Over the last few years my kids have got involved with lots of different aspects of gardening; they've sown seeds, harvested crops, dug, planted, watered, weeded and simply played in the mud. They love all of it, but if you asked them what their favourite gardening job was, they'd say growing plants from seeds every time.I can understand why. There's just something so magical about planting a seed, watering it, and watching ...
How to get your garden ready for summer
Summer is on the way, and with it the chance to spend more time enjoying our outdoor space. Is your garden ready? During the colder months we naturally spend less time taking care of our gardens, but when the weather warms up again in summer we immediately want to get out there and enjoy them. The trouble is, there’s often work required to get things looking good before we can sit back and enjoy the view! If your garden is looking a ...
Happy gardening with Fiskars #ad
This is a commissioned post in collaboration with FiskarsThe gardening season is well and truly underway, and it’s time to get busy :)Spring and summer are usually the time of year when the garden demands the most from us. With plants putting on growth spurts, weeds doing the same, and warmer weather creating the need to keep up with watering, it can all feel a bit stressful!I’m feeling the gardening pressure in a different way ...
How to grow potatoes in a bag
It's potato planting time!I think it's impossible to beat the taste of homegrown new potatoes, and they're not difficult to grow at all. In fact they're a brilliant veg to grow with kids; they're nice and chunky to handle when planting, the kids get to pile soil on them as they grow, and harvest time is basically a treasure hunt as all those lovely spuds are unearthed!If you've got lots of room in the garden or at an allotment, you ...
The garden tools and equipment you really need
Collaborative postIf you had to estimate how many pieces of gardening equipment you had, how big would that number be? Be honest!I’m asking this question because I’ve just given my shed a bit of a tidy-up before the gardening season really takes off, and I almost disappeared under the pile of gardening stuff I had to re-arrange. And that got me thinking: which things could I literally not garden without?There’s a ...
Why gardening is good for you and the planet
Collaborative postAre you someone who’s been gardening for years? Someone who’s only recently discovered the joys of gardening? Or maybe someone who’s never even picked up any gardening tools before, but curious to find out what the hype is all about? Well, gardening engages the body, stimulates the mind and uplifts the spirit! Not only can gardening provide many mental and physical health benefits, but it can also provide environmental ...
Growing sunflowers with children
Have you planted any seeds yet this year? Now's the ideal time to get growing, and if you're looking for easy seeds to grow with children it's hard to beat sunflowers.As well as producing seriously impressive blooms, sunflower seeds are easy for little hands to deal with, and pretty low maintenance to grow. They're also brilliant for local wildlife; the flowers are great for bees and other pollinating insects, and birds love to eat ...
Tips from Wido on sprucing up your spring garden
Are you getting busy in the garden yet? We've had some amazing weather lately, and it's definitely motivated me to get out there and make the garden look presentable!We tend to use our gardens much less in the winter months, but spring is the perfect time to give things a spruce-up and tackle those jobs you've been ignoring. If you're not sure what to do first, check out this fab infographic from online retailer Wido which is full of ideas ...
Taking the RSPB Wild Challenge: spotting signs of spring and sowing sunflowers
Last year we had a great time partnering with RSPB on family-friendly activities that would help to give nature a home in our garden. You might remember that we planted wildflower seeds, grew flowers for butterflies, made a frog and toad abode, grew plants for moths, and made a bird bath. It was a busy year! We’re thrilled to be working with RSPB again on some fun new projects. Over the next few months we’ll be bringing you more ...
Using artificial grass to tackle tricky outdoor spaces
Artificial grass is becoming more and more popular as a low-maintenance way to create a lush-looking lawn, and it's particularly well-suited to situations where a traditional living lawn is difficult to achieve. This guest post explains the basics of artificial grass, and covers some key outdoor challenges that can be tackled using it.Garden styles and functions vary enormously, and of course every garden is unique in it's own way. That ...