Having recently started volunteering sessions with one of the many historic houses in my area, I was particularly thrilled to find it also offers a well known garden which is included in the national garden scheme open days. I was invited to take…
We usually have very specific jobs to do in the garden according to the time of year, or the season. This again is broken down into ‘weather permitting’ and jobs for the potting shed. when I have trouble with my aching limbs I…
My daughter and partner have recently moved out to the country – big time. From owning a small but perfectly formed starter home in a busy industrial town, they now own a beautiful stone conversion on the outer edge of a grand stately…
I now of a young family who have just up sticks and moved out of the local town to a really spectacular house in the country. Just like a certain very popular daytime tv leisure programme. They have the fields surrounding them; lots…
One of the glories of belonging to any of the heritage trusts is having a card to allow you access to any of their properties that open for the purpose – at almost any time during their open season. I have seen some…
One of the joys of this time of year is being able to take a long walk through the countryside, either in a country park, or along the sides of fields along the thousands of miles of dedicated public footpaths. We are so…
Now is the time to say goodbye – indeed it is, to use words from a popular comic tune from the 1960s. The singers of that little ditty were always buffooning around and making up daft songs to cover almost every time of…
The summer has shot by and we sit here amid the pouring rain, looking out of the patio window. We’re just wondering if the inclement weather is staying for the next few hours or just hovering to be difficult. it’s been a very…
I have been receiving a particular gardening magazine for a year or so now. Not the one from the popular Friday night programme – but one that deals with garden design and the choice of plants for the best show. I have a…
There are some wonderful historic houses in the part of the country where I live most of the year. It is quieter round here these days – although in the civil war period, this was the hot bed of intrigue and political activity. …