Highlights From Gardeners' World 2012

Last week I visited Gardeners’ World Live at the NEC in Birmingham. This was my first visit to a garden show of this scale and so was unsure about what to expect.

The RHS Floral Marquee was packed full of ideas and inspiration. I have to say that I was really impressed by the scale of the stands put on by the various associations and nurseries.

Amazing Alliums

Just a small part of Birmingham City Councils award-winning display

Lilies in all their splendour

The show gardens outside were impressive and gave lots of design inspiration. The Water Wise Garden below shows how plants can adapt to dry conditions and how waste water can be collected and re-used, perfect if we are to face more hosepipe bans!

The Water Wise Garden by Brett Hardy

Coming Out To Play? by Adam Frost

The main highlight for me though was seeing my gardening hero Monty Don. The presenter of the BBC gardening programme Gardeners’ World and a self-taught gardener, gave a frank and insightful talk on the filming of Gardeners World which takes place in his own garden in Herefordshire. Having seen and heard him live I can only say that I admire him even more!

Monty Don

In all I had a great day out and spoke to some interesting people who are passionate about what they do and I left feeling inspired, ready to tackle my own garden - after I rested my aching feet!

If you feel inspired to get gardening Homes & Dreams sells a wonderful range of gardening accessories from Burgon & Ball, Sophie Conran, Hawes and Gardening Trading. You can find them at http://www.homesanddreams.co.uk/the-country-garden-8-c.asp 

National Gardening Week

From the 16th to the 22nd of April 2012 National Gardening Week has been launched by the RHS to get the nation growing.

"Thousands of people across the country are coming together and getting involved to enjoy, share and celebrate everything about gardens and gardening.

Communities and organisations are pulling out all the stops to host garden open days, garden parties, quizzes, plant swaps and a wealth of other activities to share advice or lend helping hands to friends, neighbours and the local community."

 You can find out more at www.nationalgardeningweek.org.uk and don't forget  - if you need any gardening tools and garden accessories we have a lovely range to get you started!

 Sophie Conran Gardening Trowel - £14.95

Seed Storage Box £10.00

Cream Wooden Garden Trug £21.50

Happy Gardening!

The Year of the Garden

It was inevitable that this year would be the year of the garden here at Homes & Dreams. When we bought our house 7 years ago the 1/2 acre plot that it stood in had been neglected for many, many years.

As the house was completed  at the end of last Summer our attention is now occupied by the garden. Over the past few years we have managed to eradicate most the of the brambles that had taken possession over the majority of the garden but other than keeping it relatively tidy the garden has not yet been utilised.

So this week has seen the start of our plans. 50 metres of mixed native hedgerow has been planted which will form the boundary between our new orchard (in which we are planning to grow a selection of Yorkshire heritage varieties) and the adjacent fields.

Sophie Conran Garden Trowel £14.95

So it follows that we would expand our gardening range over on the Homes & Dreams website. I'm really thrilled with our new line of gardening hand tools which are designed by Sophie Conran. The tools which include trowels, forks, dibbers and weeders are a joy to use - not only are they stylish but they are also manufactured by the UK's longest standing garden tool manufacturer and if that isn't enough they are beautifully presented in their own presentation box making them a perfect gardening gift!

Count Your Chickens!

Yesterday I was having a conversation about keeping chickens as it's something I've been longing to do for some time now. We grow our own and have a small orchard and so hen keeping just seemed like a natural progression. I was lost in the thought of freshly laid eggs for breakfast and baking and having the girls to keep me company while gardening......

Photo: Little Emma English Home

However, just as I was locking up for the night a movement in the moonlight caught my eye - and there they were, a shadowy pair of foxes trotting silently along the field side of my garden.

A timely reminder of the reality of keeping chickens don't you think?

Apple Chilli Jelly

There's a chill in the air and even though we are just clinging on to August it feels decidedly like Autumn.
In the garden everything is coming to a head and we have a veritable feast available to us in the vegetable garden.

Down in the orchard the plums have finished but the apples and pears are now almost ready for picking. After we've had our fill of pies and crumbles my favourite thing to make with our surplus of apples is this........

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Recipe For Apple Chilli Jelly
Ingredients:

• 1.5 kilos of cooking apples (windfalls are fine for this recipe). Washed, chopped roughly - no need to peel or core

• 2 pts/1140ml of water to cover the apples

• Grated rind and juice of one small lemon

• White granulated sugar (the amount depends on the volume of juice extracted from the simmered, drained fruit. Ipt/570ml of juice to 1lb/454gms of sugar

• 2 medium hot red chillies and one Bird’s Eye hot red chilli. Chopped with seeds left in.

Method:

1. Put the chopped apples into a large saucepan with the 2 medium hot red chillies and the Bird’s eye chilli.

2. Carefully grate the lemon zest from the lemon. Add to saucepan.

3. Add the water and bring gently to the boil and simmer very gently until all the fruit is soft and mushy (roughly 25 minutes, depending upon how ripe the fruit is).

4. Pour the cooked fruit through sterilised muslin or a jelly bag. The bag is covered with a clean tea cloth to protect against flies, as the jelly bag generally drips overnight.

5. Measure the apple and chilli juice the next day and pour it into a deep heavy bottomed saucepan. Add 454g/1lb of white granulated sugar for each 570ml/1 pt of juice.

6. Add the juice of the lemon.

7. Heat the juice and sugar gently, stirring from time to time. Make sure that that all the sugar has dissolved before bringing the liquid slowly to the boil. Continue to boil for about five minutes before testing for a set. Toss in a nugget of butter towards the end to reduce the frothing that often occurs.

8. When jelly has reached setting point pour into warm sterilised jars using a funnel and ladle.

9. Cover immediately with plastic lined screw top lids or cellophane tops secured with a rubber band. If you want extra heat stir in some finally chopped red birds eye chillies into each jar (no seeds).

Label when cold and store in a cool, dark place. Away from damp.

3.5 pints of juice makes approx 7 pound jars of jelly.


It is absolutely delicious with oatcakes and cheese, especially my favourite - Wensleydale!

I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.

Sweet Peas

In the garden at the moment there is an abundance of sweet peas. They were grown from seed and this is the first year that I have had the chance to grow them.........

 ......each day there appears to be more and more of these wonderfully scented delicate flowers.........

.....and I'm very happy with the results!

Summer Strawberries

Just outside our office is a raised bed. A couple of years ago we were wondering what to do with it and we thought it would be a good idea to plant it with strawberries and boy are we glad we did!

This year we have had a bumper crop of the most delicious strawberries.

I can't remember all the varieties that we planted as they were picked up here and there, however I bought a couple of 'Emily' strawberry plants from a plant stall at a village fete and they have rewarded us with the best fruit this year.

The only problem is that its only too tempting to sneak outside and snack on a few while nobody is looking!

Blooming Lovely

At last a little bit of sunshine after all that rain and a chance to assess what needs doing in the garden.

The weeds have grown like crazy but luckily so have the things that have been planted.






I think we will be eating salad leaves for a while!

Alternative Easter Gifts For Children

This afternoon was the Easter Fair at my Son's school. After spending the morning making cornflake nests complete with the ubiquitous mini eggs and fluffy chicks for the bun stall I helped out on the Easter themed tombola.

About 90% of the prizes that had been donated were chocolate eggs and some of the children were winning 2-3 each. Now when you add that to Easter Eggs received from friends and family that's a LOT of chocolate for one child.

So I've been thinking that these ' Grow Your Own Garden ' Children's Gift Sets with the little bunny soaps would make great alternative Easter gift for my nieces and nephews. Along with an Easter Egg of course!

Top 10 Childrens Garden Plants

Following on from the last post here are our top ten plants for a child’s garden.

1. Lamb’s Ears - This perennial with its fuzzy leaves is a favorite in any child’s garden. Children love to feel the soft silvery leaves.

2. Buddleia - Butterfly bushes make wonderful small trees in a child’s garden and most children are fascinated by the winged creatures covering the plants.

3. Sunflowers - These cheery, yellow annuals are fun and easy to grow.

4. Snapdragons - They can pick the flowers and make them talk.

5. Mint - Children enjoy the smell of different mints and rub the leaves between their fingers to release the scent.

6. Thyme - Use this plant between stepping stones. It is tough enough to handle the occasional mis-step.

7. Curry Plant - The warm spicy aroma smells just like curry.

8. Carrots - Children like the fluffy tops and enjoy the surprise of finding veggies growing underground.

9. Lavender - The foliage of these plants is a lovely gray green, but the best part for kids is picking the flowering wands.

10. Grass - Its smell great and cushions them when they fall over!

Have a great time in the garden and don't forget to take a look at our 'Mr McGegors Grow Your Own Gardening Kits'. These are a great way to introduce your little ones to the joys of gardening!

Gardening Ideas For Children

The weather looks like it might be picking up at last. This weekend I'm planning to get out into the garden with my son as he has a nature project to work on for school which involves us looking for bugs!



Children love being outdoors so here are a few ideas:

• Collect flowers, berries, leaves and insects


• Plant seeds (inside or outside)


• Create vegetable, fruit and leaf prints


• Make seed mosaics


• Simple supervised tasks such as deadheading or watering plants


• Start a wormery


• Watch a butterfly or tadpole develop


• Place carrot tops in water & watch them sprout roots and leaves


• Press and dry flowers


• Arrange fresh flowers