Back to the Nitty Gritty

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

Fothergilla Monticola a shrub which I was not familiar with

Summer time means outdoor dining, which is great...except for the FLIES

It’s no secret that the ’70s are back. From wicker furniture to disco balls and maximalist designs, homeowners are increasingly drawing inspiration from the fun and eclectic designs of the 1970s. One of the newest ’70s-inspired trends to hit the interior design world is the return of colorful plumbing fixtures like toilets, bathtubs, and sinks. In fact, Kohler recently announced the return of two of its most popular archived colors—Spring Green and Peachblow—which will make their official debut in summer 2023.

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,

February

Everything is growing skywards – the weather may bear little resemblance to summer, but the plants are loving it and (as I wrote before) rebuilding the vegetable plot seems to have dramatically reduced the slug and snail population in that part of the garden. Actually, for some unfathomable reason, there generally seem to be fewer in the garden, despite the predictions, and those I have seen have focused on munching the cornflowers to extinction while leaving most other plants untouched.The courgettes and squash growing in the straw bales are very happy – because they are growing in a medium that has remained slightly warm, the cooler wet weather has not affected them. Next to the straw bales are th

Back to the Borders The fractured knee is healing well and as I get more mobile I’m gradually getting to grips with the borders that have been mouldering over the past 3 months or so. I know the theory is that we should leave everything until spring, but as I’ve been unable to do a gradual tidy I’ve needed to be fairly ruthless in order to sort out the chaos and find spaces to plant the bulbs.

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.

Other than a brief trip to Amsterdam next week for work and to visit the Canal Gardens of Amsterdam, I’ll be posting about the home garden for a few weeks, so you can look forward to lots of  pictures of peas, beans, sweet peas and potatoes – bet you can’t wait!  In the mean time why not take a look at what was happening in the garden last year. ..