I want to show you a few foods and flowers that are growing in our biodiverse, fairly wild, organic garden. It really is a blessing to be able to grow your own and in the almost thirteen years that we have lived here, we have not imported any soils for raised beds etc … all … Continue reading Sustainability Starts With Love
Organics
A Favourite Rugosa Rose
One of my most favourite fragrances in our organic country garden, is captured exquisitely in the Rugosa rose “Roseraie de l'Hay”. I love to dry these, too, for pot pourri. It is important to take moments to “stop and smell the roses”, something I absolutely love to do. What do you love? Mindfully, Holly x … Continue reading A Favourite Rugosa Rose
The Whites Of The Garden
The whites are coming … There are two types of white-flowering rambling rose in our garden and they’re popping open this week. For the glorious purity and grace of the moment, we also have white “mock orange” and some other white plants in bloom at the moment. The white lupins and white viola are amongst … Continue reading The Whites Of The Garden
Vegetable Garden Musings on Earth Day 2021
Organic is best! Today is Earth Day. Yesterday I planted out the roots of parsley, from a supermarket pot of many stems, into the bed that my son had spread compost onto, before he returned to University a couple of weeks ago. The lupin nearby will be making the soil rich with nitrogen. The rhubarb … Continue reading Vegetable Garden Musings on Earth Day 2021
A Little Bread Story
Do you love to create 'food for the soul'? Here's a little 'story' written a few days ago. There is nothing nothing nothing like the joy of creating real bread. This. Sourdough, mild and flavoursome, no nasties, no machines, just pure and utterly alive, all the deliciousness. I started developing this loaf a few days … Continue reading A Little Bread Story
What Would Jesus Do ~ Revised
Have you ever wondered ... What Would Jesus Do? This is the revised version of a post published at The Holly Tree Tales on 30 April 2015. * In my quietest moments, and sometimes even in the midst of a current or a raging storm, I wonder to myself “What would Jesus do?” Over … Continue reading What Would Jesus Do ~ Revised
Papery Bark
The papery bark of Betula Utilis Jacqmontii is so beaUtiful, I almost feel that it should be written on. This glory grows metres away from where I tap my wordy keyboard. It and a few matching companions are silvery birches that I have contributed to the "God's Acre" that we live on in the UK. … Continue reading Papery Bark
Carrots At The Tail End Of Winter – A Repeat
Prompted this week by WordPress to write about "Orange", I thought that I would skip that prompter to write and moved on ... only to then receive a lovely note from an avid new Reader of the blog, saying how much she had learnt from and enjoyed reading the post "Carrots At The Tail … Continue reading Carrots At The Tail End Of Winter – A Repeat
Treats And Truths Of Country Living
Our peaches are ripening! The bumblebees, and a little hand pollinating by feather, have done the trick. An exciting time in the rickety greenhouse on our organic acre in Berwickshire, UK. These are the treats of country living that are hard to beat, a blessing so much appreciated, especially when one pays such a high … Continue reading Treats And Truths Of Country Living
Autumn’s Artichoke
There is something very satisfying, even decadent, about being able to settle down to a solo lunch of home grown artichoke. What a luxury! Somehow, with this being the last artichoke of the season in our garden, there was a special tang of just (yet mingled with guilt for not sharing) reward about the perfect … Continue reading Autumn’s Artichoke
The Holly Tree Tales 