My favourite cold frames

 If you like gardening, then you’ll probably enjoy sowing seeds, taking cuttings or tending to plants that need a little shelter over the winter, and a cold frame is indispensable for these. It is, in essence, a mini-greenhouse, at a fraction of the price; a worthy investment for anyone who loves plants.

If you’re good at diy you can make a simple cold frame very easily with a few bits of wood and an old window frame, (and this ‘How to make a simple cold frame’ video while pretty dry, is nevertheless exhaustive if you’re up for the challenge) but for most of us who aren’t, there are a host of bought options to suit all budgets, from the flat-pack polycarbonate versions, such as the Terra FSC fir cold frame(£16.99 from Greenfingers.com) to the Simplicity Toughened Glass Mini Greenhouse (£205 from Amazon).

If you’re really not sure whether you love growing from seed yet, then sure, splash £16.99 but this really is one of those products where going for a cheap deal is a false economy, and my preference, if budget is tight, would be to use an ordinary clear plastic storage box (probably already in your home). The only difference of course, is that this is a box, rather than an open-bottomed construction, so extra care must be taken to keep things cool and airflow high. Group your seedlings or plants to one side, and place the lid so that it protects them from rain, leaving the rest open to the elements. This is how I did the cold frame thing for years until I finally decided it was time to invest in something ‘proper’.

Friends, I have looked and looked, and I cannot find any cold frames like mine, which I got many years ago as a birthday present. I believe they were from Crocus.co.uk but there’s nothing like them there now. I love these frames as they are so light-weight. I have two of them and when not in use I can stack them inside one another to save space. Crucially though, they are made from metal and glass. Metal doesn’t rot, and glass is just plain nicer and longer lasting than plastic, so if I were shopping for a cold frame today, I’d probably go for this one: Access Long Glass Garden Cloche £109. It’s more of a mini-greenhouse than a traditional cold frame in that its roof is double-pitched. This makes zero difference and means that the thing can be accessed from both sides.

x Laetitia

Pea shoots for children (and adults too)

Pea-shoots for your budding little gardeners

This post was originally written for Mamalina - the brilliant blog by Emma Ross. She writes about all things zero-waste and has a wonderful, no-nonsense, realistic approach to how we can each make a difference, making small (and large) meaningful changes.

You can be really pretty slapdash! All pics here by Jill Mead from my book ‘Sweet Peas for Summer’

 Do your kids eat salad greens? If they do, then lucky you, but if, like most of us, you’re desperate to introduce the delights and textures of raw saladings to your little refuseniks, then you could do much worse than try out this little project, Not only is it the easiest and most gratifying seed-sowing escapade for doing with little ones, but the ensuing pea-shoots are sweet and yummy, just like peas; the perfect gateway to rather more challenging raw green things.

You will need:

A packet of seeds. These are just dried peas, and you can get a big box really cheaply at the supermarket. If you like trying different varieties though, find a few packets from your local nursery.

A shallow, wide pot or a window-box – the more surface area the better. Obviously you can grow these in the ground too if you like.

Some peat-free multi-purpose compost

Method:

Fill your pot with the compost so that it comes about 5cm shy of the top of the container. Water, and sprinkle the seeds all over the damp surface of the compost. The beauty of this is that you can let your child do this; the seeds can be touching each-other – no need for spacing. So make a layer of seeds, and then sprinkle over more compost, making sure there are no lumps in it. 2cm should be fine.

Water daily, and you should see action very soon. The green shoots will peep up. You may have to prod the soil down between them a bit if it raises up, or just give the pot a good water and the compost should break up and sink down.

Harvest whenever you think the shoots taste best. I like them to have a few curly tendrils attached because they look pretty. You can either snip them just above the compost, or pull the whole lot up, wash and serve with seed attached. 

chuck them in!

Even if your kids still hate greens after this, your sense of achievement should not be dampened one iota: you will still have introduced them to the joys of watching something grow from seed, and that’ll be with them for life, so keep that smug face ON!

xx Laetitia

My Garden Wish List 2019

In typical British fashion, let’s begin by talking about the weather.

It’s been hot. Really hot, and although that’s been lovely, I’m rather relieved to be getting back to what I deem to be ‘proper Spring weather’ - i.e. briskly chilly, with the kind of sunshine you turn your face up at; the kind of warmth that, as long as you are wrapped up suitably warmly, you can bask in. 

This is the time of year when my list-making runs away with itself as fast as a whippet on a deserted beach. There is SO MUCHLY MUCH I want to achieve, and yet I am mindful that none of it, once accomplished, will mean a single thing to me if the foundations of my life aren’t firm. Sounds like serious stuff, and you know what? It IS. I’m a working mother in the enviable position of not being the main breadwinner. I am a white, middle class person who has basically won the life lottery: I have a support system; loving family, good friends, help at home, and access to all the emotional and physical comforts that make life less worrisome - money in the bank, a roof over my head, children who don’t suffer from disabilities, mental or physical. And even with all this, I struggle daily to achieve my goals. 

Parental guilt is a constant interloper - the idea…the FACT that I am not giving my absolute ALL. The conflicting wish that I want to model a working, earning mother for them, and that if I don’t then I will let down not only myself, but my children into the bargain.

Yes, my head is home to the original push-me-pull-you, and it’s a messy place to be. The only thing that sweeps it all away is exercise, gardening, and the very rare occasions when I go to bed feeling like I’ve been the best mother I could possibly have been that day. So every day; every hour in every day, like a busy A&E triage nurse, I am prioritising the things I want to get done in the following order:

1. Family stuff (including talking about mermaids, long division, music practice, story reading, meal planning and prep, school admin, wiping bottoms and literally everything in-between).

2. Me stuff (including gardening, exercise, staring into space and literally nothing else)

3. Work stuff (including my journalism and book-writing work, this blog, my social media channels and anything other opportunities that present themselves)

Yes, it’s taken me a stupidly long time to realise that the third thing will never bring me anything of value unless the first two things get my attention. It’s been a long, slow awakening this, but I’m finally realising that I only have one chance to bring up resilient, growth-oriented children with great self-esteem. And, as Hamilton puts it, I am NOT throwing away my shot.

All this long preamble is just to underline how risible the following list is to me…I mean, I may achieve one or two, or if I’m lucky, three of the things on this list and I’ll be SO happy with that! 

My Garden: The list 2019

1. Paint my bench (YELLOW)

2. New, weather-proof upholstery, like EVERYWHERE

3. New table and chairs for the terrace…perhaps diy, made out of old palettes?

4. Wisteria, or wisteria alternative out front

5. Argyranthemum EVERYWHERE on the terrace

6. Followed by gladiolus callianthus

7. Followed by spring bulbs

8. Clear out pool and create cover once frogs have hopped off

9. Get pump working properly (it’s never worked properly) or remove

10. Salad all season, from pots

11. Cherry tomatoes

12. Pergola (already ordered but not yet made) put up and jasmine and campsis planted

13. Make my darling hotbin work (it’s still not really working and that’s mostly - but not all - my fault)

14. New bench beneath pittosporum

15. Clematis all over south-facing trellis, whilst hydrangea takes its own sweet time

16. Mulch more

17. Runner beans in the border (god knows where)

18. Other edibles in the border

19. Chillies in pots

20. New seating at bottom of garden

21. Grow cobaea over my glass roof

22. Two enormous containers at end of garden filled with summer squash

23. Two more enormous containers filled with sweet peas

24. More salvia in borders

25. Awning or similar outside shed

26. Throw a party in the garden In May or June or July for all my garden friends, real and virtual

So if you’ve read this far (THANKS!) and please contact me to tell me which three things you’d do first?

xx Laetitia

I write a newsletter every week which contains my five minute gardening exploits every day. You can get it by clicking the button below. It’s a bit personal, so not for everyone!

Spring container care

Do you have permanent pot plants that look like they might be in need of a boost? You might be noticing yellowing leaves, or simply that the plant hasn’t grown as you’d hoped or expected. If so, then now is a good time to consider re-potting it.

Containerised plants sitting in the same compost for more than a two or three years are likely to be needing extra nutrients that (unlike their friends in the flower bed) they cannot access. You can of course provide this with a liquid fertiliser, once the danger of frost has passed, but new compost is a better solution, not only improving the soil structure, but also giving you the opportunity to inspect the roots of the plant and give it a larger pot if necessary.

Begin with long-term plantings as they are always in most need. Remove each plant from its container. If the roots are starting to spiral around the outside of the root-ball then it’s time for a larger pot; if not, then remove old excess soil and replant in the original container.

Ensure that the hole in the bottom of the container doesn’t get blocked up by compost by putting a crock over it, and fill with new compost. I use John Innes number 2 for pretty much everything that isn’t temporary. Gently tease out the roots by giving the root-ball a good rub, and re-plant carefully, making very sure that you’re getting the soil properly into the gap between the sides of the pot and the root-ball. This is time consuming work, so if you really cannot face it then top-dressing is an acceptable interim measure until next year, removing the top two inches of soil and replacing it with new. Even this small gesture will be rewarded with happier, revitalised plants.

x Laetitia

How to deter foxes

I used to be a benign person, and then foxes entered my garden, ripping bits of it up, and pooing everywhere. My Rotter and I have turned into Boggis Bunce and Bean all rolled into one, plotting obsessively to thwart them. Success has been gradual but sure, with our cunning plan.

Photo by Maurice Schalker on Unsplash

Before I begin. I would like to make it clear that although I dislike foxes and do not want them in my garden, I wish them no harm!

How to deter foxes from your garden

1. Switch things up.

Foxes are neophobes; any changes freak them out, so make this your number one weapon. Move things about regularly…pots, garden furniture. They don’t like it and will often avoid changing environments in favour of places that are undisturbed….this is a marvellous excuse to be out in the garden faffing around as much as possible!

2. Keep things clean

Obviously remove any and all sources of food from the garden. Clean up any windfalls daily, and secure bin lids with bricks or clips. Use an enclosed compost bin if possible, and clean up really well if you eat outside.

3. Create noise

Our other strategy is sound. We leave Radio 4 on in the shed all night long, and something called a ‘Zennox barking dog alarm’ which imitates a German Shepherd whenever it detects movement.

4. Sprinkle deterrents

We are dousing and sprinkling areas of the garden every few days with a combination a synthetic animal scent called ‘Scoot’, and lashings of Tabasco sauce. The trick is to keep changing tack, so the foxes never get used to any one thing.

5. Squirt them

The most successful strategy when used in addition to the above, has been a contraption called the ‘Home Defence Scarecrow’, which squirts a strong jet of water out whenever it senses any movement. Using all of these methods together has reduced scat by a good 80%.

Stay sly my friends, and you will prevail.

x Laetitia

Book review: The Flower Garden by Clare Foster and Sabina Ruber

This book landed on my doormat at a time when I was researching for a piece on veg that you can grow in your boarders, and I had to set it aside and not allow myself to peek at it, for fear of being torn away from the job in hand.

Gypsophila ‘Kermesine’ by Sabina Ruber

The truth is, I am a flower person, through and through. I WANT to grow veg, and I DO, but nothing comes close to sowing and growing flowers. As regular readers of this blog will know, my problem (some might call it my USP) is lack of time, and this is why I regularly eschew sowing my own flowers and buy them as tiny plugs.

This book though, reminds me of the reasons why I DO sow a few flowers every year, despite not having a huge amount of time to give them…, not just because it saves me money, but because the authors are right, you learn SO much more about gardening and your plants by raising them from seed.

All the pretty things

Clare Foster, Garden Editor at House and Garden Magazine, together with Sabina Ruber, acclaimed flower and garden photographer, began an exciting project back in 2012; to grow as many annual flowers from seed as they could. I love that Clare got stymied in this endeavour, as life got in the way while she moved house, and yet she began again…this somehow speaks to me - the real-life stuff…the things that don’t go to plan. It didn’t matter though…she picked up and carried on, and this glory of a book was born.

Clare has divided it up into seven sections; Cottage garden favourites, Filigree Fillers, Bold and Beautiful, Sweetly Scented, Exotic beauties, Edible flowers and herbs, and Bee-Friendly flowers. This makes it incredibly easy to choose which flowers to have a go at sowing, particularly if you suffer from option paralysis…the hardest part is always choosing what to grow. She has also marked ‘easy’ plants (i.e. nigella) with a special symbol - so that’s another way you could pick, if you’re a beginner.

There is also a beautifully comprehensive, NON-SCARY section on sowing and growing. Gardening is so full of grey areas, and there are MANY different ways of doing the same thing, so I am drawn to advice that is instructional but doesn’t get too technical. Intuitiveness is key in gardening. We simply need a springboard for starting off, and this is a very good one.

The last part of the book contains some ideas on how to use your flowers - how to make a sweet pea arch, for example, and how to create your own cutting patch. These are simple, one-page inspiration hits that appeal to me, as a time-pressed person, and obviously come naturally to Clare as a magazine editor.

Beautiful cobaea scandens in a vase - How to sow cobaea scandens

This book had me at hello with its GOLDEN spine and utterly stunning photographs. Sabina Ruber’s close ups are mesmerising, but the thing that sets this one apart is the fact that it’s NOT encyclopaedic. It’s obvious that every single plant here has been sown and grown by the authors, tried and tested. I love the fact that they stipulate specific cultivars, and that each one is photographed. What an absolutely gorgeous, useful book; I think it’s only a matter of time before its pages are crinkled and smeared with compost.

Highly recommended.

The Flower Garden by Clare Foster and Sabina Ruber is out next month

x Laetitia

How to sow Cobaea scandens (cup and saucer vine)

Cobaea scandens (cup and saucer vine) is hands down my favourite annual climber and I sow some every year, not really knowing where they’re going to go, but safe in the knowledge that they’ll go somewhere, and I’ll love them to bits. If you’re looking for an easy-to-grow climber that looks fabulous, this is the one for you.

Cobaea scandens growing up a willow tipi

Here’s a pic of me in my nighty inside a tipi full of this wonderful plant. Bit silly but we made this pic to underline the fact that if you stand still long enough this plant would probably climb all over you quite happily. I used to grow it in my kitchen, letting it climb the walls up towards a skylight..so yes, it’s perfectly happy in a pot.

This is one of those plants whose seeds are large enough to make sowing a double joy. The other reason I love them is that they are self-clinging, meaning I can be super-lazy and let them bomb off up whatever I give them to climb without worrying about tying in.

Here’s a how-to video I did for Cobaea five years ago, and nothing has changed in the way I do it. Two things I do forget to mention (because videoing yourself is a bit befuddling) is that I SOAK the seeds for a few hours before planting, and I put these little pots inside a tray with a plastic lid (as with most seeds) to keep the atmosphere humid and aid germination

Have fun with these!

x Laetitia

I write a little newsletter once a week, which is much more personal than my blog, and charts all of my five minute endeavours each day. People say it inspires them to get out in the garden. People also say it makes them feel better about NOT getting out into the garden. Anyway, you can sign up below if you think it might appeal, or just email me with your email address and I’ll add you to the list.

How to clean and sharpen garden tools

There are lots of ways to clean and sharpen your tools. This is what I do. I hope it’s useful, particularly if you are new to gardening and need a ‘list of useful stuff’ so-to-speak.

First, get all the mud and grime off your tools as best you can, either with a stiff brush (I use the one from this set) or an old rag, or even by washing under the hosepipe or in the sink. Try not to get them totally wet though - you don’t want too much water getting into those hard-to-reach areas that can rust.

Cleaning: Rust removal.

If your tools are jammed with loads of rust then you might want to soak the affected area in white vinegar for a few hours. Take care with this as the vinegar will strip off any coating on the tool, so use caution here, but it’s an easy way to clean something passively and lazily.

If it’s just a normal amount of rust or tarnishing then I use a sanding block. I adore my Sandflex sanding blocks. They were given to me by a cousin from the states. They are basically foam, imbued with different levels of grit, so although they disintegrate over time, you never lose the coarseness because it goes all the way through the block.

Sandflex blocks in coarse, medium and fine

They are sort of soft and malleable in the hand which is a joy to work with - rather easier than wire wool (which is perfectly good if you don’t want to go for a sanding block. You can buy them in the UK but they are stupidly expensive, so if you want some I’d suggest purchasing from the USA (see link above) and waiting patiently for them. I’ve found these, which look to be a similar product from the UK. I’m pretty sure these blocks aren’t very eco-friendly as they are made from foam. Just saying - but they do make sanding a joy rather than a chore. For hard-to-reach places I have a set of these wire brushes which are brilliant.

Sharpening.

The act of sharpening tools can be deeply meditative with a bit of practice. I enjoy it rather more than I possibly should, and you might find that you get your kitchen knives out and start attacking them once you’ve finished with your gardening tools! You do need to practice a little and obviously take GREAT CARE with your blades, but once you’ve got the knack then it’s a joy. SWEAR.

clean, sharp tools!

I use three different things for sharpening. First, this coarse scythe stone from Draper tools. It makes light work of sharpening big blades (hoes, shears, carving knives etc) and it’s cheap as chips. A very good thing to have.

Next I use a Felco ceramic sharpener which I got with my secs years ago…brilliant for secateurs (obviously) and is a lovely size in the hand. This is all I use for secateurs, beginning with the blue side and finishing with the white. I also use this tool on my larger blades, after the scythe tool, to finish them off.

The third tool I have is this little gem called a Corona Sharpening tool which is teeny tiny and gets into all hard-to reach places without you having to take your tools apart. It’s a bit fiddly but worth the effort to get as much of the blade sharp as possible. Again this comes from the States but I’ve just found (and ordered) this, which looks like the same thing and is recommended by Which? so it MUST be good!

Once I’ve finished sharpening I oil my tools. This is a very good idea, both to protect the blades from moisture and to keep any wooden handles well conditioned. I use linseed oil for this, on a rag. The oil in the pic is v posh white oil from Burgon and Ball. I was given a pot of this by my mother (thanks mama!) and it’s great. To be honest I don’t clean my tools enough to know whether it’s better than linseed, but it’s certainly more expensive, and it’s in a pretty tin, so IDK you choose. If you can be bothered (and I generally can’t) you should oil your tools after each use (which would probably mean you never had to get a sanding block out again) but this is real life, so….ummmmm nope. If something is squeaky then I put a bit of 3 in one oil into the affected part. This is basically the same as WD40 but you have more control getting it to the right place.

My fab friend Andrew uses an oiled bucket of sand to keep his spades in good nick. I think this is a jolly good idea. I use one for my trowels too but don’t like it for anything with a ‘joint’ as the sand gets in there and the tool sounds uncomfortably arthritic. He also has a BRILLIANT plan to paint the handles of all his tools bright red or neon yellow to save him hours of peering about for them in flower beds. Genius as always.

x Laetitia

I do a weekly newsletter which is rather more personal than my blog, in which I relay my daily five minute endeavours, along with the odd extra project if I’ve been particularly productive. You can sign up here if you fancy it, and don’t worry, you can unsubscribe if you hate it!

Bulb protection techniques

Protecting bulbs from squirrels, cats and kids

In gardening, as in life, abundance is everything, so the idea that some of your bulbs may come under attack, whether from squirrels, mice or foxes is rather a good thing, because you will deliberately plant more than you may think you need.

This may be the best course of action for the wider garden, where a lost tulip or two won’t necessarily cause much gnashing of teeth. But what of your precious pots, lovingly filled with exquisite beauties, sitting there, prone to vandalism?

Begin with a cloche. I like bamboo ones, which, pushed tightly over pots, keep undesirables out and (I think) look beautiful. The largest one (linked above) can be jammed even over my 60cm diameter pots. It’s important to remember that these will wear over time. They become darker of course, with exposure to wet and sun, and eventually the bamboo will become brittle. This is fine by me, but its something to bear in mind before buying. Crocus also stocks similar ones here. They are less useful in the ground, as they don’t really jam into the earth properly. If you want something for your veg patch, then these are both beautiful and brilliant. I had some on loan for a while to try out and they were amazing.

Secondly, Tabasco, sprinkled liberally around the edges of the pot actually does work. It’s a faff because you have to keep re-applying, and take obvious precautions by keeping the containers well away from children.

Some gardeners actually place all their pots in a wire cage (a rabbit run would do) until the plants have emerged.

I’ve had anecdotal evidence that baby powder, sprinkled liberally over the top of the compost is an effective deterrent, although again, I think you’d have to be sure to reapply after every rain shower.

Also, planting your bulbs together with a couple of garlic cloves is apparently a good trick (although surely the critters would have to have dug the things up in order to be freaked out by the garlic….perhaps they can smell the stuff from above and know not to dig there…worth a go?

The most work-intensive but least visually bothersome tactic is to place bulbs inside home made wire mesh baskets. A good compromise is to use a flat piece of mesh, with holes at least 1 inch wide, and bury it just above your bulbs, curling the edges around and down so that the mesh is rammed tightly inside the pot.

If you can’t be bothered with any of this, simply planting slightly deeper than you would normally, and being obsessively careful to clean up after yourself, removing any and all evidence of bulb planting works well.

Let me know in the comments if you have any clever tricks? I’m all ears! Also love to hear your suggestions for protecting seed beds and newly-planted areas from animals - I’ll be writing something on that soon!

xx Laetitia

PS I write a newsletter once a week - it’s a bit more personal than my blog and details my five minute endeavours each day. Do take a peek if you’re interested in the full knowledge that you can always unsubscribe if you loathe it!

Instant potted basil for the kitchen.

Supermarket basil is MADE to die! They want you to keep coming back for more. Far better to sow basil from seed, except that sometimes we need an instant lift. Here’s how to get your supermarket basil to last for weeks on end. It takes five minutes and will give you several pretty pots of summer scent into the bargain.

Give it a go…you won’t be disappointed.

You need:

Pots of growing basil from the supermarket. 

A selection of small pots - terracotta is, I would say, important here, as these plants are going to be in your kitchen and need to look lovely, but if you have a cachepot of some sort then old plastic ones are of course best when it comes to holding moisture.

Ordinary peat-free multi-purpose compost

Method:

Take one of your bought pots of basil and remove it from its pot. You’ll notice that this is actually not one plant, but about fifty separate ones, all crammed in like people on the tube. Plants need more space than this, and that’s why these supermarket plants tend to die so fast; they are simply over-crowded.

Now carefully split the compost containing the basil into half or thirds depending on the size of your basil pot, pulling the bits apart ever so gently, and, in a way, ‘unrolling’ the clump of seedlings as you do so. Plant each bit into one of your pots, back-filling with compost and firming the seedlings in gently as you go.

This was a small pot of basil, so I divided it into only two parts.

Repeat with the rest and you now have lots of little pots of basil which you must water well, and leave for a week to let them recover from having their feet meddled with.

Basil tips

Keep the pots on your sunniest windowsill and start picking from the tips first, to just above a pair of leaves. This will encourage bushiness. Harvest equally from each of your pots, and this arrangement should keep you in basil for weeks rather than just one measly day. More importantly though, it’ll impart the scent of summer straight into your kitchen.

x Laetitia

February: Three garden things you can practically do from bed this month

Okay okay I know I do this five minutes a day thing, but that’s because I get a kick out of it and I’m telling you honestly, that most of what I do in the garden in January and February centres around tidying away errant leaves and bringing order to my potting bench and garden shed. There’s very little actual, down-on-your-knees stuff, unless the day is exceptionally mild and I can weed without fear of my fingers turning blue.

The truth is that too much messing about in the garden can do more harm than good at this time of year, particularly if you trample all over your soil (compaction) or sow too many seeds (sure fire way to depressive anxiety), so here are a few productive but harmless things you can do this month, without even going outside.

1. Order some colour

Nicotiana with geranium in an old border of mine… photo by Jill Mead

If you’ve not yet thought carefully about how you’re going to ’style’ your garden this year, then this is a great time to sit down with the internet and make some lists of bedding plants you’d like to fill gaps in with, or seeds you’d like to sow in order to CREATE gap-fillers, (like the nicotiana in this picture) or plants for containers or hanging baskets on your terrace. Stick to one or two plants and buy a tray-full to create a generous, cohesive look. You can find my shopping list here. Same thing if you love to sow from seed; stick to one or two plants and grow lots of them. It looks better and is easier to deal with. Swear.

2. Have a little houseplant clinic

Fiddle leaf fig (probably in need of a wipe!)

Check moisture levels and water if necessary (your central heating is mighty drying you know) and also wipe down any shiny leaves gently, (see pic above with LOTS of dust!) with a damp cloth. If you notice growth, then perhaps put the merest suggestion of some food into the water. Check to see if any of your plants’ roots are congested (just tip the thing out of its pot and have a look). If you see lots of roots running frantically round and round the edge of the compost, it’s probably time to go a size up.

3. Plan your chill-out zones

Very glorious recycled outdoor textiles from Weaver Green

Remember last summer when you wished that table and chair was over there, to catch the evening sun, or when you could never quite enjoy sitting in your favourite spot because it was just too darn hot and you didn’t have a parasol? Now is the time to make sure this is dealt with darlings. I’m going to say it again, because I don’t think it goes in sometimes, but LOUNGING ABOUT WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY HAVING PARTIES AND PICNICS OR READING GREAT BOOKS OR RUNNING ABOUT HYSTERICALLY SPRAYING EACH-OTHER WITH THE HOSE IS WHAT YOUR GARDEN IS ACTUALLY FOR! The ‘gardening’ (in my humble opinion) is the thing that makes all of that stuff possible - it is not the END, but the means to an end. So invest in those beautiful cushions, or that lovely parasol. Think about how you can put the table where you actually need it to be, and do the necessary to make that happen. 

xx Laetitia

Washing pots 101

As January comes to a close and things begin to get seriously chilly, gardening exploits tend to happen indoors where it is nice and warm - or INSIDE MY HEAD, which, darlings, is even warmer! But having something to draw you outside, like lopping off a few tree shoots, or sweeping the odd step, is always a blessing at this time of year, because it means I begin to notice all the bulbs emerging, (not to mention the couch-grass) and I get to sniff in all the good smells from my winter flowering shrubs (I depend on these to keep me happy in the cold). 

One such endeavour is the washing of pots - both terracotta and plastic, in preparation for the coming year, when you will be happy and thrilled that you have lovely clean, un-composty pots to plant things in, or sow things in, or use to add height to your terrace when you place them upside down beneath other pots. The other obvious reason to do this is because it will MAKE you tidy your space - wherever it is - the place you put your empty pots. This place can often become a corner of shame, or, as in my case, the SHELF of shame; removing everything from it has me brushing off all the dirt and old leaves. Washing my pots also keeps me intentional about which ones I need to keep, and which ones are simply taking up valuable space.

All you need is a bucket of boiling hot steamy water, laced with some eco washing up liquid (I use Dr Bronner’s Sal Suds - this is very concentrated and you only need a few drops of it in a bucket. I use it to make all my household cleaning products) or Ecover washing up liquid. A dedicated (old) washing up brush is really useful here too, or a tough sponge with a scourer. You also need marigolds or rubber gloves, and a good podcast or something on Audible.

Use a stiff brush to get all the dirt off your pots before you wash them, (I use the brush from this dustpan combo, but wish I had one of these) and then dunk them in the bucket of suds, scrubbing in a slap-dash way (you’re not going to be eating out of these pots - you just want them clean). Don’t bother rinsing - just leave pots upside down to dry on a table or wall, or even on your lawn..somewhere they can get dry without accumulating more dirt, and while they dry, clean out their space in readiness for your excellent stacking skills.

NOW tell me you’re not an organisational deity!

x Laetitia

Stihl Mini Chainsaw and Pole Pruner review

Okay which MAD person put me in charge of not one, but TWO chainsaws? 

Those were my thoughts as I took delivery of two mean cutting machines, kindly gifted by the crazy people at Stihl for me to use during the pruning of my fruit trees, and for chopping up large bits of wood for fires. I have an apple and a plum tree which need periodic pruning. I also love a fire, and keep any and all of my prunings to use in my firebowl at regular intervals.

I recently had an extremely unpleasant run-in cutting cucumber slices on a mandolin - and a mandolin, darlings, has no moving parts.

Yup, so it was with a fair amount of trepidation that I finally opened the first box, after a couple of weeks just looking at it suspiciously. It comes with a lithium ion battery which you need to charge for a few hours. The battery fits into its charger completely intuitively…no need to read any instructions (shhhh you didn’t hear me say that). 

The instructions (which I DID read) say you need to wear lots of safety equipment. You need a helmet that fits correctly, and a pair of good gloves and boots, and a pair of sturdy trousers.

I am a person who gardens in whatever I’m wearing, but some unfamiliar, sensible part of myself tells me firmly not to skip this step, and I put all the stuff on, which instantly gives me the confidence to put the battery in the machine and get going. I’m very familiar with what wearing appropriate clothing will do for you in terms of experience. Jumping in muddy puddles, for example, is infinitely more fun when one is NOT wearing a skirt…the whole thing is just not as pleasurable is it? And so it is with wielding a chainsaw; it feels infinitely safer and more fun when your’e wearing proper garb. Also, the trousers are really rather sexy, if I do say so myself (they should be at this price). They feel a bit like ski trousers - close-fitting, lovely and warm and , well, SUPPORTIVE, if you know what I mean….It’s not that I need clothes to be sexy, but hey, it’s better if they are isn’t it? The boots are glorious -

I mean they’d look better with a floaty dress, but hey, this isn’t fashion…it’s GARDENING, so onwards we go, with our thick trousers and our huge boots and our helmet and gloves. Although, to be fair, the incredibly hot man in the promotional video for this chainsaw (click the link below, and you’re welcome) is simply wearing eye protection.

Stihl Compact Cordless Chainsaw MSA 120c with battery and charger

Like most other motorised gardening equipment, switching it on requires two actions - pushing a button whilst pulling a lever. The chainsaw though, has an extra safety catch which has to be pulled towards your body in order for the thing to work. This catch also doubles up as a hand guard, protecting your hands from any flying detritus which might head their way (although if you are wearing good gloves, that shouldn’t be a factor). 

I expected a good deal of vibration once I’d got the saw going, but in reality it felt a bit like an electric toothbrush (have a look at my instagram highlights under ‘Pruning'!’) and that’s when the last bit of trepidation left me and I started having fun. The blade cuts through wood easily and smoothly…yes, a bit like a hot knife might slip through butter. I adored the feel of it - easy to manoeuvre, and not too heavy (2.5kg). I cut several large logs up for my stock of wood. It is pretty quiet too; a lawnmower would bother me much more if I were my neighbour. (thank goodness I’m not)

Overall I am in love with this tool, so much so that I wish I had more to cut dammit. But seriously, if you need to prune large branches off a tree, or have wood that needs chopping this is a lovely bit of kit to have in your armoury. For storage, you need to keep the battery and charger away from extreme temperatures (I keep mine in the house) and the cutting part of the machine has a plastic cover that slips over it.  I will also need to get to grips with tensioning the chain, and adding oil, which I’ll save for an instagram story at some point in the near future. But all in all, this little thing sits on a shelf in my shed and looks at me seductively from there. I am quite smitten.

HTA65 Electric Pole Pruner

This is a chainsaw on a stick - something I realised I needed once I got to work on my apple tree and needed to chop some of the larger, inward-facing water shoots - too thick for loppers and unreachable with my ladder. The pole pruner works in exactly the same way as the mini chainsaw, except that the battery is at the bottom of the pole and the chainsaw is at the top. This is rather more unwieldy than the mini-chainsaw (as you might expect). It takes practice to balance the thing properly, using the strap that comes with it, and at 3.1kg in weight, it does require a certain amount of upper-body strength. Having said that though, It is once again a joy to use, with that electric toothbrush feel, and the tiny blade means that you can pick and choose what you want to prune off, put the saw in the right place, press the trigger and get the bit you want without damaging any other parts of the plant. 

A brilliant piece of equipment for anyone needing to get at thick branches, high up, but unless you are in charge of vast swathes of orchard or woodland, then it would obviously be better to borrow one of these than to buy one. 

Important information:

The above equipment were kindly gifted to me by Stihl. These items were not given to me in exchange for a review. I am reviewing them in response to lots of requests after I posted some Instagram stories about them. I’m not being paid for this review, but writing it because so many of you wanted to know about these products. This is not a comparison either - other chainsaws are available! Hope that’s all clear!

xx Laetitia

How to get a carpet of snowdrops

… or indeed, a mini-carpet in a pot

Do you have a carpet of snowdrops luring you outside right now?

I say this explicitly, because one or two snowdrops just aren’t going to do it are they? So while it’s very easy to get caught up in galanthophilia, spending precious hours and money on special varieties, none of that obsessiveness is going to get you a carpet without plenty of planting, lifting and dividing at this end of the year, and that carpet is going to look glorious, no matter how expensive the variety. With that in mind, make sure you have the essential conditions (shade and damp) – if you don’t have trees then between shrubs in the border is good, and volume is the important thing here, so buy as if you were a Russian oligarch on a binge. To this end (and because I’m presuming you’re no such thing) go for ordinary good old favourites that are large and sumptuous. G. ‘Magnet’ is my number one choice, followed closely by G. ‘S. Arnott’ and G. ‘Atkinsii’, and begin with just a few… Or a simple, much cheaper job lot of nivalis (you can see these three types in my shopping list post here). They’ll arrive by the beginning of March, looking worse for wear; this is what’s called ‘in the green’ and it’s the best time to plant. Add lots of humus-rich compost or soil improver and plant six inches deep. Existing large clumps that are looking congested can be lifted out of the ground and gently teased apart once the flowers begin to go over. Replant as before and keep things random by putting some closer together than others.

This is certainly a labour of love rather than a five minute fling, but I’ll tell you what… I’ve been growing snowdrops in containers since my balcony days and I think they are JUST as heart-stopping. You just need good multi-purpose compost, and the addition of some lovely leaf mould every year.

I’ll be planting the beauties I’ve ordered in my lawn (will they love it? I don’t know!) as soon as they arrive, in the knowledge that I’ll have to be patient and let them take their own sweet time to spread.

x Laetitia

ps if you want a much more personal run-down of all my five minute forays, I write a newsletter every week which drops on a Saturday or Sunday. It’s full of the rather messier, more real, and, let’s face it, rather less pin-worthy stuff that life throws at me, and it’s the thing I enjoy writing most of all. Hit the button below if you want to have a go…and know that you can unsubscribe any time if it’s not for you!

How I'm pruning my apple tree this winter

If you follow me on Instagram you’ll know that I’ve been doing a little pruning project on my apple tree. 

Gorgeous looking…not so gorgeous eating!

 The tree was pruned last year, very badly (my own fault… I didn’t use a professional and I left him to it). When I returned, he had given my tree a general ‘haircut’ – i.e. cut about a third of the crown off from the outside. This has resulted in a squillion small upright shoots (or ‘water shoots’) rocketing skyward, both ruining the look of what was once a lovely gnarly old tree, and crowding the crown out, which has the effects of increasing the likelihood of disease and an over-production of small fruit. 

Personally I couldn’t care less about the fruit here – the apples are cookers and not very good ones at that…but I do love the tree, and its blossom and I want it back to its best, so the other day I took my secateurs and began pruning. It’s a bit of an endeavour that’ll have me doing small amounts over a sustained period of time, but here are the rules I’ll be following, which I found on the PTES website.

1.    I’ll be removing any dead wood, and any wood that looks diseased. Just as I would do with any pruning job.

2.    I’ll be looking for any branches that are crossing together and rubbing. This rubbing damages the bark and again, allows disease to get in and take hold. 

3.    I’ll be looking at the general shape of my tree, and removing any branches that don’t contribute to the shape that I want. With fruit trees the general rule of thumb is that you want an open shape – a ‘goblet’ really, so that there’s really great air circulation, and you don’t have lots of branches shading out those below. This means that branches growing towards the middle of the crown should generally be removed. There’s an old saying that you should be able to throw your hat through the crown, and it’s a useful image for the shape I’m after.

4.    Once I’ve done the above, I’ll tackle my water shoots. This is something I’ll be doing cautiously, because I don’t want to shock my tree by removing the whole lot in one go. I’ll start in the centre of the crown and remove a third of the total number of shoots. This will, I hope allow air and light into the centre of the tree. I’ll repeat the process next year, and in 2021, with a little summer pruning thrown in, to deal with any new shoots produced by each winter’s cuts.

Not a five minute project, by any means, but one that can definitely be done in five minute bursts, and it’s something that excites me tremendously, because I get to watch and learn.

Watershoots of doom

As for the prunings, I’ll be using them for staking, kindling, and I’ll also be creating several small piles of them in different areas of the garden, for insects.

A note on tools.

I lost my pruning saw a while back (something I mean to rectify soon!). Secateurs are very good for the small water shoots where I can reach them. For larger branches, and for chopping the resulting wood, I’ll been using a little battery-powered chainsaw, and a telescopic lopper, both kindly gifted by Stihl. Reviews of these tools (and an update on the pruning) coming soon.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the above. Any tips and tricks I should know about? Please let me know! I’m a novice at this and, as the loving custodian of a beautiful apple tree I want to do the best I can for it!

x Laetitia

Winter container garden hacks

As you might expect, Petersham Nurseries does winter rather well, seamlessly sailing through the bleak season without any of the bald patches from which we mere mortals seem to suffer.

Of course, this is partly to do with their gorgeous stock and legions of staff to make things gorgeous, but that’s not the whole story. There are some very simple hacks they’ve employed to keep things lovely with minimum upkeep. Here are their tricks:

1. Go big or go home

Everything here is on a grand scale. It’s a very good idea, especially if you are time-poor, as it creates instant impact with very little work over the summer months in terms of watering. Paperwhite narcissi here are crammed into a gigantic urn; the bulb fibre covered with moss and sticks plunged around the edge to keep things from flopping. It’s a classic idea but on a big scale, and it would work even in a small room. Use an urn, and you have an instant layering effect, with the added bonus of not having sacrificed any table space.

Paperwhite narcissi in an urn at Petersham

2. Use erigeron everywhere.

You’ll have heard me go on about this plant enough, but seriously, let me tell you one more time about the wonders of this Erigeron Karvinskianus. Not only does it soften and relax every hard corner or line, and self-sow itself politely around into the tiniest cracks and crevices, it will also cover up a multitude of sins (bareness really) at the base of any permanent planting. But most of all, it will continue flowering pretty much all year round, so whilst your deciduous shrub languishes in its twiggy bareness over the winter, this little darling will give you something lovely to look at.

3. Use muehlenbeckia everywhere else

Bare deciduous shrubs in pots? No problem with cascading muehlenbeckia

Rather lesser-known (and unfairly vilified as something which can be invasive), this gorgeous thing is an absolute blessing as long as you keep it in a container, doing very much what the erigeron does - softening and beautifying, only with a trailing effect rather than a flower. Put it in a pot with absolutely anything; it will make your bare viburnum gorgeous and it will even make plants that don’t look so lovely on their own, like heather (see below) unspeakably chic.

Muehlenbeckia on its own is great too.

Suddenly heather is sexy…because muehlenbeckia (and also an URN)

4. Put ferns in a gigantic pot

…an urn, or other GINORMOUS container. Whatever it is, it must have height, to elevate the fronds…it’s something to do with balance. This is also an illustration of the Go Big or Go Home trick, but also, ferns are the great unsung container plant hero and we should all be using much more of them on our patios and terraces. This one above is an indoor affair, but there are plenty of excellent evergreen ferns which, given the right treatment will flourish in containers outside. Blog post on which ones to use coming soon.

5. Plant the pants off all the hellebores you can afford

Hellebores in pots

Deadly pretty, perfect container plants that you can put into the ground if you get bored with them. I’ve been making a large container up with one, the recipe for which I’ll be sharing on my newsletter which drops at the weekend….It contains a rather more personal run-down of all my five minute forays in the garden during the week - sign up here if you’d like it, and never fear, if you don’t like it…(and it’s not for everyone I admit) then you can unsubscribe any time.

xx Laetitia

Bulbs and plugs I'm ordering this month

I don’t do much gardening in January…a bit of nonchalant weed-pulling, some chopping of gone-over things, and some deadheading if I’ve got winter bedding (cyclamen, pansies) on the go. More time is spent spring cleaning…getting the shed tidy and in order, sluicing out the bins (yuck) and clearing any gutters low enough not to induce vertigo.

My favourite gardening endeavours then, take the form of dreaming, and leafing through catalogues. Getting in early and ordering the things you want is always a good idea.

Here is my January shopping list.

Snowdrops.

Galanthus S. Arnott - a classic I want in my lawn

Having decided to put snowdrops (Galanthus) in my lawn last year, I then went and forgot to order any. The best way to plant them is not as bulbs, but in flower, or having flowered (or ‘in the green’) as gardeners say. I shall be ordering three each of G. Magnet and G. S. Arnott to start off what I very much hope will become a carpet of snowdrops. For these particularly tall varieties I’m prepared to wait, as I’m also mindful that I don’t want to spend lots of time and money planting hundreds of snowdrops only to have them turn their noses up at the conditions they’ve been given. Slow gardening then, and I’ll be buying them from Avon Bulbs, who always deliver good quality specimens, and whose packaging is completely plastic-free. If I had a large space and wanted an instant carpet though, I’d probably go for this deal. They are simple G. Nivalis, and very gorgeous, and good value to boot.

Gladiolus callianthus murielae

Gladiolus Callianthus - which I can’t live without

These are the stunners I plant in containers ever year, successionally and they give me a continuous, scented display from midsummer right through to the first frosts. I love them unconditionally and if I had more space, I’d fill it with them. I actually planted some in the ground last year, and left them there over winter to see if they come back, an experiment I’m not holding out much hope for, but hey, it’s good to try! I’ll be buying 80 bulbs from Farmer Gracy who I bought from last year. Their bulbs were cheaper than I could find elsewhere, great quality, grew really well and their packaging was plastic-free.

Argyranthemum frutescens

Argyranthemum is a must-have

These daisies are the hardest-working container plant in my garden over the summer months. I buy them as plug plants, grow them on and plant them in my big pots once my bulbs have left the building. I water and feed the living daylights out of them, and they reward me with continual flowering until well in to November and beyond. I used to buy them from Sarah Raven but was disappointed by last year’s plants - the colour was so much duller than before. So this year I’m going to get them from Brookside Nursery and I’m changing my colour choice and going for a variety called ‘Halo Pink’ - not just because I love the rather outré colour, but also because they’re selling a tray of 42 plants for £30 and I love the idea of having them EVERYWHERE. The safe option is to go for the gorgeous white one…which is never not charming and gorgeous. Over to you.

That’s it (for now).

x Laetitia

ps if you want a much more personal run-down of all my five minute forays, I write a newsletter every week which drops on a Saturday or Sunday. It’s full of the rather messier, more real, and, let’s face it, rather less pin-worthy stuff that life throws at me, and it’s the thing I enjoy writing most of all. Hit the button below if you want to have a go…and know that you can unsubscribe any time if it’s not for you!

Spark Joy in the Garden: KonMari for your outside space.

Whilst I’m in no way a slavish devotee of Marie Kondo and her principles (I read her first book with the uncomfortable feeling that she was mentally ill, what with the whole talking to your handbag thing, oh, and I have three children for heaven’s sake) I have been slowly but surely tackling forty plus years’ worth of stuff, using her recommendations, and for the first time in my life, I feel like there is a chance I may get my house in order before I actually die. 

 Here’s my adaptation of the Kon Mari method, for my garden

1    Shrubs and trees

Take all your shrubs and trees out and pile them up high on your bed… On second thoughts, don’t do that. Just take stock of your shrubs and trees. Think about what life might look like without this or that shrub or tree. Would your garden (your life) be improved with the removal, or ADDITION of one particular element? Or does something need moving? Perhaps (and this is so often the case) a bit of surgery is needed, to improve the look of a tree or shrub? What would that big holly bush look like if you removed all the lower branches for example? 

2    Perennials

Take a good look at your borders. You could, actually, if you really had the energy, do a proper Marie Kondo here; take everything out, lay it out in front of you, decide what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of or move, and then put the whole lot back. It’s an enticing thought, but beyond the means and inclination of most of us. The balanced way then, is to look at each plant and ask yourself whether it sparks joy…yes, really. Plants that spark joy for me are ones that really earn their place in my garden – the hardworkers that do their thing no matter what the weather (or my neglect) throws at them – the geraniums, the verbena, the alchemilla mollis are three examples. Other plants that spark joy for me are those which extend the season – the rudbeckias, the sedums, the anemones. Whatever your criteria, you’ll want to do away with any plant or group of plants that doesn’t fulfil them. Don’t forget to THANK them for their service before you give them to your friends and neighbours!

NOTE: The part of Marie Kondo’s method that has many people drawing a firm line in the sand and saying “uh oh, no way” in a rather scoffy way, is imminently sensible when I am in the garden. No, I’m not going to say thank you to my anorak for keeping me dry because, well, it’s NOT A LIVING THING, but look me in the eye and tell me that you don’t walk around your garden in the summer, smelling the roses and whispering “You’re gorgeous!” Just me? Somehow I don’t think so….THANK YOUR PLANTS.

3    Komono (Misc) – garden furniture, pots, tools, machinery

This is the tough bit. All the stuff you accumulate; pots of whatever description, old tools that have long since ceased to serve their purpose, seeds you meant to sow but didn’t, plants you meant to plant but didn’t, garden furniture that you no longer use. Games, languishing in the shed. None of these things are rubbish, but in many cases, many of them are redundant. And here, you really can put everything in one place and sort through it, piece by piece, deciding whether it sparks joy for you or not. Donate (or sell if you have the energy) – get rid of these things responsibly, but don’t leave them where they are. The spaces freed up by this exercise can be repurposed for the things you really love and which are useful to you. THANK these things too if you want to…whatever floats your boat babe.

4    Sentimental items – think ‘miscellaneous with memories’. It might be a pot your granny gifted to you. It might be a plastic wendy house your children loved while they were little. It might even be a gnome. If you love it, and it sparks joy, then think of making a special space for it in the garden, and if you baulk at that idea, well then perhaps you don’t love it as much as you thought? 

So what do you think? Would this work for you? 

Xx Laetitia

Monstera love

Ubiquitous they may be, but that doesn’t stop them being fabulous; Monstera deliciosa have shed their dusty, corner-of-the-room triffid image and are now elevated to superstar status. Basically, if you haven’t got one, then who actually ARE you?

Here’s a little vid that I did with the RHS explaining how to care for them, and if you’re thinking of getting one, I would urge you to go for something small and let it grow, rather than haemorrhaging money on a great big beast. Buying a small plant means that if you DO make a mistake and lose it, all is not lost, and if you don’t then it will actually grow better, because it has been acclimatised to your space from babyhood.

Let me know if you think I’ve missed anything out here - care tips that work for you.

x Laetitia

Indoor salad, for dark days

Indoor salad for darker days

We still have a way to go before Spring does its thing. This is an easy way of banishing the blues, and far healthier than gin. 

Microgreens are a great favourite with me as they satisfy my yearning for sophistication whilst valiantly accommodating my slapdash sowing skills. No thinning out is needed here, as I snip the leaves off in their baby stage. All you need is a plastic seed tray or pot set within another larger tray for watering, some multi-purpose compost and some seeds; I adore radish, rocket, basil and mizuna, or you can buy a mixture of seeds specially packaged as microgreens - this is a great starter pack.

Or, if you can’t be doing with compost, then I recommend this kit, which has everything included, and you just use kitchen roll, (or loo paper if you’re us!)

Fill your tray or pot with compost, removing any big bits and tapping it firmly on a hard surface to remove any pockets of air. Now sprinkle your seeds liberally over the top, aiming for an even coverage. You don’t need to worry about spacing here because you’ll be harvesting the greenery before it has a chance to need any space. Cover the seeds very thinly with a bit more compost, sieving it over the top, and fill up the bottom tray with water for a few hours until the surface of the compost is damp. Given the warmth of your kitchen, the seeds with germinate fast, and in a couple of weeks you’ll be snipping and sprinkling just like all the posh chefs.

x Laetitia