Author Archives: offtheedgegardening

Rogues and Roses

Bill and Ben’s garden was well planted, albeit several decades ago.  To paraphrase Tennyson, it is “red in tooth and thorn” out there in the horticultural world.  And we are talking about plants not the gardeners!  Unchecked, interlopers invade, the vigorous stifle the slow-growing and the neglected grow unkept.  I have been clearing an areaContinue reading “Rogues and Roses”

Harvest Time

Exciting times.  Today, the inaugural saffron harvest was undertaken at Chez Nous.  There was no  need to employ seasonal staff to help with the workload.  We took full responsibility for the task at hand.  Three beautiful stamen are now drying in their own tiny Tupperware box, nestled on some plumped up kitchen paper, for theirContinue reading “Harvest Time”

Six on Saturday – Sunny

The weeks are shepherding us towards winter, a time when finding suitable subjects for Six on Saturday becomes increasingly difficult.  The Lord of the Prop, whose mighty hand rules us SoSers, has followers from all corners of the earth and beyond.  For some of us spring is just getting into its stride, whilst for othersContinue reading “Six on Saturday – Sunny”

Colour

I don’t know if it is the autumn sun accentuating the vibrancy of the garden, or perhaps my new medication, but at the moment I am slightly obsessed with colour combinations.   Looking from each and every angle, however unlikely and impossible for anyone who is not allowed to stomp around the borders, and exclaiming “haveContinue reading “Colour”

So Much More

Gardening is so much more than being able to identify a tree or know which way a plant goes in the ground.   Stating the bleeding obvious?  Perhaps. After lunch today Lady Mantle whisked me off to visit a local garden, ostensively to admire some autumn colour.  Which is exactly what we did.  The on-cue afternoonContinue reading “So Much More”

Coconut Ice

There is still a lot going on in Nancy Nightingale’s garden.  Obviously there is the singing, dancing and a little rough housing, but also there are dahlias, rudbeckia, cosmos and calendula.  Although past their best, looking a little windblown and tatty around the edges, they still contain enough vibrancy to restrain the tidy instinct thatContinue reading “Coconut Ice”

Six on Saturday – A Challenge

When I switched my phone on this morning the first thing I saw was a message from my sister-in-law “have you two tied yourselves to the house?”.  Curious.  And then it dawned on me, the news of our very own cuddly Storm Callum had reached the Netherlands.  For your information we are managing to stayContinue reading “Six on Saturday – A Challenge”