The question “what species of tree is Yggdrasil?” is not one I ever get asked, but when the day comes I will say “ha, finally! A species is a group of things of the same kind, and Yggdrasil is one of a kind. Gotcha!”. This could be why I don’t get invited to parties. According… Continue reading Which Tree is Yggdrasil?
Ashridge: A Rural Nightmare Audiodrama
In this shamelessly low effort blog post, I share with you Tony Walker’s chilling series of supernatural stories set in the fictional town of Ashridge, which doesn’t exist just down the road from us in Castle Cary At my age, a great many people have called me lazy. They are nowhere to be seen now,… Continue reading Ashridge: A Rural Nightmare Audiodrama
Best Plants for A Winter Garden
Tiny marvels dispel winter gloom: the uplifting power of nature! As I filled up the bird feeders yesterday, I noticed the intense dogwood stems contrasted against the fence, and the first winter clematis flowers emerging. I inhaled deeply, savouring the trace of witch hazel on the breeze. “Ah”, I said to myself, “I could feast… Continue reading Best Plants for A Winter Garden
The Best Tomato & Mascarpone Risotto Recipe: Creamy, Savoury Comfort Food
For a comforting dish that’s bursting with rich, creamy flavours, this Tomato & Mascarpone Risotto is exactly what you need. Ingredients: Method: Prepare the ingredients:Begin by heating your stock in a saucepan over low heat to keep it warm. In a large pan or wide skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the… Continue reading The Best Tomato & Mascarpone Risotto Recipe: Creamy, Savoury Comfort Food
Apple Orchard Wassailing
Orchard wassailing is an indigenous English ritual with records dating back as far as the 11th century, and is still performed by the tribes of the South West in cider orchards Here we come a-wassailing! Traditionally performed on the 12th night after Christmas, January 5th or 6th, some people may accuse me of being a… Continue reading Apple Orchard Wassailing
Making Bonsai from Your Bareroot Trees
Somerset Bonsai Society is our absolute favourite Bonsai Society in Somerset. We love them so much that whenever they visit us, we treat them to a bin bag of damaged reject plants covered in mud And local bonsai enthusiasts ingeniously turn these trees, which had been destined for the compost heap, into beautiful bonsai. Young… Continue reading Making Bonsai from Your Bareroot Trees
Backseat Hedge Planting: RHS Edition
There is only one thing I love more than the RHS, and that is sitting with my old feet up, enjoying a hot beverage, and criticising young people from a safe distance while they work hard Our video on how to plant a formal hedge is, much like me, seriously showing its age, so we’re… Continue reading Backseat Hedge Planting: RHS Edition
Yew Tree Farm: Bristol’s Last Working Farm
Catherine Withers owns the last farm within Bristol’s city limits, and is fighting to keep it going We’re a bit late posting this video asking Bristolians to show up to Bristol City Hall in October last year, but apart from that little detail it’s a good intro. You can read the latest news about the… Continue reading Yew Tree Farm: Bristol’s Last Working Farm
Rootgrow by Empathy: RHS Approved Mycorrhizae AKA “Friendly Fungi”
Mycorrhizae fungi coexist with plant root systems in a symbiotic relationship: the fungi give the plant water and soil nutrients in exchange for the sugars that plants make by photosynthesis Fungi grow much faster than roots, so they can increase a transplanted plant’s effective root area many times over in only a few weeks, during which… Continue reading Rootgrow by Empathy: RHS Approved Mycorrhizae AKA “Friendly Fungi”
Hedgerow Heroes: Biodiversity Bloxham Oxford
This winter planting season, about 400 Oxfordshire volunteers spruced up 500 metres of neglected hedgerow, and planted over 2,500 metres of new hedges, beating their target by 300 metres. This is all part of Phase Four of the Campaign to Protect Rural England’s Hedgerow Heroes project. The local Banbury MP, known affectionately as “Sean-Off” Woodcock, joined… Continue reading Hedgerow Heroes: Biodiversity Bloxham Oxford