There are an abundance of gardens to visit in the Southwest, each with its own slice of paradise, each neatly arranged, as nature is shaped to entice and lead the eye. However, interestingly when those born in the South West try to recapture their memories of their childhood in their London gardens, these stately homes […]
Author Archives: Martina Mercer
How to Rear Your Own Turkeys
How to Rear Your Own Turkeys By Martina Mercer A month ago we invested in lavender ducks and chickens for our small holding as although we’d kept hundreds of birds before, we’d had a break of a few years and so wanted to start again small. Instead of the incredible layers of Aylesbury ducks or the […]
How to Encourage Children into the Garden
Encourage Children to Step Outside In this day and age with electricity taken for granted many children choose media as a form of entertainment; whether it’s YouTube, Facebook or gaming online it all burns energy while frazzling brain cells too. Here are some ideas for how to encourage children into the garden and away from […]
Lavender Animals Add Colour to the Garden!
It’s been a busy month at the North Yorkshire Manor House, as we made the decision to stay. Suddenly as the sun came out we were overwhelmed with the beauty of our home and the extortionate outgoings seemed to be worth living in this Moors retreat. Once we made up our mind it was all […]
Gardening for Fitness
Does your garden look like an overgrown mass of weeds? Or maybe you tend to your patch regularly? Whether you love or hate it, your garden could look like the Chelsea flower show and you could not only get fit whilst doing it but perfect a great tan too. Digging This is an excellent way […]
The Sun has Got his Easter Bonnet On
The Sun has got His Easter Bonnet on! As everyone tucks into their chocolate eggs, and proud children display their handmade bonnets, we’ve realised that a chicken is afforded with a sense of fame at this time of the year. The tiny fluffy craft chicks that adorn each Easter cake litter supermarket shelves making us […]
Making Small Changes to Overhaul Your Diet
Making small changes to your diet can have dramatic healthy results, from eating more fruit and vegetables to planning ahead, there are hundreds of ways that you can improve your diet and health. If you’re on a diet and are looking to reach a certain goal these small changes can be the difference between reaching […]
Hozelock Garden Reel – What Do You Use Your Hose For?
Our hosepipe endures a lot. Five of us use it daily for different activities. From washing muddy wellington boots to filling up the duck’s pond, to watering the hanging baskets. Usually it’s seen as a slithering snake hiding in the grass, only poking out as it sprawls across the drive just waiting for someone to […]
The Benefits of Bedding Plants
By Martina Mercer I used to avoid bedding plants as much as possible as the annual nature made me believe they were not great value for money. However over the past few years I’ve been converted and now as well as bulbs, herbs and perennials, bedding plants have pride of place in all of my borders. […]
Mixing Flowers and Veg for a Stunning Sustainable Garden
By Martina Mercer Many of us love the idea of having a huge vegetable patch that we can spend hours in producing food for the family, however time can be a common constraint, as well as space, making it seem like a daunting prospect to grow your own, and although your pansies and primroses always […]