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is so extremely laid back and relaxed.In this garden there isn't much really urgent work that needs to be done. Many plants have done their bit and are just hanging around waiting for the winter; those that are still flowering do so with an admirable air

to be done. Spring is a bit like a rollercoaster: you get very slowly winched up through the long days of winter until you teeter on the top. Then suddenly it is downhill rush as everything starts sprouting and growing and flowering and, unless you

blackberries into large colanders.I say all this wistfully, because I still haven't found a good jam-making blackberry that I want to plant on the plot. An allotment friend has kindly given me a rooted cutting of 'Black Butte', but I note from the details

of the plants produced flower spikes, and these were immediately cut away at their base to stop them weakening the clumps.I did not cover these new plants with forcing jars, and won't pick any stems in this first full year. However, next spring I'll taste a few

grow to about 7-10cm long before cutting off and rooting in a glass of water. Pot them up, and you've got smashing young plants that will start flowering and fruiting in just a few weeks.And when it comes to fertilisers, many people are totally confused

be dark and droopy and rapidly on its way to becoming complete mush. There is no chance of any more flowers until next summer. So cut down your plants and dig up the conglomeration of dangling tubers you will find underground. Clean off as much of the wet

.  Whether it's a lily beetle, a courgette flower or a row of lettuces, his pictures have made me start to look at things more closely. If Paul can take beautiful pictures of my garden, what's stopping me?We own a very good, but rather bulky digital camera. I

of long grass around the edges of the lawn (which has no straight lines or clipped edges). I’m also far too soft with my frogs. When I cut down my tomato haulms the other week, I found five frogs snuggled together in the grow bag. I couldn’t bear to turf

.Some plants need moving, some need supporting, some need feeding, some need pruning. Many just need sowing.I need to cut the lawn (we don't have a mower so we do this on our hands and knees with shears.) Luckily it's full of dead patches so it shouldn't take

the plants will catch up, but I might not get a harvest until August. My spinach hasn't fared any better - that was eaten by snails.It's not all bad news. My tomatoes and chillies in pots are doing well and the cut-and-come-again lettuce leaves have already