Ravendale House

It is said that ‘one year’s seeding makes seven years’ weeding’. Old wives tale or fact? (more…)

I think it’s time to take stock of the gardening year, after all we are half way through 2009 now. Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun!
(more…)

A few years ago when were living in our previous house, we did some alterations to the garden that required some extra top-soil. We checked the local paper and found a farmer who would deliver a ton of top-soil for a reasonable price, and even better than that he would deliver it the same day.

(more…)

Today I’m going to allow myself to stray off topic and write about something non-gardening.

(more…)

Now there’s a big word to conjure with on a cold and wet Monday morning. Defined as the attribution of uniquely human characteristics to non-human creatures and beings, it can be seen at it’s best in cartoon characters such as Donald Duck and Top Cat or the delightful children’s book Alices Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

(more…)

I’ve spent this afternoon preparing the conservatory for the tomato plants proper. At the moment they’re in small pots dotted along the conservatory window-sill, but they urgently need to be planted up into grow bags.

(more…)

My plant of the day, in fact my favourite plant of any day, is Primula Vulgaris, the common primrose.

(more…)

This morning I decided to weed flower bed 1. I’ve done it a hundred times before so I just thought it was going to be a normal day. As I was digging something caught my eye, shining in the sunshine. On closer inspection, and to my absolute delight, I discovered is was a gold coin.

(more…)

One of the last things on our minds when we moved here 10 years ago was sewage, but time and circumstances have dictated that over the years we’ve become quite an authority on septic tanks and drains.

(more…)

When I decided to uncover the gunnera on Friday, I had checked the weather forecast for the next few days to ensure we had no frost in store.

(more…)