All it took was one question

One simple question asked on Twitter has snowballed into something wonderful!!

It was asked out of frustration and bewilderment. A sunny day called to spend some time in the front garden. Out came my handy tools and the weeding began. It was full of them, but it didn't take long for them to be turfed out. That's when the horrible, gut sinking feeling began. I tweeted the above question and the response I received was just EPIC!!

This is the main part of my front garden. I took this photo approximately 2 years ago. It is so bare in the borders, its quite pathetic really. It is crying out to be loved and filled and that's where all the wonderful advice I received will come into play.

So many of you took the time to make suggestions on types of plants, where to bag the bargains and some even suggested some layout changes, note: layout changes will happen eventually but I am building up my arsenal of plants first so I can use them to play. This is where it gets even more fabulous though............

Off the back of the suggestions I was kindly offered some seeds and plants to help kick start the borders becoming filled. Some came in the post thanks to @unfurlingnet & @jw4926. I was contacted on Instagram by a lady called Helen who lives a short distance away from me and kindly invited me to her gorgeous allotment where we had a cuppa & nattered like we had known each other for years. Two and a half hours later and after a tour of the site she filled my car boot with lots of goodies to add to the others. I then visited a gorgeous open garden day that belongs to the lovely Joan & Geoff. I knew this lovely couple through the Gardentags app originally. They had a plant sale as part of the open garden to help raise funds for a local school adventure to Nepal. They had plenty to offer at fabulously cheap prices, but it was more wonderful knowing I could have a little piece of their magnificent garden in mine.

Which brings me nicely on to what I want to reveal.

I'm naming the garden, Le Jardin du Chalet des Medias Sociaux.

Sounds posh I know! I thought I would bring a little French to this part of the North East :P. It translates to The Social Media Cottage Garden. To some it might seem strange or bonkers. Why name it though?, I hear you ask. Well, I am genuinely overwhelmed by the generosity from the gardening community. The most valuable part is the wealth of advice and knowledge that is shared for all to take something from and in turn that can help others out too. There is going to be a piece of everybody in this part of the garden because it's going to be built up on the responses to that original tweet.

Also I'm hoping in time as plants establish, I will be able to share out seeds and cuttings for others who are in a similar position or if I just happen to have a bit of what is needed.

This is where gardening really does come into its own. There is no other community like it. Inclusive, helpful, friendly and full of kind hearted folk. It's the nicest hobby one could take up and I for one will be eternally grateful for the appreciation it makes me have for the smallest things in life yet mean the most.

So here is to you, the gardening community.

Until Next Time

xNx

Baby its cold outside

Sitting with my coffee by the radiator watching the snow starting to thaw out there is the feeling of relief that it's finally got the hint it has outstayed its welcome! Don't get me wrong when it first arrived it was lovely to be playing with the kids having snowball fights, building snowmen and sledging at a nearby hill but there comes a point when it starts to become boring and the gardener side of me is screaming inside (I'm sure many of you will be the same!)

Just before the "Beast from the East" reared its ugly head, the garden had started to show signs of waking up from its early winter rest. Even when we have been spoiled with some sunny days the temperatures has still been cold enough to remind you that we have still been in the grips of winter and she isn't going to budge without a fight. 

With spring on the horizon there isn't much that can be done in the garden still quite yet. Apart from keeping up with tidying around and getting greenhouses/sheds organised it's a great time to plan ahead for the coming months with how you vision your green spaces and what seeds you want to sow (a reminder of patience is required). 

I began a few sowing's of tomatoes, chilli's and peppers which surprisingly are doing ok! It's the first time I have grown these from scratch and I was concerned about them becoming too leggy but they have been watched very closely and tended to with lots of care. 

Chilli- Cayenne

Sweet Pepper-Mixed

Tom's- Roma/Delight/Maker

 My plans for now are to just go with the flow (and the weather!) I'm using this cold snap to appreciate the little things and simply take in the lovely space I have to be creative with. Oh and its a perfect chance to just sit in the greenhouse with a hot cuppa! Stay warm everyone☺

My Real View! 
Life at No27 Campaign

Not a gardener without a bit of muck
on the hands & face!

Until Next Time

N xx

Patience Is a Virtue!

I find I am often asked why I like gardening as much as I do. 

What's not to love! The feeling never gets old of seeing hard work pay off, whether it is digging over beds, mowing the lawn, pottering about dead heading plants and of course sowing seeds to either fill your eyes and heart with beautiful sights of blooms that attract nature or being able to pick/dig up scrumptious goodies to devour at the table (if they make it that far!) But what I really love about gardening is that it's the greatest teacher you could have!

Now bare with me on this one it will make sense I promise. 

The biggest and most important thing that can be learned from gardening is Patience. 

For some it doesn't happen straight away ( like me, being super keen to get stuck in!). You have a few successes of something growing well and think "Yes I've nailed it!" And then go charging through all the seed/plant brochures (the temptation when they drop through the letterbox is rather hard to ignore!), visiting the garden centres & nurseries to grab pretty much anything that turns your head. Then it ALL gets sown/planted and your bouncing around like a child in a sweet shop UNTIL............ Pretty much most of it fails to grow past the seedling pots or dies in the ground and you feel like a complete FAILURE! 

Yep that was pretty much me last year haha! Oh how I can sit and laugh now because gardening kicked my over enthusiastic butt and put me firmly in my place. At the time I blamed sowing things much too late (and some I did!) but actually I just didn't plan out what I wanted to gain from growing over the year. I also planted in some plants in not so great spots (skim reading the advice tags)

With my little lesson learnt, this year I decided it was best to sit and have a good sort out of the seeds that have accumulated over the last few years. Some will be donated as I know they wont be used and the rest I can work on what I want from the garden AND more importantly what is going to be achievable for me to keep going. I'm also taking notice of the gardens dynamics. There is something actually quite therapeutic in just sitting and observing your space and really take notice of how the light moves around all its angles. My saving grace this year will be my greenhouse (watch this here to see how happy it made me!). It will allow for me to learn to grow more BUT there is still plenty of time to jump on the sowing bandwagon.

March-June

February-August

February-May

 Its so easy to feel left behind when you see others sowing away and already have seedlings but don't let that put you off. Most seeds/tubers/bulbs etc have a good date range on for when they can be sown by (as can be seen above). We are of course only just at the beginning of February so for some things its still a little early to bust them out the packets just yet. The other thing to remember is some seeds need to be sown little and often to keep a succession of crops/flowers going over the growing seasons. 

Don't be disappointed or put off when things don't quite work out or go to plan. Something that will work one season wont necessarily be guaranteed next season. That's the beauty of gardening, it constantly keeps you on your toes. You cant have success without failure, its how we learn and get by in everyday life too! Take your time, gardening isn't a race. Find what is right for you and your space.

Remember: Good things come to those who wait 😉

Until Next Time

N xx

No rest for the wicked.

Ever since I began gardening 2 years ago I am astounded at how busy I constantly seem to be as each one goes by. Not that it's a bad thing necessarily but it is amazing at how much there is to do whether that be from sowing seeds and being their nurturing guardian, planning where to put plants or create new features to doing the usual maintenance jobs like cutting grass and weeding. 

With that said let me show you what I have been up to over the last few months in my own garden.

Dreams come true

I managed to get my hands on a very lovely little greenhouse that will change my gardening game forever! Its a 4x4 which was perfect for the space I had available and of course is perfect for all 4ft10" of me (think of me as a real garden fairy rather than a gnome haha!) I even put little personal touches to it with some gorgeous bunting made by my fabulous Mum and it also has some fairy lights in. Don't worry plants and growing take centre stage in there right now though with my Balconi Tomato plants doing incredibly well.

Protection Protection Protection!

With the greenhouse now in its perfect place my thoughts suddenly turned to worry over hoping not to hear the dreaded sounds of smashing. My garden is predominantly a playing garden thanks to the kids but they are now going to have to share it with me and seeing how footballs get volleyed around it I knew I had to guard my little sanctuary somehow! Queue some amazing DIY skills with a few pieces of wood and voilà, a lovely new solid trellis screen is now in place. 

But that's not all!

The great thing about gardening is there's always an opportunity to improve and develop our spaces. Now the trellis is in place I knew I could expand the original border. It wasn't exactly easy with discovering so much brick and having to knock as much out as possible but its now given me such a fantastic area to get creative and plant a wider variety of plants. I hadn't realised how small the space in the original border was and now understand why very little seemed to grow/survive. My brain is now overflowing with ideas of plant combinations and hopefully can bring some to life in time. 

 

There's more!!

I've always wanted to have some kind of water feature in the garden but for 2 reasons I've always put it off. The 1st I kept over thinking what to do and worrying it wasn't going to be enough and 2nd I didn't want anything too big (needed as much free space for the kids to play) so didn't have a good spot to dig down deep enough to house one, BUT a new wider border means I could do this now so I just threw myself into creating a mini pond. Its actually turned out quite OK and I'm hopeful that in time some amazing creatures will make very good use of it. It didn't cost me much to put together either (no more than £10) and really don't know why I worried so much in the first place! Every little helps, it doesn't have to be fancy and it doesn't have to cost the earth.

  15L Flexi tub £3.50 Plants 2 4 £4.99 Rocks,Gravel Rain Water FREE

So there you have it! A few little projects that have kept me going in between the weeding and the harvesting of some fantastic first homegrown crops. A gardeners work is truly never done but don't let that put you off having a go. Mind stimulation, being active and a huge sense of satisfaction from seeing things evolve from your own fair hands outweighs the hard work put in! Looks like I need to carry on being wicked!!

Until next time

N xx

Gardeners World Live 50th Birthday

My First ever gardening show of any kind!

Wow, what a day and experience it turned out to be! The 3 hour journey (starting at 6am) was so worth it. I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived, but what greeted me as I entered through the gates completely overwhelmed me. Once me and mum studied the map and got our bearings we headed over to the show gardens. I literally gasped! I had seen them on telly and social media leading up to Sunday but you cant help but feel in awe of the skills and thought processes that go into creating these wonderful gardens that put a huge smile on everyone's faces. There was inspiration for everyone whether you wanted something peaceful & tranquil, practical & space savvy to bold & vibrant or wildlife friendly.

Show Gardens

I had 2 favourites. The 1st was the Anniversary Gardens(By Prof.David Stevens)

The gardens were a real walk down memory lane.I remember some parts of my Nanna & Grandads garden being very similar as well as the garden from my childhood days. They were real family gardens that brought back fond memories.



My second favourite had to be the beautiful 'Romance in the Ruins' (Claudia de Yong for Wyevale Garden Centres).

This really did take my breath away! I loved how it was all so soft not just to the eyes but touch too. It was so natural. No harsh structures or industrial materials. The gentle trickle of water coming down the ruin was a perfect song to guide you under the romantic rustic arches that were surrounded by gentle kisses of pink & purple hues. The whole garden just flowed so peacefully allowing you to take in everything it had to offer. The little benches that were tucked into gorgeous spots offered beautiful angles to gaze upon & spot the hidden creatures. A truly lovely heart warming piece of paradise.


One thing I loved about all the gardens was how relatable they were. They could easily be recaptured back home in our very own gardens. There wasnt anything that was too over the top. They were real homely gardens, exactly how they should be.


The Dominators

I noticed how dominant grasses were in many of the displays. There were so many varieties used that either added softness and height or broke up bolder plants and added texture. I fell in love badly with them and bought two fabulous Stipa Ponytails. Also featured just about everywhere(even in little posies on tables) was the beautiful Astrantia. With plenty of shades to pick from I opted for 'Moulin Rouge' a gentle nod to one of mine & Hubby's favourite love film.


So much Choice!



The Floral Marquee was very dangerous territory! I was like a child in a sweetshop. A massive variety of plants on very impressive displays and also to purchase too. I only wish I had bought the rose that caught my eye when I first saw it. Sadly I missed out when we went back round again, but I am sure we will cross paths again. I did however pick up the beautiful Salvia 'Love&Wishes' used in the 'Romance in the Ruins' garden in the hope to have a little reminder of its beauty.




Beautiful Borders & Barrows





We had a wander outside were we went around the fantastic 'Meal in a Barrow' displays. What an amazing idea and inspired way to get children involved with growing from scratch & learning essential skills that should be compulsory! We then marvelled at the Beautiful Borders. They were definitely a collection of celebrations that were all delightful in their own way. You could really see and feel the past & present throughout. A lovely tribute to celebrate 50 wonderful years of Gardeners world.

An unexpected surprise!

The day was so hot we had to head inside to cool off. We couldn't have timed it any better as we noticed a big gathering around the Potting Shed stage. To my delight & surprise out stepped Monty Don!! I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. I got completely star struck. I couldn't believe that little old me was stood watching him in the flesh. He was so honest with how he feels about stepping into such a prestigious role, but I think he definitely holds his own and is a pleasure to watch along with Nigel and Nellie of course! I even got to watch the Skinny Jean Gardener in action on the Vegtrug stage being fabulously energetic and getting the children involved from the audience!


Sad Goodbye but....

After such an amazing day being swept along in the atmosphere and even meeting some lovely guys from Twitter & Gardentags ( Annabelle @Lifeatno27 and Kim Johnson aka Jonners73) it was sadly time to make the journey back home. As sad as I felt about leaving, my heart was full of happiness and ignited with more passion and inspiration! Gardening truly is my therapy and makes me so happy. I hope that others will feel inspired to get into their gardens and embrace everything it has to offer!

Until next time

N x