Author Archives: Ruth Paris

Who knew such a thing was possible?! As age suggests that waiting years for saplings to grow would be a bad idea, here it is – a 2 metre high hornbeam hedge! Plus trees planted: hawthorn ‘Paul’s Scarlet”, multi-stemmed katsura … Continue reading →

Some time ago, on a gardening TV programme, I learned that there is a rose dedicated to Lady MacRobert. She suffered the tragic loss of all three sons in RAF service during WW2 and subsequently commissioned a Stirling bomber which … Continue reading →

I have no idea how this rose came to implant itself high on the wall, with no apparent source of nutrition, but here it is. With no evident relation in the garden, it even managed to be the perfect colour … Continue reading →

It’s been a testing process but the stable conversion is now nearly finished; final electrics and plumbing should be completed this week… everthing has been difficult in the relentless rain and mud that has prevailed. It will be a happy … Continue reading →

Work has now started on the stable development, hampered by the annoying discovery that the existing drain is no longer viable. But the outside has been repointed and the steps to the upper garden are nearly finished. Adjoining the glasshouse … Continue reading →

Bank Holiday Monday’s efforts – removing a LOT of stones from the newly created planting bed in the glasshouse base. Then the satisfying job of adding compost lugged from my precious heap in Hampshire (sadly depleted as one of the … Continue reading →

The glasshouse brick (half reclaimed to match old walls…) base is now complete. Digger still sifting out huge pile of debris to be broken into hardcore but also a good amount of topsoil emerging from the chaos. If you look … Continue reading →

After much drama entailing the delivery of massive steel beams and two lorry loads of cement being wheelbarrowed down the lane by a procession of 6 men (one of whom fell in and had to be rescued!), the foundations for … Continue reading →

With all the chaos of the land clearing and digging, I had abandoned all thoughts of any harvest this year. But the ancient fig tree was quietly doing its thing in the background…

All my life I have dreamed of having a victorian style glasshouse and having the space for one was a big factor in moving here. The process towards its realisation continues to be wearisome (planning permission…), expensive (landscaping/ground works) and … Continue reading →

Well, a lot has happened. Moved (after 40 years!) from a medieval house in a Hampshire village to my late parents’ C17th town house in Stamford. Builders, walls knocked down, dust, chaos, consolidating two entire households into one – charity … Continue reading →

Doing some much-needed weeding, I unearthed some unexpected and still perfect Orla potatoes which, alongside a kuri squash and the first reddened Sigaretta di Bergamo, will make a lush supper – with bay leaf, garlic and thyme also from the … Continue reading →

Three types of courgette, rose de roskoff onions, garlic and waxy Orla potatoes – chop, add bay + lemon + rosemary & lots of olive oil with a splash of water, season, mix, put lid on and simmer for about … Continue reading →