit and vegetables for the Rainbows fundraiser.
“What we didn’t anticipate was that the lovely people of Ravenshead would take on board what we were doing as enthusiastically as they did. Not only that but the other plotholders of the allotments where mine is located also became involved. By the end of 2022 we did pass the £1000 mark.
“As a result I kept the Ravenshead Facebook pages updated with how things were progressing. To our surprise and delight, things snowballed. Other plotholders offered extra produce and brought it for me to put out. Not only that, but many of the village residents started to bring surplus vegetable plants, plus both indoor and outdoor plants, fruit and produce from their own gardens too. On occasion we looked a little like a mini garden centre!
“As I moderate one of the Ravenshead Facebook pages I began to photograph what was available and post it on not only that page but the other Ravenshead pages too. It has allowed us to continue fundraising and in addition we are having really lovely conversations with many residents that we would not normally have met. We see people now driving past most days to see what there is available- sometimes even before I have had the chance to post on the page. Currently the total that we have managed to raise thanks to the generosity of people who have donated is around £4300. Our next target is £5000 which we should hopefully achieve by the summer, fingers crossed!
“It has been really wonderful to think that we are helping Rainbows in a small way as a thank you for how kind they were when we needed them.
“We will certainly be continuing to raise as much in funds as we possibly can for as long as we can. I must thank Jayne for having the original inspiration in the first instance.
“It just shows that a germ of an idea no matter how small can prove to be so worthwhile. I would strongly urge anyone to try and engage their local community in any way possible. It’s surprising how supportive people can be. Rainbows is the most wonderful facility for families with children with life-limiting conditions and any contribution, no matter how small, can make a huge difference.”
Thank you for reading my blog. I wrote about Rainbows hospice here:
Emma Thick, deputy head gardener at Thenford Arboretum
A Shepherd: A person who herds, tends and guards. Watches over and protects.
I looked up the word shepherd when deputy head gardener Emma Thick described herself as a ‘snowdrop shepherd.’ It’s an apt description. For Emma, who works at Thenford Arboretum, tends, protects and cares for over 1,500 varieties of snowdrop, some of them rare and unusual.
Emma has been in charge of the collection for ten years, and spending the day with her is a revealing and exciting journey of discovery. I ask Emma which is her favourite snowdrop, with so many to choose from. Immediately, she walks over to a patch of Galanthus ‘Mrs McNamara’ an elwesii variety. It starts flowering at Christmas and, in a cold winter such as this one, will still be in flower at the end of February. “It has big, broad, glaucus blue-green leaves, single inner-markings like a Chinese bridge, and is a very bright white. It sounds strange, but some snowdrops are not very white. This is a beautiful clear white flower. If I could only have one snowdrop it would be ‘Mrs McNamara’ always.”
The last few flowers of G ‘Mrs McNamara’.
When Emma first started working at Thenford, the owners Lord and Lady Heseltine, had amassed a collection of 350 types of snowdrop. Since then, the collection has grown, and in June 2023 Thenford was awarded National Collection status by Plant Heritage.
G. Plicatus ‘Henham no 1’
Snowdrops cluster around the base of specimen trees within the arboretum. But Emma says you don’t need to have a woodland setting or trees to grow snowdrops successfully. She has been trialling growing snowdrops at the base of hydrangeas. The shrubs take up water in the summer, giving snowdrops the period of dormancy they need. Then hydrangeas provide colour in late summer and autumn.
Emma recommends all hydrangea varieties for this plant partnership. At Thenford there are hundreds of mop-head, lacecap and paniculata types. These are low maintenance as well as being perfect planting companions for snowdrops.
G. ‘Pat Mason’ under a mop-head hydrangeaG. ‘James Backhouse’
Snowdrops can successfully be grown in containers. Thenford has a topiary garden with a collection of Italian urns containing black grass, Ophiopogon planiscapus, and snowdrops.
There’s also a plant theatre, created for auriculas, but in winter it’s used for snowdops and daffodils.
Snowdrops in teracotta pots look striking set against the black painted background, and it’s an opportunity to look closely and compare markings.
G. ‘Jedburgh’
I asked Emma which other varieties would she recommend. Here’s her list of top snowdrops to grow.
G. ‘Daisy Sunshine’. Snowdrop photos copyright Emma Thick.
‘Daisy Sunshine’ is not a lot different from the horde of nivalis sandersii group but quite a good, reliable yellow. Again, love the name . Everyone could find room for a bit of ‘Daisy Sunshine’ to brighten a corner of a garden, says Emma.
G. ‘Miss Behaving.’
“Galanthus reginae-olgae subsp vernalis ‘Miss Adventure’. Again, great name, quirky snowdrop. The spathe has mutated to become petal like. Has the bonus of having the outer petals maker green too, so would probably count as an inverse poculiform or I-poc for short . We grow her sister ‘Miss Behaving’ near by.
G. ‘Hill Poe’
‘Hill Poe’. A very frilly full double that does nothing but want to grow. Looks great in a big clump.
G ‘Hill Poe’G. ‘E.A.Bowles’
‘E.A. Bowles’ is a pure white poculiform (inners and outers same length) almost shaped like a tiny lampshade. An exquisite beauty, not always the easiest to grow.
Flowers in October. Perfectly normal for this subsp to do that. And happens to coincide with the red leaf fall of Acer palmatum ‘Skeeters Broom.’ Just exquisite and an unexpected delight on our October open days.
G. ‘Tilebarn Jamie’G. ‘Cider with Rosie’
Woronowii ‘Cider with Rosie’ a green-tipped variety of Galanthus woronowii which I adore. One to admire up close as it is not the biggest or most dramatic.
G. ‘Rosemary Burnham’
Galanthus elwesii ‘Rosemary Burnham.’ A virescent snowdrop which people probably either love or hate depending on how you like green flowers. Again, grows well here at Thenford but not for others. Best appreciated up close.
G. ‘Greenfinch.’
‘Greenfinch’ an excellent green tipped snowdrop. The green is really embedded in the outer petals so it appears very pinched.
G. ‘Blewbury Tart.’
‘Blewbury Tart’. Not a pretty flower really, but looks good in a clump. It is my mum Cherry Thick’s favourite. It was found by Alan Street in Oxfordshire. Again, best admired up close.”
I asked Emma for advice on planting snowdrops. She said wait until the bulbs are dormant before moving them. Snowdrops produce just one set of roots each year. Any damage to the roots while digging up or planting means the bulb will not be able to take up enough nutrient for the following year. This means the bulb will either fail to flower or die.
Thenford opens for 20 days a year. Rupert Heseltine explained his parents, Lord and Lady Heseltine purchased the house and it’s surrounding garden in 1976. Over the next 25 years, their priority was to restore the 40 acres of woodland. Debris was cleared, rotten or fallen trees removed and replaced with many rare and unusual varieties. The arboretum now extends to 70 acres with 3,000 trees and shrubs. There are 113 ‘Champion Trees.’ The medieval fish ponds and their interconnecting canal and lake have all been restored and two new lakes have been added.
The walled garden was being used as a sheep field when the Heseltines bought the property. It has now been restored and features trained fruit trees, step-over apples, and a range of greenhouses containing exotic plants and citrus.
To book tickets to visit Thenford, see the website:
The 2026 Snowdrop Spectacular will be held on Saturday, February 14.
Thank you for reading my blog. I hope you’ve enjoyed these photos and found the information from Emma inspiring. There’s an interview with Emma on my Instagram account at karengimson1.
I enjoyed every second of my visit to the gardens and I’m certainly looking forward to visiting again through the seasons, and to viewing the snowdrops again next February. It’s a ‘must visit’ on my calendar!
I started writing this blog with the intention of spreading good news about all things gardening. With that in mind, I thought you’d like to hear about some new events being planned for Broadwell in Gloucestershire. The first event was a Christmas wreath-making course reviewed here on the blog. See below for details.
Rachel de Thame has now announced plans for a snowdrop painting workshop in association with celebrated artist Debbie George.
Debbie George Rachel’s garden, from her latest book, A Flower Garden for Pollinators published by Greenfinch/ Quercus Books with detailed botanical illustrations by Lauren Lusk and photographs by Jonathan Buckley
I was lucky enough to get a chance to wander about Rachel’s garden while foraging for foliage for my Christmas wreath, and there under the huge, hundred year old trees, I spotted masses of little green shoots. Rachel had no idea the snowdrops were there when she bought the house- it was a glorious and very welcome surprise when drifts of them emerged.
Rachel says she’s very excited to be teaming up with Debbie George for the snowdrop painting workshop and galanthus appreciation day. “It’s a rare opportunity to be guided by Debbie through the process of painting snowdrops. I’ll be sharing growing tips and discussing the passion that these tiny flowers inspire in enthusiasts. Then we’ll go outside to pick snowdops from the many hundreds growing in the garden for you to paint, with Debbie on hand to help and advise.”
Another lovely example of Debbie’s paintings
All materials are supplied, as well as a three course lunch and refreshments throughout the day. There will be a selection of unusual snowdops available to buy, supplied by Ashwood Nurseries.
Debbie’s richly-illustrated book documenting her life and work was published in March 2024 by Rylett Press.
For more than thirty years, Debbie has painted still lifes – primarily flowers and pottery, sometimes landscape, and often all three in a single composition. Her paintings are today highly collected and appreciated around the world as joyful pictorial celebrations of the English seasons, of country life and the natural world.
Based on conversations with Debbie and drawing on her personal archive, the book provides a rare glimpse into the life and working methods of the artist. Packed with more than 200 illustrations, it shows that the clarity and sophistication of Debbie George’s art is the result of continuous practice and experimentation. This is a timely celebration of a lifetime of painting flowers, pottery and landscape.
“For Debbie George admirers and collectors, this celebration of her work is long overdue. It’s wonderful to see the full range of her paintings, spanning more than thirty years, collected together in one volume. Each turn of the page reveals another image to be poured over by all who share Debbie’s love of nature and feel lifted by her unique portrayal of Earth’s riches, however small they be.” – Rachel de Thame, BBC TV presenter, garden writer and columnist.
Snowdrops and catkins
I hope you’ve enjoyed viewing these beautiful illustrations as much as I have. They have certainly brightened a very cold wet day here in Leicestershire. Thank you for reading my blog. Sign up for e mail notifications for more reviews, garden visits, and general news from my wildlife-filled, English country garden.
For more information on courses contact info@broadwellmanor.com.
Thank you everyone who read my review and left a comment on the blog. John Tilton has won the prize copy. Please get in touch John by sending an e mail to k.gimson@btinternet.com.
Many thanks to the publishers, Dorling Kindersley, for sending a copy of the book to give away.
I have no hesitation in recommending Lucy Chamberlain’s new book. If ever you’ve wanted to have a go at growing food, look out for the book. It will set you on the right path for success.
Lucy shows us how to analyse our gardens to create ‘zones.’ It’s then a case of right plant for the right place. There’s literally something to grow in any situation.
Sunny aspect suggestions Mapping your plotGive crops the best start in lifePart shade Lucy’s own garden as a case studyBeautiful as well as productive. I wrote this over on instagram at karengimson1 .
Thank you for reading my blog. Please sign up for e mails and notifications. More book reviews to follow…. Happy New Year! Karen
The publishers have kindly sent one copy to give away in a prize draw. Please leave your name in the comments box below to be included in the draw. UK entries only.
One of my favourite writers is Lucy Chamberlain who manages to capture the magic of gardening and makes us want to rush outside and get growing! In her new book published today she tells us exactly how to grow just about anything anywhere. And it’s all written in an easy to understand format, without being either too simple or too complicated. That’s the beauty of Lucy, she’s able to strike just the right note and make it relevant to all gardeners.
Lucy’s garden
Lucy uses her own fruit and vegetable plot as a case study. I’ve watched Lucy create this garden over the past few years and admired just how much produce she manages to pack in there, as well as making it look beautiful with dwarf hedges, espalier apples and raised beds.
Contents page
Growing plants in the wrong place is one of the main reasons for crop failure. Lucy splits the book into ‘growing zones’ covering all the situations growers are likely to face when starting to garden. Sunny and sheltered, sunny and moist, open and cold, shady and wet, shady and dry, for example.
Several case studies are related, including a garden attached to large detached property, a compact garden, and an allotment. Lucy shows how to map areas of the garden to work out what will grow successfully in each position.
Mapping the plot What will grow in different areasChoosing plants to grow in full sunLucy’s garden where she grows 150 varieties of fruit, veg and herbs
In each area, top performing plants are suggested. I grow hazelnuts in dry shade, and each year I harvest a bumper crop of tasty nuts for making cakes and biscuits. They really are far more delicious than anything you can buy in the shops.
Other star performers for part-shadeAbout the author
I’ve known Lucy for about 20 years and have always admired her get-up-and-go. Her enthusiasm for growing fruit and vegetables translates so well in her writing for newspapers, magazines and books. I also love the podcast ‘Talking Heads’ which she hosts with Saul Walker. Real gardeners, talking about real gardening. It’s a joy to listen to them, to be honest.
Back cover of the book
I have no hesitation in recommending Lucy’s latest book. The ‘right crop, right place’ principal is beautifully explained. Lucy breaks down the environments found in gardens into seven zones, even incorporating indoor spaces. The book is packed with expert guidance on maximising your growing through making the best of what you have. Grow Food Anywhere will soon get you harvesting fresh, healthy pesticide-free fruit, veg and herbs. What a great way to start 2025!
Please leave your name below and one winner will be randomly selected on Sunday 6pm. Editor’s decision is final and there’s no cash alternative.
Thank you for reading my blog and Happy New Year everyone!
Everyone busy at a table set out in Rachel de Thame’s hall.
Some opportunities are too good to be missed! I’d been watching announcements for weeks, but couldn’t attend any of the dates offered. Then all of a sudden two people dropped out on the one day I was free. So this week I unexpectedly found myself driving to Gloucestershire to take part in one of Rachel de Thame’s first Christmas wreath-making courses. I can still hardly believe my luck!
I wish I’d taken a photograph of the path leading to the front door. It was lined each side with piles of evergreen foliage ready for the course. Mindful of the fact that this was Rachel’s home, I didn’t get my camera out. But it was obvious from the first glance that we were all in for a treat of a day! Stepping inside the front door, Rachel’s entrance hall was set out with a long table and buckets of flowers and foliage in all four corners. There was such an array of different foliage materials, much of it pruned from Rachel’s garden. I fell in love with the pink hydrangea heads and orange rosehips straight away. I also decided on using the skimmia kew green as a background for my wreath.
Rachel first demonstrated how to make a wreath using a copper ring and moss attached with reel wire. Rachel was using wire she’d saved from previous years and recycled. The base of the wreath was entirely conifer sprays trimmed to about 5” and attached first to the left and then the right all the way round the circle. Flowers, berries, and seed heads could then be attached on top. Arit Anderson who was guest host for the day, demonstrated making a wreath using the same copper ring, but with moss attached with twine. Arit’s wreath was a looser design using twigs, seed heads, grey pussy willow and grasses. Arit explained the wreath could be safely composed after Christmas, as all the components would eventually compost down. The copper rings could be saved for another year. Even the ribbon we used was biodegradable.
Rachel’s wreath, showing the fir sprays being attached to the mossy base. Arit with the mossy base attached with compostable twine.Arit displaying one of the wreaths in the window. Rachel and Arit with fir cones, dried hydrangea heads and foraged grass and poppy seed heads.
Before getting started on our own wreaths, Rachel demonstrated how to make an arrangement for a fireplace. I must admit, I wanted to take both the arrangement and the fireplace home!
Surprisingly, that huge arrangement all started with a relatively small glass bowl. Rachel rolled up some chicken wire and used florist tape to attach it to the bowl. She added long lengths of ivy, Portuguese laurel and pittosporum. Then colour was added with spray chrysanthemums and grey pussy willow. I have walked past endless amounts to trailing ivy in my garden and never realised it could be turned into anything as beautiful as this. But now, I’ll have a go!
Our day included a three course lunch. We had home-made soup, followed by a buffet of amazing salads, followed by chocolate brownies and cream. Plenty of tea was also consumed! The table in Rachel’s kitchen was set out with such style. I really enjoyed every second I was there! Everything was literally perfect.
Beautiful flowers set out on the table
Best of all though, I had the company of the famous Woodapuss sitting next to me. I’d seen her many times on the television. I can report that she is as lovely in real life as on the TV. Such a calm and happy cat, very affectionate. I was quite happy to sit there making a fuss of her. A highlight of my day.
After lunch we wandered around Rachel’s garden foraging for materials to use for our wreaths. It was such a treat to see the walled garden where Rachel grows her tulips and cut flowers. The walls are such a gorgeous soft, creamy colour, and we found holes were solitary bees had made nests.
Back to the house, and we all made a start on our wreaths. I decided to go for a base of eucalyptus and rosemary, for the scent. Then I wove rosehips in to the mix, and finished with two hydrangea heads. Arit showed me how to gather the hydrangea heads into a ball if they were too spread out, and tie them at the base. This made a much better focal point. We then chose a gorgeous burgundy ribbon to finish off.
And here it is! Displayed on Rachel’s front door which is painted a deep glossy green.
What a great day we all had! I learned many new techniques in floristry, made some new like-minded friends, fussed Rachel’s cat, and went home with a beautiful wreath for my own front door. A really wonderful, perfect day.
Thank you Rachel and Arit for such a happy and memorable event! A truly special start to our Christmas festivities.
Thanks for reading my blog. Rachel has plans for lots more courses and events at Broadwell Manor in 2025. To find out more contact info@broadwellmanor.com. Or follow on Instagram @racheldethame.
Thank you for leaving a comment on my review for Nick Hamilton’s new book, The Right Jeans.
The prize draw was won by the reader who left this comment: “The wonderful Geoff Hamilton. This sounds a super book. Geoff is one of my gardening heroes. I used to watch him avidly on Gardeners’ World – he was a huge inspiration to me. I have visited Barnsdale – it’s a wonderful garden.”
Please get in touch and send your address so I can post out the book. If there’s no reply within 2 days, I’ll do another draw.
When I was growing up, the television was often switched on in the background in the lounge. My three little brothers played with huge piles of Lego bricks, trying to build the the world’s largest tower. They spent hours constructing the buildings, then crash, down they came. Undeterred, they tried again and again. Dad often joined in to help, or he was busy holding together bits of Airfix models while the boys glued and painted Spitfires and Lancaster bombers. Meanwhile, I sat on the sofa with pens and paper making Spirograph patterns, or concentrating on a ‘painting by numbers’ canvas. Occasionally we’d look up to watch the cartoons playing in the background. Tom and Jerry and the Road Runner were popular. Dad loved the cowboy Western-type films. The High Chaparral was a favourite. Mum on the other hand rarely sat down to watch tv. With four children to care for, meals to cook from scratch, jumpers to knit and clothes to sew, she didn’t have time. All my dresses were home-made until I was 18. Then I started making them myself. However, the highlight of mum’s week was the gardening programme on Friday night. That was the only time I saw her sit down and avidly watch something. Geoff Hamilton was presenter of the programme called Gardeners’ World, and every week he fashioned something for the garden from scraps of wood, bits of plumbing and old drainage pipes. And, basically, if you could use a saw and had a few nails to hand, you could create something useful and beautiful, such as a herb table, complete with a tiled section for resting your cup of tea. Mum was very taken with these ideas because they made gardening affordable and fun. She could have the cottage garden she wanted, without it costing a fortune. And what we were witnessing as children was a life lesson in love. Dad thought the world of mum and would do anything to make her happy. So after watching the television on a Friday, dad would spend the weekend creating something for the garden for mum. One day, after watching Geoff, mum decided she would have a pond, and dad duly dug out an amazing pond on two levels with a stream between them. The garden gave them both much happiness and a shared interest. Sadly Dad passed away in 2011, but the garden lives on, and every year my brothers paint the furniture he made to keep it in good condition. All these happy memories were revived by a newly-published book, The Right Jeans, written by Geoff’s son Nick. The book chronicles Geoff’s journey from the early days with occasional appearances on the programme, to being lead presenter for Gardeners’ World. Geoff appeared on the programme for 17 years from 1979 to 1996. It’s a heartwarming and amusing story as Nick reveals all the background stories to the programme. Safe to say, Geoff had a great sense of humour and what you saw was what you got. He was straightforward and down to earth. He didn’t put on an act, he was the person you saw on the screen, open and honest. I feel it would spoil the surprise to reveal any of the stories contained the book. Suffice to say the book leaves you with a lovely, happy feeling and you’ll smile all the way through. I have no hesitation in recommending The Right Jeans to any gardeners -or potential gardeners. The book would make a lovely Christmas present for anyone. You’ll learn a lot about Geoff, but also get a behind the scenes glimpse into how television programmes were made in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Suffice to say, things have changed since then, quite a lot!
All photos copyright of Barnsdale Gardens.
Geoff was famous for creating themed gardens such as the cottage garden, the artisan garden, paradise garden and tiny herb garden made from drainage pipes set on end as planters for weeping rosemary and thyme. Basic materials were all that was needed, and no special skills required to create his inventive garden projects. It’s no wonder he was such a popular presenter- and we all remember him so well.
Geoff was ahead of his time when he advocated organic gardening. His fruit, vegetables and flowers were all grown without chemicals which was a forward-thinking idea at the time.
Geoff was refreshingly ordinary – and I mean that in a complimentary way. Previous presenters wore suits and ties to present the programme, whereas Geoff always wore jeans and wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and show muddy knees. People were able to relate to Geoff because he was ‘one of us.’
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my review and about how the programme was the highlight of the week in our house when I was young. Nick took over running the gardens at Barnsdale when Geoff sadly died in 1996. The Right Jeans is the second in a trilogy. The first book relates Geoff’s life in publishing and running a garden centre before getting into television. And there’s a third book to follow, continuing the story of Barnsdale Gardens
Back cover of the book
Biography from the book.
Excerpt from the book.
Do any of you remember watching Geoff on the television? Were you inspired to create something having watched the programme. Please get in touch and let me know.
The publishers have given me one copy to give away. Please leave a comment below to be included in the prize draw which will be made on Sunday 15th December. A name will be randomly selected. Sorry, UK only entries. Usual rules apply. Author’s decision is final and there’s no cash alternative. Thanks again for reading my blog. Please subscribe below to see future posts.
John Stewart is the lucky prize winner of Regional Cooking of England. It’s a gorgeous book. I can highly recommend it. I’m very grateful to Lorenz Books for supplying a prize draw copy to give away. Many thanks to all who read my review and got in touch. Have a great gardening, and cooking week! Karen
A Culinary Tour with More Than 280 Traditional Recipes.
Carol Wilson
Published by Lorenz Books
Hardback. 672 pages. £25
ISBN 9780754835462
One copy to give away in a prize draw. See below.
My grandma Betty’s specialities were fairy cakes smothered in ‘hundreds and thousands’ – lurid-coloured sugar strands. In fact hundreds and thousands found their way onto a surprising number of puddings. Everything from strawberry trifle, to tarts and sponge puddings. They were her little way of adding sparkle. It must have been a fad of the 70s and 80s, as I haven’t seen them used to decorate puddings for at least 30 years. I have fond memories of family get togethers and grandma’s cakes. Me and my three brothers ate a prodigious amount of sugary puddings- and amazingly all of us are stick thin! We also played outdoors a lot, using up all that energy from those calorie-filled meals. Reading Carol Wilson’s new book Regional Cooking of England, brought back all those happy memories of family food. In Carol’s book there are no hundreds and thousands- but there are all the stalwart recipes of my childhood; jam roly poly, Eve’s pudding, bread and butter pudding, and golden syrup sponge. We were brought up on jam tarts, lemon meringue and Bakewell pudding. In fact, my Mum still makes Bakewell pudding for our Sunday lunch. And very delicious it is too! As we get older, we think back and try to recreate those happy family memories of carefree days. I just remember lots of laughter and joy. I wasn’t aware of any trials and tribulations in the world, just a feeling of security and warmth. How I would love to go back to those days. A time when nothing mattered outside of those four walls. I realise now how blessed I was, having wonderful, loving parents and grandparents, siblings and cousins, aunts and uncles – all in the same village, close by. The power of a book, to bring back memories. I can highly recommend Carol Wilson’s culinary tour. You might even find that it sparks your own time-travelling memories into the past!
It really is a beautiful book- probably the most beautiful cookery book I’ve ever seen to be honest. It combines glorious english scenic photography alongside mouthwatering food.
My i-phone photos of the book only give an indication of the photos. The real thing is obviously much better quality.
Orchards of the South East of England Introduction Recipes include soups, casseroles, main courses, breakfast and puddings Jam roly poly One of my favourite recipes. Perfect for a summer family party. We had many of these fun-filled days, not special occasions just ordinary family get-togethers.Another favourite. My mum still grows gooseberries for crumbles and tarts. This is a lovely recipe I’ve tried this week with my own Hinnomaki gooseberries.We used to enjoy this dish this, but didn’t know the name. Very nutritious and filling.Wild foods are mentioned. We used to pick mushrooms in the back fields behind our house. Some of them were the size of dinner plates.My grandparents grew many of their vegetables. Long lines of peas, beans and potatoes. My grandmother had a huge patch of raspberries. So sweet and tasty in June and July. She kept dozens of hens, so there were fresh eggs every day. She sold them at the garden gate and at the two little shops in the village. In Whetstone, there was a butchers, a general store, a post office. Mrs Pinder’s grocery store sold just about everything. All gone now. Even the post office has closed.Summer fruit pudding. Photos supplied by Lorenz Books/ Anness Publishing.
More details about the book, taken from the back cover:
Sussex pond pudding, fruit crumbles, trifle, steak and oyster pie, raised pork pies, toad in the hole, scones, stotties, Bosworth jumbles… In this book you’ll find everything from old-fashioned favourites and current classics to less well known historical dishes (a few of which might raise an eyebrow), along with many wonderful local recipes.
This is a celebration of England’s food, with dishes to represent its heritage, old and new. The recipes are easy to follow, with accessible ingredients, and achievable in today’s modern kitchens. Introductory chapters detail the history of cooking and eating in England, the feasts and festivals, high days and holidays, eating habits and ingredients. A glorious cookbook offering the taste of England, and a fascinating glimpse of the past.
Discover the delights of the full English breakfast, the tin miner’s meal of a filling Cornish pasty, and the abundance of a traditional afternoon tea with dainty scones and cucumber sandwiches. Enjoy the unassailable family ritual of the classic Sunday lunch. Here are childhood classics – shepherd’s pie and jammy tarts – as well as elaborate old-fashioned celebration centrepieces such as raised game pie and wobbling, domed blancmange.
Try regional dishes such as Sussex Smokies, Lancashire Hotpot, Pan Haggerty, Bakewell Pudding and Yorkshire Parkin, and compare the merits of Bath Buns, Devon Flats, and Goosenargh Cakes with your cup of tea. This sumptuous volume is both a history and an inspiration, and for many a journey down memory lane.
Editor CAROL WILSON is a food writer and historian who has contributed to many publications including The Times, The Illustrated London News, Heritage, Food and Wine, and Gastronomica. She has appeared on television promoting British food and discussing the history and usage of traditional ingredients. Her other books include Scottish Heritage Food and Cooking, The Liquorice Cookbook, and The Bacon Cookbook. She is a member of the Guild of Food Writers.
Please leave a comment and your name in the box below to be entered in the prize draw for one copy. A winner will be randomly selected on Sunday 14th July at 6pm. Sorry, UK entries only. The editor’s decision is final and there’s no cash alternative. Please check back on Sunday evening if you enter this competition. If there are no replies to my announcement, I’ll redo the draw and chose another winner. Thank you for reading my blog.
For a modern floral arrangement, four small bottles in a wood and metal holder make life very easy indeed.
These bottles remind me of the ones we used to get at primary school containing milk. Every day we had rich, creamy milk which we sipped through a straw. I loved it! Our teacher, ever ready to put science into action, got us to pour the cream, the top of the milk, into a jam jar. A lid would be added and we each had to shake the jar for as long as we could. The resulting butter was spread on crumpets warmed on the woodburner in the corner of the classroom. We all took it in turn to be ‘wood monitor’ and had to fetch the logs from outdoors. We also had a pencil, paper and skipping rope monitor. It taught us duty and responsibility at a young age. I can’t remember anyone complaining about their tasks. Probably the only thing I didn’t like about school was the outside toilets. They were freezing in the winter and full of dust and spiders. You had to run from the classroom right round the other side of the playground to reach the little row of toilets. And you had to dash there in all weathers, even if it was snowing or raining. Just before I moved schools, a new indoor cloakroom was built and I can distinctly remember everyone being very excited about the new, posh indoor loos! No more spiders or slip-sliding about in the snow. Happy days!
My pretty little floral arrangement was a gift from Jonathan Moseley after we worked together at the Belvoir Castle Flower and Garden Show. Jonathan was the celebrity speaker giving talks and demonstrations on floristry, and I was running planting sessions for children. I loved Jonathan’s green and white selection for the little bottles. He chose English anemones and Italian ranunculus. Aren’t they beautiful!
Jonathan is well known for using flowers grown in his own garden and weaving them into arrangements using British tulips and lilies. Here’s some Lily of the Valley from his Derbyshire garden. The scent was glorious!
He added cow parsley from his own garden too. He mentioned that you can use cow parsley even when flowers are going over, as the little green seed heads are just as pretty.
Scent is essential in flower arrangements and Jonathan added white hyacinths into the mix. I grow Carnegie White for my flower posies.
I think my favourite flowers are these frilly white ones. They lasted at least two weeks, as I changed the water daily and snipped a tiny amount off the bottom of each stem.
I’m growing white anemone coronaria ‘Mount Everest’ in a large pot in the greenhouse. These have provided a few blooms each week since February. Farmer Gracy and Taylors sell corms for planting in autumn or spring. Soak the corms in water for a few hours before planting and space them 10cm apart and 5cm deep. They can be grown outdoors, but I find the rain spoils the flowers, if you want to use them for floristry.
I’m particularly fond of green flowers, so this one fitted in nicely.
Aren’t flowers just amazing! This one is a white and green ‘Pon Pon’ ranunculus. They remind me of a flamenco-ruffled dress!
Green ranunculus. Flowers looked just as beautiful from both sides. This would make a fantastic display for a dinner table. It’s not too high that guests can’t see each other. The bottles and stand set is available on Jonathan’s website.
Jonathan is a writer, broadcaster and demonstrator as well as an ambassador for British flowers, and regularly appears on television programmes such as Alan Titchmarsh’s Love Your Weekend.
Are you growing any flowers for home floristry this year? Get in touch and let me know how you are getting on with your growing plans. Please leave a comment in the box below. Have a happy gardening week! And thank you for reading my blog.
Rhubarb is one of my favourite crops from the garden. It takes virtually no maintenance, comes up every year without any fuss and provides food from early spring to summer, for a one off payment for the plant.
To be honest, my rhubarb plant didn’t cost a penny. It was a division from my father-in-law’s garden. I’ve had it for at least 10 years, and he grew it in his garden from the moment he bought the house in the late 1950s. I love money-saving crops and ones that are easy to grow.
My rhubarb is growing in a semi-shaded spot under a hawthorn hedge. The secret to its success is the compost bins sited right next to it. All the nutrient-rich liquid feed seeps out from the bottom of the compost bins straight into my rhubarb patch. Rhubarb is a hungry plant and usually growers plant it on top of a pile of manure. I’ve not used manure here for many years as it brings in so many weed seeds. But my plants are healthy and thriving thanks to my home-made compost and liquid feed.
Let me know if you try out my recipe. The granola is especially useful as it can be used as a breakfast cereal, or sprinkled over fruit and cream or yoghurt, or even ice cream to add crunch, flavour and nutrition. The idea for the rhubarb cream came from Jill Fish, as mentioned in the magazine. Jill’s recipe used only rhubarb, but I had used most of my available crop and just had a small amount, so added an apple, and it worked perfectly!
Many thanks for reading my blog. Have a great gardening weekend!
I love helping the next generation get into gardening, so I was pleased to be asked to host the children’s planting sessions at Belvoir Castle’s May Garden Show.
The Morley family with their potted plants. Parents gave permission for photos to be shared.
Nearly 400 children selected out bedding plants and potted them up into small pots to take home. What surprised me most was the children knew what the plants were. They recognised snapdragons, petunias, marigolds and verbena. Many of them had done some gardening before and were not at all tentative about getting their hands dirty and handling compost. They were straight into it! And they were careful with the little plants which had been growing in multi-cell trays. I didn’t have to say to a single child that the plants were delicate. They treated them kindly!
All ages joined in from babies to teenagers.Louis and his parents with their potted plants
We started the sessions in the old kitchens as it was raining on day one. But by day two it was a lovely sunny day and we moved outdoors to a marquee on the castle front lawn. You really couldn’t get a better setting for a garden show, with the castle in the background.
A glorious setting for a spring garden show.
Children were also given the chance to select some seeds to take home to plant. These were flower, salad and vegetable seeds. Again, I was astounded at how knowledgeable the children were. One boy aged 8 was delighted to find a packet of seeds to grow cucamelons. “I love cucamelons!” he said. The sunflowers were popular. Children sifted through the seeds to find their favourites. Cucumber was a top choice, but also peas, cabbage and beetroot. One little boy took Italian globe artichoke seeds, and then told me the flowers are good for bees. One couldn’t decide between mangetout or climbing beans. I let him take both. Children listened really carefully to my instructions on looking after the plants and planting them out into bigger containers or the garden. Plants were carefully watered and labels written.
Between the planting sessions I ran mini-talks on getting children into gardening and helping pollinators and wildlife.
I was so pleased the planting sessions proved popular. But I also learned something too. Children are a lot more knowledgable about gardening and the environment than I thought. There seems to be just bad news on the television and in newspapers all the time. I’ve got bogged down and worried by it all. Many things I cannot change weigh heavily on my mind. But those children I met at the show were full of joy, positivity and confidence. They care about plants and nature and they are our future. After spending a few days with them, I feel buoyed up by their enthusiasm too. I’ll carry with me their smiles and their happy chatter for some time to come, and I’ll remember how happy I felt helping them to garden and chatting to them about our shared love of growing plants and helping wildlife.
The children’s planting sessions were sponsored by Dobbies Garden Centres. Here’s manager Paul Coley from Mountsorrel garden centre who fully supported the children’s planting event and helped select plants and products. All the plants, compost, seeds, labels and watering cans were donated by Dobbies. They also donated bug hotels and mini-planting kits as props for my talks and advice-desk sessions. Many thanks to them for their generous sponsorship and support.
Celebrity speaker at the show was international florist Jonathan Moseley who gave me lots of hints and tips on giving talks to an audience. It’s thanks to him that I’m zooming around the garden club and u3a club circuit in the midlands giving talks on garden design and horticulture. Jonathan is a super-talented florist, but also a very kind and generous person. I’m very grateful for his help and encouragement. It’s amazing isn’t it how a few kind words and some genuine advice can propel you in a direction you never thought of!
Belvoir Castle – home to the 11th Duke and Duchess of Rutland in Leicestershire.
Thank you for reading my blog. You are amongst 1,200 readers a week! I’m grateful for your continued loyalty and support. Have any of you visited Belvoir Castle? Do you garden with your children or grandchildren? Please leave a comment in the box below. Have a great gardening weekend everyone!
I wrote about creating a show garden at Belvoir Castle here:
Following my recent post on the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Azalea Bowl at Exbury Gardens, here are further details of events for the rest of the year.
Highlights include:
June – In collaboration with the Friends of The New Forest Airfields, a children’s art exhibition to coincide with the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Exbury House was requisitioned by the Admiralty, commissioned as ‘stone frigate’ HMS Mastodon and used for D-Day planning.
Also in June will be the 300th anniversary of landscape designer William Gilpin’s birth. A proponent of the Picturesque style, he promoted the idea that ‘nature knew best’ and encouraged Exbury’s owner at the time, William Mitford, to open up a view from Exbury House to the Isle of Wight, install a ha-ha and create the Glade, all of which still remain today.
Dads can also get half price entrance to the Gardens on Father’s Day 16 June, plus there will be a Model Railway exhibition in the Engine Shed 15-16 June and an Austin Counties Car show 16 June. These are all free with garden admission.
July – For Dragonfly Week, experts Ruary Mackenzie Dodds and Kari de Koenigswarter will be leading walks and talks on these fascinating insects centred around Exbury’s Dragonfly Pond, a British Dragonfly Society hotspot.
August/September – seasonal spotlight on hydrangeas with guided tours by Exbury’s garden team, and over the summer holidays there will be Garden Games for younger visitors throughout the grounds.
Photo Stephen Studd
Exbury Gardens was created by Lionel de Rothschild, a member of the famous banking family, who bought the Exbury Estate in the New Forest in 1919. Within twenty years he had created a stunning woodland garden of some 200 acres, bred over 1200 hybrids – many of which still survive today – and helped introduce one of the most famous rhododendrons of all, R. yakushimanum. Lionel, who was a passionate plantsman, was fittingly described as ‘a banker by hobby but a gardener by profession’. He had an artist’s eye and a scientist’s brain.
This Exochorda or Pearl bush was looking spectacular when I visited.
Lionel’s team improved the New Forest soil at Exbury with spent hops to improve the naturally acidic soil and create the perfect growing conditions for the wonderful collection of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, cotoneasters, magnolias, viburnums and many other beautiful woodlanders. Twenty miles of pathway was laid, the same of irrigation buried, and a 100 ft water tower and reservoirs were built to help facilitate the much-needed watering of the gardens. One of the largest man-made rock gardens in Europe was constructed by installing a temporary railway to transport rocks to the 2 ½ acre site and took four years to build and plant.
Camellias thrive at Exbury
Thousands of rhododendrons have been planted over the years and well over 1,000 hybrids have been raised by three generations of the Rothschild family. The gardens also boast many Champion and rare trees and National Collections for Nyssa and Oxydendrum. In recent years, the gardens have been further developed with a new generation of rare and unusual trees and shrubs, new vistas opened up, the season extended with more unusual summer flowering shrubs and strong emphasis on autumn colour, as well as an extension of its 1 ½-mile Rhododendron Line steam railway.
Exbury Gardens’ Azalea Bowl, a firm favourite of mine, is marking its 60th anniversary with the best ever flowering display, thanks to all the high rainfall we’ve had- and no harsh, late spring frosts. So far….
The Exbury Gardens’ gardening team – centre pic from left to right Emma Callan, Chloe Le Poidevin-Holmes, Tom Clarke, Adam Brooks and Emma Bouchard. Photo Cathy Baldock
Planted in 1964 by former head gardener Freddie Wynniatt, under the guidance of then owner Edmund de Rothschild, it surrounds a large pond in the Gardens. It has witnessed numerous marriage proposals and its peak flowering season is between April and May. This bank holiday weekend would be a perfect time to visit.
Photo by Cathy Baldock who works at Exbury. Lovely to see the very dedicated and talented gardening team celebrating the anniversary. I’ve included this second photos as it shows the Azalea Bowl planting. Mounds and waves of colour.
The Gardens’ team are running special azalea-themed guided tours and visitors are being encouraged to share their photographs taken in the Azalea Bowl over the years on social media, tagging #exburyazaleabowl.
Vibrant acers planted in amongst the azaleas. Photos from my last visit to Exbury Garden
Head gardener Tom Clarke said: “The Azalea Bowl is such a magical place and when it’s in full bloom, it’s almost other-worldly. Very fitting that on its 60th anniversary, the plants are looking magnificent as we’ve had so much rain recently, with no late frosts. Our garden team and visitors are really enjoying the spectacle of it.”
Lovely white azalea I especially liked
During the rest of the year, the Azalea Bowl becomes a peaceful space in dappled shade where visitors can pause and reflect, and admire the tranquil beauty of the surrounding woodland landscape.
Paths are lined with vibrant azaleas, rhododendrons and camelliasCamellias flourish at ExburyAnother gorgeous double-flowering camellia
Seasonal spotlight tours, focusing on rhododendrons and azaleas, by the Gardens team will take place on 11 May. Tickets are priced £5 (£3 for Friends of Exbury) and can be booked via the Exbury Gardens website.
Site map of the gardens
Thank you for reading my blog. I loved my last visit to Exbury and am pleased to share my photos again which bring back such happy memories. Have a fabulous Bank Holiday weekend everyone!
I like these multi-packs of seeds as they save money. As well as growing the chives and parsley, I can highly recommend the cinnamon basil which smells and tastes divine. Are you growing herbs from seed this spring? It’s an economical way to grow them and you don’t have to sow the whole packet at once. I often save half a packet for the next year.
These windowsill seed and box kits are recommended. I wrote about them here:
Let me know if you have a go at making these bread rolls. They are such a lovely accompaniment to spring vegetable soup. I’m making cream of celery soup today, using celery grown over winter in the unheated poly tunnel. Tastes nothing like the bland celery you buy from the shops. It’s so sweet and crunchy!
This week’s Garden News Magazine recipe using fruit grown in my garden. Strawberries don’t thaw out well after freezing. They tend to go soft. But frozen fruit is perfect for adding to pies, cakes and puddings. In this instance, I’ve added strawberries to some jam and filled a light sponge cake. Then I’ve added lashings of whipped double cream. I must admit, I had no complaints from the family! 😃
I slice and freeze strawberries in flat plastic trays before bagging them up and using them over the winter. Shop-bought strawberries seem to have no taste, but sun-ripened home-grown fruit is delicious- and free!
You can buy strawberry plants now from the garden centres or online. You can also buy bare-rooted stock which has been cold-treated to produce fruit this year. Strawberries need winter cold to prompt them to flower and fruit, so don’t put them in a greenhouse or other protected space indoors over winter. But you can bring them indoors now to get an earlier crop, if you grow them in containers.
I’ve had the best success growing them in window boxes and lifting them into the greenhouse in early spring. Growing in containers helps defeat the slugs which tend to be a nuisance in wet weather. And also it’s easier to cover them in fine netting to protect from birds. Take care not to use coarse netting, which catches birds’ feet. It can be difficult and distressing trying to untangle a delicate bird from netting. I tend to use fleece now, or micro mesh insect proof netting which has no holes to trap feet.
You’ll notice I mention David Hurrion’s new book. A review is to follow. Very highly recommended. It’s the only guide you’ll ever need for growing anything in raised beds. A very well-written and comprehensive book. Another Dorling Kindersley success story. DK spots all the best writers and is giving us a field day with new titles this year. And David Hurrion is a very well respected horticulturists, teacher and writer. Someone I have no hesitation in recommending for his book and also courses. I note he will be coming to Barnsdale Gardens this year to teach pruning techniques and caring for fruit trees and soft fruit (16 November) and gardening for beginners and plant propagation (3rd August).
Thank you for reading my blog. You are amongst 1,000 readers a week! I’m very grateful for all your support. Come back and read more reviews, and for recipes, and photos of what I’m growing here at bramblegarden. Please also sign up for notifications for future posts.
Many thanks to everyone who read my blog and left a comment.
The random prize draw has been won by Mark Pearce. Please get in touch with me Mark. My e mail is k.gimson@btinternet.com.
The organisers have kindly shared a discount code for anyone wanting to save money on tickets! They say:
“Your discount code is SAVE10 for 10% off standard adult/concession entry tickets. Please note the end date in the Ts & Cs below.
*Discount valid on adult/concessions standard entry tickets for Friday 3rd and Sunday 5th May for entry at 09:30am and 12pm only. Not valid on 1:30pm tickets, added extras, or with any other offer. Ends 23:59 on 16 April 2024. £3.95 transaction fee per e-ticket order. Details correct at time of print.”
Please note, I am not involved in any discussions re tickets. I’m merely passing on their offer in case you wish to use it.
I would also point out that parking prices are rather expensive. So be aware of those when booking any tickets!
Canal Garden.
Thanks again to everyone reading my blog. It’s much appreciated and you are among almost 1,000 readers a week! I’m very grateful for all your support. Have a great gardening week.
Update: I’ve re – run the prize draw as Fiona hasn’t got back to me at all. The new winner is Natalia Clarke at Luckybees. enjoy the book Natalia!
The winner of the prize draw for Susie White’s gorgeous new book, Second Nature is Fiona Pryor. Please e mail me for details, Fiona. My e mail is k.gimson@btinternet.com.
Thank you to everyone who read the review and left a comment. You can read the review here:
Meanwhile, some photos from my garden this weekend. Spring has been a long time coming, and now I can’t bear to be indoors. Every minute is spent in the garden!
Potting shed window. Scented jonquils and forget me nots. Pheasant’s Eye narcissi. Possibly Narcissi Geranium. Wonderful scent. Reliable grower. Always comes back every year and naturalises in long grass.
Tulip Mondial. A lovely double white with green markings. Long lasting flower. Stands up to the weather. Copes with the rain.
Some tiny species tulips growing in an Italian pot. Part of a mixed cut flower collection from Gee Tee Bulbs. Species bulbs will always come back the following year. Bulbs do not have to grow to such a huge size as the Dutch bulbs to re-flower the next year.
A hybrid ‘cowslip.’ A bee has passed pollen from my red primroses to a yellow wild cowslip- and the resulting seedling is this little beauty. Isn’t nature wonderful!
Thank you for reading my blog. Look back for more book reviews and giveaways next week. Have a great Sunday!
The publishers have offered one copy to be given away in a prize draw. Please leave your name in the comments box below to be included.
It’s been a dire winter and spring. Rain-sodden fields, ditches overflowing, waterlogged garden. Tulips dashed by Storm Kathleen. My green fingers are itching to get on the land, and yet to walk about- no squelch about- would do more harm than good! So I’m feeling rather downhearted at the moment. Then into the potting shed comes a wonder of a book, Second Nature. And in it writer Susie White manages to revive my flagging enthusiasm. Susie writes with such honesty and compassion for wildlife it gets me looking to the clouds again to watch the buzzards soaring overhead. Ok, I’m going to get soaked looking up, but it’s worth it. Susie is well-known for creating a glorious garden and nursery at Chesters Walled Garden along Hadrian’s Wall. She talks of the heartbreak of having to leave after 23 years. It must have been devastating, having poured a lifetime’s work into one place. As I read the book, I take a moment to ponder how I will feel when I have to move on. It’s something we must all contemplate – and dread. In my case, will the new owners chop down our wood? Will they build on the meadow. What will happen to all the birds that currently nest in my garden? And I know exactly where they are every year, which nest boxes are occupied by which birds. Books that are well-written draw you in and make you think of the comparisons between their life and yours. The little jolts of memory from childhood gardens and the people who taught us to garden. Writers open their hearts to us, and in return we find ourselves nodding in agreement, finding common ground, mutual understanding. It’s a heart-sing moment when Susie, through her story, jogs a memory for me of my grandfather growing rows of peas and showing me how to shell and eat them fresh from the pod. Such moments are precious.
Not every writer can do this. They try, but Susie is a natural. She talks about returning to Chesters in her dreams : “To smell the resinous warmth emanating from the lean-to greenhouse, the musky tang of the box hedges. I can take myself along the paths, knowing exactly where I’m going, what weeds would always grow in certain spots, what jobs I’d have to do in each month of the year. I can still feel my way around that garden.”
And yet, despite the sadness, the book moves on to focus on the new garden Susie and her husband create, transforming a patch of untended ground into a wildlife-friendly haven, planted with flowering perennials, trees, herbs, vegetables and wildflowers. The garden teems with life: owls, blackbirds, bats, mice, butterflies and bees, all drawn by pollen-rich flowers, ponds and nesting sites.
Susie takes us through the planning and construction phases and describes how to blend a garden with natural surroundings. Her account is filled with ideas, inspiration and advice learned from setbacks and experience.
As Susie talks about visiting her former garden in her dreams, her writing also gives us the gift of ‘walking’ through her new garden and seeing everything she describes. It’s a joyful walk and one I can highly recommend. A special book which has transformative powers. I enjoyed every page and will return to it often!
Contents page.
About Susie:
Susie White is a gardening and travel writer, broadcaster, wildlife photographer and lecturer. A lifelong and passionate gardener, she developed the garden at Chesters Walled Garden on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland. Since then she has created a garden from scratch in a hidden valley on previously uncultivated land.
Beyond the garden, Susie’s interests include the environment, conservation, wildlife, upland hay meadows, archaeology, heritage skills and the landscape and walks of the North Pennines, Northumberland, and the Lake District. She is a regular contributor to the Guardian, BBC Countryfile, The English Garden, Homes and Gardens, and is garden columnist for My Weekly magazine. A member of the Garden Media Guild, and RHS speaker, she is the author of Gardens of Northumberland and the Borders.
The prize draw for one copy will be made on Saturday 13th April at 6pm. Sorry, only UK addresses due to postage costs.
Thank you for reading my blog. Please follow the blog and sign up for e mail notifications for future posts. Have any books lifted your spirits recently? What are you all reading at the moment? Get in touch and let me know.
Borde Hill Gardens. Allium Globemaster putting on a fantastic display.
News from one of my top favourite gardens! I’m always happy to share information on events at the gardens I love to visit.
The Specialist Spring Plant Fair will be held at Borde Hill, near Haywards Heath in West Sussex, on Sunday 12th May from 10am to 3pm.
Hosted by the Plant Fairs Roadshow, a collective of independent specialist nurseries, visitors will see a lineup of locally grown, garden worthy and unusual plants from leading growers from across the South East, including several RHS exhibitors.
Borde Hill’s gardening team will be available throughout the event to offer horticultural advice to visitors, helping them find the right plant for the right place. It’s a chance to put your burning horticultural questions to the experts!
Plants and tools will be on sale
The Spring Plant Fair also offers a unique opportunity to delve into Borde Hill’s rich history of planting excellence, with a complimentary talk led by Head of Horticulture, Harry Baldwin, at 12pm in the Garden Marquee. Delve into the remarkable legacy of Colonel Stephenson Robert Clarke, the visionary plantsman behind the Garden’s extraordinary collection of rare trees and flowering shrubs, while hearing about the pioneering propagation programme aimed at safeguarding these botanical wonders for future generations.
A photo of a magnolia I spotted last time I visited the gardens. Borde Hill is famous for its magnolias, azaleas and many rare trees and shrubs.
Specialist exhibitors include Clare’s Chillies, Miles Japanese Maples, and Chailey Iris Garden, along with other well-known names such as Plantbase, Hardy Cottage Garden Plants and Eleplants, among others. The Sussex branch of the Hardy Plant Society will be there too, along with Sussex Wildlife Trust and the Australasian Plant Society The Spring Plant Fair is a wonderful time to visit Borde Hill, when the Azalea Ring will be a kaleidoscope of colour with deciduous Kurume azaleas. Across the Garden there will also be uplifting displays of rhododendrons, flowering trees, bluebells, tulips and striking Allium Globemaster adding vibrant colour to the Italian Garden and Blue Border.
Azaleas I couldn’t resist photographing! Such a beautiful colour. A photo of magnolias and candelabra primulas – a scene I enjoyed when I visited in May.
The Plant Fair will be open from 10am-3pm – for more information visit: Specialist Spring Plant Fair – Borde Hill
Also, many congratulations to Eleni and Andrewjohn Stephenson Clarke for their RHS Veitch Memorial Medal. A well deserved award!
Please leave a comment in the box below and sign up for e mail notifications for further posts. Thank you for reading. You are amongst 1,000 people a week who read my blog. I’m grateful, and amazed. Thank you.
I try to pass on any cautionary tales I think might be useful for gardeners.
A friend told me about her propagator catching fire causing flames 2ft high and damaging her kitchen. So I’m passing on her story in case it proves useful to any readers.
Judith Boston is a keen and experienced gardener who opens her garden in Leicestershire for the National Garden Scheme.
Wild flowers in Judith’s garden .
Here is her story, in her own words.
The propagator was one of two placed on an old picnic table in the dining part of the kitchen- the picnic table had a plastic coating. During the afternoon I noticed a peculiar smell which intensified during the afternoon. In conversation with my husband, we decided that it was the scent from the narcissi, which were on the kitchen table and had been sent from the Isles of Scilly from my daughter for Mothering Sunday. We have a long association with St. Martin’s IOS and these flowers come from there and so have special significance. However, they do have a strong scent. I did comment that they smelled a little like burning. Note to self to be more curious with peculiar smells- not flowers but burning electrical components!
I then went to my Parish Council meeting and on return sat in the sitting room before going to bed. At 9.50pm the smoke alarm went off and we both hurried into the kitchen to find the propagator alight with 2 feet high flames. The floor was also on fire. We opened the back door and my husband carried the tray with the propagator on it out and placed it on the grass, having disconnected it. I hosed it down and put out the fire on the floor. The fumes from the burning plastic were intense.
We have a smoke alarm and a circuit breaker. The smoke alarm worked very well. The circuit breaker didn’t trigger, but because of the suspected nature of the fault, may not have done. If the wires burn through one at a time, there isn’t a sufficient connection between them to trigger a break- so it wouldn’t necessarily have gone off.
We were very fortunate that we were in at the time. If we had been out, the fire would have taken hold. I have switched off my other propagator and placed the seed trays on a windowsill.
The propagator was from my late father, an excellent, keen gardener. He passed away 8 years ago, so it was old! However, I’ve never had problems before, it was in good condition (seemingly) and was very low heat. It was a large propagator. I’m unsure of the make.
I have been gardening for at least 40 years, my father was a keen gardener, my grandfather was a professional gardener- it’s in the blood. I’ve never had a problem like this before. I’m not sure how you check a propagator for safety- maybe a PAT test, which isn’t done in domestic properties.
The propagator was a write off . Nothing could be salvaged- the pots were beyond repair. Nothing had germinated, maybe due to the increasingly high temperatures. I growing HHA flower seeds- cosmos, scabious, lobelia and others.
Note to self: Follow your nose, be curious around unusual smells and keep your eyes open.
We were lucky. The kitchen needs redecorating, the fumes and plastic particles were all over the house and took many hours of cleaning, but we are alive and well, the house is still standing and our garden is open for NGS on 12th May, with or without my home grown plants!
Judith Boston lives in rural Leicestershire in Carlton. Here are some photos of her garden. Please visit and support the NGS whenever you can.
Judith’s flower-filled garden features raised beds, bee-friendly plants herbs and vegetables. Forget me nots and tulips with emerging geraniums, summer perennials and ferns. Many wild flowers grow here. Oxeye daisies, cornflowers, foxgloves and teasels. The garden features lovely mature trees, including willow and silver birch. Blue cornflower, corn marigolds and poppies. A lovely flower-filled archway framing the view to the pretty potting shed.
An electrician commented that the incident highlights the value of smoke alarms which allows people to escape from properties before fires manage to take hold. Regularly check your smoke alarms are still working and change batteries frequently. And always have an escape plan in case of fires. Work out how you would manage to escape if fire broke out in your home. And tell everyone who lives in the property and anyone visiting. It’s not a subject we discuss very often, but could be a life-saver.
Thank you for reading my blog. You are among 1,000 readers a week. I’m very grateful for all your support. Please leave a message and sign up for e mail notifications for future blog posts. Thank you.
I’m always looking for ways to help readers. Each year the organisers of Gardeners’ World Live offer two tickets to give away in a prize draw. Please leave your name in the comments box below to be included in the random prize draw. Please read the terms and conditions they have supplied.
Canalside Garden.
Tickets are non-refundable, non-exchangeable and non-transferable, and do not include travel, accommodation or expenses. There is no cash alternative. Details of giveaway and prize correct at time of print. Ticket terms and conditions apply:
Please note that parking is not included in the prize.
Lovely setting for a garden room.
The organisers will not be issuing paper tickets. Approximately two weeks before the event, winners will be emailed a link to register online. They will receive tickets by email.
Lovely recycled items in Frances Tophill’s show garden.
Organisers are offering a pair of standard adult tickets for BBC Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC Birmingham for a ticket giveaway/competition. Tickets will be valid for Sunday 16th June, 9.00am entry. RRP £56.00 per pair.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this look back at past gardens at the show. GW Live is a favourite of mine. I love the marquee with specialist nurseries selling and displaying every kind of plant possible. And there’s plenty of ideas to copy for planting and design.
The prize draw will end on Sunday 14th April at 6pm. Thank you for reading my blog. Let me know what you think about my posts and if you have any horticultural questions of any kind, please let me know. I’m happy to help!
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While visiting Barnsdale Gardens for the winter walk-and-talk, I had a chance to peek into the impressive kitchen gardens. Not only are the gardens beautiful, but they are highly productive too. They are gardened organically. Plants are put in closely together, and there are many little pathways meaning a lot of the work can be undertaken without stepping on the soil. Nick is a very good teacher. He explains everything in an easy to understand way with a lot of patience and humour.
Photo: Steve Hamilton
Nick shared with me his advice and list of ‘top five’ winter vegetables:
Brussels sprouts – Generally eaten over the Christmas period, but if you grow your own then you could harvest this vegetable from August to at least March. As a child, I remember them as having a bit of a bitter, old socks taste, but those days are well and truly gone with the modern varieties being sweet and flavoursome. In order to get the continuity of cropping to give the longest harvest period I only need to grow two varieties, ‘Nelson’ and ‘Red Ball’.
Kale – A well-known superfood that not only gives us something to eat but, if you select the right variety, a very beautiful and interesting addition to the ornamental winter garden. I like to grow a variety called ‘Redbor’, which is widely available, but I do not grow it in the veg plot, preferring instead to move it around my ornamental borders. The reason I do this is because ‘Redbor’ has the most wonderfully deep coloured, red leaves that enhance in colour with the colder winter temperature, but then are elevated to another level during frosty weather.
Chard – A hardy, leafy leaf beet this is an excellent substitute for spinach. I have been bought up to try and eke out the most from everything in a garden, so choosing a variety that gives ornamental interest as well as excellent production is an absolute bonus. Such a variety is Chard ‘Bright Lights’, which comes up as a mixture of different colours of leaves in shades of yellow, green and red, all with a prominent white mid-rib.
Jerusalem Artichoke – What a fantastic winter veg to grow! I love it not just because it is adaptable in the kitchen but also because it is a tuber that is perfectly hardy, so can be left in the ground all winter and dug up as and when required. I grow a variety called Fuseau because it is less knobbly than others, so easier to peel. It does like to spread, so I control it by growing mine in containers that I sink into the ground and then lift when needed.
Leeks – I can’t imagine a winter without leeks adorning the culinary delights that appear from my kitchen. This year I have grown the varieties ‘Winner’, ‘Pandora’ and ‘Jolant’, which will give me a continuous harvest from August until April. Something my taste buds and stomach are very grateful for. We do have a couple of problems to deal with however, which is why we grow them, from sowing until the end of the crop, under an insect-proof netting to prevent attack by leek moth and/or Allium leaf miner.
Photos credit Steve Hamilton
Barnsdale Gardensis Britain’s largest collection of individually designed gardens based in the East Midlands. There are 38 gardens on show including the beautiful kitchen gardens. Courses run throughout the year on growing and planting fruit, flowers and vegetables, and there’s also courses on pruning and maintenance. See the website for opening times and course details. I’ve signed up for the newsletter which means I get all the news first and can plan my visits when there are special events happening.
I wrote about a Barnsdale’s winter gardens walk and talk here:
I’m loving my white-stemmed chard and white kale. Here’s some I’m harvesting now, having sown the seeds in summer and planted them in a cold frame and unheated poly tunnel. They overwinter as small plants and start growing after Christmas. You can just see two eggs in the basket too. The hens have started to lay again! A sure sign that spring is well and truly on the way. Hurray!
For 20 years I’ve worked alongside skilled willow weavers. I’ve watched them create fences around the gardens I’ve designed. Clematis and roses climb through woven tripods and willow animals ‘scamper’ across the lawns. I’ve always wanted to try my hand at weaving, but never had the chance. I wouldn’t have dared to interfere with their work. We are all on a deadline to complete the gardens. Time is money, and my job is to set out the plants and try to keep ahead of everyone planting them! This week though, I’ve finally managed to get my hands on some willow and have a go! I attended a one-day taster day for land-based skills at TASK Academy in Worcestershire.
Our project was to make a small woven cone out of year-old willow that had been soaked for four days. I loved the contrast between the red and yellow willow.
Our teacher Mel Bastier holding the willow cone I made.
Mel Bastier explained the basics and showed us how to make a small woven structure which could be used as a bird feeder. I decided to use it for floristry. I’m always trying to find new ways of displaying flowers without using florists’ foam.
First we fed willow through holes in a base form which held the willow in place for us to work on. The base form would be much larger for plant supports, but it’s the same principle.
We wove more willow in and out of the uprights until we had made a collar. Then more willow was twisted up to the tip to secure the structure. Finally we added a handle. Mine was quite long as I wanted to hang the cone on my farm gates and amongst the orchard trees.
At home, I collected some moss from under the apple trees. I wrapped it around a jam jar and secured it with garden twine, kokedama style.
The moss makes a natural ‘nest’ for a flower posy. You’d never know there was a jam jar inside.
I pushed the jam jar into the top of the cone and filled it with cold fresh water. Then I wandered around the garden collecting the last of the snowdrops, (if you pull them, they have long stems) the first daffodils, hellebores and primroses.
I stood the flower arrangement on the potting shed windowsill to add some hazel catkins. The flowering cherry just opening is Japanese cherry, Prunus Kojo No-Mai.
Hellebores are seedlings of five plants bought from Ashwood Nurseries. I must have nearly 100 plants around the garden, all offspring of plants purchased 10 years ago.
Although it’s not as showy as the rest, I love this small pink hellebore with its lime green markings.
Daffodils came from Taylors Bulbs. Good strong varieties that come back into flower reliably each year.
I’m very pleased with my willow cone. I loved making it. It’s a very calming thing to do, learning a new skill, among friends, with kind and patient teachers. Mel made the willow crown sculpture at RHS Wisley for the King’s coronation, and she’s also made many structures for flower shows and private gardens.
I would love to return to TASK to make some plant supports like these.
I must admit I fell in love with this hare. Maybe, in time, I might be able to make something similar! If I do, it will be all thanks to Mel and the team at TASK.
TASK Academy is run by award winning landscaper Rupert Keys. If you’ve looked on in wonder at the lovely greenhouse owned by Frances Tophill on Gardeners World, Rupert and his team made it! Frances won Platinum and Best in Show for her garden at BBC Gardeners World Live in 2022 and Rupert built the garden and created the greenhouse out of recycled window frames. I lost count of how many awards he’d won to be honest. Safe to say, he knows what he’s talking about and has the experience.
TASK run land-based courses for the landscaping industry and also for anyone wanting to learn how to create dry stone walls, learn garden design, bricklaying and willow weaving.
I can wholeheartedly recommend them. I loved learning something new and found the team very kind and encouraging. Experts who can also teach with patience and understanding. A perfect day that I’ll always treasure.
Among the 9,000 snowdrops on display at Barnsdale Gardens is this beautiful semi-double variety with long, thin pointed outer segments. Isn’t she a beauty! Such a pretty name too, ‘Starling.’ I spotted it right at the start of our winter walk-and-talk event hosted by Barnsdale owner Nick Hamilton. Once seen, never forgotten. I’m not much of a galanthophile, but Starling captivated me. Such an unusual snowdrop with dark green inner segments and a lovely growth habit, having flowers that tilt upwards which means you don’t have to get down on your hands and knees to appreciate them.
Many of the special snowdrops are displayed in a raised bed surrounded by gravel. Rain doesn’t splash them with mud. Heavy rain has been such a problem this winter and many snowdrops in my garden have either been swamped or munched by slugs. I hadn’t thought of growing them in this way, but I might try it out in a spare corner of the garden.
Galanthus Hippolyta is also thriving and forming a good substantial clump. This is one of the Greatorex doubles, ‘beautifully formed with rounded bells, filled with green edged petticoats’ says the information on a five-page fact sheet supplied by the gardens. All the snowdrops are carefully and clearly labelled and the fact sheet is a great help with identifying all the different varieties.
Hippolyta Galanthus Madeline. Another pretty, robust, recommended variety.
Snowdrops are just one of the attractions in the Winter Border. This garden was created in memory of Nick’s father Geoff Hamilton who presented the BBC Gardeners World show from the site until his death in 1996.
Salix Britzensis
Paths are lined with evergreens, scented plants, and trees and shrubs with colourful bark for winter interest.
Salix Basfordiana
The beauty of having a walk- and-talk tour is seeing the plot through expert’s eyes, and picking up hints and tips on cultivation. Nick explains that these beautiful willows produce the best colour on new stems. Plants will be pruned virtually to the ground or to a low stump so that new stems will grow for next winter’s display.
Willows certainly make a design statement, and Nick advises to plant them where the sun shines through them to highlight their bright colours.
Whereas the willows are quite drastically trimmed, Nick advises a more selective approach for pruning these dogwoods. I have similar Cornus Midwinter Fire, and carefully trim back the side shoots and gently shape up the plants. Cornus Westonbirt which has bright red stems are pruned virtually to the ground, but these orange-stemmed dogwoods take a long time to recover if pruned too severely.
Information boards are posted throughout the garden which help our understanding of the reasoning behind the plantings.
It was fascinating to walk around the garden spotting all the trees, shrubs, bulbs and perennials donated to the memorial garden. Gordon Rae is a good friend of the family, and mine, and his name crops up several times with collections of different snowdrops, for example. I noticed trees from Hilliers and plants from TV and radio gardener Martin Fish- among many others.
I particularly love this view of the bandstand and terracotta urn.
New colourful growth on Sorbaria Sem- a compact, thicket-forming shrub for late winter and spring interest.
Winter flowering cherries also looking very cheerful and brighten up a cold wet day.
This little Iris Harmony pops up in patches all over the garden.
Nick Hamilton took over the garden when Geoff died and has continued to plant and develop the plot. There are 38 individual gardens over an 8 acre site.
We continued the tour through the Woodland garden, and on to the impressive vegetable plots where courses are held throughout the year on growing fruit and vegetables and pruning. The gardens are run along organic lines, as Geoff set out to do. Nick continues to grow organically without chemicals and with wildlife in mind.
Nick explains how fruit trees can be grown in small spaces by choosing dwarfing rootstocks and by pruning.
These espalier fruit trees take up little space and form an attractive shape throughout the year. There will be blossom in spring and apples and pears in late summer.
These small fruit trees are part of the Dan Pearson cottage garden.
I couldn’t resist a peep inside that beautiful little greenhouse.
I found scented pelargoniums, some still in flower in February.
And succulents and cacti, alongside trays of seedlings growing on for planting out later in spring.
I must mention the cafe, which served a very tasty and substantial cooked breakfast before our tour. I don’t usually eat a hot breakfast, but tried the vegetarian menu and can highly recommend it. A lovely warm start to a few hours spent walking around the gardens. And there was just time to try the tea and cakes at the end of our tour! It would have been rude not to sample them! The lemon sponge is divine!
For more information on Nick’s walk and talks and other events through the year take a look at the website here:
I’ll be going back for more events. There’s plenty on offer for Mother’s Day on 10th March and Easter between 29th March and 1st April (including Easter egg hunts for children). The gardens open all year round, only closing at Christmas, 24th, 25th and 26th December.
Note: I was invited to this event as a guest. I’ve given my honest review of the morning. I can highly recommend the ‘walk and talk’ events. A lovely breakfast followed by a wander around a beautiful garden is just what’s needed after such a cold, dark, wet winter, just as the garden is starting to wake up and shine. I feel invigorated to add much more colour to my own plot. And I’m searching for that very pretty snowdrop.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this ‘winter tour’ of Barnsdale Gardens. Have any of you visited in winter? I’ve only ever visited in summer before, so it was a revelation how much there’s to see. Get in touch and share your favourite part of Barnsdale. I haven’t even mentioned the Paradise Garden! That will wait for next time….
There has been a wave of new books coming into the potting shed for tea break reading, but this one stood out well above the others. And now, six months later, I’m still intrigued and entranced by Stephen Parker’s study of gardens and the people who created them. To be honest, I wouldn’t be parted from this book. It’s beautifully-written and illustrated and Stephen has the knack of drawing you in and leading you around a garden, showing you all the best parts and lending insights into how they were created and why. It’s as much a book about people as the landscapes and I suppose we always want to try to get inside the heads of the creators to see what influenced and motivated them. Stephen entices you in and doesn’t disappoint.
Contents page. Tom Stuart-Smith’s Middle Terrace at Broughton Grange, Oxfordshire.
In-depth case studies focus on Chatsworth House, Longleat, The Lasket, Wrest Park, Rousham, I d in Esher, Surrey, Denmans Garden, Shute House, Hauser and Wirth, Somerset, East Ruston Old Vicarage, Highgrove, Thenford, Prospect Cottage, Dungeness, Broughton Grange, Oxfordshire, King’s Cross Gardens, and Lowther Castle.
Sissinghurst Wrest Park Wrest Park
In amongst the case studies are section on the influence of East Asia on the I’m uuiijgarden makers in the 18th Century.
The Great Pagoda at Kew Greens. The effects of plant hunters and the species they brought to Britain. Plant hunter George Forrest in China in 1925 Garden Sanctuaries
Every time I pick up this book I delve a little bit deeper into the backgrounds of these special places and learn more about the people who made them. It’s a very cheerful and enlightening read for cold winter days when inspiration and encouragement is much needed.
I hope you’ve enjoyed revisits Stephen Parker’s book with me. I can’t recommend it highly enough!
Please leave a comment in the box below. A name will be randomly selected by Sunday evening. The publisher’s decision is final and there’s no cash alternative. Sorry, only UK addresses, excluding Northern Ireland, are eligible.
Getting 2024 off to a positive start, Emma Bridgewater and David Austin Roses have announced their collaboration in support of the National Garden Scheme.
The iconic British pottery brand Emma Bridgewater has joined hands with famous rose grower David Austin to design a mug honouring their joyful Bring Me Sunshine® (Ausernie) English rose – named after the heart-warming tune made famous by comedy duo Morecambe and Wise.
“As huge admirers of Emma Bridgewater’s work, we’re thrilled to not only see one of our most popular roses adorned onto the mugs but also dovetail our efforts to support the National Garden Scheme, a charity we each value greatly,” said David Austin.
Chosen because of its mood-boosting apricot and golden yellow colouring that translates beautifully onto pottery, the Bring Me Sunshine Half Pint Mug is an exclusive creation that celebrates great British craftsmanship and the country’s many glorious gardens.
It is available from the National Garden Scheme online shop here. It can also be purchased directly from Emma Bridgewater, David Austin Roses or as part of David Austin’s new gift box that comes with the mug, one of our National Garden Scheme A5 illustrated notebooks and a voucher for any David Austin rose, with Emma Bridgewater directly donating £5 to the National Garden Scheme for every mug sold.
Commenting, Chief Executive of the National Garden Scheme, George Plumptre said: “We are thrilled to have the support of this power duo of iconic British brands in helping us to raise funds and awareness of our work in 2024. The Bring Me Sunshine mug and rose exemplify the joy that gardens and a great mug of tea can bring, and the exclusive access to Mr Austin Senior’s garden in June is something extraordinarily special which we know garden visitors will love.”
More about the June event to follow in the next post!
All photos kindly supplied by David Austin.
Do you have a special mug you always use? Mine is a China cup my grandmother used to have. I also have the Emma Bridgewater Christmas mugs and some with birds. I’ll definitely be ordering the new rose mug as it’s a delight to look at and use, and also raising funds for the NGS which last year donated £3.4 million to cancer care and other health and well-being causes. Macmillan cancer care being one that we have needed several times in our family and amongst friends.
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A morning of inspiring photos of gardens due to open for the NGS really warmed my heart and set me up for getting out and about visiting special places again. Here’s some photos of gardens due to open over the winter. These were highlighted as part of the NGS’s 2024 launch event yesterday. I must say, thinking of all these lovely garden views and beautiful flowers really cheered me up. I hope they do the same for you too!
Photos: Liz Mitchell
Bucklow Farm in Cheshire opens on 25th Feb. This special, country garden has been created over 30 years. There’s a herb garden,veg plot, meadow and wildlife pond, and is especially well known for its winter flowering displays.
Thousands of snowdrops underplant the special trees, shrubs and roses.
Hellebores especially do well at Bucklow Farm. The address is Pinfold Lane, Plumley, Cheshire, WA16 9RP. Check all dates, times and details before travelling.
Higher Cherubeer, Dolton, Devon. One and three quarter acres of gardens with 400 varieties of snowdrop and the national collection of cyclamen species.
There are around 100 snowdrop and spring-flowering gardens opening for the National Garden Scheme this year.
Over the whole year, 3,372 are scheduled to open. 575 are new to the NGS. 333 gardens are returning to the charity after a break. Nearly 1,000 gardens open ‘by arrangement’ where groups and individuals can arrange a visit at a mutually-agreed time for an exclusive tour of the garden. 2,681 offer refreshments, and 1,682 welcome dogs (very much appreciated by our spaniel Meg- who doesn’t like being left at home).
It was absolutely heartening to hear that 2023 was a record-breaking year for the NGS enabling them to give away £3.4 million to cancer care and other health and well-being charities. The NGS has been helping Macmillan cancer support for 40 years and has donated almost £20 million to them during this time. Personally, our friends and relatives have benefited from this care and we are truly grateful to the wonderful nurses at Macmillan. Many of you will also know that my youngest daughter is a nurse and my eldest daughter also worked for a children’s hospice. So I’m fully behind the NGS as they are a powerful and staunch supporter of nurses.
On a cold January day, there’s nothing more exciting than sitting in on a zoom launch event highlighting all the fabulous places set to open for the National Garden Scheme this year. I want to visit them all! In particular, I’m looking forward to visiting Sarah Price’s plot which is opening for the first time for the NGS. Sarah’s garden, The Chain, opens as part of the Chapel Gardens Group in Gwent on 14 and 15th June.
The Chain is a two acre walled garden which Sarah has created over the past nine years. Habitats include a pond, meadow, recycled sand and gravel planting areas, damp shade, and dry shade under mature oak trees. Anyone who saw last year’s Chelsea flower show couldn’t fail to be captivated by Sarah’s show garden which featured drifts of Benton End irises. I’m really excited to see what she’s growing in her own plot.
Sarah’s plot is just one of a series of designers’ gardens opening this year.
Photo copyright: Andrew Lawson
The Barn at Serge Hill, Hertfordshire, is Tom Stuart-Smith’s garden which is opening for its 30th year for the NGS on 2nd June. I visited last summer, and the courtyard garden, pictured above, is beautifully- planted with blue salvia ‘Amethyst’ and yellow euphorbia seguieriana subs. niciana. Unusual trees, yellow-flowering Genista aetnensis, add height to the courtyard and their reflections to the long, thin water trough features.
Photo copyright: Andrea Jones
The surrounding prairie meadows are full of bees and butterflies. Many ideas to glean for planting combinations. In the foreground there’s Echincea, Eryngium yuccifolium, and Silphium laciniatum (compass plant). Plants tower over you as you walk along the twisting paths.
Quite a unique idea is the Plant Library at Serge Hill. It’s a great way to see the height and spread of plants, as well as their growth habit.
Photos copyright: Val Corbett
Another garden I’m hoping to see is Grendon Court, Hereford, designed by Tom Stuart-Smith and opening 2nd June and 15th September. You can see Tom’s trademark herbaceous borders,including drifts of long-flowering plants, grasses and focal point topiary.
Teepees of climbing roses and deep pink peonies complement the barn walls.
Another view of the striking topiary at Grendon Court. Enticing glimpses of colour in the background.
Walk around the corner, and this is the colourful border, perfectly planted with salvia, euphorbia grasses and lupins. Note the repeated use of blue salvia which draws the eye along the border. A masterclass in planting techniques!
I was delighted to hear that 2023 was the NGS’s most successful year ever, with £4 million being raised for health and nursing charities. 3,372 gardens are opening this year. More than 500 new gardens are joining in. Nearly 1,000 gardens are opening ‘by arrangement’ where you can book a time to visit at mutual convenience and look around a garden at your leisure. I’m really hoping that 2024 proves to be another record-breaking year. So many cancer charities in particular benefit from the NGS support, and there are few of us who haven’t had a relative or friend needing cancer treatment of some kind. And personally, several of my relatives have benefited from the much-needed care of the Macmillan nurses. The NGS support a whole host of other nursing and health-related charities too. Check them out on the website:
Photo; Anna Omiotek-Tott . The Manor House, Ayot St Lawrence, Herts. 18th/ 19th May. Designed by Julie Toll.
Have you heard of the National Garden Scheme? I do still come across a few people when I give garden club talks who haven’t heard. Please spread the word. Are any of you planning to visit favourite open gardens- or planning to investigate new ones this year? Do get in touch and let me know!
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Dried flower heads on hydrangea paniculata hybrid.
Welcome! I garden on a one acre plot in north Leicestershire. Most of the garden is planted with native trees and shrubs. There’s a small pond, a mini water meadow full of marsh marigolds and lady’s smock, a small vegetable plot, greenhouse and poly tunnel. I grow as many flowers, fruit and veg as I can in containers and small divided beds. I aim to have something to pick from the garden every week of the year. This post is for my mum who can’t easily visit at the moment and the photos give her a flavour of what the garden looks like today. You are welcome to join me on a slow stroll around the plot as I seek out anything cheerful at this time of the year!
When there are plenty of flowers around, these cyclamen hederifolium barely get a second glance, but in January when everything is bare, the patterns on the leaves draw me in. I love moving from one plant to another comparing the intricate markings. No two plants are the same.
These grey-leaved cyclamen coum shine out in the shade under the ash trees. Soon they will have dainty white or bright pink flowers.
These are just starting to flower and there’s plenty of buds to open. They thrive under deciduous trees, flowering before the leaf canopy emerges.
I found some small brunnera plants. These have blue forget-me-not flowers in spring. They grow in deep shade alongside the cyclamen.
Arum italicum can be a thug, spreading all over the garden. But in deep shade, it is fairly well-behaved. It has bright orange berries and creamy white spathes. Good foliage for jam jar flowers.
Wild primroses are starting to push up through the leaf litter all over the plot. They seed about freely and provide pollen for early-emerging bumble bees.
When there’s not much to see, grasses provide a ‘stop and stare’ moment by the pond. These are beautiful all year round, and especially on a windy day.
I’ve never seen eranthis hyemalis flowering so early. Temperatures have been well above average all winter, but it’s also been extremely wet and most of the flower borders are under water again today. 2023 saw the wettest July to December period on record for the UK. Records started in 1890. With the ground already waterlogged, the recent rain has caused massive flooding in our area. The River Trent in Nottinghamshire burst its banks. Homes and businesses have been flooded out. It’s heartbreaking to see so much damage. So I won’t complain about my garden. It will drain away naturally and all will be well. Luckily I’ve taken cuttings of all the salvias and penstemons that are currently waterlogged, so there’s a back up plan if they don’t survive.
Shrugging off the wet weather, hellebores are starting to flower. These came from John Massey’s Ashwood Nursery near Birmingham. Some of these have been under water this week, with just the flower buds bobbing about in the air.
Early flowering snowdrops looking slightly muddy. Mrs Macnamara is a reliable variety and bulks up fairly quickly. Luckily it’s a very tall snowdrop – and as you can see, survives a few days under water. I think we can say it’s definitely robust!
The wildflower patch- now a bog! Luckily the greenhouse and poly tunnel are on higher ground. We have had to check for stranded goldfish as this area is alongside our pond.
Anyway, today there was sunshine. And the top of the willow trees look golden against a bright blue sky. A moment of joy after all that rain. Tiny grey pussy willow buds are starting to show. And there’s catkins on hazel and alder trees.
Monty is a good barometer for the weather. He’s been hibernating indoors during the rain. But today he emerged and set upon the straddle stone as a watch-out post, keeping his paws perfectly dry. Now as I write this he’s back in front of the fire, and I’ve checked the weather reports. Snow is forecast!
Snow will look pretty atop these black rudbeckia seed heads. I leave them for natural bird food and structure over winter.
I’ve left the flat sedum heads too. I just can’t call them by their new name. Hylotelephinium sounds like a type of outdated phone rather than an ice plant!
Some feverfew seed heads remain. Nothing spectacular, but I feel like accepting any tiny glimmer of beauty at the moment. It’s a quiet time, and I’m not being too fussy. Just grateful.
Eryngium Miss Willmott’s Ghost, looking more ghostly than usual. Looking closely, I found a ladybird and a lacewing, headfirst, nestled between the seeds. Peacefully may they slumber until spring.
Well, even I admit these are ugly, but there’s a certain something in those dark brown seeds emerging from the peony lutea pods. They glisten like amber in sunshine. Mum grew some plants from these and they flowered for the first time last summer. Seven years after sowing!
Planted underneath, in deep shade, there’s plenty of Skimmia Kew Green. Such a gorgeous scent in spring. Much overlooked in modern planting plans.
A quick peek in the greenhouse. Always plenty of gorgeously-scented pelargoniums and citrus. Sadly, the big white patch at the end is polythene patching the glass due to storm damage just after Christmas. A big end panel will have to be replaced. And then a careful clear up as there are shards of glass in every plant pot.
However, still seeking joy – I found a ladybird in an aonium.
And some pretty fuchsia leaves looking healthy in amongst the lemon trees.
A hairy, peppermint-scented pelargonium. To rub these leaves is to be transported.
There’s new shoots. Daffodils for cut flowers soon.
And food. Herbs such as thyme, marjoram, parsley, and micro greens. These are pak choi, sown in October. They can be eaten as tiny leaves now, or left to grow on. I take the leaves from the outsides, and the centre continues to grow.
Hens enjoy the heat in the greenhouse over winter too. They are only bantams, so don’t cause any damage and search out pests most assiduously, particularly vine weevils.
A ceramic bird I couldn’t resist. Bought from The Green Man in Staunton Harold. See my post on a pre-Christmas visit to Calke Abbey and Staunton Harold. Recommended for a day trip.
Ballerina rosehips
Thank you for joining me on this ramble around my garden. How has your plot fared in the rain? I hope you didn’t suffer too much damage in the recent storms. I haven’t been able to keep up with the names of the storms, there’s been so many! Please do leave a comment in the box below and sign up for e-mail notifications for new posts. Have a lovely weekend!
Christmas cannot start for me without a trip to Calke Abbey and a walk round the gardens with a good friend.
This is a tradition we started some years ago and it’s one I look forward to each year. We love the decorations in the walled kitchen gardens. This ‘kissing bough’ caught our attention. Isn’t it beautifully-made with natural materials gathered from the grounds.
The decorations in the auricular theatre are always worth seeking out as they change with the seasons.
Some of the greenhouses are open to view. We had a look in the fern house, which was being cut back and tidied. This one below wasn’t open, but we admired the architecture of the building and imagined it in full production 100 years ago. The walled kitchen garden looked immaculate and all set for the new growing season.
Some cardoons giving winter interest in the walled kitchen garden.
We spotted some rhubarb emerging from the ground. Quite a cheerful sight! There are terracotta rhubarb forcing pots in the gardens which will probably be placed over these plants to encourage an early crop.
Fruit tunnels in the kitchen garden. These are extended in summer and covered in climbing beans and squash.
We moved on to the potting sheds. We’ve seen these hundreds of times before, but never tire of the view. It’s a glimpse back into past-times and an indication of how gardeners lived and worked when Calke Abbey was a family home. We could just imagine the strength needed to pull that enormous roller.
We ponder at the work needed to keep all the boilers lit through the winter. Junior gardeners would be tasked with the job of feeding the fires and there’s one potting shed with a platform bed in the roof where the gardener would sleep as this was a 24-hour task in those days.
We haven’t seen this room before. The door is usually locked.
It’s fascinating to see the extensive boilers used to heat the orangery on the other side of the potting shed wall.
The pony shed with little leather ‘shoes’ for the pony so its hooves didn’t mark the lawn.
A favourite view of the main potting shed window. I could just imagine standing in front of that window, filling terracotta pots with compost.
I would love to dip into those seed drawers and look at the little envelopes contained in there.
The tool shed, and first prize certificates from horticultural shows the gardeners attended. How proud they must have been of their award-winning produce, fruit and flowers.
On the other side of the potting shed is the renovated orangery containing many exotic plants including this white datura known as angels trumpets. It has a fabulous scent, but is very highly poisonous so I won’t grow it now.
A favourite view looking up through the orangery glass dome. A feat of engineering when it was built.
A beautiful abutilon alongside the palms and datura. How lovely to see such exotic flowers in winter.
We love the Christmas tree, and all the shadows from the architectural plants, the palms and agaves.
A walk around the grounds. We couldn’t remember a time when the lake was ever as full as it was today. An indication of the really wet autumn and early winter we’ve had so far. Ice from the lake used to be cut and dragged up the slope to the ice house to our right. In my lifetime, there’s never been a winter when the ice has frozen solid enough to be used like this.
Our favourite route around the field at the back of Calke was closed, probably because of the rain making the ground sodden. I felt sad we couldn’t walk along the skyline down to the house. It’s amazing how we have little rituals like walking along a certain path and taking a certain route. And how upset we feel when we can’t go the usual way past familiar trees.
The skyline walk. Hopefully it will be open next time we visit.
After Calke, we made our annual pilgrimage to Staunton Harold. The trees reflected in the lake looked a picture today. We always have cake and tea in the little cafe in the courtyard.
The statues at the gate are always admired, and look especially fine on a sunny day, set against a blue sky.
The matching pillar on the other side of the entrance gateway.
We bought Christmas gifts, pottery and plants, and had yet more tea. I feel so grateful to have had a sunny day spent in the company of a good friend, and I’m revitalised and ready to face the busy week ahead preparing for Christmas.
Thank you for reading my blog. Have you any traditions you follow in the run up to Christmas? How are your preparations going? Do get in touch and let me know how things are going. Happy Christmas!
If you were listening in to BBC Radio Leicester on Tuesday, you’ll have heard me talking about taking winter, or hardwood cuttings. We were taking dogwood cuttings this time.
I use dogwood in almost all of my jam jar posies for my mum. It makes a lovely vertical accent, and helps to support the weaker flower stems. Here stems are supporting paperwhite narcissi and daffodils and tulips from the cut flower patch. These are Dutch Grown bulbs.
My favourite dogwood is the bright red Westonbirt which really glows all winter with sunlight behind it.
Here it is with Dahlia David Howard, persicaria, sedum and grasses. I love the red stems shining out and glowing in the jam jar water.
This time, the jam jar flowers are chrysanthemums and salvias set off with grey-leaved senecio viravira and golden oak leaves which dry and can be used all winter.
More dahlias including a red unnamed seedling, Alstromeria Indian Summer and cosmos Psyche White grown from Mr Fothergill’s seeds.
Salvia Phyllis’s Fancy, chrysanthemum Swan and the last of the dahlias and rudbeckia. And a tiny sprig of orange abutilon at the front.
Dogwoods have fabulous berries which look like pearls.
We’ve had two nights of frost, so flowers growing outdoors are getting scarce. Luckily, there’s plenty of chrysanthemums in the greenhouse and poly tunnel. I bought these originally from a Hardy Plant Society sale. They don’t have a label, but I think they are an heirloom variety called Cranberry Wine. If you know different, please let me know! As always, my flowers are for my mum. Each week, I run round the plot and find stems of shrubs, twigs from trees, and anything in flower to create a bouquet called ‘all of the garden.’ It gives mum a flavour of what my garden looks like. Flowers last about a fortnight if the water is refreshed each day.
Here’s a view of one end of the greenhouse with pots of chrysanths in amongst the lemon and orange trees. I clean the greenhouse out at the end of summer, wash down all the glass and repaint the structure. It’s a second-hand Alton cedar greenhouse we bought 30 years ago for £260. I heat it to 3C using solar panels and an electric thermostat controlled fan heater.
Behind the chrysanths you can just see the bougainvillea which flowers through to January. Then I stop watering it for a month or two and trim back all the long extension growth. In spring I start to water it again, top dress with fresh compost and give it a potash and seaweed extract feed.
When I’ve picked all the flowers, I cut back the chrysanthemum foliage to the ground. New shoots start to emerge after Christmas and hundreds of tiny cuttings will be taken. Isn’t it a beautiful flower. I love the colour and the delicate overlapping petals tipped with white.
Pittosporum Silver Queen is the background foliage. I have two huge plant pots with 5ft shrubs. They don’t seem to mind being regularly trimmed back to make bouquets. I love the white picotee edge and the tiny, highly-scented flowers.
I’ve forgotten the name of this tender perennial plant again! It has lovely soft aromatic foliage and spires of blue flowers in winter. A very lovely plant and highly recommended. When I can think what it’s called! Update: Thank you Eliza Waters for reminding me it’s Plectranthus. I have several varieties, all with gorgeous pale blue flowers. Recommended. Easy to grow from cuttings
A spray of the pretty blue flowers. Bees love them.
You’ll also notice a pale pink chrysanthemum. This also came from the HPS in Nottingham at one of the recent lectures. Another lovely flower. Name to follow when I can retrieve the label from the garden. it’s currently raining, pitch black and 3C!
There’s one stem of alstroemeria, the first to flower for winter. I get them to flower out of season by giving them a dormant period in late summer, then top dress with fresh compost and start watering with a tomato fertiliser. They will come into flower between January to April- just when some colourful flowers are needed. Normally they flower all summer long.
This shrub is just the right colour to go with the chrysanthemums. Birds love the berries. It’s common name is pheasant eye bush. Stems look like bamboo in the winter when all the leaves fall off.
In amongst the chrysanths there’s some salvia Hot Lips which is still flowering its heart out on 27th November. Really good for such a tender plant. It sometimes flowers until Christmas. I cut it down in spring, having left the tall stems intact to protect the crown from frost.
Here’s a close up of the salvia. A good match for the chrysanth. Foliage is Senecio Viravira from Coton Manor nursery.
Thank you for reading my blog. I had a bit of excitement in the week when 1,000 people checked out the blog in one day. Usually the figure is nearer 300. Anyway, I’m grateful if just one person reads it to be honest. Hopefully it will inspire someone to have a go at growing their own flowers at home. I love the challenge, and mum loves her bouquets.
Thank you to Cathy for hosting the IAVOM meme. Why not check out her blog and see what gardeners are growing all around the world. It’s fascinating to see what everyone puts in their vases every week! I learn something new every time. Gardeners are so generous with their help and advice, aren’t they.
This delicious recipe came from a friend. I’ve been making this dish for 30 years. It’s a family favourite because it’s so quick and easy to make. No messing about rolling out pastry. The biscuit mix gives a lovely crunchy base to the fresh raspberries. The topping is the usual ground almond cake mix. And it freezes well too! So I always have a few slices to give to friends and family when they visit. Happy Gardening- and cooking everyone!
Plenty of raspberries filling the freezer this autumn.
Freeze in portions so you only have to defrost what you need. Autumn Bliss
If you were listening to BBC Radio Leicester’s Ben Jackson on Tuesday at 3.10pm, here’s the recipe I mention, using windfall apples, autumn raspberries and blackberries foraged from the hedgerows around my garden. It’s this week’s recipe for Garden News Magazine.
It’s lovely to use fresh fruit from the garden which has cost nothing. I’m also trying to save energy by using the microwave more often. This sponge pudding only takes about 5-6 minutes to cook. You can brown the top by adding flaked almonds and briefly placing the pudding under a hot grill.
Autumn raspberries have produced a bumper crop this year. I have Autumn Bliss and Polka growing in the shade next to my compost bins. They appreciate rich soil, so must get some good liquid feed from the compost bins along side.
I’ve never known a year when the blackberries were so plump and juicy. The cooler, wet weather in July suited them. There’s a good reason my plot is called Bramble Garden; the boundary hedges are full of high, arching blackberry stems. Berries were exceptionally sweet and tasty this year. I’m going to weave some culinary varieties in amongst them to extend the season. You can grow early, mid-season and late blackberries and this summer has whetted my appetite for more!
Apples have been more of a problem this autumn. The high winds caused them to fall from the trees before I had a chance to pick them. I have a huge amount of windfalls which need to be processed quite quickly as bruises cause rotting. The ‘good’ apples are not keeping as long as they usually do because we had a heatwave for the whole of October. Climate change is causing all sorts of challenges in growing, harvesting and storing fruit and vegetables. We will probably all have to have a re-think how we manage home food production.
I’ll leave you with the peaceful image of bantam hens Daphne and Daisy foraging for windfall apples in the small orchard. They don’t mind the bonanza of apples available for them to peck at! And on a positive note, their egg production went up in October due to the hot weather. So we’ve had a lot of cakes, pancakes and home-made custard to accompany all that fruit!
Capturing the very last flowers at the start of November. I can’t remember a time when there were so many plants still in flower. The Indian summer high temperatures and sunshine in October prolonged the flowering season. But alas, Storm Babet, and now Storm Ciaran have brought wind and rain. I ran out into the garden during a brief spell of calm and sunshine to capture the garden, and give me something cheerful to reflect on over the coming cold, dark months.
Fuchsia Deltas Sarah. A hardy variety purchased from Coton Manor in Northamptonshire. And can you spot the tiny spiders web which loops around the flower? This reliable fuchsia grows in a large blue glazed pot alongside a clematis sent to me from Raymond Evison’s Guernsey nursery. A very kind man, he sent me the gift to celebrate his 60 years breeding and developing gold-medal winning clematis plants. One day I’ll get to visit the nursery. Meanwhile, I’m watching the news and feeling very anxious about the impact of the latest storm on Jersey and Guernsey. The damage is heartbreaking.
Alongside the fuschia there’s a pot of salvias. This one is Phyllis’s Fancy, a favourite very late-flowering variety. It’s not hardy and will be whisked inside the greenhouse later this week. Meanwhile, it’s the perfect blue to match Deltas Sarah.
Growing in pots and in the ground, this lovely pink chrysanthemum puts on a reliable autumn display every year. It’s called Clara Curtis and came from my father-in-law Keith Gimson’s garden.
I like the small, button-flowered chrysanthemums. This one is Picasso, a rare and endangered variety. I bought it from the Hardy Plant Society where there’s a propagating programme to save it for the future. I have to take cuttings and return spare plants to other society members. Cuttings are very easy to take. I put the pots into a cold greenhouse or poly tunnel and shoots start to grow in January. Early cuttings are grown on in a propagator and potted up before being planted out in May.
Salvias really do join the party late! This one is Royal Bumble, purchased from Mary Thomas and Piecemeal Plants. Plant pots will be thrown in a hurry into the potting shed at the weekend. Plants are cut back and kept relatively dry and dormant all winter, being brought back out next spring.
This lovely blue salvia came from a collection sent mail order from Middleton’s specialist nursery. I wrote about Middletons here:
Salvia Hotlips often flowers until Christmas in a sheltered spot.
Dahlias are producing their very last flowers. I wrote about these yesterday in my ‘flowers for my mum’ post.
Petra’s Wedding made my top five list! I wouldn’t be without it!
Also in my top five is Dahlia Eveline.
A lovely surprise! The very last rose! Ghislaine de Feligonde is a rambling rose and grows on a shady pergola. It is totally disease and trouble free. I bought it as a cutting from a plant sale at Little Ponton Hall. A lovely reminder of happy day out with gardening friends. Highly recommended.
The last ornamental thistle. Echinops ritro Veitch’s Blue. Mr Fothergill’s sell 9cm potted plants. Birds, especially long-tail tits, love the seed heads.
I’ve forgotten the name of this beautiful small-flowering hollyhock. It came from Mary Thomas. Hopefully Mary will read this blog and help me out with the identification!
A bedding fuchsia, unknown variety, growing in a pot under the office window. I’ll look in the morning to see if this flower has managed to open out, or if it’s been blow away down the lane!
I’ll also look tomorrow to see if the old oak tree still has any leaves! This was the view from the top gate at the orchard end of the garden- before the latest storm. The branches were thrashing about in the rain. It must be 150 years old. I very much hope it will survive another 150 years for other people to stand at our garden gate and gaze on its majesty. Thanks for reading my blog. Please leave a comment in the box below and sign up for updates via e mail. How has your garden fared during the storms? Do get in touch and let me know.
This week’s recipe from Garden News Magazine. Each week I have a look around to see what I’ve grown in the garden, and I make something for the family. It’s not fancy food, just good old-fashioned, easy-to-make family favourites. I try not to use too many ingredients, and include common items anyone would often have in their kitchen cupboards. there’s nothing worse than buying an unusual ingredient for a recipe, and never using it again! If you have a go at making this, please let me know how you’ve got on and send a photo too. Happy cooking!
The printing never really does the food justice. It’s always prettier in real life.
Potting shed pears
Conference pears growing in the orchard at home.
Fruit from the poly tunnel and garden.
Daphne and Daisy enjoying the windfall apples between storms and rain showers. They are safely tucked up in their house and covered run this afternoon. Torrential rain and high winds are shaking down the last of the apples.
Thank you for reading my blog. Please leave a comment in the box below (comment link is alongside the title, if you are reading on a phone). Please also sign up for updates and e mail alerts for new blogs.
Ahead of Storm Ciaran, I’ve picked the last few dahlias for my mum. Orange dahlia David Howard has again produced the most flowers from August to November. It wins first place in my top 5 dahlias.
I wrote about the history of David Howard which dates back to the 1960s here:
Second place in my top five is the deep red cactus-flowering dahlia Nuit d’Ete. Even in bud it’s very beautiful. It lasts a long time in a vase, if the water is changed daily.
Nuit d’Ete in full flower.
Number 3 in my top five is Eveline. Gorgeous white flowers with soft lavender petal tips. Strong and reliable, producing masses of flowers.
Number 4 is Petra’s Wedding, with small pom-pom-shaped flowers. Stems tend it be lax, and flowers heavy, but feeding with liquid potash helps to strengthen the stems. Staking also helps to train the stems, and I use twiggy stems such as dogwood in my posies to prop up the flower heads.
Turning the bouquet around, there’s number 5 in my list, deep red Arabian Night. Masses of fully double flowers on strong stems. Red Westonbirt dogwood stems add vertical interest and support the flowers. I love to see the red stems catching the light and shining out in the jam jar water too.
You’ll notice a lovely pink-flowering grass in my posy. It’s called Red Chief and cost £5 in a garden centre sale last week. I love a bargain! I haven’t many grasses growing here, and thought this one would add movement and texture to autumn vases.
The little pink spikes adding vertical interest are persicaria. A hard-working perennial flowering right through late summer into November. The dark foliage around it is Physocarpus Diabolo which is gorgeous all summer, and at this time of the year has very pretty seed heads.
Physocarpus seed heads Physocarpus foliage.
Salvia completes my posy. Sadly, I’ve lost the label, so I don’t know the name. Grey-foliage is Senecio Viravira, also known as dusty miller.
Tucked in at the base of the posy is hydrangea Little Lime which is just turning a lovely papery-pale pink. I’ve picked a huge bunch of these flowers for my Christmas table decorations. I’ll miss Wilkos as I used to pop in there and buy their mouldable wire fairy lights for just a few pounds. The lights are fed through the hydrangea heads and create a very pretty display.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s flowers picked for my mum. Many thanks to Cathy for her ‘In a Vase on Monday’ meme. I join in on whichever day I can, and I love seeing what Cathy and others are growing for their cut flower vases. Gardeners join in from all around the world and it’s fascinating to see how many of us are growing the same flowers at the same time in different countries.
Stay safe in the winter storms. I hope your garden doesn’t suffer too much damage in the high winds and torrential rain coming our way tomorrow. Thank you for reading my blog. Please leave a comment below and sign up for updates via e mail.
Here’s the link for tickets and information for the LRGT winter lecture. This event supports the trust’s ‘Schools into Gardening Scheme’ which I’ve written about on the blog before.
“Chris Beardshaw was our Celebrity Lecturer back in 2011. Everyone who heard him on that occasion remembers an entertaining and informative speaker. So, we are anticipating a similar evening.
On this occasion, he will be talking about the English Garden. He will look at some background history and the essential elements that make up the English Garden style. He will then detail some of the designs which he has implemented.
About Chris:
Chris needs little introduction as a celebrated designer, plantsman, and broadcaster. He has clocked up over 35 years’ experience in the horticultural world.
Many will know Chris from his long broadcasting career, which began in 1997 and includes BBC2 television hit series such as Gardeners’ World, Hidden Gardens and the hugely popular The Flying Gardener, amongst many others. These days he is heard by millions as a panellist on BBC Radio 4 Gardeners’ Question Time where he regularly faces a live audience of gardening enthusiasts!
Chris trained in Landscape Architecture (post grad) and Horticulture which makes him a rare combination in the design world and this enables him to combine both disciplines to the benefit of his clients. His enthusiasm for plants, good design and the desire to work in harmony with the natural landscape and wildlife is reflected throughout his work. His successful design business has been established for over 20 years and allows Chris the creative freedom to work with private and commercial clients on a wide range of projects across the UK and internationally.
Some of his public schemes include: Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, Royal Parks (Greenwich Park), English Heritage (Mount Grace Priory and Carisbrooke Castle), National Trust for Scotland – Pitmedden.
Chris has produced award-winning schemes at all RHS shows as well as many international flower and garden shows. Chris Beardshaw Design has achieved close to 40 industry awards, including 15 RHS Gold medals, 6 RHS ‘Best in Show’ and 6 RHS/BBC People’s Choice Awards and a growing number of prestigious international accolades.
Chris has taught students at degree level and was a full-time lecturer at Pershore College from 1997-2001. He has been external examiner at many teaching institutions including Falmouth University and Duchy College.
He has also written a number of books and his book ‘100 Plants that almost changed the World’ won an Independent Publishers award in the USA. Chris is proud to be an RHS Ambassador.
Venue: Sir Bob Burgess Building Lecture Theatre, Leicester University, LE2 7TF.
Note that this is a new lecture theatre and is in a different part of the University to last year’s event.The car park is located on Putney Road, Leicester LE2 7TG. The carpark entrance is opposite Nixon Court accommodation. See site map.
This is a ticketed event. Cost: £15 (includes a glass of wine or soft drink.).
For more information or to book contact Fliss on 07788 644887 or email flisshector@gmail.com
All profits from this event will go to support the Trust’s “Schools into Gardening” scheme.
Each year we raise money from our Annual Lecture which, together with donations from members, enables us to support a range of educational projects. Our aim is to help schools and parents encourage children to love gardens and landscapes, through visits and hands-on gardening activities.”
I wholeheartedly support the trust’s projects to encourage children to garden. One year, they funded a coach load of primary school children to visit Kelmarsh Hall to learn about growing food and cooking home-grown produce. Some of the children had never visited a walled kitchen garden before and it was a sight I’ll never forget as their eyes lit up discovering all the plants and cooking tasty treats! Not to mention discovering bugs, ladybirds and butterflies which delighted them too! Children are the future, and anything we do to encourage them into gardening can only be a really good thing to do!
If you were listening in to BBC Radio Leicester this afternoon, here’s the recipe I mentioned for Apple and Rosehip Jelly. My mother-in-law Joan used to make a crab apple jelly similar to this one. Bags of fruit would be tied to the kitchen cupboard doors to drip overnight. Fruit jams and jellies would make a very tasty winter treat, spread on warm buttered toast, or on cakes and scones. This recipe is adapted from a Women’s Institute recipe dating back to 1943. The WI members became famous for making jams and jellies as part of their war effort. Rosehip syrup was a particularly valuable source of vitamin C for children. When my brothers and I were young in the 1960s and 70s, we had a spoon of syrup and a spoon of malt before setting off for school. We also had a spoon of caster oil, which wasn’t quite as welcome!
Ingredients:
makes about 6 jam jars
2kg eating apples
1 kg rosehips
Approx 2.3kg caster sugar -depending on amount of liquid produced.
1 sachet of pectin
Method:
Put a tea plate in the freezer for checking the setting point later.
Wash and core the apples. No need to peel them.
Place apples in a preserving pan and add enough cold water to just cover them.
Simmer until soft.
Roughly chop the rosehips. I used a food processor.
Add rosehips to the apples and cook for a further 15 minutes.
Spoon the pulp into a muslin or jelly bag suspended over a bowl. Don’t allow the bag to touch the bowl.
Start to spoon out the juice straight away so that the bowl doesn’t overspill. Leave the bag overnight to drip.
Measure out the liquid.
For every 600ml add 500g sugar. Return the liquid to the preserving pan.
Heat gently to dissolve the sugar.
Bring to the boil and boil rapidly until the setting point has been reached.
Check using the tea plate and a teaspoon of the jelly. A setting point is reached when the jelly wrinkles when pushed by your finger.
Ladle into clean sterilised jam jars and add labels.
Rosehips should be gathered at the end of October when ripe, but before being damaged by frosts. They are classed as a ‘superfood’ due to their antioxidant properties.
I whizzed the rosehips in a food processor, or you could roughly chop them by hand.
This is the jam and jelly straining kit I bought from Dunelm. The metal frame unscrews for winter storage. The bag is adequate for this amount of pulp. I set it up over a Pyrex pudding bowl, but I did start to scoop out the juice as soon as it started filtering through as I was worried the bowl might overflow overnight. The netting bag is washable and reusable, but you can also buy replacements.
And this is the finished apple and rosehip jelly. It doesn’t taste much of apples, but does taste of roses and summer! Absolutely delicious!
You can listen in to gardening on the radio at 3.10pm every Wednesday. Just ask your smart speaker to tune in to BBC radio Leicester. Or you can listen again on the i-player.
Today we also talked about starting paperwhite narcissi for Christmas.
Here’s some I grew for a January flower wreath using a jam jar covered in moss attached to a willow heart frame. We are having to find all sort of ways to get round not using plastic florists’ foam. My hidden jam jar works really well.
We also talked about growing amaryllis for Christmas presents.
Here’s some I grew last winter. I can highly recommend Taylors Bulbs as the size and quality is first class. Bulbs should flower within 6-8 weeks from planting and make a lovely home-grown present.
Ben Jackson and I talked about picking the last dahlias. This one is Eveline from Mr Fothergill’s.
This one is David Howard. I’ll be leaving mine in the ground again this year, covered in a foot of of dried leaves and a cloche to keep them as dry as possible and to protect them from the frost. If you have wet heavy clay soil, it’s best to dig them up and put them in a frost free place such as a garden shed or garage. Thanks for listening in and reading the blog. Have you decided what you are doing about your dahlias yet? We’ve had three night frosts this week, so I’m covering mine already.
Sending out a warm welcome to old and new readers. Hello to new readers from the garden clubs where I’ve given talks recently. At both Nether Heyford and Spratton this week there were questions on what to grow for colour in the garden in June. When I got home I had a quick look through my photo album and found some of my favourite summer flowers. Above is my 1930s summerhouse which stands on a circular turntable and can be swung round to face the sun all day long. In the folding glass doors you can see a reflection of the trees, hedgerows and fields behind our garden. Above the doors, I often place a wreath of fresh flowers and in this photo it’s a selection of roses from the garden.
Constance Spry grows over the entrance to a 60ft pergola. It was one of the first David Austin roses, introduced in 1961. It only flowers once, but the display is so stunning it is worth growing. The myrrh-like scent is fabulous, and reminiscent of fruit salad, ripe melons and pears. It grows to 6m so needs a strong archway or trellis support.
I picked the flowers at dusk when the scent was particularly strong. In the basket there’s also Mme Isaac Pereire (1841) a fuchsia pink climber which grows alongside Constance Spry. And Rose de Rescht (1840) a compact floribunda shrub rose. Both repeat flower all summer.
The wreath is made from 4” lengths of ivy from the hedgerow and white elderflower heads. With the doors open, the breeze wafts the scent of roses and elderflower inside. A rather lovely place to sit and make plans for the garden. The black and white cat is called Grace who came to us from the RSPCA. She was handed in with a box full of kittens. The only kind thing the person did was take her somewhere where she would be cared for, and for the rest of her life she snoozed peacefully here. The summerhouse was a favourite place. Sadly she has now passed away and is still sleeping in the woodland behind the little house.
Growing into a mature beech tree is rampant rambling rose Cerise Bouquet. I never tied the plant in, it simply hooked itself up through the branches and produced huge sprays of cascading stems. Even the most severe storms can’t dislodge it. Sadly it has no scent, but it is a wonderful sight in June and then repeat flowers on a more modest level right through to November. Being a rambler, it is disease free and no trouble. I never prune it, or feed it. It just grows! The Cornus Controversa ‘wedding cake’ tree in front was very badly affected by the 30C temperatures last summer and has lost some of its tiers. I think this winter we will bite the bullet and cut it down by half to see if it regenerates from lower down. It was planted 25 years ago, and is quite slow growing. I was quite upset by the number of plants that succumbed to the heat, but now I’ve come to terms with it. Gardens aren’t static, they change and we have to sometimes let go of much-loved plants. It’s never easy, is it.
One rose that seems to shrug off everything the weather throws at it is this lovely white variety, Pearl Drift. I grew this from a cutting I took on holiday one year. I nearly always come back from holiday with a memento of where we’ve been -always asking permission before taking my cutting, of course! I have a lovely pink flowering American Pillar taken from a rose which grows along a fence in front of a pretty cottage in Sandsend near Whitby.
Growing under the roses are many different geraniums. This one is the wild cranesbill, Geranium pratense. It seeds about the garden, originally blowing in from the country lane outside our garden gate.
As you can see, there’s plenty of cow parsley on the lane too. And I must admit that 50 percent of the garden is covered in cow parsley in spring. I’m not complaining. It’s rather lovely to have the garden echoing what’s going on outside the garden gate.
There’s plenty of room for ornamentals too. In the front garden, lining the path to the front door, there’s gorgeously-scented Mrs Sinkins pinks.
I always pop a few stems in amongst my jam jar flower posies for my mum. As you can see, cow parsley gets picked too, with white love-in-a-mist, wallflowers and alliums.
Thank you for joining me for my reminisces of June flowers. And for a wander down our country lane. I hope the photos have given you some ideas what to grow for summer colour. Do please sign up for e mail updates and follow the blog. It’s been rather lovely looking through my photo album as the temperature suddenly dips to zero here! We’ve had three nights of frost now, and it’s all change in the garden as trees turn golden and tender plants are tucked up in the greenhouse. Are you all ready for the cold? Do please leave a comment in the box below. Let me know what your highlights were this summer and how your garden is looking right now on the cusp of winter weather.
I’ve spent the day clearing out my 20ft second-hand Alton Cedar greenhouse. This was purchased for £260, the best £260 I’ve ever spent. Admittedly, it was 32 years ago- but the greenhouse is still almost as good as new. I’ve painted it black, although it was a harsh bright red when it arrived. The staging is also painted black which really sets off the pelargoniums housed there. Plants live in pots along the front path in front of the greenhouse during the summer. It just gets too hot indoors, and they appreciate some fresh air and rainwater. But at this time of the year, I sweep it out, wash down the windows and give it all a quick re-paint. Everything must be back inside before the first frosts.
In the background you can see my 10ft sunflowers that I thought were small multi-headed types for cutting. I’d need a ladder to harvest those! Instead I’m leaving most of them to dry out for bird seed. A few blew down in the recent storms, so I’ve put them in jam jars on the kitchen table. I’ve made a note to carefully check the seed packets next summer so I don’t make the same mistake twice! They are beautiful though, and the bees and butterflies enjoying the pollen are currently a wonderful sight.
Next to the greenhouse there’s a matching 20ft polytunnel where I grow fruit, vegetables and flowers. Tomatoes and peaches have done really well this summer. You’ll also see a little pile of cobnuts in the basket. Alongside the greenhouse there’s a huge hazel tree which squirrels usually strip overnight. This year there were more nuts than they could manage, so I’ve harvested some to make into cakes and biscuits.
Peaches have been a great success this summer. My trees are grown in large 15” containers in the poly tunnel. This protects them from peach leaf curl which thrives in wet conditions. Keeping leaves dry is the best way to combat the disease.
Baskets nearly always contain flowers as well as fruit and veg. This is Rose of the Year 2022, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ Highly recommended for fabulous scent, repeat flowering and disease resistance. I’ve also picked some seedling nasturtiums. I’m particularly fond of this peachy-coloured one and keep it going by taking cuttings which root in water. I collect seeds too, but it might not come back exactly the same colour as nasturtiums readily hybridise. There’s also a few herbs, mint, marjoram and rosemary which add a lovely scent to any jam jar flower arrangement. The climbing beans are pink-flowered Celebration which don’t go stringy and crop late into the season.
Still on the theme of peaches, these are the little pastry custard tarts I made with slices of fresh peach, autumn raspberries and home-grown blueberries. The recipe is for my column in Garden News Magazine which I’ll share next week. They are very quick and easy to make.
I’ve had this potted purple bougainvillea for about 30 years. I’ve trained it into a round-headed shape so that it doesn’t take up too much room. It will be the first plant to go back in the greenhouse as it’s not at all hardy. Bracts stay colourful until December and I often use it in my Christmas table arrangements.
In pots alongside the bougainvillea are these beautiful grey-leaved tender perennial plants. They have long sprays of pale blue flowers. I’ve temporarily forgotten the name! Each winter I take insurance policy cuttings just incase I lose the parent plants.
There’s a border full of low-maintenance day lilies in front of the greenhouse. In autumn when the day lilies are starting to die back, these beautiful spires of persicaria appear. This one is Persicaria Rosea.
The flowers deserve a close inspection, they are so dainty.
There’s also a white persicaria. Sadly, the label has been lost so I’m not sure of the variety. It thrives in dappled shade and flowers from August to November. The photo is out of focus as it was such a windy day, but it’s a very pretty flower nonetheless.
And finally, this one is also growing in with the daylilies. This persicaria is either Firetail or Firedance. They are good for cut flowers, lasting at least a week to 10 days in a vase if you change the water each day. The spire shape gives a nice contrast to round, daisy flowers.
In amongst them are several types of phlox. This one is Blue Paradise- very highly scented and long-flowering in late summer.
The back field behind the summerhouse had oats growing there this summer. It’s been wonderful to sit in the shade and watch the field slowly turning to a shimmering gold. On a windy day, the crop ripples like waves and before it ripens the green-grey colour reminds me of the ocean. Instead of seagulls we have barn owls silently gliding by at dusk. There’s no sound at all from the beating wings and they quarter the field without knowing we are watching from the little wooden house.
We are always pleased and much relieved when the farmer manages to get the crop in before bad weather arrives. They work through sunset and into the night if rain is threatened. We lie in bed and listen to the tractors going up and down the fields and along the lane. At 2am there’s suddenly silence again and we know they have successfully got in the crops. Rain falls the next day and it’s wet for a week.
This is the view from our five bar gate at the top of the paddock. For a few weeks after the harvest, the fields retain their golden glow, and I drink in the scene and hold on to the memory as autumn and then winter darkness descends.
When we moved here, it was just a decrepit house and no garden. The farmer who built the house sold us an acre of land alongside it, and we planted 250 sapling trees given to us by the woodland trust and local council. At the time, there was a scheme giving free trees to anyone returning farm land to nature and we planted a small woodland area. All along the boundary, we left viewing points through to the fields beyond. The ever-changing seasons are a delight to spy through these holes in the treescape.
Thank you for reading my blog. Please sign up for e mail updates and I would love you to press ‘follow’. I often join in with Cathy for her ‘In a Vase on Monday’ meme. Mostly I write about what flowers I’m growing to give to my friends and family, and what produce I’m growing for family meals. I don’t grow in traditional rows, everything is mingled together and much is grown in window boxes and containers, with many different varieties ripening early, mid-season and late. There’s nearly always something to ‘forage’ from the plot.
Plums have been prolific again this year. I’ve filled four draws of the freezer so far!
If you’re looking for a recipe to use up your plums I can highly recommend this one! It’s so quick and easy to rustle up. No pastry to roll out, you just whip up the milk and creme fraiche mixture, pour it into a large dish, and pop the halved plums on top! Such a simple recipe to follow and the taste is quite amazing.
This makes about 6-8 portions, but it can be cut up and frozen as individual slices. One minute in the microwave, and the slices are ready to eat!
My tree is a Victoria Plum. Jubilee is thought to be an improvement, and there’s also Marjorie Seedling which crops later in the season.
After I’ve harvested the plums, I do some tidying up and pruning. If you’ve never done any pruning this can seem like a daunting task. However I simplify it by starting off cutting out any broken twigs and branches. Plum trees bear a heavy crop and the wood is brittle, so there are often a lot of damaged stems.
Next I cut back anything that’s rubbing or crossing as these stems will rub together in the winter and cause wounds where infection will get in.
After that, I cut out any stems that are heading towards the centre of the tree, as a good air flow helps to prevent mouldy fruit and fungal diseases.
Finally, I shorten any really long stems, as I want to keep the tree compact – I’ve got to the age where I’m not keen on going up ladders! So I keep the tree at a manageable size.
Hope these tips have been helpful. Do think about planting a plum tree over the winter. Bare root trees are cheap and easy to plant. And after planting you’ll have years of produce to make jam, crumble, plum cakes and clafoutis!
Photos of my orchard in spring. Tulip Exotic Emperor in the cut flower bed in front.
If you are listening in to Ben Jackson on BBC Radio Leicester on Wednesdays at 3.10pm, you’ll hear us pruning Ben’s apple trees. I often go over and do some gardening with him and we record a ten minute tip for the radio. Just simple ideas to help and encourage new gardeners and give some fresh ideas to experienced gardeners too.
Thanks for reading my blogs and leaving a comment in the box below. You are among 400 people who read bramblegarden every day! I’m so pleased to see you all here!
Here’s a link to a list I wrote on Plum Jam and also Plum crumble cakes.
I like to highlight special books on this blog. One of this year’s most beautifully-written and visually stunning is England’s Gardens, A Modern History.
Stephen Parker gives us a modern-day tour and an update on the history of some of the most iconic, enduring, and influential gardens across the country.
The book highlights well-known sites such as Sissinghurst and Great Dixter, and also covers other special and unique gardens such as Prospect Cottage and The Laskett. “It’s a celebration of England’s gardens in all their glorious diversity, sublime beauty, and exuberant eccentricity,” says the press release. I couldn’t agree more!
Sissinghurst case study The new Mediterranean-inspired Delos garden Piet Oudolf’s Hauser and Wirth Lowther Castle case study Painswick Rococo Garden case study Shute House case study East Ruston Old Vicarage in Norfolk, which is being handed over to the Perennial charity The Homewood case study Derek Jarman’s Prospect Cottage case study
There are 20 case studies in all, with well-written accounts of the stories behind the gardens, the people who made them and the legacies they leave behind. This is another highly recommended publication from the well-respected Dorling Kindersley stable. Some quite remarkable books have arrived on our shelves this summer from DK. This one by garden historian Stephen Parker takes us on a fascinating and joyful journey around Britain. And I enjoyed every minute of my excursion!
I had a lovely invitation to visit a friend’s garden for an instagram meet-up and afternoon tea. This is the first view of the garden through the fold-back doors from the kitchen. Isn’t it gorgeous. Worthy of a front cover on a gardening magazine, I think.
Jane Wilson has created some beautiful viewing points. This path leads to the garden shed – which is no ordinary shed, having been made from recycled materials, stained glass windows, and painted a lovely shade of green. The path is made from tiles which used to be the kitchen floor! Nothing is wasted here, if it can be repurposed in the garden. The pale pink peony is Sarah Bernhardt and the rose planted over the arch is Eden. A pale pink rose, May Queen, was planted 25 years ago.
The covered seating area next to the shed is a cosy place to have a cup of tea. There’s so much detail here it takes a while to take it all in. At night there’s fairy lights to add atmosphere. I love all the throws and cushions which make it a comfortable place to sit back and survey the planting.
This is the view from the sofa. Topiary and weeping trees, plenty of foliage for structure, and bright, cheerful peonies which are thriving in Jane’s garden.
Peonies do particularly well in Jane’s sheltered back garden .
We had a bit of competition for the sofa from Jane’s gorgeous greyhound, Harry, a rescue hound, who’s really found a heavenly home with Jane and the family. After staring at us for a while, we felt guilty, and got up to make room for him. It’s clearly his favourite spot in the garden! Isn’t he beautiful. A truly graceful creature, deserving the best seat on the patio!
Jane decorated the seating areas with jugs of fresh flowers picked from the garden. I love this sunny buttercup, pink campion and cow parsley posy.
Jane made the tablecloths and cushions for this second seating area. She’s very talented with sewing and upholstery – as well as gardening.
Another home-made summerhouse in the opposite corner of the garden. There’s a stream running in front of it down to a small pond.
There are several ponds in the garden. This one is in a shady spot and is surrounded with ferns, bamboo and London Pride.
A larger pond has this rain chain which drips down, making a lovely trickling sound. Jane says you don’t have to spend a fortune on garden ornaments; this one came from Aldi and wasn’t expensive.
Views through the planting. There’s a beautiful white-flowering Crambe cordifolia in the centre of this bed. Huge dark green leaves are as architectural as the sprays on tiny white flowers on tall stems. It’s a good plant for adding movement and drama to a planting scheme.
Scented roses are looking healthy and full of flower buds. This one is a David Austin Rose, Gertrude Jekyll, one of many planted in this beautiful garden.
Another beautiful bloom – and now I can’t decide if it’s a rose or a peony! I’m sure Jane will let me know when she reads this post.
Had to give Marv a cuddle. He’s the same age as my cat Monty and as you can see, long-haired too.
Jane’s daughter Sophie made this cake for the garden party. We had a lovely spread of savoury and sweet food and plenty of cups of tea!
Mirror and ‘finds’ displayed in the garden
Thank you Jane for inviting me to your garden party. I loved every minute of it. It must have taken a lot of effort to organise the event, but it was truly appreciated. It was great to meet up with your other Instagram friends too… Mandy, Sue, Elaine, Jenny, Anna, and Julie, Pat, Tracey and Nick. I felt as if I’d known them all for years, and yet only met most of them that same afternoon. It’s good to meet up with fellow gardeners and have a good catch up.
You can see more photos of Jane’s garden on instagram at janewilson5352 .
There’s also a link to the wilson family’s fund raising page :
Have any of you taken part in a bloggers or instragram meet up? It’s lovely to meet people you’ve followed for years, especially if there’s a shared interest such as homes and gardens, wildlife and growing flowers and veg. I had a great time visiting Jane and meeting all her friends, and I hope you enjoyed seeing her garden too, through the photos on this blog post. Have a great gardening week everyone.
Sweet peas and roses are plentiful on 28th June. Rosa It’s a Wonderful Life is the favourite this week with five or six rose heads on each spray. It’s almost a bouquet on its own!
Flowers are fully double with a delicious fruit salad scent. Leaves are very healthy with no sign of disease.
Perfect in bud. Flowers start a deep apricot colour and fade to pale pink.
It makes a striking feature in the garden, with all shades of peach and apricot at a time on one rose bush.
For background colour, I’ve chosen dark purple-leaved physocarpus Diabolo which in summer has clusters of pale pink flowers. These turn into deep purple seed heads.
Sweet peas are growing along a hazel A-frame in the veg plot. This year I’m growing a selection of white sweet peas alongside old favourite High Scent.
Mum sowed these oxeye daisies from a packet of wild flower seeds six years ago. We planted them together in one of the 1.3m by 3m divided veg beds in front of the greenhouse. They are the perfect partner for roses.
When they have finished flowering, I’m planning to move them to the new wildflower area surrounding the pond. They are taking over the veg patch , which I’m not complaining about. I love their joyful exuberance. Daisies are probably my top favourite flowers.
Also looking good at the moment are the home florists’ range of roses. This one is Timeless Cream. I’ve also got Timeless Purple. Highly recommended. Very few thorns and long lasting in a vase.
Timeless Cream in bud. Would make a perfect buttonhole rose.
And Rosa Mutabilis also blends in. This is the longest flowering rose in my garden, starting in April and still in flower in December.
Have a great gardening week everyone. I hope this has given you some inspiration on what to grow at home to create bouquets for friends and family all year round.
Also catch up with Cathy over on her #InAVaseOnMonday meme. It’s fascinating what everyone’s growing in gardens, all around the world.
Every week I run round the garden and cut a selection of flowers for my mum to show her what’s looking good at the moment. Here’s this week’s posy, with the starring role taken by roses at last. They are a week or two late producing flowers in my garden.
This rose is one of my favourites. It’s called ‘It’s a wonderful Life.’ It was Rose of the Year in 2022, bred by British rose grower Colin Dixon. Colin has won the title 10 times with new roses, so he must be able to spot a winner when he sees one!
I’ve added this lovely highly-scented rose, Timeless Cream, from Wharton’s nursery cut flower range. I also have Timeless Purple, which is highly recommended for scent and for long -lasting flowers in a vase.
I’ve added white sweet peas and oxeye daisies. I sowed the sweet peas in October and planted them out in April. Seed came from Mr Fothergill’s. Mum grew the oxeye daisies from a packet of mixed wild flower seed and we planted them together about 6 years ago. They are all around the pond area, and also in one of the 10 3x the1.2m beds in front of the greenhouse.
The sweet peas are particularly good this year, having had a cold spring c]which seemed to suit them. Compost for these came from Silvergrow, which is being sold at my local plant centre, Six Acre Nursery. I’m also still using a compost made in Leicestershire by Petersfield.
I hope these photos give you some inspiration to grow your own cut flowers. I use containers as well as a small area of the veg plot. Mostly I just forage around the plot for stems if shrubs and bits and pieces here and there. There’s never a huge amount of any species, but lots of little amounts all through the year.
I’m inspired by Georgie at Common Farm flowers who encourages us to join in her daily 30-stem challenge. I also like to join in with Cathy for In a Vase on Monday. She never minds if it’s on a different day. Have a look at her site and see all the flower arrangements being created each week by gardeners all around the world. It’s an awe-inspiring line up! Happy gardening everyone!
I wrote about roses and the Rose of the Year 2024 here:
Congratulations to Ella Beard who has won two free tickets to this year’s GWLive show at the NEC. Many thanks to everyone to read the blog post and entered the prize draw by leaving a comment. It’s much appreciated. Enjoy your day out Ella, and report back! All the best, Karen
GWLive show 2022 Water features at last year’s show.
Gardeners’ World Live is one of my favourite shows with lots of practical ideas for improving my garden. I love this herb and water garden made out of old ceramic sinks. A simple and practical way to recycle. As in previous years, the organisers are offering a pair of free tickets for the show for readers of this blog. The tickets, for two adults, is for Sunday 18th June from 9am onwards. Please leave a comment at the end of this piece and a name will be randomly selected by the organisers. The prize doesn’t include the parking fee. Please see terms and conditions in the link.
More photos from last year’s show. Any container can become a water feature. This modern plastic pot contains grasses, reeds and a miniature water Lily.
Inspiring displays of plants alongside the plant sales area.
Spectacular topiary, bonsai trees and shrubs inside the marquee. There’s also a stage for talks with specialist speakers booked for the show.
Houseplants also feature in the display areas and are included in the talks.
More gardens from last year’s show. Plenty of paving and planting ideas.
Details of the tickets offered in the prize draw:
The winning tickets will be two adult tickets for Sunday 18 June, from 9am entry. Tickets are non-refundable, non-exchangeable and non-transferable, and do not include parking, travel, accommodation or expenses. Full ticket terms & conditions are available at: https://www.immediatelive.com/ticket-terms-and-conditions/
The winning name will be announced on Sunday 11th June on here.
Hope you are all having a happy gardening week. It’s terribly cold here in the Midlands with night time temperatures in single figures, down to 5C which is very chilly for June. Usually I open all the doors and windows in the greenhouse and leave them open for summer. But they are firmly closed for the time being. Tomatoes and peppers are worst affected. They have simply stopped growing. Hopefully, sunny and warm weather is on the way for the weekend. Fingers crossed.
Summer annuals, such as cosmos, haven’t started flowering yet. We are about two weeks behind, due to a very cold spring. So for this week’s flowers from the plot I’ve had to rely on biennials, perennials, climbers and shrubs. Each week, I pick a selection of flowers to take to my Mum as a ‘snap-shot’ of what the garden looks like. It’s a way of sharing our love of flowers and keeping her connected with what’s happening here.
Love-in-a-mist was sown last autumn and over-wintered in an unheated poly tunnel. I was testing out a theory to see if I could get early flowers by the last week of May. There are masses of flowers, but these are only a few weeks earlier than the ones growing in a sunny south-facing border outdoors, so I probably won’t repeat this exercise. The cost of compost and use of space doesn’t warrant the slightly earlier flowers.
The tiny deep purple flowers are Geranium Phaeum which pops up all over the plot in places I never planted it. It’s a long-flowering perennial and doesn’t take up much space, just meandering about through established shrubs and in a dry, shady woodland border.
The other jewel-like purple flowers are perennial wallflowers from Coton Manor plant nursery. These are highly recommended as they flower for a very long period and are low maintenance and easy-going. I bought just one plant and took cuttings immediately. I soon had 20 plants to cover a quarter of one of my vegetable and flower beds sited next to the greenhouse. I have 10 beds which are 1.5m wide by 3m long with small slab paths running between.
The last of the orange biennial wallflowers are being picked now. I’ll sow some more seed for next year. Sooty is a favourite deep purple/ black variety. The one above was part of a mixed packet of seed named Orange Bedder. It’s been flowering for several months. Deep red buds open to a lovely marmalade orange and the markings on the petals remind me of a dragonfly’s wings. The scent is wonderful, especially in the evening, and attracts clouds of moths. And circling above the plot, eating the moths, we have pipistrelle bats. We have seen them here since we moved in and created a garden 30 years ago. We thought they roosted over winter in the farmhouse next door, but they must have found other accommodation as the farmhouse has been completely renovated and there are now no gaps in the slate roof.
Forget me nots fill another whole bed, providing ground cover for the soil until the bed is required for summer crops. Forget me nots pull up very easily and suppress any weeds, so you are left with a nice clean bed to start planting out crops such as sweetcorn, onions, French beans, and courgettes. This year I have planted a dozen sunflowers in amongst the sweetcorn, an idea I spotted at Easton Walled Gardens last summer. Nasturtiums will clamber up the sweetcorn as it makes a sturdy support for annual climbers and scramblers.
Welsh poppies pop up in every crevice all over the garden. I did previously try to eradicate them, but they persisted and I’m quite pleased they did now. Such a cheerful plant with flowers that look as if they are made of silk. I have the yellow and the orange types here. Background foliage comes from the Physocarpus Diabolo which grows in a north facing border and provides material for flower arrangements all summer long.
Dead nettles and cow parsley add a touch of white to the posy. Dead nettles continue to grow out of the bouquet and flowers last a long time. I was intrigued to see four out of the 12 gardens at Chelsea Flower Show contained so called weeds. I laughed out loud when I heard pots of dandelions were selling for £30. I’m actually a millionaire if dandelions, nettles and buttercups are taken into consideration. My whole plot is full of them!
I have a new little helper in the garden! My grandson, Finn. He loves running between the cow parsley along the woodland paths and picking flowers for his great grandmother. I’m hoping he will have a life-long love of nature and flowers, just as we did, growing up running free in our grandparent’s gardens. Have a happy gardening week everyone.
Do join Cathy for her ‘In a Vase on Monday’ meme. If you are busy, like me, it doesn’t matter what day of the week you post your posy of flowers from the garden. It’s a good community to be a part of, sharing what we are growing in gardens all around the world.
This week’s recipe from Garden News Magazine. So lovely to have sunny weather at the weekend to sit outdoors and eat with the family. Food seems to taste better in the sunshine.
Herbs are grown in shallow terracotta pans and window boxes. These are still in the greenhouse, but will go outdoors the first week of June when all the cold winds should have disappeared.
Here’s a mini-windowbox full of basil, parsley, chives and coriander. The kit comes with small packets of seeds and just enough compost for four individual pots.
I recommend Johnson’s seeds for herbs. Dwarf dill can be grown in containers.
I also recommend Jekka’s Herbs produced by Johnson’s Seeds.
A very useful book to dip into, especially if you’d like to try different herbs.
Hope you are having a good gardening week. It’s been a cold spring so far and very wet. We are behind with most vegetables, but the spring flowers have enjoyed the cool conditions and lasted longer than usual. Bluebells are just starting to fade, but bright blue geraniums have started to flower to take their place and all the wild flowers, ragged robin, pink campion and oxeye daisies are starting to bloom. Thank you for reading the blog and, if you have time, leave a comment in the box below, letting me know what herbs you are growing for your summer cooking. I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to write for Garden News Magazine. Each week I share a different recipe featuring something harvested from the garden. Sometimes I only have a handful of herbs, or a dish of berries. It doesn’t have to be a huge amount, just whatever I can find to put into my cooking.
The Lord’s Prayer, engraved on a speck of gold inserted into the eye of a needle.
An Evening With Graham Short to raise money for Rainbows Children’s Hospice in leicestershire, will be held on Friday May 19th at Woodhouse Community Hall (LE12 8TZ).
Graham is a world famous micro-artist. You may have seen news footage about his work including The Lord’s Prayer, engraved on a fleck of gold mounted inside the eye of a needle. This particular work of art is estimated to be valued at £250,000.
Doors open at 7pm for a 7:30pm start. Graham will do 2 x 45 minute halves with a break in between so people can chat to him and view some art work. The hall seats 77 and tickets are £7.50 each. There’s parking at the hall.
The contact for tickets or more information is info@aegf.co.uk or 01530 224579.
The Golden Temple of Amritsar, engraved on the head of a gold pin, 2mm wide.
A portrait of JMW Turner, the artist, engraved on a gold disc which sits inside a hollowed-out hair.An image of Marilyn Monroe, engraved on a £5 note by using 2,300 dots of varying sizes.Banksy’s ‘Girl With Balloon’ engraved on the head of a gold pin, 2mm wide.Graham Short
Graham Short, known in the art world as “The Hands of Genius” is a man of unusual talent who has developed the ability to work between heart-beats. He gives the most amazing and highly entertaining PowerPoint presentation. The story of his life was shown at an International Film Festival in Hollywood, and he has appeared in news items in 58 countries around the world. He has amusing stories to tell of the rich and famous people, including the Royals, whom he has met and worked with, over the years.
Graham’s microscopic masterpieces (engravings invisible to the naked eye) continue to rise in value. He has completed 48 pieces so far. Graham only produces four items per year, making him one of the most collectable and fascinating living artists around today.
Six years ago, he started a nationwide hunt when he engraved Jane Austen on four £5 notes, which were valued at £50,000, then travelled around the UK spending them in shops.
I wrote about creating a show garden for Rainbows here:
Thank you for reading my blog and for leaving comments. I really hope Graham’s evening will be a huge success and the organisers raise lots of money for Rainbows hospice.
Thank you to everyone who read my review of Andrew Timothy O’Brien’s new book ‘To Stand and Stare’ published by Dorling Kindersley. The publishers kindly gave me two copies to give away.
The winners are Anna, and also Gill Watson. Please could you e mail me your addresses for the copies to be sent out. k.gimson@btinternet.com.
It’s a long time since I shared any photos of my lockdown kitten, Monty. No longer a kitten, but known to everyone as Monty K. He’s got ‘standing and staring’ down to a fine art. He’s still such a good companion in the potting shed and garden and follows me around everywhere. We hadn’t intended to get another cat, but when vets cancelled all the spaying operations there was an explosion of kittens in our village and surrounding area. We only got to see photos of Monty before he arrived, due to the covid rules, and we had no idea he would be a long-haired cat! Isn’t he gorgeous. A lot of brushing goes on with that coat! Otherwise, there’s brambles and dried grass all in a tangle around his ears.
I’ve ‘adopted’ two cats at Shropshire Cat Rescue. We can’t have any more here as Monty wouldn’t tolerate another feline, so I’m sending money to support two of the charity’s resident cats. More about this later!
Meanwhile… here’s a few Monty kitten photos, which is an indulgence really, but a nice reminder of when he arrived.
He soon outgrew this scratching post table. Curled up in my apple picking basket, with his favourite bee toySitting in the summerhouse Luckily Meg the cocker spaniel loves him as much as we do.
Have a great gardening week everyone! Thanks again for reading the blog and keeping in touch. It’s always appreciated. Karen.
Andrew Timothy O’Brien describes planting a tulip as ‘like planting hope and promise.’ I rather like this idea. In fact, the whole book suits me, with its gentle, encouraging, quiet style of gardening. There is nothing shouty about this book. It’s something to take to a corner, curl up, forget the world, and just ‘be’ for a while, immersed in the glory of plants, gardening and the process of growing beauty.
The title is part of the ‘how-to’ message in the book. There’s how to sow a seed, how to water a plant, deadhead a rose, hear a bird. And of course there’s how to ‘stand and stare.’ It’s a contrast to all the urgent, bossy, fast-paced, singing and dancing, ‘must-do’ messages we see every day on social media. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up. It’s hard not to feel left behind and out of touch. O’Brien, with his gentle philosophy reminds us to reflect on why and how we garden. It’s not to compete and keep up, but to find the joy in growing food and flowers -our way.
O’Brien writes; “ When it came to writing this book, I didn’t think the world needed another ‘How to Garden’ title- there’s a wealth of information out there expounding upon the many tasks that it’s all to easy to make your garden about. But there’s not so much about how you might like to be when you’re out there, at one with the plants and the wildlife and the weather. I’ve come to appreciate that an understanding of natural processes is the key to accessing the transformative power of the garden, and replacing feelings of confusion, overwhelm, and stress with focus, a sense of inner peace, and an increased facility to deal with what life throws at us on a daily basis. With a view to this, over the next few hundred pages, I’m going to invite you to think like a plant. And we are going to start from the ground up.”
Contents pages Inside front cover I’ve been reading Andrew’s writings on his blog and listening to the podcast for around 10 years. I suppose, although I’ve never met him, I feel as if I know him. He has the ability to write in such an accessible way that you feel as if he is familiar voice, a wise and trusted friend. And we can never have enough of those, can we.
When planting bulbs, O’Brien reminds us to “Breathe in, hold for a moment then, slowly and with some noise, breathe out. Open the bag; by rights it should be labelled ‘Hope & Promise’, but something like ‘Tulips’ or ‘Lilies’ is perhaps more likely and, really it’s all the same.”
O’Brien strikes just the right note in a world full of conflict and worry. I can conjure up the scenes he creates. I’m happy to stand and stare with him. It’s a balm for our times, and very soothing for the soul. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
“A pause. A breath. A moment for a thought.” Wise words. Don’t you agree?
Illustrations by Ariel Lee.
The publishers have offered one copy for readers of this blog. Please leave a comment below to be entered in the prize draw. Thank you, as ever, for coming to my blog and reading my reviews and musings. It’s much appreciated. You are among 300 people taking a look here each day. And I’m am very grateful for your time.
A warm welcome to all new readers who’ve attended my garden club, or U3A talks. Here’s a selection of photos from my talks to accompany the plant lists. I’m available in the East Midlands area for talks. If you’ve enjoyed one of my talks, please pass my details on to neighbouring clubs and societies. I give a donation to charity with each talk. My e mail is k.gimson@btinternet.com.
Echinacea White Swan grown from seed. Plants also come from Miles Nursery, Hoby, Leicestershire.
I’ve been a garden designer for 25 years. Pollinators- bees and butterflies- are always a priority when choosing plants.
Here’s where I grow my plants. I have a second hand 20ft Alton Cedar greenhouse which cost £260 30 years ago. I’ve painted it black and made matching staging. Alongside is a 20ft poly tunnel. We bought the hoops from a nursery closing down. The metal hoops cost £20 on condition we took down a 40ft tunnel and cleared the site. It took us a day to take it down and a week to install the poly tunnel at home. The new plastic covering cost about £140. You can just see the potting shed which replaced one made from pallets which lasted 20 years! This one is made from recycled wood and 1920s window frames which came from a house in the village having double glazing fitted. The roof is black onduline which is fairly cheap and easy to build with. My luxury, having saved money on second hand items, is an electricity supply to the potting shed and greenhouse. At the moment the greenhouse is heated to just above freezing. Orange and lemon trees thrive there.
In front of the greenhouse there’s 10 beds with 2x2ft slab paths between. The beds are about 1.2m wide by 3m long . Vegetables and flowers are mixed together. One bed contains wild flowers. Two beds have hazel A-frames made from hazel rods. These rods come from farm suppliers and are used as binders for hedge laying. They are fairly cheap and last three years if repaired every spring. Natural string is used to tie them together, so at the end of their life, the whole lot can be shredded and composted.
Sweet peas are sown in October and February and planted out in April. Down the centre of the A- frames are gladioli and lilies. Perennial argyranthemums and annual Ammi are interplanted and calendula set at the front. The frame supports all the flowers and no further staking is needed, which saves time.
I grow new varieties and heritage types. Above is a new one called Wiltshire Ripple from Mr Fothergill’s. Highly fragrant and with long stems ideal for cut flowers. Try their new Suffolk Punch sweet pea, launched this year to support the Suffolk Punch Trust which is helping to conserve this heritage working horse breed.
Here’s a posy with dark blue sweet peas, Ammi, argyranthemums and lavender Hidcote. There’s always mint and rosemary in all my arrangements for the gorgeous scent. The grey foliage is Seneccio Vira Vira from Coton Manor Nursery.
Here’s the argyranthemums made into a mossy wreath with ivy, Ammi and Blue Boy cornflowers.
My wreaths end up on the 1920s summerhouse which is on a turntable to follow the sun.
Here’s a rose wreath with highly-scented Constance Spry, David Austin’s first rose, and Mme Isaac Periere, a heritage rose dating back to 1841.
Inside the potting shed. The wreath is made from a metal frame covered in moss. 10cm lengths of Ivy are poked into the moss all around the outside and inside of the ring. Roses and stems of elderflower are added on top. These will last a week if sprayed with water every day.
These roses are new from Whartons. They are a home-florists’ range for cut flowers. This one is Timeless Cream. Highly scented, with few thorns, long stems and it also repeat-flowers through summer to autumn. You can find out more about British rose growers from Roses UK which promotes the industry and spreads the word about new and heritage roses. http://www.rosesuk.com/
It goes well with carnation Bridal Star, white Antirrhinum Royal Bride, Ammi, and cosmos Psyche White. Blue gladioli (Pheasant Acre Plants) mint and Agapanthus Fireworks (Wyvale Nurseries) compete the posy.
Cosmos Psyche White. Mr Fothergill’s seed. Started in February and planted out end of May. Flowers from June to November.
Agapanthus Fireworks, a new variety which flowers all summer.
Calendula, a seedling from Touch of Red. Mr Fothergill’s seed.
If you’ve attended one of my talks, I hope you’ve enjoyed this reminder of some of the flowers mentioned. Your leader will e mail a comprehensive plant list, and I look forward to returning next year with a different talk on another gardening subject.
Seed potatoes arrived promptly through the post in a paper sack from Potato House. These are the varieties I selected. Some for containers and some for the open ground. The potatoes were in a good condition, fresh, solid, with no mould, and an ideal size for chitting. I set them out in a seed tray with paper strips between the varieties and labels at one end.
Seed potatoes have been placed in a bright, cool, frost free place to chit. Chitting just means to start them into growth. Small shoots will grow from the eyes, which have been placed upwards. When the shoots are 2cm the potatoes will be planted in containers on top of 20cm of compost. As the leaves grow, handfuls of compost will be added to cover them, until the leaves pop out of the top of the containers. I’ll water sparingly until the containers are half full of compost – by which time the potatoes will be growing strongly. Too much water in the early stages causes the potatoes to rot. When the leaves emerge out of the top, watering will be stepped up to make the tubers grow.
I’ll be harvesting these in about 100 days for earlies, and 120 days for main crop potatoes.
There’s nothing like the taste of newly-harvested potatoes, fresh from the garden. It’s a money-saving project, but also grown for the flavour. Only a few varieties are usually offered in the shops, and yet there are hundreds of varieties to choose from to grow. Some potatoes I grew last year, showing the shoots starting to grow. Usually three shoots are allowed to develop. The rest are rubbed off so they produce larger -sized potatoes.Leek and potato pies.
Potato and cashew nut savoury bakes Love these two-tone white and pink potatoes. Charlotte potatoes, just washed and ready to steam. No need to scrape new potatoes. The skin contains lots of vitamins and minerals.
I love the colours of Violetta and Shetland Black. Before Christmas, I bought some ready-to-eat potatoes from Potato House UK as a try-before-you-grow scheme. It was fabulous to try different varieties before committing time and space to growing them at home.
What plans have you got for growing potatoes this summer? It’s exciting to think about spring and summer harvests after such a long, cold grey winter isn’t it.
Potato House have kindly given me a code to offer to readers of bramblegarden. This is an offer independent from my blog, and Potato House will be responsible for all discussions regarding orders.
Amy from Potato House writes: Here is a 10% code for your readers for seed potatoes for orders over £15
BRAMBLE T&C 10% Voucher valid till 31/4/23 for SEED orders over £15, includes all 6 tuber, 1 kg nets. Excludes 10kg, 25kg sacks, gift cards, patio sets, grow bags and our To Eat range. Coupon cannot be used in conjunction with other coupons. One discount per email. Usual discounts still apply. Usual web T&C apply.
For listeners of today’s BBC Radio Leicester gardening. Here’s what I was talking about today. This advice comes from Glenn Facer, who has worked in the gardens at Chatsworth House for 33 years. Glenn has been growing fruit and vegetables in the kitchen garden for 14 years and grows produce for the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Glenn supplies the family in the main house and also the restaurants, cafes and hotels on the estate.
Glenn Facer working at Chatsworth
Glenn says: “I force the rhubarb by lifting small clumps off the rows out on the beds from November until about the end of march, leaving the roots on top of the ground to be frosted for a few days. This aids the forcing process.
Rhubarb dug out ready to be forced Forced rhubarb has sweet and tasty, pale stems
In dustbins, I place a layer of compost in the bottom and place the clumps on top, filling round with more compost but not covering the crown. Then lightly water and replace the lid to exclude light.
The dustbins are placed in a heated glasshouse for a quicker crop, but can be placed in a cold greenhouse or shed. They are usually ready to harvest in about 3 to 4 weeks time.
I usually dispose of the crowns after forcing, as they are worn out and would take a while to crop again.
The varieties I use are Victoria , Timperley Early and Champagne.”
Forced rhubarb from the Chatsworth gardens. photos Glenn Facer
Recipes we talked about on the radio. These were published in the Garden News Magazine in 2022. I write a column each week focussing on what I’m growing and how I’m using the produce in the kitchen.
Smoothy recipe:
1/2 cup cooked, cooled rhubarb
1 teaspoon sugar ( optional) or maple syrup or honey
1.5 cups plain yoghurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
Or pinch of dried ginger
Add icecream to serve (optional)
Cut the rhubarb into 2cm pieces. Wash and place in a saucepan with just the water clinging to the stems. Cook until soft. Add the sugar or sugar substitutes if using. Cool. Add the other ingredients and whizz in a food processor. Adjust the taste/ consistency by adding milk/cream/ or a scoop of vanilla ice cream according to taste.
If you are looking for a special dish for New Year celebrations, I can highly recommend this recipe. It’s a really tasty onion, mushroom and nut filling encased in golden puff pastry. It’s easy to make and serves 7-8. You can also make it ahead and re-heat it, or cut it into portions to freeze. We have it for Christmas every year, served alongside roast potatoes and honey roast parsnips, greens and onion gravy. wishing you all a very happy Christmas and wonderful New Year! Thanks as ever for following the blog and leaving your comments.
Take the pastry out of the fridge so that it comes to room temperature while you make the filling.
Heat the butter, sugar and onions in a frying pan. Gently cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, until caramelised and soft. Allow to cool
Use the same frying pan to cook the red onion in the 1 tbsp olive oil. When they are soft – which takes about 20 minutes on a low heat- add the chopped mushrooms, herbs, lemon juice and vegetable stock.
Cook on a low heat for 10 minutes.
Chop the nuts in a food processor very briefly. Add the mushroom mixture and process for a few seconds to incorporate. Leave it chunky, but well mixed
Add the breadcrumbs and seasoning and stir.
Mix in half the beaten egg. The other half will be for glazing the top.
To assemble, unroll the pastry on a baking tray, using the paper covering as a non-stick parchment
Spoon the caramelised onions down the centre of the pastry
Add the mushroom nut filling on top.
Cut the pastry sides into diagonal strips about 2cm wide and fold these one at a time over the filling to form a plait.
Brush the top with the reserved half beaten egg or oat milk for vegetarians.
Cook for about 40 minutes until the pastry has risen and turned golden and the filling has heated through.
Can be made the day before and reheated in foil in the oven. Also nice cold of there are any leftovers, served with jacket potatoes and salad. Enjoy!
The filling mixture The filling piled in the centre of the pastry. I’ve put the caramelised onions on top here. Doesn’t really matter either way. Plaiting the pastry
The finished roast. Sprinkle some fresh herbs over, if you like.
I’ve often thought it would be a great idea to try out different varieties before committing to ordering and growing seed potatoes. Well now you can do just that. Potato House are selling ready-to-eat varieties of heritage, coloured, rare and organic spuds!
I ordered five varieties, Arran Victory, Blue Annelise, Heidi Red, Pink Fir Apple and one simply called ‘Chips’ for cooking chips and wedges.
The coloured potatoes really appealed to me, as it’s not easy to buy them locally. I like the idea of keeping heritage varieties going, and it’s lovely to try something new. Potatoes arrived promptly after ordering. I was delighted with the quality. The potatoes are a good size and beautiful condition.
‘Chips’
Amy from Potato House says
“We are renowned for our colourful range of seed potatoes. These look and taste amazing. The best thing about growing your own produce is experimenting with colours that are not readily available in supermarkets.
We grow the purples, pinks and the in-between with multi-coloured skin for you to experiment with in your gardens and allotments.
In some varieties it is only the skin which is coloured and in some, the colour goes beyond the skin for vibrant additions to any plate. Think blue mash, purple chips and red crisps!
Unusual colours on your plate is a talking point – whether it is toddlers or friends round for a meal – everyone is impressed. The toddlers get told that the blue mash has superpowers and the adults will check if blue potatoes have superpowers!
Nutritional values are the same although there are some studies which indicate that a range of food colours is better for you.
Growing and cooking coloured potatoes takes no extra skill. You grow according to the maturity and then cook according to the potato type. So if you have a second early, smooth, blue seed potato such as Salad Blue, it will grow like any other second early taking about 14 weeks to mature and then will be delicious as a mash!
Try some home made chips and crisps – a lot easier than you would think!
Some of these varieties have been around for a long time – your grandparents would have had some, and others have been bred more recently giving protection against diseases.
Our range of seed potatoes comes in 6-tuber nets and 1kg nets (as well as larger sizes) and discounts start when you buy only 5 nets of any combination. Our range of ready-to-eat potatoes comes in 5k, 10kg, and 15kg bags. Both are delivered direct to you from our farm.
We do, of course, have white skin and flesh seed potatoes too. We’re here to help you decide so let us know if you have any questions.” https://www.potatohouse.co.uk/
Pink Fir AppleSome tasty purple potatoes I grew this summer. They kept their colour during cooking.
I’m using some of my potatoes for Christmas, but I’m also looking through my cookery books to decide what else to make with them. I probably won’t be able to resist buying all of them as seed potatoes too. To have beautiful varieties like these coming out of the veg plot next year is a very cheerful prospect indeed.
Are any of you looking through catalogues and on-line deciding what varieties to grow right now? What potatoes would you recommend, and have any of you tried the more unusual red, blue and black varieties? Thanks for reading my blog. Happy gardening! And happy cooking too!
Christmas only really starts for me when I plant my amaryllis bulbs. For as long as I can remember, there’s been amaryllis bulbs flowering over the festive season at my family’s home. And I like to keep up the tradition by having them in my own home. If you listened in to this week’s BBC Radio Leicester show, you will have heard me talking about the amaryllis varieties I’m planting at the moment. Some are for me, and some will be given as Christmas presents.
Carmen is the deep velvety red single-flowering bulb I mentioned on the show. I was potting them up as we talked. The box kits from Taylors Bulbs contain a plant pot and compost which makes life easier. Everything needed is contained in one box.
This beautiful double white amaryllis is Marilyn. I love the lime green centre of the flowers.
Lady Jane
This is the pink and white striped double amaryllis I’ve chosen. It’s called Lady Jane. Which is quite a fancy name for quite a fancy flower!
Amaryllis Rilona has wonderful deep apricot single flowers with a darker eye. The flowers are edged in white, and if you look closely you can see darker orange stripes or veins radiating from the centre of the flowers to the tips.
When choosing bulbs, always go for the largest you can find. The larger the bulb, the more flower spikes will be produced. Usually one single spike is followed by a second, or even a third, if you are very lucky.
I asked Taylors Bulbs for some planting and general care advice:
How To Plant Amaryllis In Pots/Containers:
1. Soak the dry roots (not the bulb) in lukewarm water for about 45mins. Make sure to cut off any damaged roots before potting. 2. Fill the base of your pot (at least 20cm) with multi-purpose compost, covering the drainage hole. 3. Feed the roots into the pot, spreading them out onto the compost and fill in around them with more compost. 4. Bury the bottom half of the bulb, so that it is secure in the pot. Water sparingly. 5. Stand the pot in a well-lit position and keep the compost moist, but do not over water.
Extra Tips:
* Amaryllis are great for the windowsill. Remember to turn the pot regularly to prevent the stems bending towards the light.
* Once your Amaryllis flowers have faded, cut the whole stem off as close to the base as possible. * Water and feed them with a balanced fertiliser every few weeks to help build up strength for next year. * Make sure to give them plenty of light, as this helps the leaves generate energy. * To help encourage them to flower next year cut any old foliage back to the neck of the bulb. Move them into a warm position and continue to water them.
Re-potting Amaryllis Bulbs:
* After every two to three years it’s a good idea to re-pot amaryllis bulbs for continued good displays. * Amaryllis tend to grow best in small pots, so don’t be tempted to re-pot into a larger pot. * After flowering, remove the bulbs from the compost and gently remove the compost around the roots. Then refill your pot with fresh compost and replant the bulb.
About Taylors Bulbs:
Taylors Bulbs are a fourth generation family business, growing and supplying flower bulbs and associated products since 1919.
Daffodils are grown on our farm in Holbeach, Lincolnshire where we also design and pack a large range of products predominantly for the UK and Irish markets.
Still a thriving family business employing over 200 staff at peak times, we pride ourselves on the award winning service we offer our customers.
Here’s some more amaryllis I’ve grown at Christmas. In the second year, they often flower either very early in November, or as late as May. Either way they are very welcome at a time when there are few flowers to enjoy in the garden. Indoor bulbs fill the gap.
This white single flower has a lovely red edge. I think it is called Picotee and I’ve had it for 10 years. Another lovely single white flower. Possibly called Lemon and Lime, however I’ve lost the label as it’s been here many years. Sadly, I can’t remember the name of this beauty, but again, it’s been here for several years.
Thanks for reading the blog, and for listening in to the radio. I also write a weekly column for Garden News Magazine, so I’m either talking or writing about flowers every day of the week. Happy gardening everyone!
Many people listen to radio on the i-player now. It’s so convenient to be able to listen when it suits you. You can stop the recording and go back if you didn’t hear a plant name correctly. You can have a cup of tea in the middle of the programme. I love listening to the radio through my i-pad or on the phone when I’m driving along.
This week we talked about sweet peas. My plants are 5” tall now and I’m pinching out the tops to make bushier plants. Sweet peas flower on side shoots, so more shoots equal more flowers.
I’m growing my sweet peas in root trainers. These are long cell trays which allow deep rooting. They open at the sides like a book so the roots aren’t disturbed when you plant them out. I use a 50/ 50 compost and grit or vermiculite mix for good drainage. There’s still time to sow your sweet peas now. Seeds packets are reduced in some local garden centres and on-line.
My sweet peas are for jam jar posies. I’m growing Wiltshire Ripple, High Scent, Albutt Blue and Chatsworth. I’m also growing about five different types of white sweet peas for my trial to grow wedding flowers for my daughter. She’s not getting married until summer 2024, but next summer will be a try-out for the flowers.
I particularly love the ripple series of sweet peas. Here shown with some sweet william.
Ripple Mixed from Mr Fothergill’s seed.
We also talked about taking salvia cuttings.
I have a collection of really beautiful salvias, some in the ground and some in pots. They are not a hundred percent hardy, so I take ‘insurance policy’ cuttings now. Look down the sides of the plants and find some shoots that haven’t flowered. Pull gently down and they will come away with a tiny heel. Tidy up the heel with a knife and insert the cutting around the edge of a 3” pot of gritty compost. They will overwinter in a greenhouse, cold frame or house windowsill.
Here’s a pot full of salvia cuttings. I leave them in the same pot all winter and separate them in spring. This takes up less space than dividing cuttings and potting them on in winter.
They separate out into new little plants which can be grown on in their own 3” pots and planted out in summer.
Thanks for listening in, if you live in the Leicestershire area, and thanks for reading the blog. It’s great to share what we are all growing in our gardens all year round. There’s something new to learn every
Flower Carpet Pink is the 18th rose to be inducted into the World Federation of Rose Societies prestigious Rose Hall of Fame. Who knew there was such a thing as a Rose Hall of Fame! Or that there were 17 other roses mentioned there already. I learn something new every day. The announcement came at the Word Rose Congress held in Adelaide earlier this month. I’m going to show my complete ignorance here and say that I didn’t even know there was a World Rose Congress either. However, for what it’s worth, I have always loved the Flower Carpet roses for their disease resistance. As an organic gardener, roses that don’t need spraying are a blessing. Ones that repeat flower and don’t need much pruning are even more welcome. I use the pink rose in garden design projects, but at home I have Flower Carpet Coral which grows amongst white peonies, hellebores, and blue campanula in a semi-shaded border. The blue and the coral colours look wonderful together.
Flower Carpet Coral
It’s fascinating to know the history behind these plants. Flower Carpet Pink was Bred by Noack Roses in 1988 and introduced in the UK in 1991. Like many gardeners, I appreciate its glossy foliage, abundance of flowers and easy-care characteristics.
Rose grower Robert Wharton, licensee for Noack Roses in the UK says ‘With environmental consideration such as water and chemical reduction increasing in importance Flower Carpet with its excellent drought tolerance and superb health will be a feature in gardens and green spaces well into the future.’
Creator of Flower Carpet Pink, Werner Noack passed away recently and his son Reinhard accepted the award from Henrianne de Briey President of the WFRS. Reinhard said ‘Such a success is not the merit of only one person – three generations of the Noack family, our employees and national and international partners have all contributed to make Flower Carpet Pink a true rose of the world’.
The Flower Carpet collection won 11 gold medals and 14 awards in rose trials held around the world. Both Reinhard and his son Steffen continue Werner’s work in creating both beautiful and useful roses, including Cherry, the latest addition to the Flower Carpet family.
Flower Carpet Cherry
The Flower Carpet collection has combined sales of over 100 million plants globally since the launch of Flower Carpet Pink.
Flower Carpet Gold
The World Federation of Rose Societies, World Hall of Fame was established in 1976. There have been 18 inductees over the past 46 years, with Rose Peace being the first. There is also an Old Rose Hall of Fame which celebrates the popular historical roses and roses of genealogical importance.
Flower Carpet® is grown in the UK by Whartons Garden Roses and is available from garden centres and nurseries.
Here’s some more roses from the Flower Carpet series.
These make good roses for flower arranging, and in the open-centred roses, bees love the pollen. Are any of you growing roses from the Flower Carpet Range? Thank you for reading the blog and leaving your comments in the box below.
Last week I posted an ‘all of the garden’ bouquet with everything in flower. I thought you might like to see how the flowers look seven days later. I visited my Mum today and took all the flowers out of the vase and cut four inches off the bottom of the stems. I cleaned the jam jar and added fresh water.
What a joy to see Alstroemeria Indian Summer still looking fresh and colourful. As I said last week, I bought this new plant from Mary Thomas who has a nursery in my area. Mary lives in Sutton Bonington and opens her garden for the NGS. She also has a plant nursery, Piecemeal Plants and has a stall at the Belvoir Castle Flower Show where I treated myself to one or two special plants. To have them still in flower in mid-November is making me very happy indeed!
Chrysanthemums give good value in a cut flower garden and will last three weeks in a vase, if looked after by refreshing the water and just trimming the base of the stems slightly every few days. Mum hadn’t touched her flowers for the week, but they still looked as fresh as newly picked. This variety is Swan. The pure white petals surround a green centre which eventually fades to white to match the outer petals. A good value plant. We bought cuttings from the RHS Malvern Show a few years ago. I think I shared a batch of cuttings with a friend. There was a special offer of 12 cuttings of different types. The price for the offer worked out at about 80p per cutting. Plants are grown in 10”pots stood outdoors all summer. Usually I take them in the poly tunnel or greenhouse in November as frost and rain might spoil the petals, but this year we have had such mild conditions, the plants are still outdoors.
This is the very last David Howard dahlia of the year. It’s my favourite dahlia and goes really well with the alstroemeria, as if they were meant to be together as a pair.
The petals of the rudbeckias have dropped off, but I decided to keep the stems as the dark brown stamens made interesting ‘buttons’ of colour and shape. A contrast to the flowers.
This little rudbeckia is hanging on, grown from a mixed packet of seed from Mr Fothergills. I just couldn’t throw it out. It might not last another week, but we shall see.
I was surprised and delighted to see the little wild flower Oxeye daisy still hanging on. Such a lovely reminder of the banks of white flowers which flower all summer here. It’s so strange to see them blooming in November as the days grow dark. But welcome even so.
As usual, foliage is important in my jam jar flowers. This is a lime green bedding plant I keep going from one year to the next by taking lots of cuttings and keeping them in 3” pots over the winter. They are popular for hanging baskets and containers, but also make very good foliage for cut flowers. And I’ve temporarily forgotten the name. Perhaps you know it? There’s also a grey version, but I prefer the lime green.
There’s also rosemary which goes into every posy I create. Everything I do has a meaning and rosemary is for remembrance, as you probably know. I’m surprised to see the huge 4ft high plant I have in the veg plot in full flower today. Such beautiful Mediterranean blue flowers and gorgeously -scented leaves. I couldn’t be without it.
I couldn’t be without my senecio viravira which also goes into every single posy I create. It’s such a pretty leaf and sets off all the other colours. Plants are not always hardy so again I’ve taken cuttings in 3” pots, just in case.
Also, not easy to photograph, but Salvia Phyllis’s Fancy is as fresh as the day I picked it.
A slightly better photo. You can also see the red stems of dogwood which give colour to autumn arrangements.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this weekend’s updated photos. It only took me ten minutes to rearrange the flowers and refresh them. It’s so rewarding to see how long home-grown flowers can last. And my mum’s kitchen window is full of autumn colour and scent for another week. A worthwhile project and it makes me – and my lovely Mum very happy.
Have a lovely gardening week. And thanks for reading the blog and leaving a comment below. Follow Cathy for the ‘In a Vase on Monday’ meme. She has a very special anniversary tomorrow, so many congratulations Cathy! And thanks for hosting such a lovely, friendly meme with members growing and arranging flowers all around the world for the past nine years.
Surely, these must be the last flowers for cutting this year…. I keep going out expecting to see foliage blackened by frost and buds turned to mush. But no, the garden is still blooming!
Star of the show must be these marmalade orange flowers, Dahlia David Howard. Plants have done nothing all summer, but suddenly a month ago, after some rain, new leaves appeared and flower buds. I didn’t think they would come to anything as it’s so late in the season.
Coming into flower again is my new alstroemeria Indian Summer which I brought in July from my friend nursery owner Mary Thomas. It was in flower when I bought it, and it’s decided to get going again now. Doesn’t it look wonderful alongside the David Howard dahlias.
They look as if they are meant to be together in a bouquet. Such a pretty combination, don’t you think?
Another surprise is this red and white dahlia. It arrived all by itself. I bought a white one and a red one several years ago, and together they have produced a seedling baby combining the two colours. It’s rather pretty and flamboyant. I love the open centre as it has plenty of pollen for bees. I probably enjoy bees and butterflies as much as the flowers in my garden to be honest.
I sowed the seed for these sunflowers speculatively in August. I sowed them direct, in amongst the cosmos and calendula. Temperatures were so hot in the 30s for days on end that seeds germinated almost overnight. The result is a bed full of miniature sunflowers only 4” across. I don’t suppose this will ever happen again as we are unlikely to have another summer like this one.
Another mixed up sunflower, or it could actually be a rudbeckia. It has a very pretty chocolate coloured centre. I love any daisy-type flower.
Not a perfect flower, it’s slightly nibbled around the edges, but this is an ox-eye daisy which usually flowers in mid-summer. We have these wild flowers dotted about the whole garden, especially along gravel paths where seedlings flourish. I’m digging some up this week and moving them to a new patch of bare ground around the pond.
More white flowers just starting to bloom now are the chrysanthemums. This one is called Swan. It opens with a green and cream centre and fades to pure white. Very long-lasting in a vase, it will keep for nearly three weeks if you change the water daily. Highly recommended. I grow it in 10” pots stood outdoors for the summer and brought under cover in winter.
Verbena Bonariensis is a pretty filler for these bouquets. We often have flowers right through until Christmas, although they are starting to diminish. They are still worthy of close inspection even when there are more seeds than tiny flowers.
Also joining the last-minute party is salvia Phyllis’s Fancy. I bought this for the name as much as the flower. I’d love to know who Phyllis is. It certainly is fancy. Salvias are quite hard to photograph. I have a new camera which doesn’t seem to understand exactly what I want to focus on, but the photo is striking even with most of the flowers blurred. It’s the most wonderful purple and lavender flower.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my last-minute flowers. Can you spot the abutilon poking out of the bottom on the right. I think this is Kent Belle. Three stems of red dogwood (Westonbirt) add structure to the arrangement.
I learned from Georgie Newbery of Common Farm Flowers to add stems in a spiral by holding the bouquet in one hand and giving it a quarter turn before adding another stem. This way the arrangement looks good on both sides, and will actually stand up on its own. It’s a satisfying moment when it does!
Thanks for reading my blog. Flowers are for my lovely Mum this week. After a six week absence due to illness, I’m owing her quite a few bouquets! Join Cathy over on ‘In a Vase on Monday’ to see what others are cutting and arranging for their vases this week. It’s interesting to see the variety of flowers from all around the world. https://ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com/2022/10/31/in-a-vase-on-monday-spooky/
With several keen sailors in my family, the RNLI is close to my heart. My nephew John Gimson sails for Britain in the British Olympic Team, training and competing all around the world.
As a family, we’ve always supported the RNLI, so when their Christmas gifts popped up in a PR e mail, I decided to highlight them here on the blog. Why not help a good cause? I’ve not received or asked for any gifts, I just wanted to share some fantastic options for anyone looking for Christmas present ideas for keen gardeners.
Give your garden a nautical makeover with this decorative lighthouse in a classic navy and cream colour palette. Right at the base of the lighthouse, you’ll spot the RNLI logo, so you can show your support for our crews as you tackle the weeds and prune your flower beds. £18The ceramic Charity, Fortitude and Hope Boat Planter (£22) will certainly add individuality to any garden while serving as a reminder that you’re helping to fund our volunteers, facing perilous conditions to save lives at sea.Spiral bound and fully illustrated, this gardening journal will help anyone with green fingers to keep track of planting and sowing throughout the year.
The journal includes a daily planner, planting profile, space for notes, garden plans and sketches plus delicious recipes to try and lots and lots of gardening tips. £15The Botanical Bible tells the story of plants and flowers, beginning with an overview of the plant kingdom and the basics of botany, then offering strategies for gardening with purpose. Later chapters introduce seasonal eating, the healing properties of plants and the world of botanical art.
This stunning gift book is part history, part science, part beauty book, part cookbook and part art book. It will appeal to anyone wanting to use plants and flowers in modern life, whether they are an accomplished gardener or are simply yearning for a more natural life. This comprehensive guide to plants, flowers and botanicals covers a host of practical uses, features vintage illustrations alongside the work of current artists, and is sure to be an inspiration to anyone interested in the natural world. £30Make your garden or home bloom this Spring with our hugely popular yellow welly planter. This ceramic planter is perfect to display a beautiful bouquet or to plant your favourite bulbs, plants or herbs. The planter is suitable for outside use but must be brought inside in cold conditions. The RNLI logo has been hand painted to one side of the boot. Due to the product being hand painted, slight variations may occur. £15Hang this lovely fish chime in your garden or balcony and enjoy the beautiful sound it makes as it chimes in the breeze. Made in the shape of a fish, this ceramic wind chime has five independently moving parts. £12
Brighten up your décor with this beautiful flowerpot, in a blue, pink, teal and purple abstract floral pattern. For indoor use. £10
Love the style? Check out the rest of our exclusive RNLI Garden Range, which features a candle, diffuser, shopping bag, scarf, garden kneeler and cosmetics bag in the same pattern.
For gardeners with sustainability at heart, the very cute Wrendale Garden Paper Pot Press (£12)is the perfect gift. Made with FSC beech wood, this handy tool allows you to create your own paper pots for seeds, seedlings and young plantsThe RNLI Gardens Campaign Gardening Kneeler (£20) offers a colourful and beautiful design while being practical and compact for gardeners seeking comfort while weeding and planting. Inspired by summer in aid of the RNLI’s Gardens fundraising campaign, this is a must-have essential for gardeners everywhere.After a hard day’s work in the garden, this gardener’s handwash is perfect for restoring dirty hands to a fresh and clean state and is fragranced with replenishing lavender oil. £14
Packaged in a recyclable glass bottle, this lovely handwash makes a great gift for garden lovers.
500ml Lavender oil fragrance Recyclable glass bottle Made in the UK, based in the Lake District in the north-west of England.
Here’s some more details from the RNLI PR team:
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) offers a wide range of gardening products, perfect for the gardeners in your life. Shop with the RNLI this Christmas and help save lives at sea.
From unique planters and outdoor ornaments to essential garden kneelers and handy tools, the RNLI offers the perfect Christmas gifts for gardeners.
Christmas shopping for the gardener in your life doesn’t have to be a chore this year as the RNLI has gift-giving all wrapped up. Whether you’re looking to spruce up your space or get practical with your plant planning, the RNLI has something to offer.
Every purchase makes a lifesaving difference as 100% of profit supports our work. In 2021, RNLI lifeboats and lifeguards saved 408 lives, thanks to the charity’s generous supporters and shoppers.
Give a gift that truly keeps on giving this Christmas. Visit the RNLI online shop:shop.rnli.org or find your nearest volunteer-run RNLI store here: rnli.org/find-my-nearest/shops.
I also noted the gifts for pets, clothing and outdoors items and kitchen and home wares. Hopefully you’ll find something, and when you buy, you are powering the brave RNLI crews saving lives at sea.
Thank you for reading my blog and leaving your comments in the box below. It’s always lovely to hear from you all. Have a great gardening week. Karen
Who would think it was the last day of October? My dahlias didn’t have any flowers during August, September and the first half of October. But they have suddenly decided to put on a display. And what a display. They are all producing glorious stained-glass hues. The colours seem brighter and more glowing than previous years. They are so welcome after such a disappointing summer.
Labels have been scratched up by the hens and misplaced, but I think this is Dahlia Karma Choc, a decorative type with velvety dark red flowers. It got left behind in the garden last autumn, while most of the dahlias were dug up and stored in the potting shed. To be honest, it has done just as well as the others, so I’m going to risk it this winter, and leave them all out. I’ll cover them with a foot of dried beech leaves, a plastic cloche and recycled compost bags. They should stay fairly dry and be protected from frost. And if they don’t survive, I’ll have a rethink in the cut flower garden next summer. I might try something less trouble that doesn’t get nibbled by slugs, need staking and then can’t cope with a drought.
Karma Choc with grey foliage of Senecio viravira, known as Dusty Miller. I’ve taken lots of cuttings of the senecio as it’s not totally hardy. I’d be lost without it as it provides foliage for my jam jar arrangements all year round.
Dahlia David Howard has also decided to flower. These apricot orange blooms are much smaller than usual. Foliage is dark, bronze almost black. Plants were originally bred by nurseryman David Howard who spotted a promising seedling in 1960. It went on to win an RHS AGM, Award of Garden Merit. David founded Howard Nurseries in Wortham, near Diss and had a passion for dahlias and chrysanthemums. By the age of 16, he was supplying plants to Covent Garden while selecting and breeding his own varieties. The nursery thrived with David and a business partner buying first four, then 12 then 24 acres to expand. They gained such a renowned reputation that they supplied plants to the Chelsea Flower Show, and also to the Queen Mother and Prince Charles. David died aged 81 in 2019, and his daughter Christine now runs the nurseries.
This beautiful white dahlia flower reminds me of swan feathers. Sadly, I don’t know the name as this was given to me by a friend, but I’ll take cuttings next spring and increase my numbers because it’s such a lovely cut flower. The heads usually get quite heavy and dangle down, but Georgie Newbery of Common Farm Flowers showed me how to twist the stem around and turn the dahlia flowers into the centre of the bouquet which seems to work. The red stems you can see in the first photo are dogwood, Cornus Westonbirt, which also help support heavy flower heads.
Tucked in amongst the dahlias are a few teeny sunflowers. They never grew more than a few inches across! However, their bright yellow flowers are very welcome now, even in miniature.
This sunflower grown from a mixed packet of seed from Mr Fothergill’s has burnt orange flowers and a chocolate centre. Bees love them, and the seed heads are good for birds.
A beautiful double yellow sunflower with my favourite dark brown centre.
Cosmos also eventually decided to flower. I think this is Candy Stripe from Mr Fothergill’s. Another good flower for bees. And with daytime temperatures still at 18C we still have bumblebees and solitary bees out and about.
Argyranthemums braved the heatwave in summer and produced a few blooms, but now the plants have decided to go for it and plants are smothered in large white daisies. These last for two weeks in a vase, so I’m very grateful to see them in flower.
Cerise red dahlias, possibly Arabian Night, with red salvias which are also having their moment now.
And tucked in the middle is this fimbriated cactus dahlia, possibly Apache, which came from Gee-Tee Bulbs. Foliage is always important to me and in my bouquet today I have one stem each of mint, rosemary and lemon-scented santolina.
I hope you’ve enjoyed these bright jewel-like colours. I must admit, I usually prefer pastel shades. But after the summer we’ve had, any colour is certainly welcome. These flowers are for my Mum, who I haven’t seen for six weeks due to illness, so a joyful reunion, and I am pleased to have something lovely and cheerful to take from my garden.
Is your garden behaving strangely like mine, and deciding it’s summer all over again? Let me know if it’s just me, or if your flowers are blooming again. Have a great gardening week. Karen
Should any of you want to read a book which makes you laugh from start to finish, look no further than Tamsin Westhorpe’s new memoir ‘Grasping the Nettle.’
Tamsin spent her childhood mostly outdoors, by all accounts and her weekends, and after-school activities were often spent collecting snails and creepy crawlies, some she kept as pets. It was the perfect start in life for someone who would make horticulture their career. And what a career she’s had, starting with work on a plant nursery, time as an interior plant landscaper, and after college, a spell as a gardener for Bournemouth parks department and bowling greens.
Along the way, she writes about the colourful characters she meets, and the scrapes she gets into. I’m still holding my breath after reading about the clapped-out Land Rover she bought which would only start from the top of a hill, and had virtually no brakes!
Tamsin bought the rust bucket Land Rover from Southampton docks where it had been used for ferrying fish. Consequently, well you can imagine the pong!
“Fortunately for me and my newest fishy acquisition, the bungalow was at the top of a steep gravel drive. Without it I’d never have got to college. The Land Rover, which I had affectionately and very appropriately named Delilah (‘Why, why, why did I buy you?), regularly wouldn’t start but releasing the hand brake on the slope and turning the key seemed to do the trick. However stressful this daily event was, I couldn’t help but feel happy sitting in the driving seat looking over the bonnet. Now that the fishmonger’s logo had been removed, I felt like a proper horticultural student. On arrival at college- thankfully only about a mile from home- I would never experience actually turning the engine off. Stalling just as I reached my parking space was the norm. It wasn’t until I had a proper car that I realised how poor the brakes were, but thankfully I never went very far or fast.”
We’ve all had trouble starting pull-cord lawnmowers and machines. During her time at Bournemouth Parks department, Tamsin had a bit of trouble with a very heavy cantankerous leaf blower. Trying to start it while being watched by an audience of dog walkers and families heading to the beach was embarrassing to say the least.
“There was no way I could fail, so I learned to be determined and discovered how to cope with a flooded engine. I also understood why steel toe-capped boots are important- to kick power tools! On some days when the blower just wouldn’t start, instead of admitting my failings I would go hell for leather with the witch’s broom. Looking back now, I suspect I fooled no one as the engine was cold to the touch when my colleagues loaded it up into the Transit.”
Tamsin continues her story weaving in all the characters and places she’s worked, from college as a horticultural teacher, to Japan as a lecturer, on to writing for a magazine and becoming an editor. All along the way, the story is peppered with delightful observations, showing Tamsin’s joyful sense of humour and determination to succeed, whatever obstacles are put in her way, mechanical, human or animal.
Bringing things up to date, Tamsin is now a hands-on gardener at her family garden Stockton Bury in Herefordshire which regularly features in the round-up of the best UK open gardens. Tamsin also writes for newspapers and magazines and lectures at home and abroad- making her audiences laugh with tales of life spent doing something she’s completely passionate about- gardening. I think we all know that feeling of being happiest with our hands in the soil.
Congratulations, Tamsin on writing such a sparkling, charming, thought-provoking read. It had me in stitches from start to finish. I haven’t laughed so much in ages. And I learned a lot more about what it’s like to make your way in the world when you choose a life outdoors.
I’m sure Tamsin has started many more people on the path to horticulture through her wit and passion for the subject. It’s a delightfully realistic and thoroughly inspiring book.
Thank you for reading my review. There’s one copy to give away. Please leave your comments below and a name will be randomly selected by Sunday 6pm.
Jane Wightman is the lucky winner of the prize draw for Barbara Segall’s new book. Thank you to to everyone who read my review and left comments. And thank you to the publishers Frances Lincoln/ Quarto for offering a free book to readers of my blog.
Ramster Hall, Surrey. 20 gardens feature in the book, Wonderful photos were taken by Clive Boursnell who travelled 12,500 miles for the project. The Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden, Surrey Malthouse Farm Garden, East SussexMalthouse Farm GardenGravetye Manor, East Grinstead, West Sussex Vann, Godalming, Surrey
Thank you for reading the blog and leaving your comments. Look out for more book reviews and give-aways later this week. Suddenly there’s a steady stream of top quality gardening books arriving in the potting shed for tea break reading. To be honest, I’ve never seen such a wonderful array of subjects covered and superb garden writing. Tea breaks are getting longer and longer at bramble garden! I’ll keep you posted.
Beetroot was one of the few vegetables that did well this summer. Climbing beans were a disaster. Flowers failed to set and immature beans dropped off the plants. Very disappointing to see. But beetroot didn’t seem to mind the heat and drought. I write a weekly column for Garden News Magazine all about the fruit and vegetables I’ve harvested in the garden and what I’m making with them. It’s a fun project and I really look forward to my cooking and recipe-writing sessions. Sometimes the recipes come from my Mum who is a fabulous cook. Sometimes I delve into a lovely archive of recipes shared by my late mother-in-law Joan. Many happy memories swirl around as I make her famous flapjack and fruit cake recipes. Joan never came to visit without having a cake in her shopping bag. And we always looked forward to seeing what she’d got in her cake tin in the pantry at home. Some of the recipes are just ones I’ve devised for feeding my family of four (although the girls are grown up now and have homes of their own). Nothing too fancy or with too many ingredients. In fact, most recipes can be made with a few basic store-cupboard ingredients and what vegetables you might have in the veg basket or fridge. They don’t take hours to make either. I’ve always been frantically busy, so recipes have to be quick and easy. I’ve had some lovely letters and e mails from Garden News readers thanking me for the recipes which they say are simple to follow and tasty without taking too long to cook.
Here’s a recent column featuring deliciously moist beetroot and chocolate muffins. Have a go at making them and let me know how you get on. I freeze batches of beetroot in quantities required for these cakes, so I always have the ingredients to hand.
You can freeze the little cakes and they thaw out within minutes.
These photos were taken in the back-of-the house glass porch, the only sunny place at the time, and my pressed glass cake stand is balanced on top of an upturned laundry wicker basket! No one will know….
Beetroot from the garden I grow a pinch of seed every 10-15cm and I let the beetroot grow in clusters. I carefully harvest the largest beetroot when needed, but leave the smaller ones to carry on growing. When I was searching my i-pad archives for photos of beetroot, the computer offered these hyacinths. Just shows you, machines and computers still aren’t as clever as humans….yet! It made me laugh. I hope it makes you smile too. Enjoy your gardening week.
For the avoidance of doubt, please don’t eat hyacinths! They are poisonous.
I’ve just realised that I never cut any flowers for myself. They are always for friends and relatives, all the pleasure being in the giving. It’s nice to have something home-grown to give away. However, I’ve been ill for a few weeks and stuck indoors. How frustrating it’s been looking out from my bed while the sun shone on the garden. I made lists of all the jobs needed doing, which didn’t help at all. But when I felt a bit better, I wobbled outdoors and cut these flowers for my bedside table.
The star of my little bouquet is this highly-scented rose from a new home-florists’ range. Timeless Purple has long stems with very few thorns. Flowers have an ‘old rose’ appearance and wonderful myrrh- scent. Modern breeding means it repeat flowers and is disease resistant. Flowers stand up to the weather. Old roses tend to ‘ball’ in the rain, where buds fail to open and drop off. Such a disappointment if you’ve eagerly waited for the rose buds to open, to see them going mouldy and wilting. These flowers shrug off the raindrops, and flowers aren’t marked by the weather.
The heatwave and drought meant there were virtually no flowers in my garden all summer, but autumn has brought a bonanza. Plants seem determined to make up for lost time. The argyranthemums grown from seed by my Mum have come into flower mid-October. Who doesn’t love a daisy? The cheerful white flowers go so well with the roses and salvias.
Dahlias also suffered in the summer heat, but are coming into flower now. The first frost will finish the display, but for now, I’m just enjoying this unexpected bounty.
It’s not easy to photograph salvias. Their colours are so vibrant they tend to blur with an ordinary camera phone. This is one of the many salvias that came from https://middletonnurseries.co.uk/
Their jewel-like colours are very welcome at this time of the year, and look so wonderful set against golden autumn foliage. Stems have a delicious blackcurrant scent.
Talking of foliage, I picked some stems of my dogwood, Cornus Westonbirt. Leaves are turning a lovely plum colour, and the bright red stems will provide interest all winter, especially when the sun shines through them. These are such easy shrubs to grow, they simply need a prune to the ground each spring as the most colourful stems are produced on new growth.
Cornus Westonbirt
My grey foliage plants came from Coton Manor nursery in Northampton. Annoyingly, I can’t remember the name, but I have the label in the greenhouse and will just edit the name in tomorrow. I’m still suffering from terrible brain fog after being ill.
Fuchsias, also from Coton Manor, have decided to flower a month later than usual. They are growing in huge pots and I’ll just lift them into the greenhouse to protect them from frost. They flower till Christmas, given some protection.
Cosmos Psyche White has also decided to put on a show now. This is my favourite cosmos. It’s a messy double white with long stems and good repeat flowering. It lasts a fortnight in a vase. I’ve tried some of the new apricot cosmos, but they didn’t do well for me here, so I won’t bother with them again. I need tried and tested varieties that won’t let me down.
Cosmos Psyche White
In the greenhouse I found this lovely pink Passion flower which was in keeping with my colour-theme posy, so I picked it an added it to the jam jar. I grow this in a 10” pot which is carried outside for the summer and brought in again before the first frosts. Usually there are one or two flowers right through winter.
Well, I hope this little posy of flowers has given you some inspiration for what to grow to have something to pick in late October. I try to have something to pick every day of the year. Sometimes there’s more foliage than flowers, but it’s lovely to bring the garden indoors, so to speak.
After being stuck in my room for so long, it did me the world of good to wander about outdoors picking a few flowers. For once, they are just for me, and I’m thoroughly enjoying them. Have a great weekend. Keep safe and well and enjoy your gardening.
If you are just starting to think about Christmas presents for gardeners, here are some great ideas. This year, more than ever, I’m only buying from tried and trusted suppliers- people I’ve bought from before and found to provide good value. I’ve long been a fan of Burgon and Ball. Everything I have bought from them has been good quality and long lasting. This is not an advert. I’ve not been given any samples. There’s no obligation to promote them. I just want to pass on their latest products because I believe they are worthwhile. Have a look though my selection and let me know what you think.
National Trust Made by Burgon & Ball’ Digging Spade A classic garden spade with a heritage look, this National Trust spade is crafted in high-carbon steel, echoing the style, strength and quality of the garden tools of yesteryear. Dark wood and an antique bronze colour powder coating give a distinctive look. RRP £36.999L waterfall can in British Racing green.
This sturdy full-size watering can in galvanized steel is ideal for the serious gardener looking for a long-lasting, high-performance and stylish full-size watering can. With a five-year guarantee, this is a gift which will be used and loved. RRP £49.99.
FloraBrite gloves Comfortable stretch fit gloves with nitrile-coated fingers and palm for grip and protection against dirt. Available in a choice of pink or yellow, and a choice of sizes. Ideal for messy tasks like planting or potting. And if you take them off – you certainly won’t lose them! RRP £7.99Fuji Japanese flower arranging bowl Everything needed to make a start in the elegant art of ikebana, or Japanese flower arranging. Decorate your home, practise mindfulness and find your inner Zen! Contains a beautiful low bowl with subtly speckled dip glaze, and a metal kenzan spike to hold flower stems.Indoor Plant Mister This stylish indoor plant mister gives houseplants the gentle humidity they crave! It’s the perfect way to provide soft hydration to moisture-loving plants without soaking the compost. A pump with metal moving parts delivers a fine spray with no irritating drips or splatters. RRP £24.99Indoor watering can An essential for any indoor gardener, this mini watering can is more than stylish enough to leave on show, on desk or shelf. Especially ideal for cacti or succulents, the narrow spout gives a highly targeted, precise pour to deliver water only where it’s needed. RRP £18.99New Kneelo® Kneelo is the original memory foam garden kneeler, and this year has seen it relaunched with a new design to make it more comfortable than ever! New Kneelo has 30 per cent more foam than the original Kneelo design. Knees have never known comfort like this! RRP £16.99Monterey macramé plant pot hanger A 1970s favourite rebooted for today’s boho look, a macramé plant pot hanger is a must-have home accessory. This plant pot hanger quickly and easily converts your favourite houseplant into a hanging focal point. Simply add the indoor pot of your choice! RRP £9.99National Trust Made by Burgon & Ball’ ‘Under the Canopy’ gardening gloves The beautiful new pattern in Burgon & Ball’s National Trust collection, ‘Under the Canopy’ celebrates the vibrant colours and shapes of natural landscapes across our much-loved countryside. With cushioned palm for protection and gathered wrist to keep out debris. RRP £16.99RHS-endorsed FloraBrite Fluorescent Trowel & Fork The FloraBrite range was created to be unlosable – so if leaving tools behind in the borders is a frequent occurrence, or if tools tend to reappear in the compost bin six months after mysteriously disappearing, FloraBrite could be the answer. These RHS-endorsed tools carry a full lifetime guarantee. RRP £29.98Seedling widger A handy helper around the potting shed, for anyone who grows from seed. For sowing seeds, weeding, transplanting seedlings, filling tiny pots with compost – this double-ended widger makes those detailed jobs much easier. Ideal for all kinds of sowing and growing. RRP £3.99Corona Max Forged DualCut Branch & Stem Pruner This super-tough pruner offers the ultimate in reliability and durability. Single-piece forged steel construction for maximum strength; internal spring to prevent lost parts or clogging; unique hooked blade to select cuts with power or with precision. RRP £43.99Corona Max Forged ClassicCUT Two-Handed Branch and Stem Pruner Think of this as a secateur with longer handles to give more leverage, making for easier cuts. It offers the satisfyingly crisp Corona ClassicCUT feel, plus the strength and durability of forged high-carbon steel – all in a lighter weight tool. Easily cuts up to 2cm diameter. RRP £32.99Sophie Conran for Burgon & Ball Galvanized Trug This classic-looking metal trug will add a touch of Sophie’s designer style to any garden. The two roomy compartments give enough carrying capacity to house a good selection of essential tools and other gardening bits and bobs, yet it’s not so bulky that it makes storage a problem. RRP £27.99Sophie Conran for Burgon & Ball apple bird feeder Serving as bird feeder and garden decoration in one, this cute bird feeder is a great way to give a little designer style at an affordable price. Simply pop a juicy apple or pear on the feeder to give our feathered friends a tasty treat and decorate your garden at the same time. RRP £9.99
Burgon & Ball was founded in 1730 in Sheffield, England, and is the UK’s longest-established manufacturer of garden tools and accessories, with hundreds of years of expertise in toolmaking. From its earliest years it manufactured the world’s finest sheep shears, exporting all over the world. At its peak, the annual production of its top-selling cast steel shear topped 300,000 pairs. By the 1920s gardening tools had overtaken agricultural tools as the main focus of the business, and in 2010 the company’s core ranges were awarded endorsement by Royal Horticultural Society. Today Burgon & Ball is a leading name in garden tools and giftware, enjoying an enviable reputation for quality and innovation.
Products are available from good garden centres, gift outlets and at www.burgonandball.com There’s a present idea for everyone who loves their garden.
Burgon and Ball were one of the companies that supported my Rainbows Hospice show garden at Belvoir Castle. They provided children’s kneelers in ladybird and bumblebee colours, and also children’s hand tools for gardening. Here’s a link to the story:
One of my favourite things is to jump in the car and travel to a garden I’ve not seen before. It doesn’t matter if the garden is large or small, there’s always some planting combination or landscaping idea I jot down in a notebook, hoping to replicate it in my own garden one day.
The gardens of the South East of England are still a mystery to me. My car hasn’t ventured that far yet. But I’ve just read Barbara Segall’s exciting new book featuring 20 gardens in that region, and I’m getting out the map book already!
Balmoral Cottage, Kent. Topiary created from cuttings.
One particular garden in the book struck a chord with me. Balmoral Cottage in Benenden, Kent, where the owners grew many of the plants from divisions and cuttings from their parents’ gardens. Charlotte and Donald Molesworth bought the cottage nearly 40 years ago. Barbara tells the story of how Donald, a professional gardener, had been working next door at The Grange, the former home of Collingwood ‘Cherry’ Ingram – the plant hunter credited with returning endangered cherries to Japan.
Barbara writes, “That moment when you meet your future down a little lane, see a gate and opening it find the rest of time ahead of you…..? Well, that is literally what happened when Charlotte and Donald Molesworth found and bought Balmoral Cottage in Benenden in 1983.
For eight years Charlotte had been living in and teaching art at Benenden School, and on walks around the village, often stepped along the rough track leading to this tiny house, which had the best sunsets imaginable. Probably named Balmoral to celebrate a visit of Queen Victoria to Benenden, it was the gardener’s cottage for the Grange.
The Molesworths brought with them to Balmoral Cottage the first of many animals to share their garden lives, including bees, rescue dogs, donkeys (there have been nine) and companion sheep, hens and a cockerel.
They knew that they would need plenty of plants to make their garden and, being thrifty and resourceful they brought many plants from their parents’ gardens. From Donald’s family came woodland trilliums, dog’s-tooth violets and narcissus pseudonarcissus which have self-seeded and spread down each side of that original track. Charlotte’s mother’s garden was packed with old fashioned roses, cottage-garden plants and topiary, so her contributions included double white primroses and several thousand box cuttings.”
I love the fact they have created a special and unusual garden on a shoestring. They avoid buying anything new, scouring reclamation yards for potential items for recycling. “It’s our policy for helping Mother Earth,” they say. It’s resulted in a garden that makes you feel anything is possible. It’s not dependent on how much money you have, but on ingenuity, patience and skill. A very reassuring message for any would-be gardener, and one I welcome entirely.
Gravetye Manor, East Grinstead, West Sussex
I’ve picked out just one of the 20 stunning gardens explored by Barbara Segall in this richly detailed book. There’s a lovely mix of the extremely grand to the small and intimate. All are privately owned. Some have been in the possession of the same family for many generations, whilst others have recently been acquired and transformed by new owners. There’s a wonderful diversity of landscaping styles and a range of planting from traditional herbaceous borders to fashionable and contemporary prairies.
Sussex Prairie Garden, near Henfield, West SussexSussex Prairie Garden. Curving paths through the grand spiral of the borders bring you up-close so you can experience the undulation of the plants and their blocks of colour from within.
Barbara is a totally engaging writer who draws you into the gardens and skilfully sifts out the essence of what makes them special. Not a word is wasted and reading her books is so easy. It’s a pleasure to skip through the pages and be transported to these glorious places.
Town Place, near Sheffield Park, East Sussex
The book includes visitor information about the gardens profiled as well as several others in this garden-rich area of Kent, Sussex and Surrey. Some open for the popular National Gardens Scheme, while others are open privately, and in some cases, for just the occasional day for charity.
Arundel Castle, Arundel, West Sussex. Caught in the early morning mist, the windows of Arundel Cathedral provide a dramatic borrowed landscape to the annual allium, rose and salvia extravaganza. Arundel Castle team and bulb-filled borders sweeping up to the battlements. I particularly liked seeing the teams of gardeners included in the book. Credit is due for the wonderful work they undertake, looking after these special places.
Special mention must be made of the photographs by Clive Boursnell who initially visited 40 gardens and travelled 12,500 miles for this stunning project. Sadly, only 20 could be included in the book. But he talks about the warm welcome he received at every garden, as he travelled about in his camper van, capturing the atmospheric dawn and dusk photos. He turned up during a daughter’s wedding that was taking place in one garden. The owners, not phased by his appearance in the middle of a celebration, made sure he could get his photos of a particular rose trellis at its peak. Such small details and asides give an insight into the characters behind the gardens, their passions and their personalities.
Long Barn, Sevenoaks, Kent. The barn wall provides a strong backdrop as well as a hotspot for California glory (Fremontodendron californicum). Together with the lime-green touches of Euphorbia characias subs. wulfenii, they offer a counterpoint to the closely clipped hedging and lawns on the main lawn.
Barbara writes: “I hope you will find much pleasure in the book and visit the gardens when possible…opening garden gates to find untold beauty.”
I know that I enjoyed every page and can’t wait to investigate the gardens further.
Clinton Lodge Gardens, Fletching, East Sussex. The view through the Cloister Walk arcades, clad with white wisteria and Clematis alba Luxurians, to the Wild Garden, with its spring tide of Narcissus poeticus Pheasant’s Eye and white tulips. Munstead Wood and the Quadrangle, Godalming, Surrey. The main flower border, some 61 metres long, blooms in waves of colour following Gertrude Jekyll’s original iconic, complicated drawing. 87 Albert Street, Whitstable, Kent. Malthouse Farm Garden, Hassocks, East Sussex.
The publishers are giving away one book in a prize draw to readers who leave comments below. One name will be randomly selected. Sorry, only open to UK entries due to postage costs. The draw closes at 6pm on 21st October.
Thank you for reading my blog. I hope you enjoy these words and photos from Barbara’s latest book. It was my book of the week on local radio gardening shows earlier this summer.
Flowers are the first thing we think of when we want to pay tribute to someone. Today’s flowers are in tribute to the Queen, and also my mother-in-law Joan. Two people from the same generation, both in their 90s, both sharing the same values in their love for their families and their sense of duty, loyalty and service to the community. Very different lives lived, but the same values and beliefs.
Rosa Timeless Cream and Bridal Star carnation.
For the past six years I’ve been writing about growing cut flowers for my wonderful Joan who suffered from dementia. We shared a love of flowers and flower arranging, and my hope was to keep a connection for as long as possible. Flowers were my only weapon against dementia. There’s no effective medical treatment. It’s the cruellest of illnesses. It deprives the sufferer of one of the main comforts of old age, the knowledge that they have a close and loving family. Faces and names are simply forgotten. There was such sadness when new grandchildren arrived and Joan could not join in our excitement and joy in the latest additions to the family.
Gladioli ‘Wine and Roses’ mix from GeeTee Bulbs. Flowers 100 days after planting.
I want it written down, as a record of our times living through the covid pandemic, that we struggled to keep a connection with our relatives suffering from dementia in care homes. During lockdown, we couldn’t visit at all, and agonisingly, Leicester stayed in lockdown for months after the rest of the country opened up. Then, after lockdown was over, we stood in car parks, waving through the care home windows. We were not allowed in. I’ve got these moments indelibly printed like postcards in my brain. Memories I can’t seem to forget. When we were eventually allowed to visit, it was in the garden only, with everyone wearing plastic aprons, blue plastic gloves, masks and face shields. It’s no wonder anyone with dementia would fail to recognise the person sitting two metres away, not allowed to hug, voices muffled from the masks. Time limited to half an hour. For someone with poor eyesight and hearing, it really must have been impossible to understand. Saddest of all, was the decision that no presents could be taken in, flowers included in this rule, such was the fear of passing on the virus. So my last tiny hope of Joan recognising me was gone. There is absolutely no criticism of the care home. They didn’t make the rules. They cared for our relatives in the most magnificent way, and we will always be grateful for everything they did. Life for care home staff must have been unbelievably hard as they tried to keep everyone safe.
Dahlia White Onesta (tuber from Wilko’s)
So today, the connection between the Queen and Joan springs to mind. The Queen because of her 70 years of service to her country. She was someone I greatly admired. Steadfast, loyal and hardworking. Joan too, from the same generation, cared first and foremost for her family, but also quietly and without fuss or expectation of reward, undertook charity work. Joan volunteered for Age Concern until her late 80s and she also helped with fundraising at the Methodist Chapel in Cosby. Joan particularly loved creating flower arrangements for the chapel and her husband Keith played the organ for every Sunday service and for weddings and funerals. It must have been over 60 years of service for them both. Joan was always making cakes or knitting something for chapel fund-raising. She knitted hundreds of teddy bears when the chapel launched an appeal for sick children of Chernobyl. She wanted them to have something to give them comfort during their suffering.
Calendula Snow Princess (Mr Fothergill’s seed)
Today, the Queen leaves her home, Buckingham Palace, for the last time as her coffin travels to Westminster Hall for ‘lying in state’ ahead of her funeral on Monday. Joan too is making her last journey today. Her ashes are being conveyed to Skiddaw in the Lake District. She will join her husband Keith at last. His ashes were taken there in August last year. A wild and beautiful landscape they both loved. May they all rest in peace.
Calendula Touch of Red (Mr Fothergill’s seed)Calendula Snow Princess
Thank you for following my flower-growing journey. I have been a bit lost these past few months. I felt as if grief knocked me to the ground, and I haven’t been able to get up. However, I’ve watched fascinated at the activity following the Queen’s death. There have been so many ceremonies and procedures, her children and grandchildren haven’t had time to stop and think. Maybe this is the answer and a way to deal with death- keep busy and do something. When Joan died, I felt defeated. After so many years of trying to ‘think of something’ there was nothing else I could do. Now I’m ready to start again. Maybe I could volunteer at the care home in the garden. I’ve already put together a box of seeds and plants to donate to the garden.
Agapanthus Fireworks (Wyevale Nurseries) Long-lasting cut flower. Keeps for 10 days in a vase.
And my flower-growing will continue, but for a different, happier reason. My youngest daughter is getting married! I have decided to grow and arrange the flowers for the wedding, and I can’t wait to get started. I hope you’ll continue to join me on this new journey I’m making in life. And I hope you have enjoyed the flowers I’ve grown and arranged, shared here as my tribute to the Queen and Joan today.
The best view of Melbourne Hall is from the ornate Bird Cage on the other side of the lake. But during August the house and the garden is open every afternoon, so there’s a chance to get a closer look and step inside this beautiful historic building.
When you arrive you enter by the Carriage Ring driveway, and step inside the Billiard Room, a conservatory-style addition built in 1911 by Lord Walter Kerr to add a glass roof over the area between the two wings of the house. In winter, this structure houses potted lemon trees, and mince pies and mulled wine are served to visitors on special opening dates. Last time I visited in winter, the family placed a Christmas tree in the conservatory which looked very pretty with all the tree lights and decorations reflected in the glass. It’s a very special experience to be able to look through the house windows out to the landscape and gardens beyond. It gives a totally different perspective on the planting and layout.
This is the oak panelled Dining Room. The walnut high back chairs are particularly striking. Some celebrate the return of the monarch in 1660 by having a crown carved into them. Beautiful tapestry seats have been embroidered by the Kerr family for chairs which date back to the time of William and Mary.
There are seven ground floor rooms to view. The hall opens at 2pm and there are guided tours on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays. Or you can have a leisurely wander about on your own. Guides are also on duty in the rooms, able to answer any questions. Admission tickets can be purchased online, or from the entrance hall on the day of your visit.
It’s fascinating hearing about all the characters who’ve lived in this special place. Head tour guide Gill Weston has lots of interesting stories to tell.
After visiting the house, there’s beautifully-planted gardens to enjoy. Oxeye daisies are planted in long grass in the meadow. Currently in flower in the Paulownia border beside the Millstream you’ll find Eucomis, or pineapple lilies, alongside pink hydrangea arborescence Invincible Spirit.
Thanks to Gill Weston for the stories, and thanks also to Andrea Jones for kindly sharing photos. Melbourne Hall is a very special place and one of my favourite gardens. Do take the chance to glimpse inside the hall, while it’s open for August. It’s a historic house with lots of character.
In a recent prize draw on the blog, Tickets to visit the garden were won by Suella.
Thank you for reading my blog and leaving your comments in the box below. It’s very much appreciated. You are among 200 people who read the blog each day, and although I haven’t been able to write very much lately , it’s a comfort to see so many people reading past blog posts and finding useful information and recipes there. Happy gardening everyone.
This blog records my gardening life, growing fruit and vegetables for the family, and flowers for friends and relatives. Over the past five years, I’ve written about growing flowers for my mother-in-law Joan as a way of keeping a connection when she started to suffer from dementia. Joan and I shared a love of flowers and flower arranging. When she no longer knew my name, she still enjoyed my flowers and knew I was someone close to her. Sadly, Joan died earlier this year. All bereavements are difficult to recover from, but I’ve been surprised just how much I’ve been affected by Joan’s death. I didn’t feel like talking, didn’t feel like writing, didn’t feel like gardening. All the activities I usually enjoy didn’t seem to make any difference. I suppose, all these years I’ve been able to ‘do something.’ There’s been a purpose to all the work of growing sweet peas, dahlias and roses for cut flowers. Just to see Joan smile and feel as if I was keeping a connection with her, made it all worthwhile. It felt like an impossible challenge sometimes when she got so muddled she couldn’t remember her children or grandchildren. But challenges drive you on and force you to try harder. I was absolutely determined that dementia wouldn’t get the better of us and destroy the special friendship we had. But in the end it did. I feel as if it stole the last few years of her life and any comfort she could enjoy from knowing she had a large and loving family. Dementia took her into a parallel universe where we just didn’t exist. And Joan’s death has left such a hole in our lives, it will take time to readjust and refocus. As a start, I’ve decided to post some flowers in Joan’s memory. Thank you to all the readers who have sent supportive messages over the past five years and have been with me on this journey. I’m a ‘glass-half-full’ kind of person, so I’m thinking what good can come out of this experience and what I can do next to help families with relatives suffering from dementia. I’ll keep you updated on my plans. Meanwhile enjoy these flowers. I hope they bring you joy, as they did for Joan for many years.
Jonathan put crumpled chicken wire in the bucket to help support the stems. We are trying to use water and containers instead of florists’ foam containing plastic which contaminates the environment. https://www.jonathan-moseley.com/
Jonathan used lemon-scented conifer as the foliage element for the flower arrangement. I’m using purple-leaved Physocarpus Diabolo which is one of the few plants looking good in the heat at the moment. I used seven stems.
Physocarpus is worth growing for its white flower heads which are followed by these glossy maroon-red seed heads. I thought these Persian ironwood, or Parrotia leaves would add texture. They are turning pink already. Usually they turn red and then orange in the autumn.
I only had about ten flower stems to put in the arrangement. The whole garden has suffered in the heat. Sweet peas have gone over, the earliest I can ever remember. Anything in flower when the temperature hit 40C was bleached out and dried. However, the roses have been the first plants to throw out new flower buds. This one is Compassion, a gorgeous climbing rose with a fruit-salad scent.
These roses are perfect for floristry as they are long-lasting and disease resistant. Stems are virtually thorn free, and the scent is a cross between melon and pineapple, fresh and summery.
I found two stems of this gorgeous gladioli growing down the middle of the sweet pea A-frame. The willow frame means I don’t have to stake the gladioli and it makes good use of the bare space in the centre. These are butterfly gladioli which are smaller in stature than the usual cottage varieties. They are also called nanus, or small-flowered gladioli. These are more reliable in difficult conditions because you need much smaller corms to obtain flowers. The large-flowering gladioli have to have good, fertile soil which is also well-drained and you must start with top-size corms. I recommend Pheasant Acre nursery for supplies. https://www.pheasantacreplants.co.uk/
Gladioli flower for a good two weeks and are the right scale to go with cosmos and argyranthemums. I recommend Atom, Carine, Alba, Charming Beauty and Nathalie. Pheasants Acre Nursery sells collections at summer shows and are worth seeking out as there are often special offers.
I added a few stems of an argyranthemum my mum grew from seed. These grow to about 1.5 metres here and are good, reliable plants for summer floristry. Bees and butterflies love them too.
There is just one stem of dahlia Nuit D’Ete. Dahlias hated the heat and are now struggling in the drought. I haven’t watered them. It would be impossible to keep watering them as temperatures are still heading for 30C. I’m hoping they are just sitting there semi-dormant, waiting for the temperatures to dip and rain to come.
My plan of action for next year is to increase the mulching with home-made compost and sheep wool and bracken clay-breaker compost. I will also buy more builders’ bags of maize-based Plant Grow fertiliser. Plant Grow is helping plants cope with the extreme heat. But where I ran out of money and didn’t mulch, the beds are suffering. It just goes to show the power of mulch to hold moisture in during the summer and combat flooding in the winter. I recently visited Chatsworth for a head gardener tour to see the new Arcadia garden planted last year. Interestingly, all the new perennials, and the new rose garden, were planted into 6” of soil improver from Veolia. A no-dig project on a massive scale. I’ll be going back soon to see how the plants have coped with the heat. I’m also liaising with the gardeners as one of many people sharing experiences of working with different types of peat-free compost. All of us are mixing our own additives to try to find something that works well for us. I’ll share our findings when I know more.
I’ve added just two stems of highly-scented Bridal Star carnation. These are recommended for home-grown cut flowers. Plants repeat flower all summer. I’m growing mine in 10” containers in the doorway of the polytunnel. Flowers get some protection from the rain, tucked just inside the door.
This flower was a surprise. It’s a spring onion, gone to seed! I might grow some on purpose, as they make large 4” diameter flowers, later in the season than most ornamental alliums.
My wild flower patch produced these flat-headed creamy white achillea. Another plant which doesn’t mind the heat. These started out as a packet of mixed wild flower seeds from Mr Fothergill’s.
These lime green flower heads are from parsnips allowed to go to seed. Jonathan Moseley allows some of his herbs and vegetables to run to seed and they make striking and unusual additions to his flower arrangements. The white flower in the photo is Cosmos Psyche White. A tall-growing, reliable cosmos. I grew the new cosmos Lemonade last summer, but it didn’t do well for me and was a bit of a disappointment. This year I’ve gone back to tried and tested white cosmos.
There are a couple of stems of blue drumstick echinops. These perennials are probably Taplow Blue, and originally came as divisions from Joan’s garden.
How is your garden faring in the heat. Have you had any rain, or are you parched like we are?
Sunflowers seem quite appropriate for one of the hottest July’s on record. Temperatures reached 40C here on Tuesday. The garden burned to a crisp with virtually everything in flower turning brown. So I haven’t anything from my own garden to share today. These flowers were created by Jonathan Moseley during a demonstration at Belvoir Castle Flower and Garden Show last weekend. Jonathan is a celebrity florist, writer and broadcaster and ambassador for British flowers. He’s well-known for his appearance as expert floral judge on the BBC’s Big Allotment Challenge programme. After watching his demo at Belvoir, I had to buy this gorgeous arrangement for my Mum. Here’s some photos of what the arrangement contained.
The stand-out element of this arrangement is the gorgeous sunflowers grown in the UK by a company which also specialises in growing plants for bird food. There are 11 stems in this arrangement.
Jonathan uses this galvanised metal bucket with a liner to contain the water. Some chicken wire is scrunched up and placed in the bottom of the bucket. Jonathan says he mostly uses eco-friendly techniques rather than flower foam. Many of his other arrangements were created using mini milk bottles, urns and glass jars.
He added nine stems of lemon scented conifer. These are 55cm long. And five stems of viburnum from his own garden. I’ve taken some cuttings of the conifer as it’s such a vibrant bright lime green and has a lovely fresh scent. Virtually anything will root in this heat, given plenty of misting to keep the foliage hydrated.
Next he added three varieties of eryngium. This is a new variety, not available to home-growers yet, but sold via florists. It’s a beautiful multi-headed type and I’ll be looking out for it when it becomes available in garden centres. I think the variety is called Orion.
Eryngiums or ornamental thistles like these can be dried and used for winter decorations and on flower wreaths for doors and tables. Great value plants. Jonathan mentioned a variety called Big Blue. These are a magnet for bees and butterflies and flower for a very long time.
Eryngiums start out a lovely silver grey colour and turn blue as flowers open. I love the combination of grey, blue and yellow. They look such cheerful colours, don’t you think?
Next into the mix is this blue limonium, or statice, which is another flower which can be dried and is very easy to grow as an annual at home. This variety is called Misty Blue. Mr Fothergill’s have seeds in mixed colours which I’ve grown in the past and had success with.
I love these tiny button chrysanthemums in such a pretty butter lemon. These are extremely easy to grow at home. I grow a white form called Stallion. Cuttings came from an online source https://www.chrysanthemumsdirect.co.uk/index.html
Mum is thrilled with her gorgeous arrangement- even more delighted because it was made by Jonathan who we both think a lot of. We like his eco-friendly techniques and his determination to support local independent floristry growers and suppliers. No air miles go into his creations. Quite often the flowers are sourced near his home – or in fact home grown. In another arrangement, he used branches of Ballerina roses which looked like bouquets in themselves without any other flowers needed. He uses special foliage stripper tools to remove leaves and thorns on roses. Much better than getting them in your hands and fingers.
Jonathan recommended herbs to add to arrangements. A marjoram called Hopleys has buds which are almost black. These open to sprays of scented lilac flowers.
Thank you for reading my blog. I hope you’ve enjoyed viewing these beautiful flowers and have got some ideas for future floristry projects. Do look out for Jonathan Moseley’s talks. He appears at all the major shows, and also hosts special floristry workshops near his home at Christmas time. https://www.jonathan-moseley.com/category/events/upcoming/courses/
How has your garden fared in this heat? Mine looks stricken at the moment, but I’ve cut back all the perennial flowers by half and with some watering, they should flower again next month. I’ve sowed foxgloves, sweet williams and wallflowers for next year. They germinated virtually overnight in the heat and I’m busy pricking them out into seeds trays. I keep looking around the garden and feeling rather sad and dismayed at the damage, but there’s always next year to look forward to. That’s the beauty of gardening. There’s always next year to focus on. And it will be bigger, better and more flower-filled than this year, I’m certain.
Thank you to everyone who read my review of Jean Vernon’s latest book. To celebrate my return to blogging, I’m sending out four books to readers who left comments. Names were randomly selected, and the winners are Menhir1, Kate Elliott, Pauline (Lead Up the Garden Path) and Gill. I’ve sent the winners messages in the replies section, but if you are reading this please send your addresses to k.gimson@btinternet.com and I’ll get books sent out to you. Thank you again to everyone who reads my blog and takes the time to leave a comment. It’s always much appreciated.
Here’s some more excerpts from the book. There’s chapters advising on the best plants to grow to help pollinators. I grow both the blue and the white form of borage. The blue variety has flowers the colour of a Mediterranean sky. I use flowers in salad dishes and also to decorate cakes.
Cosmos is another favourite plant in my garden. Not only is it very useful for cut flowers, it also attracts a wide range of bees and butterflies. There’s plenty of space for more than one bee or butterfly to land and feed.
Here’s a photo from my garden with Cosmos Seashells providing plenty of pollen for these bumblebees.
My home-made bee hotel. These are made from cardboard tubes and garden canes. Nearly all of the canes contain cocoons. The bees plug the ends of the canes with mud to protect the cocoons over winter. I’m now looking into buying special bee chambers with removable paper tubes. These can be replaced and refreshed each year to help prevent diseases.
I also have some bee bricks which are specially made to integrate into buildings, replacing a normal brick with one containing nesting holes of varying sizes. These also seem very popular with solitary bees.
The back cover of Jean’s latest book.
Information about the author.
Jean with her new book. Photo by Hannah McVicar.
I was very pleased to take part in the blog tour launch of this beautiful and very special book which has an important message for all of us. Helping garden pollinators ultimately helps us too. Bees, butterflies, moths and other insects all help to pollinate our fruit and vegetables. Help them, and we are ultimately helping ourselves. More pollinators equals higher productivity and therefore more food. It makes sense to do all we can to provide the best habitat we can for pollinators.
Published by White Owl, imprint of Pen and Sword Books
Published summer 2022
Hardback. £25
ISBN 1526711907
Please leave a comment at the end of the review if you would like to be put into the publisher’s prize draw for one copy of the book. Names will be chosen randomly.
Right by my front door, on a warm, sunny south-facing wall, we have a selection of bee ‘houses’ some home-made from cardboard tubes and garden canes, and some purchased at a local supermarket. These are a source of wonder and joy as clouds of solitary bees hatch out and start to forage in the front garden. Watching a new, baby bee hatching out of its winter cocoon is such an exciting and magical moment. Thanks to a new book on attracting pollinators to our gardens, I’ve been able to identify our bees. They are red mason bees; solitary bees that nest in wall cavities and readily use bee houses like ours. In Jean Vernon’s book I’ve learned these bees are fond of fruit tree nectar and pollinate apples, pears and other spring and summer-flowering trees. So I’m expecting a bumper crop of fruit this year. And I’ve learned these bees, like most solitary bees, do not sting, so there’s no danger to me or any visitors walking past the bees to get to the front door. Reading on, I learn that one way to help my bees is to leave a mud patch nearby so there’s plenty of material to seal their eggs cells. It’s completely calming and relaxing watching the bees going about their daily lives, and I want to do all I can to help them. It would be terrible to think of these bees emerging into the world and not finding anything nearby to eat. Jean points out that some solitary bees will only travel a few metres from their nests to find sustenance and they will starve if there’s not enough suitable plants flowering at the right moment.
Here’s a photo of a red mason bee in Jean’s book. (photo by Liam Olds).
Jean’s book is split into chapters on identifying and learning about specific pollinators such as butterflies, moths, bees, and hoverflies among others, and advice on which plants to grow to help pollinators.
Hoverflies are amongst the types of pollinators highlighted in the book. Butterflies and bees sharing the same plant. Even small spaces can accommodate plants for pollinators. This year, I’ve taken Jean’s advice and planted my hanging baskets with calendula, lavender, nasturtium and marjoram. Borage is one of the ‘plants for pollinators’ highlighted in the book. Cosmos is another favourite of mine and it’s good to know it will provide food for pollinators all through summer from June to October. Flat daisy-like flowers are good because there’s plenty of room for several insects to land and feed at the same time.
Photo of Jean by Hannah McVicar.
If you’ve been listening to BBC Radio Leicester you’ll know that Attracting Garden Pollinators has twice been my Book of the Week. I’m happy to recommend such an easy to read and information-packed book. Jean writes in a friendly and accessible way. Her passion for nature and wildlife shines through and you can’t help but get caught up and carried along by her enthusiasm for the subject. Simple ways to help pollinators are suggested, and you don’t need a huge garden to make a difference. Even a windowbox or container can be a five star diner!
I wrote about Jean’s other best-selling book here:
Please leave a comment in the box below if you would like to enter the publisher’s prize draw for one copy of the book. Names will be randomly drawn. I will only contact you on this page and no payment of any kind will be asked for. Please be aware of scams. Please also feel free to leave a comment if you don’t want to be included in the draw. Just let me know.
Thank you for reading my blog and book reviews. Are you growing any plants with pollinators in mind? Have you tried making a bee house? I was fascinated to read you can buy red mason bee cocoons to hatch out in your garden. Alternatively, invest in some special mason bee tubes and install them in a nesting box . You can replace the tubes each year to keep the nest free from pests and parasites.
Regular readers will know how often I mentioned my wonderful mother-in-law Joan over the years, and particularly the flowers I took to her from my garden. Sadly, I’m sorry to tell you, Joan has passed away. When I saw these daffodils, I thought of Joan. She loved spring flowers, and daffodils in particular. I’ve some very happy memories of flower arranging side by side with Joan. She was a very special, kind and wonderful person. There are very few truly good people in the world, and she was one in a million. I’ve been quite heartbroken to lose someone who alwaysstood by my side in whatever I was doing in life and supported me. These daffodils remind me of the times when the children were little and we used to take them for a walk around the village. With Joan pushing my baby in the pram and me holding a toddler’s hand, we stopped at all the front gardens with daffodils and exclaimed how beautiful each one was and marvelled at the differences between varieties. We were on our way to visit the village pond to feed the ducks, a weekly treat for the children, and at the same time, it gave us a chance to admire all the flowers along the way. Simple pleasures. It made us happy. I shall never forget. I’ve waited to make this announcement so that I could find something happy to say. Joan would not have wanted me to be sad. So I hope you’ll enjoy these few photos here, and smile and remember all the flowers we shared on the blog over the years.
Galantamine is a substance which comes from daffodils and is being researched for the treatment of Alzheimers. Joan suffered from mixed dementia, so another reason why I think of her and daffodils at the same time. Here’s a link to the government article about the research. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/welsh-grown-daffodils-help-tackle-alzheimers
My selection of daffodils comes from Bulbs.co.uk also known for its Walkers Daffodil Collection which won 26 consecutive gold medals at Chelsea Flower Show and numerous Premier awards at Harrogate Spring Show over the decades. This is the mail order subsidiary of Taylors Bulbs established since 1919 and farming 150ha of daffodils. Over 3000 tonnes of bulbs pass through their yard each summer. They have just launched a new website with a more comprehensive collection. There are 435 different varieties of daffodils listed, as well as many other types of bulbs. Here’s the link:
I wrote about Joan, joining in with Cathy’s In a Vase on Monday meme for many years. The blog became almost a diary cataloguing what it’s been like having relatives in care homes during these pandemic years. There were many challenges. Here’s what I wrote in 2020.
Thank you for reading the blog. I’ll be posting flowers from my garden in memory of Joan on the IAVOM meme on a more regular basis now. Thank you for bearing with me. There have been very few write ups since Christmas as visiting Joan and looking after other family members has taken priority. I’m delighted to see about 100 of you read the blog every day, even when I don’t post anything new. It’s a comfort to see readers looking back through the archives.
Photos kindly provided by award-winning photographer Andrea Jones.
Fritillaria meleagris or snake’s head fritillary. Naturalises in grass; grows well in fertile, humus-rich soil and will seed around in time.
Melbourne Hall’s newsletter pops into my inbox on a regular basis and makes me want to jump in the car and drive straight over. The spring display is truly magical as ancient trees bust into leaf and there’s colour everywhere with beautiful bulbs and blossom.
Magnolia Caerhays Belle
The gardens were laid out in the formal French style by landscape designers George Loudon and Henry Wise in the early 18th century. There’s a beautiful pool, known as The Great Basin, at the heart of the garden, and paths lead off to less formal areas; the dell, arboretum, mill stream borders, and kitchen garden.
There’s a picture-postcard view from the Bird Cage across the pool towards Melbourne Hall. I particularly love the reflection of the trees in the water. To the left of the hall there’s a magnificent Atlas Cedar, Cedrus atlantica, native to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, just as happy on the terrace at Melbourne.
Here’s a closer view of the house with Melbourne Church in the backdrop. To the far left of the gardens, there’s a 20 acre lake and picturesque mill house and weir. You can walk along one side of the lake and look back towards the church and hall for another stunning view.
I always marvel at the beauty of the cloud-pruned hedges surrounding the pool. There’s quite a skill in maintaining such a feature. The Bird Cage provides a striking focal point across the pool, looking out from the house opposite.
Following the paths radiating from the main garden, there’s a series of mill stream borders planted with moisture-loving plants. The pale pink flowers are Persicaria bistorta, a rhizomatous perennial which thrives in damp conditions and flowers for a long period. Its common name is Easter giant. There’s also a bank of hostas, candelabra primulas and ground cover geraniums with Purple Dream tulips adding to the pink and magenta theme.
Looking across from the other side of the bridge, there’s a mature yellow tree peony and a bank of pale blue camassia and blue iris.
Further along the stream, there’s scented azalea luteum and a purple acer, underplanted with hostas and camassia.
Corydalis solida, known as fumewort, a low-growing tuberous perennial which can cope with some shade and is good for underplanting of spring trees and shrubs.
Following the path round, you come to the Kitchen Garden. This pretty peach ‘Peregrine’ is beautifully trained along the walls, getting some protection from the weather. It produces tasty, white-fleshed fruit in August and September. In the Melbourne Hall newsletter there’s a recipe for ‘baked toffee peaches’ with amaretti biscuits, muscovado sugar and butter by Jane Lovett.
Reflections in the water are mesmerising. Melbourne Hall is an RHS Partner garden and is taking part in The Garden of the Year competition. The theme of this year’s competition is ‘Feel Good’ reflecting on how beneficial it is to have a connection with nature and exercise in beautiful gardens and outdoor spaces. You can vote for Melbourne and find out more here: https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/partner-gardens/rhs-partner-garden-of-the-year
Here’s the website link giving all the details of opening times and events at Melbourne Hall. Look out for special food events in the Courtyard, and celebrity appearances and live music in the Walled Rose Garden.
With grateful thanks to Andrea Jones for allowing the use of her photos for the blog. Copyright https://www.andreajones.co.uk/.
Please leave a comment, and names will be put into a computer generated draw to randomly select one winner for two free tickets for entry to the garden. Sorry, this doesn’t include travel costs. The draw will be made at 6pm on Monday 18th April. P
Please feel free to comment even if you don’t wish to be entered in the draw, and let me know what you think of the gardens. Thank you for reading the blog and for getting in touch.
BOOK REVIEWAND MY BBC LOCAL RADIO BOOK OF THE WEEK
Published by Laurence King, March 2022
Hardback, 192 pages, £19.99
ISBN: 978-085782-893-4
A Greener Life is much more than a ‘how-to-garden’ book, it’s actually a revealing diary of the writer’s journey from a stressful life and illness, to peace and calm through creating a garden and connecting with nature.
Jack Wallington writes how he struggled to sleep, was regularly ill and felt as if he’d ‘lost his way’ as he tried to keep up, and be available 24/7. “I thought the feeling of dissatisfaction was normal, to be waited out until retirement.” The turning point was the day Jack and his partner Chris planted the first trees, shrubs and bulbs in their new garden. “My worries briefly melted away, and a spark of happiness ignited.”
Jack says childhood memories trickled back, memories of sowing tomato and nasturtium seeds and taking cacti cuttings to sell for pocket money.
Through simply planting a garden he was better able to deflect stresses and anxieties and seemingly insurmountable problems at work . “Life, all life, the thing I had loved as a boy, that had been around me all along, was helping my world make sense. I had euphoric moments when discovering other gardens and visiting countryside. I began to feel connected to something bigger than me, and that somehow the things I planted and cared for were making a real contribution. The more I planted in the garden, the more insects and birds visited. Inviting nature back into my life gave a peace I hadn’t experienced for thirty years, and opened my eyes to the responsibility I had to the ecosystem I was nurturing.”
Jack’s book contains seven chapters. The first chapter outlines nine steps to a greener gardening life, and is almost a book in itself. Chapter two is about ‘getting started’ easy planting guides and essential tools you’ll need. Chapter three, encouraging beautiful ecosystems. Chapter four focuses on creating a wildlife -friendly garden, bringing soil to life and attracting and sustaining insect life.
Chapter five focuses on greening indoor spaces and greening workspaces.
Chapter six talks about herbs for wellness, growing vegetables, fruit and edible flowers.
Chapter seven is about connecting with nature, exploring wild areas in the city and countryside. There’s a section on using binoculars, cameras, smartphones and field guides and magnifying glasses- a useful guide to equipping yourself to delve deeper into the natural world.
A Greener Life is an honest, well-written account of self-discovery, and Jack’s voice comes over loud and clear in this beautifully put together book. You’ll certainly learn how to create nature-friendly gardens, but you will also perhaps pause for thought at what good can come from connecting with gardens and wildlife. In these stressful and strife-ridden days, this can only be a very good thing indeed.
Jack’s book is really everything you’d ever need to be a greener gardener. It’s written from the heart, from someone who’s found out for himself that gardens, gardening and being in touch with nature really can make a difference. Jack says “ We’re part of the natural world and to save it is to save ourselves. We all benefit from a greener life.”
The publishers have kindly given one copy to give away. Leave a message in the comments box below and one name will be selected randomly by 26 March. Sorry, the offer is only open to readers in the UK.
Early Crocus Tommasinianus and Galanthus nivalis in the front woodland garden
Ukraine is constantly in my thoughts. I will not say much, as I’m sure you have arrived here for gardens, flowers, peace and tranquility – much needed in current times. But rest assured, although I am small and insignificant I am doing all I can in the background to support the people of Ukraine in any way I can. It’s easy to think that we are powerless, but often if many people come together then their efforts can be great. Think of one small thing you could do today to make a difference. We are not helpless- and we are not without hope.
Meanwhile, here’s some photos of my garden today for anyone who needs the restorative power of plants. Here’s Galanthus Madeline at the foot of the willow and hazel trees.
Wild primroses poking through the leafmould path. The scent is honey-like and delicate. The very essence of spring.
Wild daffodils are just emerging too. This one is Narcissus pseudonarcissus. There are drifts of the Welsh wild flower, the Tenby daffodil, in honour of my Welsh grandmother. But the little lobularis daffodil is the first to open.
The winter aconites are just going over now. The are making a nice swathe of colour in the woodland corner at the end of the pergola.
Cyclamen Coum flowers are popping up all over the garden- not necessarily where I planted them. Apparently the seeds have a sticky substance much-loved by ants which then carry the seed far and wide. They must have carried them off into the back fields as there’s a thriving collection of plants on the other side of the fence.
Some of the cyclamen have come up with these bright silvery-leaves. These are worth growing for the foliage alone. Both white and purple flowers are emerging from the leaves.
There’s also Cyclamen persicum flowering in the greenhouse. These have been making a display since last October; really good value long-lasting plants. They are not hardy in my garden, coming from the Eastern Mediterranean region. But they thrive in a greenhouse or cool room, just watering them when they droop – and not before.
While we are in the greenhouse, I’ll show you the citrus trees which have produced the best ever crop of lemons and oranges here. We have had a relatively mild winter and the plants have been kept at 4C in the heated greenhouse. To be honest, the heater has hardly been on. A well insulated cedar-wood greenhouse keeps plants cosy. I’m just starting to water them again and top dressing with fresh compost. They are too big now to be repotted, but topdressing with new compost and adding liquid fertiliser in the watering can will perk them up and bring them into flower again.
And this is what I made with the orange zest; citrus shortbread. The recipe will be in Garden News Magazine next week, and I’ll copy and paste the article here for anyone who would like it. It’s part of my new ‘family favourites’ column for the magazine. Quick recipes anyone can make. There won’t be long lists of ingredients and fancy products you have to search high and low for. It’s mostly about simple ingredients and home grown produce, and all the recipes that have been passed down to me from my mother and my grandparents and friends.
Strawberry scones will feature in the coming weeks too, as I’m talking about bringing my strawberry plants, growing in containers, into the greenhouse to get an early crop. I grow my strawberries in 10” pots and windows boxes. They are easy to pick up and move under cover. Also easy to protect the fruit from birds and slugs as well.
Daphne and the other hens have just started laying again, so there will be plenty of eggs for cooking. The bantams are undercover in a new run, specially made to protect them from the bird flu epidemic. Usually they would be out foraging in the orchard by now, but until we have the all-clear they have to be kept in.
Walking from the hen run, out past the fruit trees and along the perimeter fence, there are more snowdrops. These are double and single types.
The doubles flower just a few weeks before the singles.
These have green tips. I believe they are a variety called Viridapice.
This one is called Walrus. It has elongated, green-marked outer petals.
A small patch of Galanthus Robin Hood.
It’s called Robin Hood because of the crossbow markings on the inner petals.
A small patch of Galanthus Jessica. I bought these because I have a niece called Jessica.
Have you all seen the news about the most expensive snowdrop ever? I think I would have been crying if I’d paid £1,850 for a single bulb of Golden Tears. Pretty as it is, it’s a staggering amount to pay. I saw the above photo on the Alpine Garden Society social media pages.
Here’s the view through the gap in the hedge. The field has been sown with winter wheat. I think the variety is Skyfall which is hardy and disease resistant and therefore requires less spraying.
And finally, just a few steps from my garden gate, here’s the view on the lane, looking across the back fields to ancient Bunny Woods on the horizon. Sometimes we walk across the footpaths to the woods. Today, I’m taking this photo in a welcome gap in the rain, but the clouds still look ominous, so I hurry home for a warming cup of tea. I hope you’ve enjoyed this tour of my garden and surrounding fields. Take care everyone and keep safe and well. And let me know what spring flowers are emerging in your gardens today.
I’ve never kept a gardening diary before, but I’m enjoying making daily notes in my new Sarah Raven diary. The diary is sturdy enough to take outdoors; the paper is thick, good quality so can stand up to being taken into the greenhouse and potting shed. I’m making lists of seeds I want to sow, dahlias I want to pot up, and general maintenance jobs about the garden. I love making lists- and I love ticking things off the lists! There’s a sense of satisfaction in ticking them off, especially when the list seems never-ending.
There are some beautiful and inspiring photos relevant to each month in the diary. For January, there’s a winter container planting of a terracotta long tom pot with Sarah’s favourite hellebore ‘Maestro’ which is often seen in her flower arrangements.
For March, there’s Fritillaria ‘Early Sensation’ which has a pale, greeny- yellow flower, much more delicate and easy to site than the brash bright golden variety usually found. It’s growing here in a galvanised metal container next to a patch of rosemary.
September’s photo is bright and cheerful. Just what’s needed for a cold, windswept February day as I’m making plans for lots of summer colour. Here’s Zinnia ‘Giant Dahlia Mix’, Tagetes ‘Linnaeus’ and Thunbergia alata ‘African Sunset.’
There’s recipe suggestions for each month. I’ve made these spiced ginger and oat biscuits and can report they are absolutely delicious. The family demolished them in just one day. They are quick and easy to make, which is just as well as I’ve have had another request for some more. I made the vegan version by using dairy-free margarine.
I used the chickpeas for a red onion hummus dip, which is also fast to make. Just cook a sliced red onion in 1 tbsp olive oil, add a tin of chick peas and 150ml water. Simmer for 10 minutes with the lid off. Add 2 tbsp lemon juice, garlic salt and pepper. Few tbsp of fresh parsley and chives if you have any. Whizz in a food processor and serve with toast or on jacket potatoes. Another recipe suitable for vegans, if you have any in the family as we do, or unexpected visitors. Which we also often have. They sit around the kitchen table while I quickly make this dish.
Here’s my spiced oat biscuits. Delicious with a cup of tea or coffee.
I’m intrigued by this basil icecream recipe for summer. As Sarah says, it sounds odd, but I’m going to give it a try and report back.
I’m going to have a go at these dried allium and poppy seed head decorations as well. Such a beautiful and cheerful Christmas scene from the fireplace at Perch Hill.
Other features of the book I liked: The fold-out ‘when and how’ guide on seed sowing for cut flowers. The guide to sowing and planting edibles, wild flowers, fruit, potatoes, herbs and salads. A guide to sowing and planting ‘pollinator super’ plants to attract bees and butterflies. There’s a useful ruler for seed sowing spacing. And the metal ring binder design means the diary can easily be folded back on itself.
There are not many books I carry around with me all the time, but the Sarah Raven diary is robust enough to slip into my garden tool kit bag, and is proving a joy to dip into on a daily basis.
Sarah Raven also sent me a wall calendar to try, and this too has beautiful photos for each month and plenty of space to write appointments and events. Both will be ordered for 2023 as I’m thoroughly enjoying using the calendar and diary.
Do any of you write a garden diary? My father in law used to keep a perpetual diary. Sadly he died last summer, but he gave me his diary with all the daily notes about sowing dates and varieties he preferred. I check each day to see if I am keeping up with his impeccable timetable. It’s a lovely way to remember him and a reminder of all the flowers he grew for his wife Joan, and the fruit and vegetables he grew for the family.
Here’s some links to the recipes I mentioned today, and ideas for home-made and home-grown Christmas decorations and presents.
Thanks to everyone who listens in on a Saturday morning at 11am, and thank you also for all your kind and encouraging comments. Many thanks to Tracey from Melton who says she feels like rushing out into the garden to do some gardening every time she hears us talking on the radio. It’s much appreciated.
We talked about:
Planting tulips
As regular readers know, I love to save money. If you wait until December, many tulips have been reduced in price. If you are looking for a bargain, try well-respected suppliers. I recommend:
Dutch Grown: (now sold out- but keep a note for next year)
If you are buying from garden centres, tulips will be sold in plastic bags with a cardboard front showing the photo of the variety and information about growing them. These are usually hanging up on racks. Gently squeeze the bulbs to make sure they are firm. Any soft mushy bulbs will fail to grow. They need to be firm and dry. Don’t buy any with a blue mould growing on them. Nice large, plump bulbs with the brown papery skin intact are best. I wouldn’t buy any that have been stored and displayed outside either, incase they’ve got frosted or wet. Choose ones stored inside the garden centre instead.
Here’s some inspiration for bulb planting from a previous blog I wrote. I’ll be planting my tulips up until the first week of January:
Dogwood hearts are really easy to make. Take two pencil thin stems of dogwood or coloured willow. Bend each side over to form the heart. Tie with florists’ reel wire or string to secure. Decorate with foliage and berries. I’ve used cotoneaster here. Add some fluffy seed heads, such as. ‘old man’s beard’ or wild Clematis Vitalba. I’ve used string, but you can use any type of ribbon to hang the decoration. These hearts can be any size. I make a giant one with four stems to create a double heart for decorating our five bar farm gate.
Some more ideas for using natural materials from the garden. I’ve threaded inexpensive, mouldable wire lights from Wilkos to these dogwood and willow stems. I sprayed hydrangea heads with florists’ silver spray.
My front door wreath also has flowers and foliage from the garden. The flowers are hellebores from the Gold Collection. There’s a whole range of them, all recommended. Hellebore Jacob flowers for Christmas and is pure white. This one is Winter Gold, with white hydrangea flowers which have dried lime green.
I learned how to make these willow wreaths on a course by the highly respected florist, author and social media/ you tube star Georgie Newbery. Workshops in flower farming, creating a cut flower patch, growing sweet peas, and floristry, are highly recommended. Would make a perfect present for a gardener. There are also many on-line courses. Have a look at the you tube channel and on instagram to get some wonderful, original ideas.
We talked about growing beetroot today. Most of my beetroot is stored in dry sand or recycled, dry compost over winter in the frost free potting shed. I grew it in the spring and summer. I’ve left some in the ground, but it’s easier to lift and store, as it can’t be harvested from frozen ground. The best variety to grow is Bolthardy, which does what it says; it grows well without bolting or running to seed. Did you know you can eat the leaves? You can use them in salads and stir fries. You can grow just leaves now on the windowsill. Look out for Bulls Blood variety sold as windowsill growing seeds. Mr Fothergills (Johnson’s seed) sell them on-line and in garden centres. You can grow them in 9cm pots on a sunny window and harvest shoots and leaves when they are 4” tall. They will re-grow several times, making a tasty addition to salads and sandwiches.
BEETROOT CAKE
We talked about baking with beetroot and making chocolate beetroot cake. Here’s my recipe for a rich fruit/ beetroot cake. It’s tasty and good for you!
Regular readers will know that my much loved wonderful mother-in-law Joan is in a care home in Oadby, Leicestershire. She suffers from mixed dementia. Before she became ill, I wrote down all the family favourite recipes and at Christmas I make them for her children, grand children and great grandchildren. It’s a wonderful way to ‘keep her with us’ even though, sadly, she can’t remember who we are.
Here’s the link for the blog piece with the recipe
We talked about cutting grass in winter. Twenty or thirty years ago we used to send our lawn mowers off to be serviced in October and we didn’t see them again until March. It’s an indication of climate change that nowadays we are cutting our lawns all year round. Grass grows when the temperature is above 6C. There is no harm in ‘topping’ grass if it needs it, providing the conditions are dry. Set the cutters high for winter, and don’t scalp the lawn. We don’t cut the grass if the ground is wet or frozen, as it damages the lawn and makes muddy skid patches where weeds will grow. Never walk on frozen lawns as it damages the base of the grass stems and leads to fungal diseases. I would collect clippings over the winter too, and not leave them lying on the grass. Best not to walk on very wet ground as it causes compaction, which grass doesn’t like. Remember to leave some areas of the garden with long grass as a winter habitat for caterpillars and insects – these will be food for frogs, birds and mammals. Just a strip down the edge of the lawn will help.
HOME MADE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS
I mentioned my mint sugar and rosemary salt recipes which make lovely home made presents. Nearly all my presents are made from things grown in the garden.
Take 5 stems of mint, thoroughly dry leaves on kitchen towel. Strip leaves from the stems and layer them in a clean jam jar with 350g sugar. Stir every day for two weeks. Tip the contents into a sieve and remove the leaves. Pour sugar into clean jam jars and use within a year. Lovely for hot chocolate and cakes.
I recommend Stephanie Hafferty’s book The Creative Kitchen for seasonal plant-based recipes for meals, drinks, garden and self care.
And finally, Arun mentioned that I had been shortlisted for Columnist of the Year for my Garden News magazine column, and Blog of the Year by the prestigious Garden Media Guild. I was delighted to be shortlisted in two categories. A really wonderful end to another challenging year. Thank you, every one of you, for reading this blog, listening to the radio on Saturdays, getting in touch and leaving encouraging comments, it is truly appreciated. Have a great gardening weekend!
You can listen back to the gardening show on BBC Sounds. It’s at 11.12.35 on the timeline. Or ask your smart speaker to tune in to BBC Radio Leicester on Saturdays from 11am. Questions are welcome via e mail, phone, text or WhatsApp. Start your message with the word Leicester, else it goes to other radio stations.
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?
I grow a huge number of bedding pelargonium plants – better known as geraniums- for containers in the summer. They flower non-stop from June to November. They are little trouble and all I do is give them some potash liquid fertiliser once a week, and regularly dead-head them
These are tender evergreen perennials and can be kept over winter in a frost free place. This year I have nearly 100 4” pots, full of cuttings which will be kept in my heated greenhouse. This is a space-saving method to keep them from one year to the next. If you don’t have a greenhouse, a bright windowsill indoors is suitable. As long as the cuttings are kept frost-free they will fine. The secret is not to overwater them. In the greenhouse, I only water pots once when the cuttings are taken, and then I don’t water them again until next February when I want to start them back into growth. Cuttings kept indoors in the house will be watered very minimally as the temperatures indoors are higher than in the greenhouse. Full-size plants can carry on flowering all year round if they are brought indoors. Check them for pests and diseases before bringing them in and top the pots with horticultural grit to keep the surface of the compost dry. Wet compost promotes grey mould. Remove any damaged or diseased leaves. When watering, make sure to keep leaves as dry as possible by aiming the water at the base of the plants.
My father in law used to keep his prize-winning pelargoniums in the garage. He dug up his plants in autumn, shook off all the compost, removed all of the leaves and wrapped the remaining stumps and roots in newspaper. They were kept cool, dry and frost free until the spring. I’ve tried this method, but only found it partially successful as my potting shed got damp in winter.
Are you planning to keep your pelargoniums over the winter? Or do you sow yours from scratch each spring? Or buy them ready to plant from the garden centre in early summer?
This year I grew all my bedding plants, including some new varieties of pelargonium, from packets of seed. I was amazed how many pelargoniums could be grown from such tiny dust-like seeds. It was a money-saving option that worked out well.
Some more photos from my greenhouse and garden to brighten your day:
This is a Rosebud pelargonium
A collection of bedding pelargonium plants making a display in the greenhouse.
Common names can be confusing. Most people use the word geranium when they are talking about pelargoniums. But geraniums are a different plant genus. So to avoid confusion, people refer to them as ‘hardy geraniums’ – the sort you grow in beds and borders, as ground cover amongst other plants, and ‘tender geraniums’ (pelargoniums) grown in hanging baskets and containers.
A variety I’ve kept going for more than 20 years, taken from a cutting from my grandfather. It was his favourite pelargonium.
A miniature pelargonium which flowers all year round. This one came from Fibrex Nurseries, a specialist grower, highly recommended. https://www.fibrex.co.uk/. Miniature pelargoniums are wondrous things. I’ll write a new blog post explaining how to grow them. They are easy to grow and once you’ve grown one, you’ll want to start a collection. I warn you, they are addictive!
If you listen in to BBC Radio Leicester, the gardening programme has moved to Saturdays at 11am. Josie Hutchins and I take it in turns to answer phone-in questions and talk about what gardening jobs we are doing each week. If you have a question, please get in touch with The producer, Dale. We are one of the few local stations now offering gardening advice on the radio.
Winter is just around the corner and there’s a feeling of urgency to get on with gardening jobs, before the weather turns cold. I’m always rushing around. There’s tender plants to bring under cover, pots to plant and bulbs to sort out. There’s never enough time to do everything. However, gardening tasks can end in accidents causing painful injuries. Here’s a reminder to take extra care this autumn and winter when working in the garden.
TAMSIN’S STORY
Tamsin Westhorpe. A photo I took in 2018 at Chelsea Flower Show where Tamsin was one of the judges.
We were all shocked to hear news that Tamsin Westhorpe had suffered a fractured spine in a recent gardening accident. Tamsin is a writer, and editor and works as a gardener at her family’s farm, Stockton Bury Gardens, in Herefordshire. I wrote about Tamsin last year when she published her country diary book. Here’s a link: https://bramblegarden.com/2020/02/22/diary-of-a-modern-country-gardener/
Tamsin at her book launch at Hatchards, London.
I asked Tamsin to tell me what happened when she had her accident in the garden, and here’s what she said:
It was a sunny Saturday at the start of September. I had a rare day off from work, so I was determined to make a mark on my much-ignored home plot. My day job is to help my uncles garden their four-acre open garden, so my plot gets pushed to the back of the priority list.
What task were you doing when the accident happened? I have a row of six aronia trees that I like to keep to a manageable height of about 9ft. My aim was to remove the very enthusiastic young growth and give them a neater shape. To reach the centre branches I needed a ladder. In my haste a grabbed a lightweight A frame ladder and headed down the garden armed with enthusiasm and secateurs. I was on a mission to get as much done in a day as possible.
Describe what happened next. Standing on one of the top steps I simply leant forward to reach a central branch and the ladder went from under me. It happened so quickly, and I found myself flat on my back on the lawn in agony.
What were your first thoughts? My first thoughts were for the garden. Who would lift my dahlias and plant the tulips? Being part of a small family business, I was concerned how the other members of the family would be impacted. Physical fitness is essential for my work. My second thought was that I’d been a complete idiot and should’ve waited for someone to hold the ladder. To say I was cross with myself was an understatement.
How did you get help? My garden is in a rural location and not looked over by any other houses. I shouted but no one came as my family were out. I know only too well that you shouldn’t try and move if you have an accident, but I was struggling to breath, so somehow struggled to the house to get my phone. How long this took and how I can’t recall.
What were your injuries? My spine has a stable fracture and I cut the back of my leg quite badly. However, I have been incredibly lucky. I’m so thankful that my spinal cord wasn’t damaged, and I didn’t hit my head. As far as I’m concerned, I have had a very lucky escape. When working from a ladder in future I’m going to ensure that the pots and tools are placed well out of the way and I always have a friend or family at the foot of the ladder.
How long will your recovery take? All being well I will make a full recovery in about 12 weeks. I should be able to plant my own tulips this year! For now, I’m not lifting anything and I’m focusing on doing all the right things to speed up my return to the garden. I’ve already seen the impact of trying to rush things so I’m not about to make the same mistake twice.
Anything happened like this before? I’ve been gardening since the age of 16, spending time as a parks gardener, greenkeeper and interior landscaper. In all those years I have only succumbed to one nasty incident with a pair of secateurs (again caused by trying to rush a job) and a few splinters. So, all in all I’ve been lucky and don’t see gardening as a dangerous hobby – far from it in fact. Gardening has kept me physically fit for decades. I’m the only danger! By being impatient and trying to garden at speed I’ve caused this accident to happen and only have myself to blame. Having said all that I think my steel toe capped boots have saved my toes on many occasions.
How do you feel now, mentally and physically? I am feeling better by the day and although I can’t do anything for long, I’m seeing improvements in my physical heath. A gardening friend suggested I put comfrey oil on my back to help with the healing process. I have no idea if it is working but I love the idea of a plant being involved in my recovery. Having not experienced an accident of this nature before I was surprised at how much shock has an impact on your mental wellbeing. It’s been difficult having to scratch out events in my diary, but I have the good fortune that I will recover. The messages from fellow gardeners have been a great help and I’ve been thrilled to hear from many who say they now won’t go up a ladder without an ‘assistant’. I’m glad that my accident might prevent others from having a similar experience. This time has made me feel such concern for those who won’t recover from an accident or can’t tend their garden due to old age. I can only imagine how frustrating and devastating this must be. I’ve also experienced the healing power of nature. Thanks to a wonderfully warm September I have been able to recover under a blue sky outside. Watching the birds and insects flutter around me has been just the best medicine. It’s given me time to realise how important gardening is to me and my health.
What advice would you give other gardeners? Invest in a proper gardening ladder for one. Secondly never use power tools and climb ladders when on your own in the garden. Thirdly keep your mobile phone in your pocket but put it on silent so your gardening time is undisturbed. But, the most important thing is to never rush gardening – sip it like a good glass of wine and savour every moment. It’s not a race.
Update: Tamsin has made a good recovery, and is now back at Stockton Bury making a start on light gardening duties.
Here’s some photos of Stockton Bury taken when I visited the garden this summer.
Clematis Prince of Wales The stream and pond garden Turks cap lily with rodgersias.
Have you any experiences to share involving injuries while gardening? Please share any advice and suggestions.
Please feel free to share this item on social media. Thank you for reading my blog.
Latest news from the plot. Click on the photo to enlarge the print. There’s never enough room for all the photos I take. So here’s a selection of pictures to go with the diary recently published in Garden News Magazine.
I’m looking forward to growing this Limonium Pink Pokers next spring. The photo above was taken at Mr Fothergill’s seed trial grounds in August. I love the two-tone flowers and their delightful habit of twisting and turning as they grow towards the sun. They remind me of fireworks. I’ll start seed sowing indoors in February at 20C in a propagator and plant them out in June. They will be perfect for my jam jar posies. In addition, flowers can be hung up to dry. It will be useful to have flowers for winter decorations. Limonium, a half hardy annual, grows to 80cm and flowers from June to October. Available from Johnson’s seed, the premium range from Mr Fothergill’s.
In the article above, I mention growing dahlias from seed. I’ve been so delighted with the success of my seed-sown dahlias this year. I’ve had outstanding flowers, large single blooms with bright, jewel-like colours. It’s a money-saving option too. My Mum manages to fill her back garden with dahlias grown from a packet of seed. Started early in February, seedlings make small tubers and grow to full-size plants by mid-summer. There’s a non-stop supply of flowers for our vases. Plus bees love them too, so it’s an wildlife-friendly option. Pollinators have easy access to the flat, open centres of these flowers. You can sometimes see the ‘bee lines’ showing pollinators the way to the centre. If you don’t have any storage space for dahlia tubers over winter, don’t worry. You can get excellent results by starting from seed in spring.
Another beauty- grown from a mixed packed of seed. I also grew some ‘Bishop’s Children’ types this year with very good results. Each plant had dark leaves which set off the bright flowers a treat.
I mention the new Home Florists’ range of roses specially bred for cut flower gardens. I’ve been amazed by the sheer number of flowers these provided. Such good quality flowers which last a week in a vase, if water is refreshed each day. The scent is reminiscent of old roses, particularly old-fashioned bourbon roses. The roses, by Wharton’s Nursery, can be found in most good garden centres, or on line. Look out for Timeless Purple and Timeless Cream. Both recommended.
In amongst my cut flowers, I grow vegetables such as peas, climbing beans, courgettes, sweet corn and beetroot. I’m growing Valido peas, a new maincrop variety which is disease resistant. Luckily it is resistant to mildew which means the plants keep cropping right through to the autumn. Often pea plants turn brown as leaves and stems die back. Valido copes with anything the summer weather can throw at it, and produces a heavy crop of delicious peas. I’ve saved some of my seed for growing in seed trays over the winter. Pea shoots will be harvested just a few weeks from sowing – and won’t have cost me a penny. Lovely nutritious shoots to add to my salads and stir fries.
Monty Kitten is more like a dog than a cat. He follows me around the garden and likes to get involved in everything I’m doing. He followed me out onto the grass verge when I put my jam jar flowers out for sale.
Finding newts in the garden is always a cause for celebration. It’s reassuring to find them under stones by my mini-pond, and in the greenhouse and polytunnel. They must be attracted by the moisture. I only use natural seaweed-type feeds, diluted in a watering can, to feed my fruit, vegetables and cut flowers on the patch.
Fruit and vegetables have grown well this year. In my basket there’s white-stem chard, perpetual spinach, herbs, white-flowered runner bean variety ‘Moonlight’ onions, tomatoes Blaby, Marmande and cherry types. There’s been a steady flow of blueberries from the plot. Ivanhoe is growing in a large 40cm diameter pot.
This is made by Martin and Jill Fish who provide cookery talks and demonstrations and have written a favourite book ‘Gardening on the Menu’ with advice on growing fruit and veg, and how to cook and preserve them.
Thank you for reading my blog, and my diary in Garden News Magazine. If you also listen to BBC Radio Leicester, the gardening show has moved from Wednesdays to Saturdays, 11am to 11.35. If you get in touch with the producers, I’ll answer any questions live on the show.
Thanks again to everyone who left comments. There will be more book and product reviews in the next few weeks. I’m very grateful to book publishers for sending out giveaway copies. Have a great gardening week everyone.
The publishers have kindly offered one copy to give away. Please leave a comment at the end of this review, and one name will be randomly selected on Sunday 31st October 6pm.
Books have a power to move. To tears, to joy, to despair. Sometimes they transport you to another place. James Golden takes you by the hand and leads you through the garden he’s created, and it’s one of the most beautiful, inspiring journeys you’ll ever take. In his new book, The View from Federal Twist, he describes what it’s like to create a garden from scratch in western New Jersey, USA. His garden is set in a clearing in the woods. He made a conscious decision not to improve the land. Instead he ‘listened to the site,’ placed large competitive plants into rough grass and watched and waited as sustainable plant communities emerged. The result is a magical place, a naturalistic garden -with a difference.
James describes the book as a retelling of the making of his ‘first serious garden.’ It’s a triumph of ecological planting and clear design aims. James is part philosopher, part experimental horticulturist. The result has such an emotional power- it’s breathtakingly beautiful. Evocative photographs capture the effects of light shining through the canopy of trees, grasses and shrubs. Just the scale of planting is mesmerising.
A view of garden taken from a drone. The stone circle is the largest structure in the garden. It’s made of a hard local mudstone called argillite ( ‘blue jingle’ in the local argot, because the stones ring when hit together) that is ubiquitous in this area. Here the circle is like a plant dam, preventing spillover of the prairie into one of the few open spaces in the garden. Like the rest of the garden, James says, it has no utility. It exists to add visual weight, atmosphere and to serve as a stopping place, perhaps to “sit, observe, or let your mind wander.” James writes: “Further along the terrace, towards its sunny eastern end, this small rectangular reflecting pool makes an elegant contrast with the surrounding naturalistic plantings. The juxtaposition of the sharply defined pool, the repeated domes of miscanthus, and the flowing vegetation give this part of the garden a ‘designed’ look not typical of the garden as a whole.” Views through the seasons Planting the garden. Clockwise from top: Hosta sieboldiana, Iris virginica ‘Contrabrand Girl’ Cephalanthus occidentalis, the canal pond, the bare garden in spring after cutting back, Euphorbia palustris, Dryopteris erythrosora, Maianthemum racemosum – about to flower. The garden in winter. A clearing in the woods. The Federal Twist road is not well-known. It’s hidden in the woods above the Delaware and is only four miles long. James says “I accepted a very ungarden-like place as my garden destiny.” The book is dedicated to Philip. Front cover
“I am Federal Twist,’’ says James. He realised this when he looked at photos of the garden from above. He put the images side by side with those taken from ground level. “When I put the two images side by side, my reaction was immediate- and astonishing. I felt icy fear. The drone image showed a flat piece of earth totally devoid of feeling, offering no comfort, no warmth, no humanity, no place for me. I felt as if I were seeing with the eyes of an alien being. In contrast, the ground-level photography held me firmly within the garden; it gave me a place to be, a protected place under trees; it made me feel a part of the landscape. I felt comforted, and a sense of belonging.”
Later, he writes “…my life and emotions are closely bound with this place I call my garden. I understand physics well enough to know that my physical body intersects with the garden, interacts with the garden, responds to the garden in some kind of mutual way. I ‘live’ the garden every day. I am Federal Twist.”
Thank you for reading my review. I believe some books come into your life at just the right moment. It’s almost as if they were ‘written’ for you. To give you joy, to give you inspiration; to give you hope. I haven’t been able to write for a while. Grief affects people in different ways. I’ve sat with grieving friends and relatives and they’ve wanted to talk non-stop for hours. Others write sonnets, pen poems, write books. Grief suddenly and unexpectedly silenced me. I didn’t want to talk. I didn’t want to write, I am someone who tries to make things better for everyone. Perhaps I just didn’t want to make anyone else feel sad. There’s no easy path back from grief, it takes time. But reading this book has helped. It’s put into words how I feel about my own garden- how my little plot has kept me afloat these past few months. I, too, feel I ‘live’ my garden. It responds to me; it’s like enfolding arms around me, lifting me up and helping to turn my face to the sun again.
Home. Sunshine lighting up the field maples. There’s tiny hazel catkins forming in the native hedgerow. They will sit there and wait till spring. Rosehips and sloe berries for the birds. Viburnum and hawthorn berries shine, sealing wax red. Life goes on.
If you are attending Gardeners’ World Live this week, look out for the ‘Make Do and Mend’ garden by High Ground rehabilitation centre. It may only be 3m by 3m, but it’s packed with interest and colour – and everything has been created from recycled materials.
Andy Wright, therapeutic gardens manager, said 22 patients of the military rehabilitation centre were involved in creating the gold medal- winning garden. The garden has been designed and built with sustainability in mind. All of the hard landscaping and most of the plants will return to Stanford Hall, Leicestershire, where they will be used for the benefit of patients.
A former Royal Engineer created the shed out of packing crates from an MRI scanner delivered to the centre, and the path though the middle of the garden is made from end blocks of pallets.
Pallets were also used to make a picket fence at the front of the garden, and there’s a wooden bug hotel and shelving unit.
A poppy sculpture made out of wire and metal stands at the front of the garden. It was made by a serviceman injured in Afghanistan.
All the plants for the garden have been grown from seed and cuttings by patients.
HighGround charity was launched in 2013 by Anna Baker Cresswell and uses horticulture as a therapy and to improve the wellbeing and employment prospects of former members of HM Forces.
This garden was one of my favourites at the NEC Birmingham show. It was the one I most wanted to tiptoe into, and I could see myself sitting in front of the beautiful little shed. Even though it was only tiny, there were hidden features such as the bug hotel that drew you into the space. And the next time I get hold of a pallet, I’m going to take it apart and create a block path like this one. It’s simply stunning!
Are you going to BBC Gardeners’ World Live Show this year? If so, let me know which gardens are your favourites too. And good luck to Cathy, who won my prize draw a few weeks ago and has won two tickets for the show. After all the cancellations last year, it’s a relief to see shows like this going ahead again this summer.
Bramble Garden 