Garden Centre Growth
Garden centres are enjoying a busy time in the warm sunny weather. Until 1960’s plants could only be bought from nurseries and often only by mail order. In 1967 the Williamson family opened one of […]
Articles by Lynne Allbutt
A Good ‘eco-habit’ to Get Into
Enthusiastic entrepreneurs Sian and David apjohn-Williams are, in their own words, ‘Proud to be a Welsh family business’. The couple started their own eco-friendly business, Ecohabit, in March of this year and Sian quickly admits, […]
Regular Nest Checks
As well as my family of flycatchers nesting under the eaves, there are also two other occupied blackbird nests in the hedge between the pigs and the veg garden and another two (blue tits and […]
Spotted Flycatcher Fledglings
Thanks to Doris, my knowledgeable nature-loving neighbour, I learnt my chirpy resident fledglings are in fact spotted flycatchers (and thankfully, as my brother swiftly pointed out, not bee catchers!) I learn so much from the […]
Stephen Anderton Speaks his Mind
Well known as the Times’ gardening correspondent, Stephen Anderton got into gardening as a teenager, confessing, “I was a bit of a ‘saddo’, it was an unusual interest at that age although I was extremely […]
Elderflower Champagne – Cheers!
There is still time to pick elderflower heads from the hedgerows for this gorgeous drink. Shake off insects but don’t wash as you will remove the natural yeast from the flowerheads. And make sure it’s […]
Courgette, Pea and Mint Soup
Having made another batch of this ‘soopah’ soup (all ingredients fresh from the garden just an hour ago!), I thought it only fair to share, so here’s the recipe: Butter for frying 1 tbsn olive […]
Nature’s Medicine Cabinet
I have been lucky enough to have been training with Caroline Ingraham recently, learning how animals use plants to self medicate (zoopharmacognosy). I spent a couple of days with her in Bristol, where we worked with animals at a […]
Animal Aromatics
Caroline Ingraham is renowned in the animal World for pioneering the study of domestic animals self medicating with herbs and plants. Known as Zoopharmacognosy, Caroline explains, “It’s is the oldest therapy on the planet; its […]