Ravendale House

Remember the story of the lost ring?

(more…)

They say you should be careful what you wish for in life, and on the face of it that is very good advice. But what happens when you get exactly what you’ve always wanted and it turns out to be exactly what you hoped it would be?

(more…)

Now that’s a title I didn’t expect to be using about the summer of 2012, but credit where it’s due, 2012 has been a good year for blackcurrants. Or at least it’s been a good year for mine.

(more…)

A few days ago, between showers(!) I decided to collect some seeds from one of my favourite Aquilegias, ‘McKana’. They were tiny, ripe, jet black and very shiny. I was amused to see one being carried off by an ant, and childhood memories of cartoon ants raiding picnics came flooding back.

(more…)

Due to the prolonged spell of poor weather, yes I know I sound like a broken record, lots of gardening stuff has been neglected this year. Yesterday the sun shone briefly and I decided to go empty my wheelbarrow which was beginning to look like a poorly maintained swimming pool!

(more…)

When we moved here 14 years ago I planted a blue Agapanthus in Flower Bed 2. It flowered for a couple of years, but it soon became clear it was getting overwhelmed by it’s neighbours, and wasn’t very happy, so about 3 or 4 years ago I dug it out.

(more…)

I know this site is supposed to be primarily about gardening but, as I may have mentioned, the weather is so rotten, there isn’t much gardening getting done. So I’m trying to find other interesting things to write about.

(more…)

The weather is so rubbish at the moment, the second coldest, wettest, dullest June since records began in 1910, (or some equally depressing statistic), that I’ve turned into a plane spotter!
Guess what flew over our garden this afternoon?

(more…)