Author: Olivia Drake

After weeks of sunshine I’m not quite sure why I visited the Dobies plant nursery on the first rainy day, but I did. Did I say rain? It was more…

Some plants seem to be like marmite but I didn’t think that the fuchsia fell into that category. It seems that perhaps they do. Yesterday I visited nursery and was…

Much as we chicken keepers enjoy the summer months the warmer weather is not without its problems. Possibly the biggest and most irritating, to hens and their humans, is the…

A recent “what’s your favourite month” poll amongst a few friends confirmed May as the clear winner. Flowers blooming, birds singing, bees buzzing, etc were all given as reasons. But…

One good turn deserves another and bumblebees are very aware of this proverb. Encourage bumblebees to your garden and they will help to pollinate your plants, resulting in better crops.

This week a copy of the 1975 Dobies Seed catalogue landed on my desk. Found by someone clearing the home of a sadly deceased relative. Much of our archive material…

Cherry Tomatoes are the tiny, sometimes grape-sized, tomatoes much loved by adults and children alike. They tend to be sweeter than other types and are suitable for adding whole to…

When Is a Nut Not a Nut? When It’s a Tiger Nut! Despite containing the word nut in its name, Tiger Nuts are not actually nuts but rather the tubers…

Rob Smith’s Heritage Veg Plant Range is bigger and better than ever. Perennial favourites remain but Rob has unearthed some exciting new/old varieties to include.

Back in 2015 we launched a revolution in blight resistant tomatoes – Crimson Crush. Many allotment holders and gardeners had long since stopped growing outdoor tomatoes due to the disappointment…