Am having a bit of a slow day today. Is it maybe related to the time of year? August is a month of relaxing holidays, balmy evenings and that niggling almost back-to-school feeling that summer is slipping through one’s fingers. Something about all of these things begets slowness. Luckily, from a gardening perspective, there’s still plenty going on with the veg harvests coming in thick … Continue reading August harvests and sowings (Six on Saturday)
After a short break in the sun in Barcelona last week, am finding it difficult to readjust to life back in Belgium. Mainly because of the weather. It has rained pretty much non-stop for the past week, and while the slugs are delighted, I am not. There are upsides. Tithonias (Mexican sunflowers) love the rain and they are doing a good job adding some brightness … Continue reading Six on Saturday: Where is the sun?!
Hello! It’s been an interesting July so far from a gardening perspective: the weather has been cool and there have been quite a few rain showers at regular intervals. This has been most welcome as I haven’t had to water much (apart from the greenhouse) and I feel that everything is looking fresher than usual at this time of year. I have felt torn between … Continue reading Six on Saturday: July highlights
I was recently asked what my gardening style was by fellow blogger, book reviewer and garden enthusiast Rosie Amber who’s kindly featuring my garden on her blog this coming Sunday. I think that ‘romantic cottage garden’ sums it up best, and what month can be more romantic that June, billowing with roses and cottage garden favourites? Here are a few pics to share with you … Continue reading Romantic June: Six on Saturday
We had a few glorious days of sunshine and blue skies earlier in the week but back to rather grey weather again now. Am trying not to feel to frustrated with the weather gods. Haphazard planting of tulips this year. I was surprised to see Tulipa ‘Request’ coming up in the big pot a second year in a row. I think I forgot they were … Continue reading More spring moments
Early April means that you can really get going with seed sowing in the veg plot. Soil temperatures are starting to rise, as you can tell by all the weed seedlings germinating. I find this a good indication that the ground is warming up. It’s still too soon to sow frost-tender veg outdoors (things like courgettes, French beans and sweetcorn), but there’s still plenty you … Continue reading Early April: sow, sow, sow your seeds
It was a sunny start for the chickens today, like me they do take every opportunity to bask when sunshine is on offer. The chickens don’t have a cockerel, I don’t think we could get away with it. One has to try to be on good terms with one’s neighbours and I doubt that a 5 am start to the day would be conducive to … Continue reading Soon I’ll be busy (6 on Saturday)
Hello! I’m diving back into the ‘Six on Saturday’ format but this one’s a bit different! Instead of showing you six things from my garden (which hasn’t yet shed its dismal February look), I’m going to show you six new gardening products that I thought were pretty cool, as seen at the Garden Press Event in London on 21 February. The Garden Press Event is … Continue reading Six cool things for a greener garden
Yes it really is possible to find fresh and tasty things to eat in early February – direct from the veg plot! This is the first year that I’ve successfully grow crops for winter, so I thought I’d share a few tips and highlights with you. What you do need is a little forward planning, and some kind of protection from the worst of the … Continue reading How to enjoy winter harvests
Today I’m going to give you a quick run through of a few experiments from my first proper year of allotmenteering (if mountaineering can be a verb, then why not ‘allotmenteering’? My spellcheck doesn’t agree, and suggests ‘allmothering’ as an alternative, which is actually not far from the truth!). I’ve been spending more time in the allotment than in the garden lately, maybe thanks to … Continue reading Allotment experiments: six on Saturday: 12 Nov 2022
