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2020 Garden Plans & 5 Growing Tips for Beginners

IN THE GARDEN

31 Mar

Mid March – Starting work on the new potager

Well, that had to be one of the slowest, yet fastest and most surreal months on record. I don’t even know what to say about it and I’m sure you’ve been overdosed on news and information, so I’m going to go straight to gardening. It really has never been a better time to garden. I am so thankful for mine and the opportunity to contribute to the food needs of my family and friends. And that is my plan for the year; to grow enough fruit and vegetables to be able share with my nearest and dearest first, then to help out my neighbours if I can dependent on the size and success of the harvests. The whole process of planning the garden, starting projects and seeds has given me a renewed sense of focus, which has been very welcome especially during the first week of major uncertainty, when everything in our world was up in the air. It’s also been a great help in filling out our new daily routines as a family. The kids have each chosen a crop to grow from sowing the seeds to harvesting, and will keep a journal as they go.

(2018 Garden Plan / 2019 Garden Plan)

So onto this years plans. I got my grid paper and colouring pencils back out this year, to help me immortalise my plans on paper. I can barely draw, but I absolutely love putting pen to paper and making colourful if not rudimentary drawings of my garden spaces. That brings me to my first tip for the beginner gardener, make a plan of what you’re growing and where you’re going to grow it. Especially if you have dedicated raised beds or borders for growing veg year after year. Its a good idea to keep a plan so that you can refer back to it especially so you can practice good crop rotation. You can learn more about crop rotation here. Its also a good idea to make sure you’ll be able to fit all of your crops in your garden. Believe me its easy to get carried a way sowing seeds then realise you have no where left to plant them out!

A major project of mine this year, is the new potager garden, the space directly on the other side of the kitchen garden. This project has been at the back of my mind since the end of last summer. I dream of a whimsical space to grow flowers and vegetables together, with an archway and cottage style gate at the entrance to create yet another garden room. The space is around 14m x 9m and on a slope. It takes the brunt of the south westerly winds hence planting a hedge is high on the priority list this year.

marking out beds
end of day one

end of day two
digging phase complete

In terms of growing, I’ll be bulking up on staple items, foods that we use daily: potatoes, onions, green and root veg. And that would be my second tip to a beginner grower. It may sound obvious but only grow what you are likely to eat. Growing a lot of exciting ‘new to you’ veggies is all good and well, but if they don’t end up on your plate you’re just taking up unnecessary growing space.

End of March – The greenhouse

I have started off most of the seeds needed for this year. The more tender/ fast growing crops will be started off in the next week. Our last frost date here in the Scottish Borders is around the 2nd week of May, so I aim to start off seeds around 4-6 weeks before our frost date. I should then have healthy, strong plug plants to transplant outdoors once the risk of frost passes. And that my friends was tip number 3. Learn when your last frost date is. You can input your town into this website and it will tell you when you last frost date is roughly and when you should be starting off seeds! How helpful is that?!

tomatoes under grow lights

With a sharp increase of people wishing to grow their own in the last month, you can imagine the demand for seeds and all things growing related has surged dramatically. The online seed suppliers that I generally use (Marshalls, Thompson & Morgan, Quickcrop) are still supplying and restocking, but expect lengthy delays in delivery. So specific to this situation, tip number 4 is to check for seeds and sowing compost whilst you’re doing the food shopping. I’ve found a lot of supermarkets have seed stands at the end of an aisle and a few piles of bagged compost at the entrance. This is a great way to get started, especially if you are focusing on container growing, as this will reduce the amount of compost needed to get you going. You can also save seeds from market bought veg you already have at home, harvesting seeds from tomatoes, squashes, chilli and pepper seeds on hand is a cheap way to begin.

My last tip for beginner gardeners is to do your research. There are some fabulous growers out there, that give advice every step of the way. I still watch garden videos daily for inspiration and advice from getting a tough seed to germinate to garden design. My go-to Youtubers are Laura and Aaron from Garden Answer, Katie from Lavender and Leeks, and Claire from Claires Allotment

the windbreaker /hobbit hill

Excluding the new potager garden, kitchen garden, and what I’ll be growing in the greenhouse, the rest of my plans for the garden are mostly come what may. Andrew started work on creating a windbreak for the fire pit area, so he will no doubt be building a permanent fire pit fixture using stones already on hand at some point. We’ve been talking about a tree house and new steps built into the slope leading up to the back garden, but that all depends on the supplies we have on hand.

In the midst of everything going on in the world I hope to spend a lot of quality time hanging out with the family, teaching my kids practical things that often slip by in the business of our usual routines. I saw this poem on social media recently and it sums up what I hope this experience means for my family.

“And the people stayed home.

And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still.

And listened more deeply.

Some meditated, some prayed, some danced.

Some met their shadows.

And the people began to think differently.

And the people healed.

And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.

And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.”

Kitty O’Meara

Stay safe at home or in your garden x

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This years wreath is a far more laidback affair wi This years wreath is a far more laidback affair with a mix of greenery and a velvet bow. It smells amazing! This should last well through December with all the moisture we have. The bell was updated to an antique brass colour using rub and buff, albeit sparingly! The other two bells will be added to the front door topiary, when I get round to decorating the front step. There’s enough greenery left for a second wreath which I think will be even more rustic with cones and teasel. What do you think about off centre bows? 🔔🎄🎀💛❄️

#wreathmaking #winterwreath #festiveprojects #homemadechristmas
Good morning December ✨ Good morning December ✨
Good morning from a winter wonderland ❄️⛄️ Good morning from a winter wonderland ❄️⛄️ Tonight’s Christmas market should be interesting in this weather 🤔🥶 

#snowday #firstsnow #winterwonderland #inmygardentoday
Christmas incoming… #goodbyeautumn #festiveseas Christmas incoming…

#goodbyeautumn #festiveseason #christmasdecor
Not visible to the naked eye but through a camera Not visible to the naked eye but through a camera lens the magic appeared. My first time ‘seeing’ the northern lights and just wow! 😍

#auroraborealis #northenlights
I’ve just spent a lovely half hour in the shed p I’ve just spent a lovely half hour in the shed potting up the amaryllis bulbs I shared on stories the other day. I picked up some muted grey pots from @dobbiesgardencentres which were a couple of pounds each and make a nice change from my usual terracotta. The moss and cones were foraged from the garden. I doubt they’ll be blooming for Christmas but they’ll certainly add some much needed colour to January. The urn in the 3rd image is next with either hyacinths or paper whites I think! 🤔 I love the little moments that pop up throughout the winter and festive season where I can get lost in making little & big things to make my home more inviting over the winter season. 3D paper stars and a huge wreath are next on my list. Do you get crafty at this time of year? ✨

#foraged #festivedecor #craftychristmas #intheshed #shed #gardenstories #amaryllis
Feeling thankful for another year of life and what Feeling thankful for another year of life and what a year it’s been! From writing a book to TV presenting, and now my own magazine column, and @greenfieldstitchery too. It’s kinda mind blowing to read that back in a sentence! My mind like most I’m sure is feeling pretty overwhelmed with everything going on in the world right now so I’m heading off for some quiet living and lots of therapeutic sewing over the next few weeks. Anyway swipe for a snap of Coco ready for her close up! Happy Wednesday folks! 🥰🤯🎂🥳 

PR/Gifted - Gilet @troylondonuk 

#itsmybirthday #troytribe #growingatgreenfields #bootroom #bootroomideas
How about you? 🍁 #autumninscotland #gardenvie How about you? 🍁 

#autumninscotland #gardenviews #countrygarden #scottishgarden #fallvibes #fallcolors #autumn #autumnal
The lighter caption Autumn sowing in my happy pl The lighter caption 

Autumn sowing in my happy place. I’ve started off a good amount of flower seeds in the past couple of weeks: ammi v., sweet peas, cornflowers, echinops, and nigella to name a few. I also lifted sprouting ranunculus corms from raised beds and potted them up to live in the greenhouse over winter. All a first for me. I normally sow/ plant garlic, onions, maybe broad beans and call it done. So this is fun! Do you autumn sow? What’s your must sow flower or vegetable at this time of year? 🌸

The heavier version - optional

I’ve felt a pull to stay in a gardening frame of mind a lot this autumn. I can only put it down to a need to escape what feels like a world gone mad. I don’t usually do any autumn sowing but a full shed of seedlings later, and that positive pull towards the future that only growing something / anything can give has reappeared. It’s helped me through the worst of times, along with deep breaths to ease the ever present knot in my stomach, and counting my blessings. I can only hope that the future I’m sowing for is far brighter than the present. 💛

#autumnsowing #gardentherapy #nurturewithnature #shed #gardeningscotland #sowingseeds
Happiness in a jug, shared with anyone who needs i Happiness in a jug, shared with anyone who needs it today 💛🌸🌿

#floral #dahlia #dahliasofinstagram #floralflorish #gardenjoy #dahliaseason #fromthegarden
The first zero temps are predicted for tonight, so The first zero temps are predicted for tonight, so I popped out and snipped as many dahlias as I could carry. The sun was shining and the air was still, the perfect end to the growing season. I wish you a peaceful evening. 💛

#dahliaseason #floralflorish #scottishgardens #gardenscotland #gardeninspirationspotlight #dahlia #flowers
Will Andrew help me build a chicken coop this wint Will Andrew help me build a chicken coop this winter, that is the question…🤔🐓🫣🌽 

#gardeningfail #scottishgarden #gardenadventures #cornharvest #barbourwayoflife #barbourjacket
It’s 5 months today since my book, Growing at Gr It’s 5 months today since my book, Growing at Greenfields was published, so I thought it would be fun to share a few unseen images of the potager garden taken by the talented Zöe Barrie. We were blessed with bright sunny days and the most glorious light on every shoot day. Can you imagine if that had been this year?!🫣😅 Dahlias in the potager must be repeated I think.💛🌿

#growinatgreenfields #floralflorish #potager #dahlias #dahliaseason #potagergarden #gardeninspirationspotlight #gardendesign #green
If you need me I’ll be here with my tea and drie If you need me I’ll be here with my tea and dried flowers 🍁

#wreathmaking #pottingshed #dappledlight #autumnvibes #intheshed #cottagecore #driedflowers #autumnmood #fallvibes
Scenes from yesterday when the garden was bathed i Scenes from yesterday when the garden was bathed in a magical golden glow that only autumn brings. Happy new week. 💛🍂

#mygarden #gardenjoy #scottishgarden #autumnglow #fallvibes #dappledlight #countrygarden #autumninthegarden
Where most of my dahlias have hobbled along this y Where most of my dahlias have hobbled along this year, ‘Perch Hill’ dahlia has thrived despite the poor weather. She not only overwintered well in the ground, but has grown to a metre wide by 1.7 metres tall, single-handedly saving dahlia season from being a complete wash out. I plan to carefully lift, store over winter, then divide the tuber next spring. I’ll also be crossing my fingers because anything can happen with dahlias! Do you have a favourite this year? 🌸🌿

#dahliaseason #dahlia #perchhill #floralflorish #gardeninspiration #gardenflowers #dahlias #dahliasofinstagram #dahliaflower @sarahravenperchhill
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