An 8 hour garden makeover-before and after

Phew...... this was a tough one -3.5tonnes of soil, 2 slopes and lots of gravel to work with.


8 hours later the bit of redundant garden space was transformed into a fantastic veg patch. 


We planted pretty much everything - 4 types of beans, courgettes, potaotes, lots of varieties of salad leaves, beetroot, red and white onions - even a strawberry patch and herb bed!


It looks really great - amazing what you can do in a day if you put your mind to it!


Good luck to Andy and Kath-hope you enjoy all your lovely crops.

Drastic measures in the garden

What's going on this year? The birds are eating everything-it's never been this bad before, I don't mind sharing some of the garden but not all of it!


Drastic measures are needed-I have a new friend given to me by my lovely brother Nick last night-he's called Sam-he's big, he's black and he's scary!

The resident blackbird is none too pleased and has been making a right old racket for about an hour-I think he's sussed it though! Lets hope the sparrows aren't as clever.

Spinach or sparrows

...Ummmmm-I have a dilema. I love Sparrows in my garden, darting in and out of the hedge-chasing each other and being a bit cheeky. Sadly I've just realised what's nibbling my spinach, peas and courgettes. I thought it was slugs at first but there are no slug trails. The new leaves are sliced rather than have holes in them. So I've strung up a really ugly bit of netting to give my lovely plants a fighting chance to survive. The problem for me is that I like my veg patch to look good as well as to taste good. Oh well maybe when the plants get bigger they'll leave them alone-here's hoping!

Prawn reaction...

Well I didn't know it until yesterday but I'm allergic to one of my favourite foods-prawns.


I hadn't had a reaction before, just a small rash that I put down to a bad batch.


Monday morning I started to itch, before I knew it I was covered in red bite looking lumps that very quickly turned into huge raised blotchy hives all over my body, my hands were swelling- at this point I started to panic as I know that if you get swelling in your mouth and throat it can kill you!


I unlocked the front door (just in case I needed an ambulance) and called NHS direct. After a series of questions like can you put your head on your chin etc they said not to worry-take piriton and rub anti-itch cream into hives.


Finally the bumps started to go down. 2 days later the rash keeps coming and going but to a much lesser degree-just feel very tired but I think thats all the Piriton!


So no more prawns for me sadly

The best meal my husband ever cooked for me...

.... My lovely Dean was given this cook book for his birthday by our fab friends Sally (she's the one that has the pretty tea and gift shop in Guiting Power) and Dave. Wow the flavours are amazing- lots of chillis and avocados, tortillas and dips-yum, yum, yum, yum, yum-loving it!

Last night we had a feast of squash and chorizo tacos, chilli prawns and crisped totillas.

Thank you Dean a truly great meal.

Tyntesfield walled kitchen garden

This has got to be the most inspiring kitchen garden I've ever visited.


It's really beautifully laid out with big wooden doors in the walls and amazingly each strip of mortar has these metal rings to hook climbing plants onto-its quite remarkable.


One length of the wall is a huge greenhouse with fantastic vines growing inside.


The remaining walls have beautifully trained fruit trees creating elegant fan shapes: fig, apples, pear, apricot and cherries.


My favourite thing of all though has to be the asparagus beds-I want one!


As you can see from my pictures I have put none of the house on here-it was a very Gothic Victorian pile-great example of its type but not my scene.


By the way its owned by The National Trust and is in North Somerset.

Healthy option at the pub didn't pay off!

Friday lunch treat with Deanie...ummmmmmm....Cod and chips or chicken and salad?


Torn, but decide on the healthy option-after all I need to get into my bikini and walk with my held high and not my belly swinging low on the beach in August!


Big mistake-my plate was about 2 handfuls of spinach leaves a dot of dressing and about 5 teeny weeny slices of spiced chicken-I'm so hungry ( well I have just spent 3 hours and god knows how many calories cleaning the house from top to bottom) I've had to knock myself up a little sandwich-should have gone for the cod and chips! Lesson learnt.

Jamjar of herbs

I'm off to Biddy's for lunch-her chickens are so happy that she has an abundance of eggs-so I think omelette is on the menu!
My contribution is this lovely jamjar full of freshly picked herbs from the garden: Chives, Mint, Thyme, Oregano and Rosemary.

My vegetable garden tonight

My lovely garden is now in full swing - we've had the most fantastic April - very sunny and dry.


My Blueberry bush has gone crazy! Last year I think I had about 3 berries on it-this year there must be about 200.


Peas and beans are growing rapidly as are the courgettes.


My early potatoes are up-main crop is on its way.


The new herb patch is really pretty and looking quite established.


Strawberries have loads of flowers and budding fruit.


I planted all my tomato plants in the greenhouse a few minutes ago-looking good.


Peppers looking nice and strong in their pots.

Masterchef John Torode, Robbie Williams and loads of food- a recipe for a great day out.....

Wow what a fabulous day we've just had at  the Tewkesbury food and drink festival. Set in the grounds by the abbey it's a veritable feast of lovely things to sample, eat and buy. Olives, marinades, oils, cheese, cider, wine.....I could go on!


I bought some salted licourice that I haven't had since a childhood holiday to Holland-God its as good as I remember it.


Also some amazing sunflower bread, cheese and pickle for our supper... oh yeah and these enormous olives stuffed with feta cheese.


Saw John Torode (Masterchef) do a cooking demo and Robbie Williams (well not THE Robbie) bash out a few Take That tunes - all good fun, washed down with a couple of glasses of red.


Great day out- will definately be going next year.


Plus the kids managed to hand out about 500 easypeasy flyers!