Ravendale House

Well, the weather really is playing tricks with us this year. I’ve been desperate for about 2 weeks now to get my peas and broad beans planted out, but it’s just been so cold, not to mention windy.

(more…)

March is such a frustrating month, offering us tantalizing glimpses of Spring one day, then plunging us back into winter the next. As I write this, mid-morning, the temperature is only 3c, yet a few days ago it was a warm and sunny 16c. It really does my head in.

(more…)

What kind of gardener are you? I’m a bit experimental in a sort of ‘make-it-up-as-you-go-along’ kind of way. Take this morning for example.

(more…)

I grew a few plants some years ago from a packet of assorted hardy perennial seeds.  One particular specimen was about 12″ tall and had the most vivid red flowers. I’d always wondered if it might be a verbena, but having just ‘googled’ it, I don’t think it is.

(more…)

Well, 3 weeks ago it was so cold the pipes froze. 3 days ago it was so warm it felt like Spring was really here. Today it’s cold, wet and miserable with snow forecast for later, on high ground. Is it any wonder we Brits are obsessed by our weather?

(more…)

I managed to get some proper gardening done over the weekend, the first of the year.The weather was sunny, warm and Spring-like, what could be better?

(more…)

First of all I feel I should come clean and say that I’m a bit of a ‘bah humbug’ person when it comes to Xmas. I think it’s probably the result of having no children and no close family. Don’t get me wrong, I used to love it, but as I’ve got older it has become less and less significant or meaningful.

(more…)

If the last 13 years have taught me anything at all, it’s that you should work with nature not against it, particularly if like me, you’re a lone gardener most of the time, who is no longer in the first flush of youth.

(more…)

I know I’ve been a bit absent recently, that’s because I’m helping Peter build a new website. But don’t think I haven’t been busy gardening too. (more…)

A few days ago I did something really silly, and fell very heavily on my left knee. I won’t go into detail, lets just say it involved black bin liners, but I’m lucky not to have broken my knee cap, as I crashed with my full 9 stone on to the concrete.

(more…)