Anyone would think it’s all been doom and gloom on the plot recently. It hasn’t. There have been events a-go-go and if I lost all my strawberries and raspberries to my intruders’ munchie-attacks, at least they’ve clearly been too stoned/busy enabling others to get stoned to take any interest in taking anything that needs actual…
Category: Events of 2017
White currants a-go-go – but what the bloomin’ heck to do with ’em?
I give myself this problem every year. I like white currants; they’re sweeter than their red sisters, less mouth-puckering than their black cousins. You can eat them straight off the bush but, frankly, they’re not so exciting you’d actually want to. I have three white currant Blanka bushes. They crop excellently, give me no trouble…
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
…at Warley Place, anyway. Most people love Warley for its drifts of daffodils. After all, Daffs mean Prizes – Miss Willmott won RHS medals a-go-go for hers. She even boobytrapped the best ones and carried a revolver in her handbag against bulb thieves. There must still be a few prize specimens in there, it’s a…
Event: Asparagus Pacific 2000
You never forget your first time. Some events come easily. They’re a joy for their simplicity and flavour, yes, and I wouldn’t be without them. Others are hard-won, which means when you finally get to try them they are all the sweeter for it. My journey to Asparagus Nirvana began in 2014, when my lovely…
Event Number One of 2017: Purple Sprouting Broccoli
For the first time ever the rhubarb has been pipped to the post for the first event of 2017 – by purple sprouting broccoli. It’s the first time I’ve grow it to term – the only other time I tried it, it developed into a huge, happy plant with no intention whatsoever to send…
Orchid Frenzy
Okay, I’m not going to witter on here. The orchids speak for themselves. On a windy day when Storm Doris is rattling the windows and sending roof tiles shattering to the ground, here are exotic orchids to fuel a thousand dreams of paradise. All as viewed at Kew’s glorious Festival of Orchids. It’s on until…
Forcing Lily of the Valley
Such a harsh word. Pretty much any spring bulb grown indoors this time of year is ‘forced’ – hyacinths, crocuses, daffs – none of them really want to come out for Christmas, but they’ll show their faces, not too grudgingly, if they’re treated nicely. I first came across the idea of forcing Lily of the…
The Event Gardener 