Ahead of the Curve

With its long history of medicinal use, I find yarrow to be one of the most incredible and fascinating common garden plants.An herbaceous perennial and member of the

We have had an area of ugly rocks and dirt directly in front of our house since we moved in over 7 years ago. It has driven me CRAZY (which according to hubby is a short drive… :-P) It took me a while to figure out exactly what it was I wanted to do with this area and I finally settled on a DIY floating deck!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Chitting potatoes is also called gree

It’s nice to be aware of the many changes and trends taking place in the world of gardening.

Fothergilla Monticola a shrub which I was not familiar with

It’s an age-old debate that’s almost impossible to avoid when living with another person: Does silverware go up or down in the dishwasher? And is there even a right answer? Since the popularization of the dishwasher, how to load this appliance has been a hot point of contention, particularly when it comes to silverware. Should silverware be rinsed first? Should you organize each utensil so like is grouped with like? Should you use the silverware basket or the rack, if your dishwasher is a newer model? Some people are adamant that silverware should be placed handle-up, while others insist on handle-down—but those aren’t actually the only options.

Zinnias are truly marvelous flowers, spectacularly colorful annuals that are incredibly easy to grow.And they come in a dizzying array of colors,

Gardeners are thoughtful and careful planners. What to plant next, where to plant, when to plant for succession and best to take full consideration of the weather. But they often neglect the pu

Retail therapy at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2014 by Daniel Carruthers The Chelsea Flower Show, now in it’s 101st year, is revered for its wonderful gardens showing the latest trends in garden design. The show does also have many other elements of inspiration too with a wide and often unsung retail section. Predominantly the Eastern Avenue is the shopaholic gardeners first port of call with everything on display ranging from hats and gardening apparel to seeds and works of art.

I came very close to cancelling our open garden this year, Covid fatigue and brain fog making the prospect unthinkable for a period; but the fog lifted, tests were no longer positive and there was still a full four weeks till the first opening. That’s now down to three weeks, but this week I have been able not only to continue with a long list of tasks in the garden but also make good inroads into my mammoth baking schedule. Physically, I am still having to pace myself to manage the fatigue, but we took the decision not to tackle the repair to the reservoir of the stream till later in the summer, so the remaining tasks are all fairly minor and easily do-able. The partially dismantled reservoir has been screened off for safety purposes, and the rocks stacked randomly around it (below). Most things in the garden, however, have been striding ahead without me, like Rosa ‘Strawberry Hill’ (above).

The ancient principles of Feng shui say the kitchen is the ‘heart of the home.’ It represents prosperity, nourishment, and health. Apart from being a vital part of our life, it can also usher abundance and good health if you grow these Lucky Indoor Plants For Kitchen!