Joan writes: All good things must come to an end (temporarily I am sure!) and my recent ‘hanging the washing outdoors and forgetting about it’ pleasure was cut short today. Earlier, I was so engrossed in a spot of seed sorting that I never noticed the...

Jenny writes: Well I forgot to check the water level in the carrot tops growing on the windowsill and they’ve completely shrivelled up now – poor things! Rain showers have started this afternoon but I’ll still have to water a few pots this evening . I...

Jenny writes: The afternoon light in these clear, blue-skied days have highlighted the beauty of trees coming into leaf. Woodland near my back garden is now outlined in lacy, pale green. Hawthorn and birch leaves are unfurling. Hawthorn, one of the earliest trees to show their...

Joan writes: Many plant lovers choose an Acer shrub for its autumnal colour and quite rightly so. As much as I enjoy their fiery hues that alert us to cooler nights drawing in, I am more captivated by their magical spring colours ranging from pistachio to...

Joan writes: I spotted the wayward branching of a Rhododendron Scarlet Wonder and investigated further only to find the waywardness was actually brokenness. On closer inspection, I concluded that damage was done a while back. The wee rhody has flowered profusely despite the branch in question...

Fiona writes:- April comes with so many aces it often seems a little unfair to the other months – all that blossom decking the boughs, ponds heaving with tadpoles, slender seedlings pushing through soil – so many signs of life unfurling. But I can’t be the...

Joan writes: A silver lining to the current crisis we find ourselves in is the art of communication has enjoyed a revival. By communication I mean ‘real talking’. Granted technology plays a big part in it with zoom rooms, whatsapp chat, and others, but as Beattie...

Joan writes: May (quickly followed by September) is my favourite month. The fresh hues of green growth, buds in abundance and still a crispness to the morning air is how I would describe our last month of the recognised season of Spring. April 20th and it...

Jo writes: As a mum of two teenage children it can sometimes be hard to convince them to step away from their screens and head out for a walk at this time.  So yesterday, the kids and I ventured out as far as our garden!  I...

Joan writes: It will be 3 weeks ago that I eventually experimented on my conundrum of whether dried peas from a soup packet would perform as well as peas from a recognised garden seed supplier packet. The following video clip details my ‘experiment’. There we have...