I picked a big bunch of oregano from my veggie patch to dry. The walk-in pantry is the best spot for drying herbs as it iss dark and reasonably well ventilated. The leaves are now perfectly crispy and dry and ready to go into a jar. I’ll probably leave them hanging in the
Homegrown produce has so much more flavour and texture than its commercially-grown friends. These brown pears arrived, as fruit often does, in a little bag with my mum. She grows many and varied fruits and veggies in her garden and is very generous with them. My response to her gifts is predictable –
The fountain in the Carlton Gardens never gets old. It’s particularly pretty at night with all its little cherubs lit up. Bats circle overhead and in the dark you can sense the lush green of the gardens beyond.
There is a large nectarine tree in the back corner of my garden. It’s visible from my kitchen window, so I get to watch it transform throughout the year from winter stick, to leafy spring blossom, through to fruit set and ripening. The tree is loaded this year with fragrant, fat nectarines. I
If I were a botanist I might be able to tell you why a passionfruit flower has all of the intricate parts that it does. I am not a botanist, so am left to marvel in the beauty and wonder of the flower, pondering why it is so and what makes it such
From little things big things grow. Isn’t that the truth when we’re talking about zucchinis? I can hear the zucchini growers out there nodding their heads vigourously. One day you notice a cute little zucchini on the plant and you think, I’ll just leave it a day or two and it will be
The golden hour on a summer evening is just glorious. The day is nearly done, but rather than fading slowing into grey, it explodes in a rush of beautiful light. As though it doesn’t want to be forgotten and would very much like a round of applause as it exits stage west.
Roses are beautiful but are dreadful, spiky things and require attention in the garden. For this reason I am delighted that my neighbours grow roses on the fence line that I get to enjoy. All care, no responsibility! At the moment they are prolific and gorgeous – clouds of bright white, peach with
In my front garden the tap is hidden behind a rosemary bush. I don’t use it very often and tend to forget it’s even there. Until I do. And then I remember that a tiny pleasure awaits. An ordinary bush wouldn’t be the same. Pushing the rosemary branches gently away with one hand
Stormy summer weather seems to be the norm this year and the plants are enjoying the combination of rain and warm days. Everything is remarkably green for January, including the grass, which is lush and soft. It feels so nice under bare feet while sipping my morning coffee in the sunshine.
