Monthly Archives: December 2018

Last garden bash for 2018

Posted on December 30, 2018 by Helen

I can’t believe it is the end of the year. And after about a month of work on the pond, it is still not finished. However, I feel real progress was made today and I’m sure I will sleep well … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening | Tagged , , | 23 Comments

Raspberries in December

Posted on December 27, 2018 by Helen

After an hour’s digging this morning, it was time to hit the sales in Leeds. Well, to get a new kettle, to be precise. This gave me the opportunity to have a wander through the sustainability garden at work, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Days out, Gardening, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Boxing Day home and away

Posted on December 26, 2018 by Helen

This Christmas, the weather seems to have been particularly gloomy but I was determined to make the best of it. Thus, the first item on my list was to have a look round Rufford Park in Nottinghamshire. I think we … Continue reading →

Posted in Days out, Gardening | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

A Christmas trip round the world

Posted on December 25, 2018 by Helen

I wouldn’t say I’ve managed to get round the entire world today but I’ve made a good start. Hopefully, before too long I will be able to start filling my garden with some of the perennial plants listed in Stephen … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, perennials, Reading | Tagged , , | 23 Comments

Just pungent or rotting ?

Posted on December 21, 2018 by Helen

The pot where the wild garlic was being stored, after its removal from the original bed (in order to get rid of ground elder and in readiness for the day lilies), didn’t have big enough drainage holes in it. Thus, … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

Carbon sequestration and compost

Posted on December 20, 2018 by Helen

I could have been wrapping Christmas presents but with my half day’s annual leave I decided to take advantage of a lull in the rain – the sun even came out! – to get out in the garden. Years ago, … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, soil management | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

The antidote to transcribing

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Helen

It probably was a good move to work from home today, considering how much concentration is needed for transcribing a discussion. At work itself, I normally have to snatch a few minutes here and there – and then I can’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, soil management | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Thank goodness for some depth

Posted on December 15, 2018 by Helen

In case you’ve somehow missed the following information: my soil is very thin. So, making a hole big enough for my last apple tree felt like too much of a challenge and didn’t happen. Actually, it didn’t happen for the … Continue reading →

Posted in forest garden, soil management | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

The Great British Bean

Posted on December 14, 2018 by Helen

Ever heard of Hodmedod’s? I discovered this company at the wonderful Hunters of Helmsley, which was selling British-grown fava beans in what appeared to be non-plastic packaging. Moving forward, I eventually got round to looking at the Hodmedod website and … Continue reading →

Posted in In the kitchen, Permaculture | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Another project – a slightly raised bed

Posted on December 10, 2018 by Helen

You might wonder why I’ve embarked on another project when the pond is as yet waiting upon completion. Well, this new project ties into the whole because I need to do something with the soil mountain which has piled up … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments