Hello ! I haven’t been on this my blog for so long ( gosh it’s been 3 Years )  and today I decided to have a look and read through my old posts. I really loved blogging and writing here but then life got busy and I’d also given up my allotment so there wasn’t much to blog about growing vegetables.

However my garden has grown and changed over the past few years and I do have lots of other things going on such as crafts, upcycling, and cooking so I’m thinking of perhaps combining all these things  and re-jigging my blog to accommodate these and maybe even a new layout and perhaps a new title. So watch this space ! and I will be back 😀
Have a lovely weekend everyone

Maureen xxxx

My little allotment in my garden

Hi everyone !

Well I'm sort of back blogging again, but this time my allotment is some lovely raised boxes in my garden.  The spinach is growing fast and I've had my first picking of baby spinach leaves, the rocket is up and growing fast as a rocket should !  Beetroot up, carrots just peeping through and mixed salad leaves almost ready for a first pick.
I've planted my purple french beans in a container as I will do with my courgette plant I've grown from seed. Lots of herbs and loads of strawberries.  So what with tomatoes I'm very happy with my very small allotment. 😃
Here's some photo's I've just taken and as it's been raining here hard all day everything looks so fresh.
I've lots of flowers seeds growing too as I like to have plenty to cut for the house. That is probably the only thing I'll miss about my big allotment, the cutting bed was amazing and it didn't rob my garden of anything when I cut from there. Oh well can't have everything ! And I have to say I don't miss the weeding and work on the allotment.

I've given up my allotment 😩

First of all I'd like to wish everyone a belated Happy New Year.

Secondly Id like to tell you that I've  given up my allotment after almost eight years. It was a long time coming as I was getting less time to work on it and it was becoming very neglected and full of bindweed which drove me insane.  So it had to go ! I have to say that looking through this blog I'm going to miss it ! But my plan is to put some small raised beds in the garden at home and also grow my french beans in amongst the flowers.

As long as I have french beans, courgettes, salad leaves and spinach I will be more than satisfied.
Also my dear friend Frances still has her allotment which is opposite where mine was, so I will be sharing some of her goodies. I also grow blueberries, strawberries and all my herbs in the garden already so it won't be too bad.  It's been a relief not to have to go and weed there.  I think when something becomes a chore and not enjoyable it's time to admit defeat and give it up.

I've been Upcycling and shabby chic -ing furniture and selling it in my friends vintage shop for some time now plus working in the Shop a day a week, so my time doing that has left me little time to work the allotment.  I will still keep the blog going and let you know how growing veg in the garden pans out.

All the best
M xxx

A bucketful of blooms

I can't believe how the flowers keep on giving! Its amazing and I'm also  giving away to neighbours as well.
I shall miss them when the season is gone and the garden no longer has these beauties around.

Sarah Raven's Cutting garden Journal - a book review

I was recently sent this beautiful book to review. I'm ashamed to say I haven't had the time to review and post so here it is.

First I'd like to say that its a lovely size, covers many different flowers and there is plenty of space to add your own growing successes (hopefully) it's always good to make notes of good and bad experiences with anything we grow.  Personally I LOVE growing my own flowers and my garden at home is full to the brim of cutting flowers and for the last couple of years I've actually devoted a huge area of the allotment for cutting beds as well. So this book is truly a bonus.

Here are some photos from the book. I love it that each months start pages have a different colour and dainty pattern, it's such a pretty book. There are lots of planning ideas and help with putting flowers together to make a beautiful posy of a bouquet plus which vase to choose to display your proudly grown blooms. Who needs the florist shop when you can grow your own for the price of a packet of seeds.

It's lovely to make your own from home grown

Mmmm I just made three batches of Italian, tomato and Basil sauce, all made with homegrown tomatoes, onions, and Basil plus Italian herbs and a good red wine. All ready for the freezer for when I need a quick base to an Italian dish.  Just the jam to make now as I've frozen bags of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.

Why growing your own flowers is amazing

 I have always tried to grow flowers in the garden that I can cut for the house ! But this year I also made a cutting bed especially for that purpose. Its been amazing having virtually free cut flowers all through the house.  I say virtually because of course there is the seeds, compost, feed then manure for the beds, so there is a cost involved, but nothing like the cost it would be to buy flowers in abundance from the florist or market.  I have been sent a lovely book to review written by Sarah Raven  called 'Cutting garden journal'  I will share it in a post soon as I have to read, digest, take photos for you and then give my personal review.  In the meantime  here is a couple of photos of bouquets I've picked for the house today.