It’s been an interesting, not to say challenging, summer for many of us, and doesn’t it feel good to be able to take stock of things as we move into September! My early autumn jobs include some considered tidying, a little rose-care and tending Amaryllis bulbs among other tasks…… Neat and tidy? Are you one […]
So exciting that we are now full-pelt into the big growing season! I hear from Caroline that the Highlands are still dragging their feet somewhat about the arrival of spring, but even there, gardeners must be starting off seeds, sorting out lawns and mulching flower-beds. Let’s get on with it! Growing seedy Almost all of us in […]
No point in backing out of it now – it’s time to embrace the festive season in all its mad glory! If you’re wondering how to include the garden in the fun, we’ve got 12 tips on how to do it. None of them involve plastic penguins, vegan sausage meat or Slade screaming ‘It’s Christmas’ […]
The mad mayhem of Christmas is nearly upon us now! But try to find time between gift-wrapping and writing grocery lists for a little horticulture. How about looking after your pot-plants? Or planning your sweet pea campaign? Maybe even planting some blackcurrant bushes… I’m not much of a house-plant gal as a rule – un-trendy to […]
The first properly cold snap here in the south means that we can no longer deny that winter is on its way – Laura’s hauling her tender plants in, Caroline’s surveying snow on the Highland mountains around her, and the shops have fully-stocked Christmas aisles. Resist the urge to hibernate, plant a cheering winter pot or […]
Arggghhh, January can seem such a long month, can’t it! It feels particularly so when the weather has been as unpredictable and damaging as it has been recently. Spring still seems quite far away. But it WILL come, and in the meantime let’s cheer ourselves up with some jolly little tasks to prepare for its arrival, like […]
Is anyone else feeling ready to move on from baubles and tinsel? They are, of course, re-usable but after hauling them out of the Christmas Box for 30 years or so, it feels as though life has moved on a bit, doesn’t it? It might be the cost of living… it might be climate change, […]
After all the intense events and emotions of the past couple of weeks, it’s good to get back to some quiet and reflective early Autumn tasks in the garden, like tidying perennials, planting hyacinths, collecting seeds and moving evergreens… Chop, chop! Are you one of those gardeners who likes everything neat and trim through the […]
When we three sat down to decide our topic for this week, it was a toss-up between Halloween Horror plants and our pick of delightful spring bulbs to plant now. The latter won, you might be relieved to hear, but frankly one of Laura’s choices looks like it could easily fit in the former category. […]
Right, so our gardens and outdoor spaces have comforted us through March, April, May, June, July, August and September of this ghastly year, and now they HAVE to help us through the cold, damp months as well. Stop watching the news for a while and immerse yourself in tasks like compost-turning, planting garlic or taking […]
Whoa, it’s properly autumn now, isn’t it! Even in the south we have had some seriously wet and windy weather recently, but there are still jobs we can do indoors, such as drying chillies and planting amaryllis, so let’s get on with them……. Â STRING ‘EM UP! We became very excited about our chilli crop […]
Do you have flowering plants in the house this Christmas? They add a bit of glamour at this time of year, don’t you think? But how do you get poinsettias and amaryllis to stay alive, so they do the same next year? I’m well-known for not having much patience with houseplants, preferring to do my gardening out of […]
Okay, so if you’re wondering what to do in the garden at Christmas, here are our 12 tips to make the festive season special and absolutely none of them involve queueing, alcohol or recipes for vegan sausage meat. 1. Bring your garden birds close up. Hang your bird feeders right up against your kitchen window; your […]