Collaborative postIf you’re a parent and your child’s birthday is coming up, the chances are you’re already quite organised and clued-up when it comes to presents. Whether they’ve left you one too many hints to ignore, or you’ve seen something you’d know they’d love, you’ve probably got it sorted.But what about all the uncles, aunties, friends-of-friends, godparents, and network of wider family members? Obviously you can ask the ...
How to force Spring flowering bulbs
Autumn is traditionally the time to plant spring flowering bulbs in the garden, with daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, iris and crocus all popular choices. But while you’re planting bulbs in the garden, it’s a great idea to pot up some of those bulbs and ‘force’ them to flower early, so you can enjoy the blooms indoors before spring arrives.Forcing spring bulbs isn’t tricky, you basically need to trick the bulbs into thinking it’s already ...
Baby Bio Mother’s Day gifts for green-fingered mums
Do you have a green-fingered mum to buy for this Mother's Day? As you can probably imagine, my presents are often along the plants and gardening theme!Houseplants are very much a popular gift choice for Mother's Day; they're a lovely way to say 'thank you mum', and if cared for will provide years of pleasure. If you're thinking of heading down the houseplant route, these gift packs from houseplant experts Baby Bio® are the perfect ...
Win a limited edition Emma Bridgewater flower jug plus a bundle of Unwins flower seeds
It's really not long until spring arrives now, have you sown any seeds yet? This lovely giveaway courtesy of Unwins is perfect for getting you started! I’m giving away two prize bundles, each containing a limited edition Emma Bridgewater flower jug and five packs of Unwins 'Beautiful Bouquets' flower seeds. Such a lovely prize: it would make a fantastic treat for a gardening fan, and it's a great introduction to growing flowers for cutting ...
Festive reading: A Christmas Tale from Joules
One of my favourite things about the lead-up to Christmas is sharing festive books with my children. We've built up a little collection over the years, and it's always lovely to rediscover our old favourites each year. The build-up to Christmas is inevitably hectic and exciting for kids, and I always find that sharing a lovely Christmassy story is a brilliant way to help them (and me!) unwind and spend some cosy quiet time together.This year ...
Indoor gardening gifts from Baby Bio plus giveaway
Are you buying gifts for gardeners this Christmas? If the gardeners in your life are anything like me, they’ll always be happy with a present that encourages them to indulge in their hobby. I know I’ve got a few gardening-related items on my wish list every year! If there are indoor gardening fans on your present list, I've got some great gift ideas to share with you from houseplant experts Baby Bio®. There's also a lovely giveaway with two ...
Review & Giveaway: Down to Earth by Monty Don
Monty Don is a real gardening inspiration for me. I’ve watched him present Gardeners' World for many years now, and seeing him at work in his amazing garden never fails to give me new ideas and enthusiasm for our own plot. I love the way his passion for gardening is so obvious, and his knack for sharing his extensive knowledge and experience in a way that always feels accessible, even to the most amateur gardener. So, as you can imagine, I was ...
Win a gift tree of your choice from The Present Tree
Welcome to a new giveaway - and it’s such a lovely one! Two lucky winners will be able to select a beautiful gift tree of their choice from The Present Tree, which will be gift-wrapped and delivered to their chosen address, ready to be planted in the garden.The Present Tree sells a range of small trees as gifts. All of their trees are grown organically, and nurtured by hand in The Present Tree’s gardens in Northern Ireland. When you place ...
Bringing the outdoors in: Sainsbury’s Garden Room range
Do you try to bring a little bit of nature into your home? The interiors trend of bringing the outdoors into our living spaces has been big news for a while now, and it’s not hard to see why. Interiors brands have picked up on the fact that connecting with nature helps us cope with today’s hectic pace of life, and are extending that connection into the home via accessories, wallpaper, fabric prints and furniture. Add to that the fact that ...
Win a limited edition Emma Bridgewater vase plus a bundle of Unwins Sweet Pea seeds
With the arrival of spring just around the corner, lots of us are starting to think about planting seeds and looking forward to beautiful blooms in a few months’ time. This fab giveaway courtesy of the lovely people at Unwins is just perfect for helping you out with that! I’m giving away two prize bundles, each containing a limited edition Emma Bridgewater Sweet Pea vase and five packs of Unwins sweet pea seeds. Such a lovely prize, it would ...