It’s been a while since my last six. The garden has been growing and this week shows the front and back gardens in their shaggy glory. I’ve been tidyi… Read More

Hopefully not too late to join in this week. I have a valid excuse; a very dear friend was married this weekend, which involved much laughing, crying and dancing. This vase is all about… Read More

Not sure what happened to August and September but I’m pretty sure I’ve been busy with work, the garden and the allotment. This has been my first gro… Read More

I grew these rudbeckias from seed because they are robust and most likely to cope with sandy clay soil. I really didn’t give much thought to what I’d actually do with 12 floweri… Read More

I’d like to introduce you to dahlia Rebecca’s World. She’s a bit of rebel, refusing to produce identical blooms. I quite like the variation but I can imagine it would dri… Read More

The first stems of gladioli Sancerre were waiting for me on Saturday – there are 17 more! My memory may be playing tricks but I’m certain the previous blooms had more green to t… Read More

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This time last year I had dug about half of the plot, going every other evening to dig another m2. This year is strictly no dig! but I’m busy filling up the second compost bin with cl… Read More

Hello fellow gatherers and arrangers. I thought you’d be interested to see this week’s vase with antirrhimum who very quickly decided to turn to the vertical, giving a pleasing… Read More

We’re in the middle of July, the jet stream is in the wrong place and causing havoc in the garden with heavy rain and high winds. Here’s my six from the back garden at the gulag… Read More

I know, the fence panels are still waiting to be painted… However in other news, the garden is in its second year and looking good. Closest to the house are mostly cool colours with… Read More

I hope everyone is well and enjoying the abundance of flowers in their garden. My vase features antirrhinum Potomac orange, blown over by the wind (as this gardener neglected to stake them)… Read More

I’m back with more roses from the plot and fillers from the garden. Last year I used the drama of moving to a new allotment site to purchase several rose bushes for the cutting gard… Read More

This is a mix of plot and garden contributions today. The roses, pale Chandos Beauty and red Fragrant cloud are plot dwellers and in their first year. The smell is just amazing and so far… Read More

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Cool and windy here today but there are still six things from the garden to share with you. Scarphagus bed – The jasmine is flowering, not enough to catch the scent but there are su… Read More

This time last year, I had marked out the base measurements for the frame. It’s good to be back growing rather than constructing. I’ve down-sized but I’m growing just for… Read More

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So far so lush. Both gardens are enjoying the rain and warm temperatures but would prefer a little less wind ravaging their leaves. The gardener is pleased she remembered to place the supp… Read More

My last update was at the beginning of May and most things were just getting going and still quite small. It wasn’t until I looked back at those photos that I realised that how much e… Read More

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I know, what am I thinking right? It has barely stopped raining since November. This may be a wet year but the soil at the plot and home is much more free-draining than I’m used to;… Read More

Here we are at the end of the first week in May. This post was due at the end of April, in my head and I think with the weather, it’s where we’re at. There has been progress… Read More

This geum came with the house. It’s orange, not a colour I am naturally drawn to but a plant is a plant! I lifted, divided, potted on then planted out six new plants and they have rom… Read More

It’s May already. I feel like there needs to be a re-count on the days in April, it went by much too quickly. Anyhow the sun is shining this morning and I’m off to celebrate… Read More

There is progress in the garden, even some flowers to show you. Step this way, it’s six themes from the back garden this week. With thanks to our host Jim for always having something… Read More

I recall a time when one 6×4 shed stored everything and left just enough space for the gardener to take cover from the rain and tea arrived in a thermos. I share that as I’m abo… Read More

Hello again. This is getting to be a bit of a habit, in the best possible way. This week I have six things from the front garden to share with you. This space is about the size of the gar… Read More

The winter sown rocket has bolted indicating it was time to get ready for the summer crops. The bed has been cleared. I carefully lifted and potted the flat leaf parsley so I can plant it… Read More

My first IAVOM of 2024. Thanks to our host Cathy for her weekly posts of creativity and inspiration. This week’s offering is Tulip Copper Image, a stem of Narcissus Thalia, a few sp… Read More

There is progress to report. The new plantings are throwing up new shoots, there is a row of peas in the soil and there are a zillion sycamore seedlings. This is the rose row, all lookin… Read More

It’s been a busy bank holiday weekend so far. I’ve fitted in an obligatory visit to a DIY shed, finished laying the slabs around the greenhouse and replaced a worn-out 6×6… Read More

This is day two of a long weekend for me. I started it off with a mooch around the garden, finding six things to share with you. Remember to join the rest of the sixers over at Jim’s… Read More

There has been a biblical amount of rain here over the past two days and the ground is sodden but I do have six things in the garden to share with you. Remember to stop by Jim’s Garde… Read More

It’s the small things that bring me joy. Seeing buds break out of the brown branches on the transplanted pear trees made me squeal with delight. This year I will keep the trees wel… Read More

I suspect like a lot of people, I’ve longed to have a greenhouse in the garden but the Isleworth postage stamp did not offer much scope, so I settled for a polytunnel and greenhouse at… Read More

This is the third and final time I will plant a new asparagus bed. I’m planning to be at the plot for at least 10 years so I will get a decent return on the investment. On the last… Read More

My last update from the polytunnel was June 2020. Much has happened since; a house move with a larger garden, a new allotment and dream of dreams, the greenhouse and polytunnel at the botto… Read More

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Thanks to Jim at Garden Ruminations for continuing to host this weekly update. I am an infrequent poster but this week there are shoots and signs that Spring is on its way. Eaten &nd… Read More

My only excuse for such a pun is work – the whole day in front of a screen with a spreadsheet… But what should I have not done I hear you wonder?  What I should have… Read More

This has been a slow transformation from dull shrub/lawn combo, through builder’s depot to much less lawn and many more flowering plants. I’ve taken photos from the same spot… Read More

I’ve never had a pond at the allotment or actually in the garden so this is an exciting new adventure. The header picture is my fantasy ideal! In the best allotment traditions… Read More

At least as much as can be moved is moved. The silver lining to leaving so many plants behind is the opportunity to buy new ones! Roses I’ve completely replaced the hybrid tea… Read More

Saturday was the day for the big pear tree lift. All week I’d been tracking the weather forecast and it didn’t look promising with frosts expected all week, but Saturday dawned… Read More

The last few weeks at the new plot have been about structures: sheds, posts and paving. It’s these things appearing that really start to make the plot look organised and ordered. T… Read More

There has certainly been more rain this week than anyone could wish for, including me. The soil turned very quickly from pleasantly workable to completely sodden and too heavy to lift. For… Read More

I can’t deny this is hard labour and the truth is, I’m not enjoying it at all. Boredom is setting in, so I’ve opened up new fronts to spice things up. There are many st… Read More

Hello dear readers and apologies for my very sporadic posting; turns out I can do the day job, decorate, garden and move allotment sites sometimes concurrently but not keep this blog up to d… Read More

I have to confess this vase was collected and arranged last Wednesday – when the peonies are ready, they don’t wait! I’ve included some self sown foxgloves and nigella w… Read More