A journal of our growing adventures in a newbuild kitchen garden on the East Coast of Scotland.
This year, our biggest project has been creating a small outdoor craft space—a cosy retreat right in our garden. After plenty of research, we decided on the 12×6 Pent Summerhouse from PowerSheds. To make sure it’s comfortable year-round, my husband and father-in-law spent some time insulating it. We used insulation from B&Q, lined it with …
Within my small garden we are always a bit tight for space. I’ve tried growing my potatoes in the ground but I find them to be equally productive in containers so it’s an easy way for me to ensure that I can grow more of the things that I love. A few things to bear …
Kate Foster’s new novel ‘The Mourning Necklace’ was an excellent way to start my February reading. Set in 1724, we follow Maggie Dickson, a woman who has been hanged for the murder of her newborn baby. We are plunged into the action from the outset as Maggie awakens in her coffin within the opening pages …
Tracy Chevalier’s The Glassmaker is a beautifully crafted story about the power of art, the fluidity of time and the ache of an unfulfilled love. It had me hooked from the prologue, which was so beautifully written that I immediately gushed about it to everyone who would listen. Time doesn’t move as expected in this novel. …
Ferdia Lennon’s Glorious Exploits caught me off guard, which rarely happens. What starts as a story about two friends trying to survive the humdrum in war-torn Syracuse, quickly becomes a journey that feels epic in nature. Despite only being 288 pages long, the novel is crammed full of sharp humor, brutal honesty and a deep love for storytelling. …
A haunting and evocative exploration of sisterhood intertwined with the power and mystery of the sea. The Sirens weaves together differing perspectives and timelines, slowly unraveling the threads of each story with a captivating sense of inevitability. Some aspects of the plot surprised me and kept me engaged; however, I would say that the pacing …
Pat Barker’s latest novel, *The Voyage Home*, is a compelling continuation of her acclaimed “Women of Troy” series. This third novel is focused on the character of Cassandra, the Trojan prophetess cursed to never be believed, and her maid Ritsa as they are taken away from Troy by the victorious Greeks. The novel explores themes …
Partly fuelled by a desire to make better environmental choices (fewer plastic-wrapped bags of compost and making use of our, albeit limited, household food waste) and partly for economic reasons (we spend A LOT of money on compost each year as we top up our no dig beds), we decided to find a way to …
‘The Pull of the Stars’ by Emma Donoghue is set in 1918 as the end of the First World War is in sight. Although it does deal with many aspects of the war – the trauma of the front lines as well as the tragedies suffered on the home front – the novel is primarily focused …
As you probably already know, the presence of pollinators in our gardens – whether we grow our own fruit and vegetables or not – is crucial for the success of our plants and for the planet. There are lots of ways to draw pollinators into your space but the best, in my experience, is lavender. …