Petal Power…….
Gather some blooms with a mille-feuille of fragrant petals, let the flowers tumble into a vintage jug or two- then settle back and let the flowers do the talking…
Category Archives: Gardening
My Love Affair; with a Table and Keats!
Strong, sturdy and romantically inclined, this table tugged at my heart-strings on first sight. Made from green oak and carved with lines from my favourite poem, The Eve of St Agnes’ by Keats and made by Marnie Moyle, it is one of my most prized possessions. Standing out in all weathers, twisting and shrinking with … Continue reading
The Story of Otto the Cat and the Chives…..
Under the Eaves with the House Sparrows…
It is 5 a.m and I am hanging out with the Sparrows under the eaves of my house. I want to see the view that this friendly colony of birds have from their terraced eyrie, so I climb as high as I dare and hang out of the window. Their nests are inches above my head … Continue reading
Flanders Poppies die where they fall….
Sturdy, stocky and weather hardened; Farmer Crocker gives me a wave as I pass his Farm gate. Plump and rosy hued heathers bloom where he stands and a thought crosses my mind- do we become to look like our plants in the way that we become to look like our animals? Farmers in my village whose … Continue reading
The Dartmoor Pixies……
I live in the Dartmoor National Park; a 368 square mile area of moorland, which is rich in myth, folklore, legend, and stories connected with elves and pixies. These tales have been handed down from remote forebears who firmly believed that the forests surrounding their villages were filled with magical creatures such as fairies, elves. … Continue reading
Fabulous; it’s Friday and it’s full of Roses!
“Happy and dirty beneath a canopy of fragrant flowers and petals” Did you know that I have been a perfumer? As a toddler I would shuffle on my bottom down the garden path with a little plastic pail with some water at the bottom and into this I tumbled scented rose petals which had fallen … Continue reading
Armed Combat in the Greenhouse….
The sky is the colour of pale blue Cornflowers and the day feels full of promise as I push open the greenhouse door to let in the sweet morning air. I see it straight away, something which should not be there; a white envelope with my initial on it, a big “K”, for Karen. This … Continue reading
Fabulous; it’s Friday!
The sweet piquancy of this CUCUMBER AND DILL PICKLE turns smoked salmon, mackerel, trout or a simple tuna and mayonnaise sandwich into a fabulous treat! Quick and easy to make, its fresh taste is perfect for right now! Why not try it? Run the tines of a fork down the length of a washed cucumber, … Continue reading
Cottage Garden Sweet Rocket & Daisies…
It’s May; the month of reckless, exuberant blooming and the time when the air is full of the scent of Sweet Rocket blossom and of so many green things growing. My wildlife friendly Cottage Garden with its meandering paths, relaxed planting and imperfect lawns where chemicals can not be used, suddenly bursts into a … Continue reading
Dartmoor Flower Shed 