offtheedgegardening

Whatever the Weather

To bore others is one thing, to bore yourself another. Bearing that in mind, I have decided to place a temporary embargo on any mention of the weather. Nothing at all. Not even in passing. Or as an afterthought. If a tornado sweeps me up and deposits me at the end of the yellow brickContinue reading “Whatever the Weather”

Alabama Slammer

Today I have been working on a piece for Devon Life magazine about Castle Hill Gardens. Sorting through the masses of photos I took last April of this enchanting Palladian House with its extensive landscape gardens, I came across this photo of Fothergilla major Monticola Group, sometimes known as the Alabama Witch Alder. This shrub,Continue reading “Alabama Slammer”

Hail Hurts and other lessons

Things I have learnt in the last week: 1. Longjohns are my new best friend, with my thermal vest a close runner up. 2. A good hat which doesn’t obscure vision or fall off and cosily covers the ears is imperative. 3. When the aforementioned hat falls into a muddy puddle and is put onContinue reading “Hail Hurts and other lessons”

Thunderbirds are Go!

I love tractors. The ones that tickle my fancy are not the modern, all singing and dancing behemoths, but the ancient spluttering, characterful ones. This beautiful Ford 4000 belongs to George’s Dad and proved yesterday that not only is it very handsome but it is also very useful. I believe it to be about theContinue reading “Thunderbirds are Go!”

Frazzled

Hard week, frazzled gardener, so pretty picture, few words, night, night.

Just Try and Stop Me!

Seeds want to germinate, that is what they are designed to do, it is their raison d’être, their goal in life, their purpose. There are not many decisions to be made in a seed’s life, it must either germinate or not germinate, just the two options and the first is preferable. There is, I suppose,Continue reading “Just Try and Stop Me!”

Chilly Gilly

Today was proper winter. Winter just like in story books. Not damp and dark, but raw and bright. After a frosty start, and the first windscreen scrape of the season, the sun rose blindingly. Where its magic wand touched the crusty ground it thawed, making is quite workable. Shaded plants glistened with stardust. Wearing moreContinue reading “Chilly Gilly”

Postcard from Home

This post is for L&L ensconced in an exotic paradise. I am convinced they are not missing us at all and so need to be reminded of all the wonderful things they are missing in Blighty. Reclining on beachside loungers sipping pina coladas, paragliding off forested mountainsides, swimming with dolphins in the balmy waters, hikingContinue reading “Postcard from Home”

Doomed

With cold weather on the way this frog spawn is more likely than not, as Private Fraser* would say, doomed. The frost will do its worst and it will disintegrate and disappear. However today the sight of this multi-eyed mass was a heart and toes warming sign of spring edging ever closer. As forContinue reading “Doomed”

Tree Following – The New Recruit

After much deliberation I have chosen a new tree to follow. For those of you who aren’t acquainted with Tree Following and think I am having another one of my funny turns, I will explain. This is a wonderful meme, institaged by Lucy at http://www.looseandleafy.blogspot.co.uk, and entails following a tree throughout the year, or forContinue reading “Tree Following – The New Recruit”