January doesn’t invite me into the garden. Perhaps your new year resolutions are prompting you to get out there and do something? Or to plan and think from your sofa? Either place, January jobs in the garden are important and make a difference all year. This month snow and ice can make garden paths slippery, […]

Bright and shiny New Year’s resolutions always seem good as we set off into January but they can become a little tarnished as the year gets into its stride. Certainly, hard and fast resolutions focus my mind. Generally, though, I just outline a few paths that I intend to take over the next twelve months. […]

The quiet time between Christmas and the New Year is ideal for dreaming garden dreams, looking at books and pondering what will work and how you will do it. Your garden dreams can come true! Have you been wondering about changes in the garden? Transforming a perfectly nice (but ordinary) back garden into a scented […]

Christmas walks around our neighbourhood and park are a great opportunity for garden inspiration. To my mind, a plant that looks good in mid winter is likely to be good value all year. And as these are friendly walks, where we say hello and how are you, it's OK to look over fences and ask […]

We need light in the garden more today than ever.  21st December is the winter solstice and, in the UK, that means we have the fewest hours of daylight of any day in the year. It's commonly called the shortest day of the year. The good news is that after the winter solstice daylight hours […]

It’s so easy to choose Christmas presents for gardeners. Here are ten ideas which might suit a gardener you know. Plus a bonus idea for luck! Under £15 1. Seeds and/or a tin to keep them in Herb seeds (chives and parsley are good choices) will always be welcomed by people who love cooking. If […]

Small Business Saturday UK is on 3rd December 2016. Furniture for cafés and restaurants needn't be a headache for hard-working owners as rattan furniture is an easy and ideal solution. Café culture is part of society now The chances are that you know about a new café or a new deli. It may be near […]

November offers chances to catch up in the garden, bag a bargain and look forward to a great garden in the new year. The soil in my flower beds and garden pots is still workable and, while the weather isn’t great, it is possible to be outdoors and do good work. My aim for late […]

It must be a dried fruit thing, that those who loathe Christmas cake also struggle to come to terms with Christmas pudding and sweet mincemeat. Tradition determined that fruit cake be a thing of Christmas as historically this was the time when although fresh ingredients were scarce, the boat was well and truly pushed out […]

Low Maintenance Garden For a good looking, low maintenance garden, I recommend thinking big, thinking simple and making it your own. And for a garden of any kind, be clear about what you want to use it for, make the space for that and include things that make you feel good. What is it about […]

The clocks have gone back and the leaves are coming off the trees. Like it or not, we’re doing less and less sitting out in the garden. Garden furniture and BBQs are an investment and we want them to be in good condition next year. What’s the best way of looking after them until spring […]

The Poll has now ended. Thank you to everyone who participated! The winner was Laura Blackburn, who took a stunning picture of a muntjac eating birdseed. Congratulations Laura!! Winner Ok, so we have now moved onto the Poll for the wildlife competition. Out of the below selection, please vote for your favourite picture. As of the […]