The 'slash and burn' approach to gardening.

After my enforced lay-off last year, I realised the garden could cope without micro-management and besides, natural wildlife havens are all the rage these days. But now it is looking extremely ragged around the edges, as ivy and laurel continue to rival Japanese knotweed as my most successful plants. So it's out with the secateurs and loppers before the avian estate agents advertise my garden on Twitter!

Marmalade Days

It's that time of year again when the kitchen rings with the sound of knives sharpening and the house is suffused with the smell of oranges. Fortuitous too because the central heating has been on the blink so at least the kitchen has been warm and cosy as the cauldron bubbles away. Apologies for that rather tortuous sentence construction - there is something wrong with it but I can't for the life of me see what. The low temperatures are rendering my thought processes sluggish. Hopefully they'll have a similar effect on the reproduction rate of the garden pests ( see previous posting).

I've seen various questions posed, over the years, about the best gadget for slicing citrus peel. No doubt big business has the appropriate gizmo but I find a sharp knife does the best job. Try it, and you too can seize up with assorted aches and pains! 

Despite still sniffling with my first cold in nearly 2 years, the ridiculously spring-like weather drew me to the garden and the raking of the fallen leaves ...... and when you've got an oak tree as large as I have then that's a lot of leaves. It also gave me a opportunity to check the lawn mower was still working as I use it for shredding; the theory being that the leaves rot down quicker for mulching.

This time last year I was counting the number of so-called hardy perennials that had succumbed in the arctic conditions. This year, thanks to a mere handful of frosty nights (so far), I've got forget-me-nots in bloom since before Christmas, the crocus are beginning to open out and I just know that the slugs and snails are girding their loins ready to devour anything green and succulent that I want to keep. Why don't they like dandelions??

Thanks to my enforced break, literally, from the business and garden, I'm going to have a lot of catching up to do when the bones in my ankle have finally knitted. From what I can see of the jungle out there, everything seems to be growing just fine without my tender ministrations and, no doubt, the slugs are having a high old time. I'm hoping the present inclement weather will hold back the goose- and strawberries till I'm walking again and I managed to see to the rhubarb when still hobbling, whilst hoping I'd only sprained the ankle! So there's plenty of chutney with dates; and jam, with or without ginger. I've missed a couple of markets and the next one could prove logistically challenging...picturesque cobbles (lethal in wet weather) and no disabled access.

Red Onion Relish

My Red Onion Relish started life as a 'marmalade'.....just like the recipe said; until Trading Standards stepped in and said it was misleading. People might be tempted to put it on their toast for breakfast and besides, it had to be made with citrus fruit. Actually, mine does have orange juice and zest in, and the advantage of direct sales at markets means I can answer queries as they arise. So what, I'm asked, does it go with? Well, pates and terrines for starters or perhaps soft white cheeses like baked brie or camembert. Add some warm crusty bread and a glass or two of cool Chablis.... job done!

Four Seasons Pantry

I'm still finding dead bodies in the garden i.e. young plants which didn't make it through the winter; such as some (so-called) hardy fuchsias and a couple of dahlias I didn't dig up in time before the arctic blasts arrived. Various ancient clay pots which belonged to my parents will also have to be recycled as drainage crocks, having crumbled with the frosts. Why is it that plants you wouldn't mind seeing thinned out a bit, like crocosmias and dandelions, soldier on come what may.

The rodent population has also suffered a drop in numbers; I've found 2 dead mice by the cold-frame in the last week, without a mark on them. Either my hound of death has scared the living daylights out of them or nibbling my sprouting scabious disagreed with them, fatally.

For most people, the first signs of spring are to be seen in the garden as buds and shoots struggle to escape the icy grip of winter. But I like to think the arrival of the Seville oranges in mid-January pips them (sorry!) at the post. A few months earlier and the combination of orange with cinnamon and cloves conjures up cosy images of roaring log fires, long winter nights and other such cliches. Whereas now, the sharp citrus smell stimulates the senses and galvanises me into action....OK, slight exaggeration...but it's marmalade-making time and I have been slicing pounds and pounds of fruit. I've got 5 main varieties in production; Traditional, Dark Chunky, Ginger, Rich Whisky and Apricot with Orange...so there's something to suit everyone.