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Rhododendrons and Azaleas
Having acid soil, the ericaceous loving Rhododendrons and Azaleas do really well in our garden. We have two Rhododendrons, a white one and a purple one, plus a bright orange Azalea. The White One The white Rhododendron is the first to come into flower. Unfortunately I don’t know the name of it as it was already here when we came in 2013. Poor thing was surrounded by weeds, mainly the dreaded ground elder. In 2014 as we cleared the garden out to make way for ‘The Great Wall’ and a complete re-design, we dug it up with a substantial root ball, trying to avoid the weeds! It was moved to…
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Gardening for your mental health
In this week of mental health awareness, I’d like to shout from the rooftops, that gardening is good for your general health but especially for your mental health. I’m a person that doesn’t find it easy to relax, not my body or my mind, but in the garden I am truly zen. It’s actually quite difficult to describe quite how it makes me feel, but mainly calm, happy and that nothing else really matters. I’m not sure if it’s being outside in the fresh air; or the process of tending living things; or the company of wildlife that a garden brings; or the constant planning and looking forward to what’s…
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Disaster in the Greenhouse
Well I had such a lovely morning planned out. One of my favourite jobs of the year, planting the tomatoes in the greenhouse, when disaster struck! The garden apprentice (otherwise known as husband) was with me, as he has to help me with the heavy bags of compost to replenish last years. He said, ‘what’s that weed?” I started to pull it, then gently started to uncover it’s roots. I said, “it looks like a potato”. More uncovering in sued. The gardening apprentice said, that’s no potato! We dug deeper and finally realised with dread, that it was Ground Elder!!! Or it’s rather unpronounceable Latin name Aegopodium Podagraio. I think…
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A Red, White & Blue Theme to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles lll
To celebrate the coronation yesterday of our new monarch, King Charles lll, we are having a right, royal red, white and blue theme this Sunday. I do hope you’ve enjoyed watching all the pomp and ceremony, that we here in Britain pride ourselves on doing rather well! And didn’t we do well again! Watching our armed forces on parade always sends a shiver down my spine, but those three cheers were so emotional. I’ll bet the relations of those taking part were extremely proud of them! Todays the day for picnicking al fresco, so to get you in the mood, get out your union jack napkin; cut yourself a slice…
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Dancing Under Falling Tree Blossom
My love of blossom started when I was a little girl, way before I was conscious of noticing other flowers. There was an amazing old cherry tree at the bottom of our road and when the blossom started to fall, my friend and I would head off down there. As the wind blew, the blossom came down in clouds of paper thin, pink petals. We danced around pretending it was confetti and we were bride’s marrying our Prince Charming’s. The years past by and I married my Prince Charming, although I had to put up with paper confetti as I didn’t marry in the spring! I still love the blossom…
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Rhubarb Fool – A speedy pudd when unexpected guests turn up
You know what it’s like when you are suddenly having unexpected guests and you have to throw something together for them to eat. Well you won’t get a speedier pudding than this! I think most gardeners that grow at least a little of their own food have a clump of rhubarb, as it’s one of the easiest foods to grow. Give it a sunny or slightly shady spot, chuck some well rotted manure on every year, and it will grow happily producing enough rhubarb to stew and freeze to last all winter. If said guests turn up in the winter, just grab a portion out of the freezer and pop…
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Stewed Rhubarb & Yogurt – Breakfast of Gods!
A week ago on Gardeners World, Monty Don said, “I think rhubarb just lightly stewed with yogurt, is a breakfast of Gods”. Well Monty, I couldn’t agree more! As a little girl, when my dad harvested the first rhubarb of the year, and my mum turned it into a crumble. I really couldn’t understand the appeal. But now… I am a total convert to rhubarb, and despite all the recipes I make with it, including savoury ones. I think Monty is correct, there’s nothing nicer than stewed rhubarb and yogurt, it’s delicious! My favourite yogurt to have with it is by Yeo Valley, their organic Lemon Curd yogurt. It compliments…
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Happy Easter from Walnut Kitchen Garden
Happy Easter everyone on this beautiful Easter Sunday. Can you believe the weather? Three bright sunny days on a bank holiday, unheard of! I hope you’ve all managed to get out and about enjoying the marvellous spring flowers that are appearing everywhere. I heard a rumour that it’s going to rain tomorrow, but we’ll think about that tomorrow! Today we’re just going to soak up all the sunny joys that an April Easter bank holiday brings. For the last few weeks there’s been a real blue and yellow theme here in the garden, which always makes me think of Easter. No more so than in my new little planting patch,…
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It’s all go in the garden – Spring has Sprung!
Gosh it’s all go at this time of year! I’ve been sowing seeds on and off since the end of January now, when I started with the chillies. It’s been a continuous cycle of sowing, then potting the seedlings on once they’re big enough to be handled. I actually risked putting them out into the greenhouse a couple of weeks ago. Thank goodness it had finally turned milder as I was totally running out of space on the windowsills! Anyway I’m glad to report that they’re all doing well, streaking ahead now they have so much more light. It’s just a case of keeping a close eye on the watering…
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Time to chop down Karl Foerster
It’s the time of year to chop down ‘Karl Foerster’, don’t worry it’s a grass not a person! Official name Calamagrostis × acutiflora – tall grass to most of us. I discovered this grass about six years ago, when a neighbour gave me a clump in a large pot after splitting his own. Now at this point I would normally say, “beware of other gardeners baring free plants”! They are usually things that spread like a weed, but not always. This neighbour is a particularly good gardener with some lovely plants in his gorgeous garden borders. He told me that it was a well behaved grass and that it stays upright, well he…
