Aspirations for 2017

I have resolutely avoided blogging about New Year resolutions. I am a great believer in doing rather than saying and it is easy to say I will do this or that but actually carrying it out is another thing.  I...

A look back at 2016 & hopes for 2017

2016 has been one of those weird years full of changes and challenges - both personal and more broadly.  I pondered last night whether I should write this post in the bubble of my blog world or whether I should...

Path

"But the beauty is in the walking - we are betrayed by destinations" - Welsh poet Gwyn Thomas Having to some degree drifted through life for the last 10  years or so in the same job, the same house and...

West Coast of Japan – A threatened beauty

My trip to Japan wasn't all about the gardens, it was more about experiencing Japan  and trying to get a little insight into its fascinating culture.  As I have said we travelled in a sort of zig-zag south from Kyoto. ...

A timely reminder

  I read last night and into the early hours and wept. It's rare for a book to hold me in this way. Despite its title, Mister Owita's Guide to Gardening is not a gardening book although the education of...

School dinners – a blast from the past

In search of inspiration for this ridiculous blogging daily challenge I have inflicted on myself  I came across some prompts and one of them was to write about your school lunches.  Strange I know but apparently it leads you to...

JOMO or FOMO – Which are You?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IvHwQwVVTo Day 12 of NaBloMoPo finds me delving into my saves on Facebook for inspiration and coming up with this Youtube interview with the wonderful Claudia Winkleman.  I love Claudia, she just makes me smile and I relate to a...

If we were having tea right now…..

If we were having a cup of tea right now I would be telling you about my fab weekend at the Alpine Garden Society annual conference. I learnt all sorts of things, many of them not to do with plants. ...

Suburban is not Urban

I have a bit of a bug-bear on the way suburban gardens are represented in garden media. If you pick up any selection of gardening magazines you will find the usual selection of large country gardens and small chic city...