My Journal
A guide to making compost at home
Good compost is the not-so-secret weapon in any keen gardener's arsenal. If you're wanting to grow really top-tier fruit, veg, flowers and plants then nutrient-packed compost is your best friend. In fact, so precious is compost that many gardeners refer to it as...
Five jobs to get your garden ready for spring
As winter starts to reach its end, hints of spring are in the garden, and I start to have a real boost of appreciation for the world around me. The days are getting longer - imperceptibly, but it's happening! - buds are peeping out of branches. Brave snowdrops and...
Seasonal recipe: jerusalem artichoke soup
A Jerusalem artichoke is a funny thing that isn't actually at all what you'd expect it to be. Don't let the name deceive you - though it's similar in flavour to artichoke, this gnarled but tasty tuber is actually more closely related to the sunflower. It's not from...
New year’s resolutions for gardeners
Resolutions are a great way to set intentions for things we would like to achieve. You might find yourself making your new year's resolutions in January, looking forward to the year ahead, but you can set aims and goals for yourself at any time of the year. In my...
Boxing Day recipe: Cheeseboard macaroni
If you're anything like me and a massive fan of the Christmas cheeseboard, you might be a little bit prone to over-preparing when getting stocked up for the festive season! Mountains of cheese remain for nibbling - I tend to be able to see off the leftovers over the...
Three festive plant gift ideas
Gifting plants is a long-established way of showing someone that you care. A plant present offers a keepsake that will (hopefully) grow and thrive over time so that your loved one can think of you every time they see it brightening up their home. Another benefit of...
Preparing your greenhouse for winter
In amongst all the bounty of summer, our greenhouse can sometimes end up a bit neglected as we focus on all the growth taking place there. During the autumn, preferably whilst it's still reasonably mild, I like to get ahead of myself for next year and give my...
Three ways to preserve summer and autumn fruits
Autumn is the time of year where we prepare to hunker down for winter, and you may be looking for ways to give yourself a reminder of the summer and autumn months. By preserving fruit from your garden trees and bushes, you can enjoy their unbeatable taste during the...
Autumn fruit tree care
If you're lucky enough to have beautiful fruit-bearing trees in your garden, chances are you've already picked, prepared and polished off most of the lovely apples, plums and pears. Now the bounty of summer is over, your trees will start to stockpile their reserves in...
Evergreens for container planting
I love the time of year where the bold, bright colours of summer start to dilute into shades a bit more muted. There's something really cosy and almost wistful about autumn, isn't there? One thing I'm not so keen on is the prospect of a grey and gloomy garden through...