If it weren’t for the fact that I’m a gardener who enjoys working outside, getting dirt under their fingernails and muddy wellies, I’d be taking care of people’s house plants. Now that most 20-30-somethings live in high-rise glass boxes, with no access to an outside garden except perhaps for a balcony, a whole new job market…

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This is the month I resist as best l can, the urge to do anything in the garden other than to sit back and enjoy the year’s labours. Of course, I’ll water if and when needed but otherwise, it’s put down the tools and step away. All other jobs will simply have to wait till…

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And come July there was certainly plenty of it, so much so that I thought best down tools and take the week off. I took the opportunity to stay dry in and amongst the art galleries and exhibitions in town. Working through a bit of rain isn’t a problem, it’s actually quite invigorating (swimming in…

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Sadly, I lost a client to cancer this week, she’d fought successfully for 7 years but eventually scummed to it. I was both touched and amused to hear that before she died, she gave strict instructions to her husband: ‘Tell Frances to keep those damn buttercups down and look after the white roses, oh and…

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If I were to do a poll, I’d put my money on May being the favourite month of the year, quickly followed by August. Things are popping up in the garden quicker than I can drop a trowel, the weeds are popping up even quicker. I see the RHS has recently classified weeds as eh……

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Well, it’s certainly an interesting look I’ll give you that, but that’s the best that can be said of it. With such a huge palate of colours to choose from, from primary to every hue between, it’s possible to fine-tune a garden to just about any colour combination your heart desires. Some folk want to…

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Hands up those whose favourite season of the year is Spring… that’s a big show of hands. Right then, I know it’s still a bit chilly but it’s time to stop drooling over those seed catalogues and get back out there. Things may look rather dormant in the garden (it’s busy underneath), but the trick…

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It’s difficult isn’t it, looking out on one’s garden and seeing all those scrawny, wilted yellowing leaves in pots, borders and lawns, trying to resist the urge to run out there and cut them all back. But resist you must… because if you don’t you’ll be denying your daffs the essential food and energy they’re…

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There’s an old saying, ‘The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is now. It’s easy to procrastinate, especially in winter when the weather’s bitter cold, the ground is hard and daylight hours are few. Still, it’s a good time for browsing through seed catalogues, pondering new ideas…

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