Autumn – turn over a new leaf?

AUTUMN

Don’t you just love this time of year – the colours, the fallen leaves, putting the garden to bed (that usually takes me all winter!). Surely it’s the best season of the year although by the time spring comes around I will probably say the same having endured long cold days unable to get out. Well there’s no pleasing a gardener is there – it’s either too wet, too hot, too cold, too windy but that really is the joy and challenge of it all – the working with nature, not against it, to get the best from your garden.

Now the days are getting shorter, the leaves are tumbling but the colours in the garden are still glorious.   It’s time to get out whenever you can – rake up the leaves, tidy the greenhouse or go for a walk in the countryside.

If like me you are having a sort out and popping into the garden whenever the weather or timing is right I suggest you try these fabulous garden shoes in a fun Leaf design – perfect for Autumn mornings – just make sure your feet don’t disappear amongst the leaves.

To jazz up a jumper how about our brand NEW Leaf jewellery – these are REAL gold plated leaves – choose from Oak, Aspen, Fern or we even have an acorn. They are really lightweight and add a touch of sparkle to your darker winter clothes.

Maybe your gardening gloves are a bit tatty after working outside all year – treat yourself to a new pair – we have loads to choose from. Or invest in a pair of Gold Leaf Gardening Gloves – described as probably the BEST leather gardening gloves around. The leather is soft and supple – so good in fact the gloves are extremely popular with the gardeners at Buckingham Palace! Maybe put them on your Christmas wish list.

One last thing before I leave you (excuse the pun) – apologies for no blog during September – it was an extra busy time as the lovely Horse Diva herself got married and an amazing day was had by all. We wish Katie & Simon every happiness.

Plus I’m pleased to say that the love of colour is hereditary as you can see by the glorious colours of her wedding flowers.

Now my thoughts must turn to Christmas!!!

Children’s Gardening

Summer is here and it looks like loads of you will be out enjoying your gardens with little ones – our orders for children’s gardening tools and gloves have shot up over the last couple of months.

Best Seller

At the top of our best sellers is the Gruffalo Garden Tool Bag complete with 3 mini tools plus minature watering can closely followed by The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Peppa Pig tool boxes and stools. These have been flying out but sadly the VHC and Peppa Pig ranges are being discontinued so grab yours while you can.

Peppa pig stool for when you need a rest

We now also have a cute range for the slightly older child called Little Thoughtful Gardener from manufacturers Wild and Wolf Ltd. These smaller sized tools and watering cans complement the adults ” Thoughtful Gardener” tools and accessories perfectly and we offer a combined set of tools in this range for both little and large gardeners!

Little & Large Gardeners Tool Sets

Getting children involved in the garden and perhaps growing a few easy things such as carrots, lettuce, radish, beans etc is thought to be a good way to encourage them to eat more fruit and vegetables and even try different varieties. A warm tomato or two from the greenhouse, picking the peas and eating them raw or digging up potatoes to see who gets the most from just one root are always worth a try.  Plus see who can discover the funniest shaped fruit or veg like my latest strawberry.                                                                                                

I loved being outside as a youngster, climbing trees to get the tastiest apple from the top,(no health and safety then) making mud pies and serving them for “tea” – yuk. Never had a pair of gardening gloves until I was in my 30’s so always got dirty.  Did that make me a gardener?? Not really sure but it gave me an understanding of where fruit and veg came from. Sadly I read some kids today don’t have a clue!

If you don’t like the thought of your kids making mud pies with bare hands as I did, landing my mother no doubt with loads of washing, we have great gloves for little hands –The Gruffalo and Be Good to Bugs Gloves for snail hunting and Little Thoughtful Garden Gloves for weeding. Don’t forget to pop on a sunhat as your children tend to their garden – our Ladybird and Happy Hats are perfect for little heads.

So get out and enjoy your gardens with your kids or give them a patch of their own to tend to – you know they’ll love it.

I love my tool set!

Happy gardening to little and large gardeners everywhere.

A woman in her garden – May/June

They call it faint May – because of the changing of the seasons and the heady blossom that prevails but I believe it’s because there is just so much that needs doing in the garden during May that your head’s in a spin!! Well mine was anyway and it’s only now that I can see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.
Everything grew just like topsy, except of course those things I really wanted to grow such as the mange tout seeds planted in haste back in April. Of approx 25 sown only 4 germinated and one of those is struggling still!! Don’t expect a good crop of those for our tea!! Still the parsnip seeds which I just scattered germinated really well as did the carrots .

The runner beans were so so and then I went and planted them out too soon and we had a couple of cold and windy nights so their growth is a little stunted. I spied a first flower on one though so fingers crossed they will pull through. The potatoes look good too but am thinking I should cut down on carbs!! All in all a fair result for just planting left over seeds – some over 2 years old. And luckily for me a gardener friend has bought me some young plants to fill in the gaps – 3 sweetcorn, an outdoor cucumber, a courgette and a squash plant – gardeners are generous souls.

The veggie plants I bought are all producing now – broadbeans. (not my favourite but fill a gap) and spring cabbages (yummy with mint sauce and as I did last weekend, shredded, patted dry and fried with palma ham until crispy!)

Now it’s June and the roses are out and smell gorgeous,

the sweet peas are just starting to bloom and smell equally gorgeous, the alliums are mostly over, flopping about and distributing their seeds, foxgloves are majestic but tend to be battered by those sharp thundery showers, perennial geraniums are blooming and here and there are numerous gaps that need filling either with annuals or a new perennial or two. Love hebes and heucheras so will get a few more of them I think.

Countless shrubs need trimming back into shape before they take over the borders and a decision needs to be made on the two conifers at the back of the house which are going skywards. Let alone all the other trees which surround my garden – where shall we start – my head’s in a spin again. Thank goodness for the lovely Mark who helps with the garden – am sure he will advise me or bully me into submission!

And it seems that a lot of you have been busy in the garden too with sales up on last year and the Garden Divas team being kept busy. – two of our most popular products this last few weeks are the ultra glamorous Foxgloves Garden Gloves and our extremely comfy backdoorshoes

 

 

 

 

Looks like you are all getting kitted out for a summer in the garden – lets just hope we can enjoy the fruits of our labours after these busy weeks!

Happy Gardening

 

Beating the January Blues!

January – not the best month of the year is it??  Bills to pay, it’s squelchy underfoot and there is not a lot you can do in the garden without a) getting filthy as it’s so muddy or b) doing more damage than good by impacting the soil.

If you are lucky enough to have a greenhouse it’s always a good idea to give it a good clear out at this time of year – wash those pots, go through your seed packets, check your tools and generally tidy up.  Then retire indoors with a cuppa and check out the catalogues to see what you would like growing in your garden next year.

Or you could just browse our Winter Sale – stocks are very limited now so be quick.  If you need a new pair of gloves then these Cressida Chic gloves from Laura Ashley are a good buy at just £7.46   (size large only)

or if you really need to make a note of your garden ideas for 2014 – then the Waterproof Notebook (Sale Price: £4.97) is always useful or how about this lovely Garden Journal (Half Price at £12.50) – a real bargain.  It’s always a good idea to stock up on twine and labels too, and there are more savings to be made here too – these pretty tins of twine are now half price as are the Eco Plants labels.  Sale will end on Friday 7th February 2014.

In the meantime we are sourcing some fab new products for you lovely gardening ladies – we will be travelling to Spring Fair next month to trawl the halls at the NEC, meeting with existing suppliers and hopefully discovering new ones as well.  Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for details of products as they arrive.   Just to tempt you now we hope for NEW designs of garden baskets, gloves and tools from Laura Ashley, a pretty range of Garden items featuring a Julie Dodsworth design from Navigate Ltd , plus the popular Radius Hand tools in a rainbow of colours.

Watch this space – it will soon be spring!!

Easter Gardening!

I can’t remember an Easter weekend when I haven’t spent at least one morning in the garden!!  Unfortunately hospital visiting a sick relative, a big family lunch and the continuing cold weather have all conspired together to prevent me from doing so.  And I think I have withdrawal symptoms!!

However I was not to be thwarted from setting my first seed potatoes on Good Friday morning, something I have done for as long as I can remember.  I had part filled a heavy duty growing bag with home made compost and placed it in my heated greenhouse to warm through and have popped 2 early seed potatoes in it!!  I shall keep an eye on them and water as and when and as soon as they start to grow I will keep topping up the compost – that way I should get a fair crop of yummy new potatoes.

Unfortunately it was also discovered that my new fruit cage (carefully constructed by my husband – Handy Andy) had become a victim of the cold  weather and the weight of snow and ice had broken the top of the frame!

Oh dear that’s another job for him to fit in alongside the building of the new chicken run.   Still it keeps him happy!!

Meanwhile the soil is still too cold to get sowing and planting – in days gone by it is said that old gardeners would test the soil by pulling their trousers down and sitting on it and if it was comfortable to their backsides then it was warm enough to set their seeds!!!  Well I am not going to be doing that so I would just suggest you keep an eye on any weeds in your beds as if they are growing away merrily then it’s time for you to get sowing.

Until then keep warm, stock up on your seeds,  labels, gloves etc  and dream of spring – it’s coming soon!

Wishing for Warmer Weather

Well it’s not exactly been great weather for gardening recently but I have still managed to do a few bits and pieces in between the snow flurries, ice and gale winds.

I am very lucky to have the ever handy Andy who has now made me a new black planter which I am filling with a pyramid box and box hedging with yellow Crown Imperial – all bought from the fantastic plant stall on Hitchin Market – Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.  This is work in progress as I started it on one of our slightly warmer days!

Handy Andy has also made me a new mini polytunnel and rejuvenated raspberry cage.

I have also managed to get out and cover up some of my raised beds with fleece in the hope it might warm up the ground (well it’s worth a try isn’t it!).  In addition I have added some of our new products to my very own garden.  These new Eco bird feeders have gone up in my garden to keep the birds fed during the snow.  You can feed fat balls, apples, cheese etc with these feeders which are made from recycled plant pots.  A very innovative product that can be used over and over again to keep those birds well fed!

Like the rest of the UK I am wishing for some much warmer weather so I can get outside and enjoy some sunshine whilst doing a spot of gardening.  I have to say I wouldn’t have attempted any gardening at all without my gardening gloves as my fingers seem to be instantly numb in the chilling winds!  We have a super selection of ladies gardening gloves available so depending on your gardening tasks to be completed, we have a super stylish pair for every job, including the designs below.

Fingers crossed it won’t be too long until the sun is shining and the plants are growing- here is a lovely photo I took in my garden this time last year, bit of a difference to the colours out there today!