This week, for the first time in months, I’ve been warm while gardening - which must mean that spring is definitely on the way! With the sun streaming in through the window as I write this, it’s hard to resist the call of some spring gardening; that lovely leisurely pottering that only the warmer weather of spring and summer allows. So far it’s been all about wrapping up warm, concentrating on the task in hand, then heading back indoors for a ...
3. The 10 minute gardener: spring garden prep
The start of a new year has worked it’s magic on my gardening enthusiasm, as it always does. I’ve replaced the frenzy of Christmas with a gentler form of excitement, and my mind is buzzing with ideas for the garden and allotment this spring and summer. We may be still in the depths of winter but I do love a good bit of looking forward, don’t you?My problem is getting beyond that looking forward. This is what normally happens in our ...
Do’s and don’ts when caring for marble worktops
Do you have marble worktops in your kitchen? This guest post has lots of great tips for keeping them in top condition. Not only are marble worktops a source of beauty in your home, they’re also viewed as a luxury item and can add to the value of your home. Lots of people are choosing to invest in natural stone surfaces for their home, due to their greater durability, aesthetic appeal, functionality, and the sheer luxury status over other ...
9. The 10 minute gardener: quick gardening jobs for early Autumn
Welcome to the latest post in this series, looking at quick gardening jobs you can fit into a busy schedule.Now that autumn has arrived things feel like they’re slowing down in the garden; plants are starting to shut down, lots of crops are coming to an end, and leaves are starting to fall. This doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do this month though, there are lots of quick jobs you can make a start on to prepare your garden for ...
How to prep your heating system for winter
Is your home's heating system ready for winter? We’ve only just waved goodbye to summer, and temperatures are still mild enough to avoid flicking the heating on, but now is the ideal time to check your heating system and make sure it’s ready for the colder months. The colder seasons of the year place the greatest strain on your heating system, which is why most boiler breakdowns happen during winter. Our old combi boiler packed up during a ...
How to find the right gardening company for your project
Have you ever called in the pros to help you with the gardening? I think garden maintenance is often one of those jobs that we feel a bit embarrassed about not doing ourselves. We should be able to find time to keep on top of it, right? Well in reality, that’s not always possible! Trying to find ways to squeeze the gardening into an already hectic home life is how my ten minute gardener series came about. And while a few minutes of gardening ...
Review: Stihl RMA339C Cordless Lawn Mower
Have you explored the world of cordless garden power tools yet? Cordless power tools have come a long way in recent years, and the current generation of lithium ion batteries are capable of delivering more than enough power and performance to rival the more traditional electric and petrol options. Our current mower is an electric model, and to cut the whole lawn we need a conga line of extension leads - it’s a faff to set up, a nightmare if the ...
8. The 10 minute gardener: quick gardening jobs for late Summer
Welcome to the 10 minute gardener for late summer, looking at quick gardening jobs you can fit into a busy schedule.We’re at that stage of summer where all the hard work in the garden should be really paying off, in the form of healthy plants and lots of flowers to enjoy. I think this part of the year is actually quite lazy, with an emphasis on sitting back and enjoying the view, but there are still a few jobs that are worth ticking off the ...
7. The 10 minute gardener: quick summer gardening jobs
Welcome to the latest post in this series, looking at quick gardening jobs you can fit into a busy schedule. This time I'm looking at ways to stay on top of your summer garden.Things have certainly warmed up in the last couple of weeks, and I’m really enjoying my garden now the summer plants are bursting into life. I think the ‘little and often’ approach is best for gardening at this time of year; keeping on top of the garden through little ...
Plant care tips for containers
The world of plant care can be more than a little bewildering, can’t it? Unless you’re a gardening expert, it can be tricky working out just what you need to do (or not do!) to make sure your indoor and outdoor plants thrive. I love gardening, but that certainly doesn’t mean I’ve got the plant care right every time; in fact I’ve had many disasters over the years. I’ve also had lots of times where my plants thrived but I didn’t really know why, ...