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
New Year’s Resolutions
Happy new year, dear reader. If you want some real garden related New Year’s Resolutions, we are big fans of the super charitable National Garden Scheme, who actually put some effort into listing serious resolutions for grown-ups. I am much too mature now to be serious, so these are my new year’s resolutions: do feel… Continue reading New Year’s Resolutions
Christmas Presents for Gardeners
There are so many things a gardener wants to find under the tree on Christmas morning. But not another decorative fork and trowel set with floral design handle and little practical use, or that grainy, green organic soap, please Let’s get serious and define gardening up front here, as it relates to the garden owner:… Continue reading Christmas Presents for Gardeners
Classic Navarin of Lamb Recipe: A French Comfort Dish
Navarin of lamb is a classic French stew, bursting with hearty flavours and rustic charm. Known for its tender pieces of lamb and a medley of fresh vegetables simmered in a rich, savoury sauce, this dish is a perfect marriage of simplicity and sophistication. It’s a meal that not only satisfies the palate but also… Continue reading Classic Navarin of Lamb Recipe: A French Comfort Dish