Spring is here, even if the calendar insists it is not. Most of the trees are budding, the peonies are sending deep red phallic spears into the air, the bulbs are up, if not yet all out (although the hyacinth have been blooming for weeks now). The peach trees have been sprayed against leaf curl [...]

Which means, I have some time for the blog, sadly neglected. It has been a busy few months as I have had to finish a book, as well spend what time I can in the garden.

I am mostly fairly well right now, with the occasional bad patch, which are bearable enough.

But to business, the garden. [...]

I have been here - I have just been working. Last week I emailed off my latest book to my editor at HarperCollins, Steph Smith, and now I can get back to the garden.

The book, The Devil’s Diadem, has been a life saver. It has given me something to do each day, something to [...]

Today I did something tremendously unusual. I went to visit a professional who attended to my bodily needs - and this visit did not involve any pain, it did not involve any needles, it did not involve anyone saying, “Just a little prick!” and then hurting me horribly, it did not involve any IVs or [...]

By produce. This is the basket of capsicums I just hauled in. Four bushes, none taller than 18 inches high, and they deliver such a bounty. I don’t know whether to freeze or bottle … need to check my books. This weekend I have mashed and frozen a huge pumpkin, a hundredweight of potato (so [...]