The new year is a perfect time to reflect on your garden and look to the future. Make changes and be inspired to try something different. Winter is also a great time to look at how we garden. What will be your New Year Resolutions for 2023? Here are some ideas. Plant a tree…or twoPlanting… Continue reading New Year’s Resolutions in the Garden
Pruning Jobs to do now: Coppicing
Requiring only a sharp saw or secateurs and the courage of your convictions, coppicing is a straightforward and satisfying winter job. This short burst of activity will both warm the body and enhance the garden, with the added benefit of perhaps providing a fresh crop of bean poles or even some of next year’s firewood.… Continue reading Pruning Jobs to do now: Coppicing
Coming up Roses
Part One: Climbers and Ramblers Gardeners love nothing more than dreaming of summer in the middle of winter – it’s a delightful antidote to a cold, dreary day. And counterintuitive as it seems, now’s the perfect moment to think about which roses will be the stars of your garden later in the year. Roses are… Continue reading Coming up Roses
Italian-style Brussels & Parmesan slaw
The perfect recipe to use up those extra sprouts and nuts left over from Christmas There’s not a great deal happening in the veg patch in January. In my small plot I can usually find a few winter salad leaves, and maybe the first sprouting broccoli starting to shoot. You might have roots such as… Continue reading Italian-style Brussels & Parmesan slaw
National Tree Week 2022
National Tree Week 2022 will take place from 26 November – 4 December 2022. Trees are the true heroes of nature. They sustain wildlife, create oxygen, purify our air, are the lungs of our planet and are extraordinarily beautiful. Ashridge is pleased to support National Tree Week – a moment to celebrate our trees, and… Continue reading National Tree Week 2022
Planting a quince tree…
“They dined on mince, and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon;…” What other reason could there possibly be for planting a quince tree? Well, there are a few: Now is time to harvest your quinces, and Julian, proprietor at Ashridge, has just gathered his first crop of Serbian Gold (pictured). We… Continue reading Planting a quince tree…
An Apple A Day…
It’s National Apple Day tomorrow (21st October 2022) Thoreau called it “surely the noblest of fruits”; it has been prized the world over for thousands of years; it inspired scientific thought for Isaac Newton; was, crucially, irresistible in the story of Adam and Eve; became a symbol of political and individual freedom after William Tell… Continue reading An Apple A Day…
Home-made toffee apples
It’s that time of year when the trees are heavy with apples, ready to be picked and eaten! My family always enjoy a good old toffee apple during carnival season. They’re always being sold during the procession, so it seams rude not to have one. However, nothing beats making and enjoying your own home-made toffee… Continue reading Home-made toffee apples
No-bake Blueberry Cheesecake
If you have plenty of blueberries to spare from this year’s harvest, here’s a wonderful recipe that’s tasty, elegant, and offers an easy pudding alternative. You can also use other soft fruit substitutes other than blueberries such as raspberrries & strawberries Ingredients 250g digestive biscuit crumbs (use a food processor to whizz them up) 100g… Continue reading No-bake Blueberry Cheesecake
Strawberry Daiquiri
It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy this fruity drink in the sunshine. If you grow your own strawberries, you may find yourself with an abundance of them, some of which may be a little overripe. A strawberry daiquiri is perfect for using up your excess crop. Strawberry daiquiri’s are typically made with ice,… Continue reading Strawberry Daiquiri