Blog Posts

As soon as the dark begins creeping in around 4 o’clock here in the Shires, there’s nothing we like more than to settle by the fire with a glass in one hand and a book in the other.  Whether you’re in need of an antidote to the Christmas rush, a book or two to provide a little…

Baked Orzo Bolognese Happy December! As the advent countdown begins, the children are high on chocolate and Christmas cheer, the adults are swimmy on Baileys and Christmas bonhomie and the dog is high on anything she can snaffle from under the table and an apparent liking for Michael Bublé Our thoughts begin to turn to…

Chicken and Mushroom Stroganoff As the nights draw in our minds naturally turn towards food for warmth and comfort. Salads be gone! Grilled food be banished! Warming, hearty, belly satisfying nourishment is required and what better than the second recipe in our new series: Chicken Stroganoff – creamy, smokey, heart warming deliciousness. Fancy enough for…

Rebecca and I are still crossing our legs after our brilliant conversation with Nina Stibbe for November’s Are You Sitting Comfortably.  Honestly, Nina has such a talent for comic timing and witty observations – one of the best comic voices in the book world.  Her diary of her year-long sabbatical from her life, Went to London,…

With Rose from Mum On Muddy Lane Please welcome my lovely friend Rose who creates the most delicious recipes from her cosy cottage in Cornwall. Over the next few weeks, Rose will be whipping up a variety of delicious simple winter warmer suppers, perfect for easy entertaining over the festive period or just snuggling up…

I am a homebody, there is no denying this fact, I love my cosy home and it takes a lot to make me leave it..apart from the school run/ dog walk/ yoga sessions and occasional brave venture to the local pub to meet up with friends (they make excellent chips). Yet the call of Laura…

Went to London, Took the Dog by Nina Stibbe Well, it’s officially that time of year when the call of the armchair with a little glass of something is the only way to spend an evening.  What better way to cheer up those rainy dark evenings than a side-splitting diary from one of the most…

Rebecca Fletcher’s Further Reading suggestions: ‘Art and love are all we leave behind’ – a beautiful line from The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy, debut novelist and this month’s guest for Are You Sitting Comfortably. The Porcelain Maker is such a bittersweet story of the enduring legacy and power of art and love to communicate…

60 years of The National Theatre! I have never known the South Bank without that crazy fabulous Brutalist building that inspired so much of my youth and childhood dreams of becoming an actor. When I was at university, we formed a theatre company called “The Smashing Theatre Company” (terrible youthfully exuberant name but we can’t…

They had me at “smell”: Whilst many people choose e-books these days, we’re sure you’ll agree that there is nothing better than the look, feel and smell of a physical book, whether you’re opening it for the first time, or pulling it off the bookshelf to devour for the twentieth time. The Beautiful Book Company…

I was lucky enough to be invited back to visit Perchill by my best friend in the whole wide world Sarah Raven. We hadn’t seen in each other in such a long time (the press event last year but she is a very busy lady) and I know we were both looking forward to the…

Summer reads are all about escaping into another world, whether you’re sitting on a sun lounger or snuggled up in an armchair. Here are our Are You Sitting Comfortably top reads – we’ve had our heads in a book to bring you the best of what’s on the shelves right now from a little magic…

Yes! Another exclusive massive best selling super famous extraordinary writer whose books I have devoured with extreme joy for many years…THE Santa Montefiore. Rebecca F and I will be interviewing her about her new book “Wait for Me” actually, in real life…well..real Instagram Live life! Our sponsors this month are the perfect pairing having just…

Don’t make me the mad woman in a too tiny “this still fits me and I wore this on my honeymoon” struggling bikini smashing noisy cricket bats together …who is…about to be…arrested by the police”… I faltered in my magpie abuse as a police car and van arrived outside my gate. In ten years I…

Can’t a gal (ok…old olden days lady) stalk through her garden in a very old bikini smacking cricket bats together without being arrested? “Don’t make me the mad woman in a too tiny ‘this still fits me and I wore this on my honeymoon’ struggling bikini smashing noisy cricket bats together …who is…about to be…arrested…

Ne’er cast a clout ‘til May be out It’s raining, it’s 11 degrees and I regretted my clout casting on my dog walk this morning…but the burgeoning hedgerows, the slightly flattened cow parsley and the appearance of a peony bud after 8 years of trying to grow peonies has inspired me to take fingers to…

I’ve been thinking about time slip novels ever since April’s AYSC exclusive with the lovely Kate Morton. It was wonderful to explore Kate’s fascination with having one foot in the past and one in the present as she weaves her intricate stories which we know you all love as we’ve been inundated with messages. I…

Much excitement at Are You Sitting Comfortably HQ this month as we interrupt our normal transmission to bring you an Easter exclusive from an incredible Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author. In fact, it’s so special that we’ll be crossing live on Instagram to Australia to chat to none other than Kate Morton,…

Delicious Death indeed. Well, Are You Sitting Comfortably sleuths, what a wonderful evening was had chatting to modern day Queen of Crime, Janice Hallett. So much insight into Janice’s writing process, the true crime stories that have inspired her and how the real work begins once she’s completed her first draft. It’s no wonder she’s…

It has been a whole entire year of Are You Sitting Comfortably? so to celebrate Rebecca and I have returned to our natural home – crime…ok, we don’t quite fit the profile for gangsta criminals but we do love a ruddy good mystery and wanted to return to where AYSC began: with a good old…

Smith and Munson Mother’s Day collections   It was wonderful to chat to our guest author, Georgina Moore, about her debut novel, The Garnett Girls. Four women all on a quest to explore what love really means to them and make peace with their past and present – I loved how this novel explored each…

Rebecca F sent me the most exquisite tulips last year and I have never forgotten them. With tulip fever dreams already blooming around us I knew that this fifth generation British company were the perfect sponsors for this month’s subject of Family. Smith and Munson were founded in 1949 in South Lincolnshire and are now…

A Book Bundle of Joy for Christmas and beyond by Rebecca Fletcher Some years ago, I was writing a magazine feature about Christmas when I came across an Icelandic tradition which struck me as the perfect festive pastime.  Deciding there and then that the closest I might get to visiting Iceland any time soon was prizing open the heavily…

I don’t know about you but I found that there was definitely food for thought this month with our theme of Reputation.  From the devilish deliciousness of Becky Sharpe from Thackeray’s Vanity Fair and Sarah Vaughan’s brilliant female characters in her latest thriller, Reputation, to a wonderful cast of women of many talents, skills and much courage in…

What an absolute corker of a month! Three extraordinary books dealing with super strong female characters. We will be interviewing the super famous Sarah Vaughan about her latest novel (also about to be made into a tv series like her previous book “Anatomy of A Scandal”) as well as looking at Kate Mosse’s latest book…

  What a live this week. What more could you ask for when the rain is lashing down than an evening of books and wine? Plenty of rooms with a view too with SJ Axelby’s beautiful ode to room portraiture in her collection of illustrations and vignettes into designers’ living spaces, Interior Portraits: An Artist’s…

Yikes! This is a doozie of a month, I truly hope you are sitting comfortably and may I suggest grabbing one of these truly scrumptious cans of beauty, sipping at this delicious English fizz and diving into a world of new beginnings with the one and only wine lady extraordinaire @knackeredmother aka Helen McGinn and…

By Rebecca Fletcher What a bookish September we’ve had to open a new series of Are You Sitting Comfortably. I’ve found myself pouring over blurbs on the back of books thanks to our lovely guest Louise Willder and her witty exploration of the dark arts of persuasion and blurb writing in Blurb Your Enthusiasm. It’s…

Earlier this year I was contacted by the Sarah Raven team: would I like to work with them? I pulled on my wellies, added a smudge of soil to my cheek and asked what time I should arrive. They sweetly explained that they were more hoping for my expertise with regards to styling and writing…

Hello! Welcome back! Obviously it is still very much SUMMER but it is time for our back to school September book recommendations. Who better to sponsor this than the beautiful Betsy Benn? The prettiest stationary for a new September start that can be personalised for an extra special thrill of joyous fresh pages and new…

  Rebecca and I are thrilled that so many of you have been able to join us for Are You Sitting Comfortably over the past few months and for all the wonderful messages we’ve had on the Lives as well as posts on our book choices for each month.  We love hearing from you about what…

What a treat to have the lovely AJ Pearce as our guest author for July’s edition of Are You Sitting Comfortably.  Yours Cheerfully is just the tonic for a heart-warming read and I love dear Mr Collins as much as Emmy and Bunty.  AJ has a wonderful way of creating joyous characters as well as shining a…

Summer is a time to slow down, to enjoy simple pleasures, Rebecca Fletcher and I have put together a list of wonderfully languorous, sink into the summer sunshine reads. A huge thank you to our perfect sponsors Fable England for sponsoring our July reads. This couldn’t have been a better partnership with our first book…

By Rebecca Fletcher What a book trio we had this month! Diving back into my favourite series of books (and other Rebecca’s too), I was very tempted to stay ensconced in the world of the Cazalets a little while longer with a large Gin and It. I urge you to read all five if you…

Family Sagas selected by Rebecca Fletcher ‘There’s nowt so queer as folk,’ as they say, and this month’s bookish choices for Are You Sitting Comfortably? are about just that. Family. Well, family sagas to be precise. A genre of literature all of its own, I don’t know about you but what could be more fascinating…

Ah l’amour. It really has to be one of my favourite themes in fiction. Perhaps the reason why we’re all so obsessed with it, is that despite all its mystery and complexity, it’s the thing that connects us most as human beings? I couldn’t have felt that more chatting to our fantastic guest on Are…

Love and Friendship This month we look at books surrounding the theme of love and friendship. The two novels focus on unrequited love and childhood love, deep lasting friendships with blurred lines. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip are surely one of the longest love stories of our age. A deep and lasting friendship that has…

Landscapes can be so much more than backdrops to novels – they can become protagonist or plot driver.  As Costa Award Novel Winner Claire Fuller, our special guest for this month’s Are You Sitting Comfortably? shared, the story of Jeanie and Julius in Unsettled Ground emerged from a photograph of an abandoned caravan her son had found…

Who better to sponsor our rural landscapes book blog than Gone to Seed – online specialists in dried and gift flowers. Founded by Luke and Elly Collings, whose wedding like so many recently, was rearranged three times. Finally able to hold a small winter wedding, the couple foraged for flowers and mixed them with dried…

Sponsored by Ibbi Marple or Poirot? Morse or Holmes? We’re obsessed with solving a good mystery. With crime being such a hugely popular and varied genre, it’s hard to pick favourites. Who knew there was such a thing as ‘cosy crime’? Murdered by macaroon perhaps? I wonder if that’s what our dear Agatha would be…

Three gorgeous women who 10 years ago travelled as friends and returned as business partners, fostering relationships with traditional artists in West Bengal and South Africa to promote their traditional skills responsibly and fairly to a wider audience. As soon as Rebecca Fletcher (my reader in crime – so sorry) mentioned “The Christie Affair” my…

Sponsored by The Natural Blanket Company Further suggested reads If you enjoyed The Key in the Lock then do seek out Beth’s first book, The Witchfinder’s Sister for another beautifully crafted novel based on a true story.  Bearing all the hallmarks of Beth’s atmospheric writing, The Witchfinder’s Sister tells the story of Alice Hopkins who returns to life in a small…

Creating a vignette and building up a ‘story’

Thank you so much to the beautiful Natural Blanket Company for being brave enough to be our first ever sponsors for this new series. With their ridiculously soft British blankets this company seemed the perfect fit. They share my deep love for the British countryside and “the wild places found on our coastline”. Couple that…

Interview with celebrated local potter Gabby Smith “shopatseed” Gabby Smith took up pottery only a few years ago but her creations have rather outgrown her tiny home pottery studio and can now be found in numerous independent shops and restaurants with big names approaching her to create pieces for their exclusive venues. Not bad for…

Kate moved into this stunning building in Hertfordshire two and a half years ago. When she first viewed the property it had been empty for a long time and the previous tenants had left this beautiful old converted pub in a hideous mess. When I viewed the property It smelled so appalling that I kept…

We were lucky enough to be invited into the stunning home of VV Raven . Not only a truly beautiful cottage but also practically on my doorstep so no terrifyingly long night driving for me – although I did manage to get lost on the way home thereby doubling the journey time!!! Jo and her…

My goodness, Christmas takes magazine shoots to a whole new level of styling and creativity! I remember last year when Naomi (Jones Homes) and Rob (Sanderson) came to photograph my cottage, I had to put so much more work into getting it ready than the previous summer shoot for Period Living magazine. One has to…

By Lucy Hoyle I couldn’t contain my excitement when the fabulous Rebecca of My English Country Cottage fame, (who until now had been my Pilates friend, exchanging grimaces as we were encouraged to stretch our bodies into bizarre positions) asked me to make some Christmas canapés for an actual real life photo shoot at her…

Last year I worked with the fabulous Sitting Spiritually team who make the most beautiful swings and swingseats from their family run business in gorgeous Lyme Regis. They got back in touch to see if I would be interested in taking part in their “Have a Seat with…” series. Given the extraordinary gardeners that they…

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Tucked beautifully away on a bustling Georgian High Street in Hingham, Norfolk this stunning 14th Century home looks out over the village green, is rammed with medieval beams and wonky floors whilst also hiding a treasure trove of reclamation pieces in the shop below. Hingham received a Georgian make over in 1800 which has given…

The not quite Christmas magazine shoots but by gum we will make them as super cosy and probably even as atmospherically moody as we possibly can (mainly because the photographing day is chopped in half by the light fading!). Our first house this month was in the Norfolk Broads, an incredibly beautiful part of the…

High on the success of my English Home magazine coup (I still have no idea how we made it into this interiors magazine maven) I thought that I would go through each room with a little more detail as to how we created our cosy cottage Christmas. I spend days decorating our home every year…

I find there’s something so rewarding about creating a wreath and also find them therapeutic to make. Christmas is a perfect time to get creative and have a go at making your own but I do warn you, once you’ve had a go at making your first, you’ll be making them throughout the year! Wreaths…

Well it’s mainly about the magazine shoot but lots of Christmas photos – ok? I wrote this blog last year when the glamorous magazine people came to shoot my house for a Christmas magazine feature. The English Home magazine Christmas edition FINALLY came out this week (I had to wait an ENTIRE year!!) so I…

By Karen Atwood @flowersandlifestylebymargot The darling dahlia, such a wonderful summer flower for borders and cut flower gardens. They provide so much colour and interest and with so many different varieties, I challenge anyone not to find one that they love. My favourite is cafe au lait but as my collection continues to grow, there…

I appreciate that this is a little late to the party but so were my hydrangeas this year so it’s definitely not my fault! This is a super simple wreath that just relies upon glorious hydrangeas and a spot of foraging. You will need: Moss A copper wreath ring Florists wire Secateurs ( I bought…

This is entirely based on my fruit hating (yes – actual hate) son and Dame La Aga’s dramatical tendencies (don’t cook won’t cook…or just burn). Ingredients: 4 large cooking apples, 5 eaters peeled, cored and chunked (app 3cm not too big to be “real” (my son) and will cook quickly) 2 tbsp golden caster sugar then…

It’s pumpkin season, so it felt right to use them in some way in my floral designs. There are so many varieties and colours but I opted for these mini white pumpkins. The beauty about this design is that you can adapt them in whatever way you wish, so making the design completely your own:…

As we head towards Halloween, I start to feel a real association with rich and vibrant colours –  that only the month of October and the celebration of Halloween can bring. I  find I use more accessories, with throws and candles being an absolute must. For this table setting I focused on my ever-growing love…

A double date with two timber framed Suffolk gems. Naomi Jones (https://www.naomijoneshomes.com/) and Rob Sanderson (https://robertsandersonphotographer.com/) and the very important Assistant stylist roamed the hill-less Suffolk countryside to track down these absolute beauties. This was a two day shoot of country home drooling (mainly me) and historical joy (mainly Rob “Where’s Rob?” …”Examining the markings…

As we head into Autumn, I definitely notice a difference in the colours of flowers I use in my arrangements. I start to step away from the delicate, pastel colours of Summer and move towards the rich, vibrant colours of Autumn. If I had to choose my favourite Autumn flowers, it would be the hydrangea, dahlia,…

Yes it’s definitely a verb. It’s officially no going back Autumn. Time to embrace the change, wrap up warm (then unwrap cold) and channel the beautiful Autumnal colours and simply glorious sunlight. Thank goodness both houses for our shoot were close by (I get slightly twitchy when I have to travel further than the postbox…

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Ingredients 20 conference pears 1lt white wine vinegar/ delicious cider vinegar ½lt water 500g caster sugar 3 star anise 1 large stick cinnamon, broken into three 1tbsp allspice berries Zest of a lemon cut into curls with a potato peeler. ½tsp cloves 1dsp juniper berries 3 sprigs rosemary (optional – my rosemary died this summer…

Around this year I start to dry lots of hydrangeas, as I love using them throughout the Autumn and Winter months for styling and adding to floral arrangements.  I recently wrote a blog on what I’ve learnt along the way when it comes to drying hydrangeas https://www.myenglishcountrycottage.co.uk/heavenly-hydrangea/and after a weekend in the garden, I discovered…

While I adore fresh flowers, I’m also a huge fan of dried flowers too. My absolute favourite has to be the hydrangea and I have built up quite a collection over the years – in fact I’m drying some as I type. They are so useful as we head into the Autumn and Winter months…

One of the things I love about arranging flowers is their ability to be used to help set a scene or evoke a memory. For example, I always think of my mother in law whenever I smell geraniums, as she has them scattered throughout her house.  Also, a yellow rose with it’s lemony smell will always…

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Their English Country Cottages The very moment the previous owner opened the large oak door, I know it would be ours. Lisa Johnson-Richards The main part of this beautiful cottage is Georgian, dating back to 1710. Originally owned by the Crown it was bought by Sir Henry Vane the Elder, (a Member of Parliament and…

The weather is finally looking a little brighter,  so this week’s blog is a catch up on some of the jobs I’m getting on with in my garden. It is still Summer – honestly! I must admit, the garden did look a little Autumnal last week and whilst I love leaving dried alliums in the border, now is…

Their English Country Cottages I loved the symmetry of the property with the large entrance vestibule in the middle. It was just as I had drawn houses as a child. Tanya Muller Tanya – a senior University lecturer in Childhood Studies and Special Educational Needs lives in this beautiful cottage with her husband ( an…

Their English Country Cottages After viewing 47 houses, The Maltings was the one and only house which we both left and said “this is the one!”. Benjamin Gibbons Benjamin Gibbons, his fiance Luke and their two dogs Darwin & Atlas live in this incredible ‘cottage’ – ok I am stretching the term but it is…

They say you should never work with children or animals, and, having spent a morning trying to get a picture of Millie with this delicate flower crown on, I can definitely say this is the case! I love making flower crowns, and I have a tendency to usually go large as I think there’s something so nice…

One of the things I love about gardening is the conveyor belt of blooms – as one flower dies back, another one quick to blossoms to replace it. One of the things that has started to bloom away in my garden are my hydrangeas. It’s been a good year for them so far, due to all…

This week I was asked to write a blog about Tablescaping for the brilliant Rural Mums website (I am now officially a very important rural blogger …I live in the countryside and I write stuff…this is a fact) and I focused on the most amazing company who had one of those ideas that you actually…

This is my first year of having a successful sweet pea crop and I can confirm they are growing, fast!  Having been away for a couple of weeks I was amazed at just how much they had grown. It was like a bush of sweet peas, and although I had plenty of flowers, they did…

The utterly gorgeous Naomi Jones and the ridiculously fabulous Robert Sanderson very sweetly allowed me to tag along on another magazine shoot in Suffolk (not that they had a lot of choice, I just sit in the car, waiting to yoohoo as they arrive at their next shoot). Naomi spotted my proudly shiny “Assistant Stylist”…

Their English Country Cottages My favourite items are my Aga and my garden sauna! Tonja Barefield This fabulous quote from Tonja absolutely sums up her stunning cottage, it is an old traditional stone cottage set in the glorious countryside of Somerset but the stunning interiors have a wonderfully European flavour with white walls and a…

The last couple of weeks in the garden have been a bit of a washout so I haven’t had as much time out there as I would like. However, I have still tried to squeeze in as much as I can in between the showers. Here are some great jobs to do for those times when its wet. Turn your compost. Don’t…

Their English Country Cottages It was love at first sight! We could see a lot of the original character had been stripped out or covered up, but the very bones of her were beautiful. Catherine Cleaver Peartree Cottage was bought by Catherine and her family three years ago, they had been living in a new…

Their English Country Cottages We actually talked ourselves out of buying it as we said it was too small and over budget, but by the next day we were back and making an offer Katie Sant Katie and her husband Paul fell completely in love with this over budget, way too small but utterly gorgeous…

For me, cosmos is, the classic cut flower. They don’t take huge amounts of effort to grow and they always reward with lots of gorgeous flowers. As a result, cosmos is always on my shopping list for the Summer. It’s such a pretty flower, coming in a range of colours, and I challenge you not to find one that will work in your…

Their English Country Cottages I’m a big believer of a certain feeling you get when viewing houses, this one immediately felt like home, I could see through the work that needed to be done and the prospect of having something to call my own was incredibly exciting. Fiona Fiona and her partner Roger live in…

The dahlias are in; I repeat the dahlias are in! I’m going to let you into a little secret; I’m a little behind on my cut flower garden.  I knew I was when my potted-up dahlias started to form flower buds!  At this point I decided that I really needed to get my act into gear, clear the Spring bulbs…

Their English Country Cottages We fell in love instantly and only spent 5 mins inside the house on the viewing before we knew we wanted it. We spent so little time in the house on the viewing we didn’t even notice it had a cellar. Vanessa Price Vanessa and her firefighter husband Steve live in…

Their English Country Cottages We got married in the Hambleden Valley and whenever we used to drive by the farm my husband used to say he would love to live there one day, so when the cottage came onto the market we had to give it chance. Jenna Killington Jenna and her husband and 4…

 One of the best things about Instagram is all the wonderful people you meet through it. I met the lovely Rebecca from @myenglishcountrycottage very shortly after joining Instagram. To be honest, there’s nothing not to love about Rebecca’s account – her posts and pictures never fail to make me smile, and I love the daily…

The insider take on shooting three houses in ‘summer’ and one at ‘Christmas’ in three days! Naomi Jones contacted me to say that the magazine article was go! She and her Photographer Rob Sanderson had magically transformed my home into a cosy Christmas cottage last year but sadly Dame La Aga was not playing ball,…

Their English Country Cottages Wincing a little as I walked though the kitchen I entered the heavily beamed sitting room with its huge open fireplace and instantly fell in love. A week later, having convinced my husband this was our next move, we took the children to see it. They charged around the large garden,…

This year, I’m going to grow some salvias in pots. I’ve always planted them directly into borders but being drought tolerant, I’ve heard they do very well in pots, so thought I would give this a go.  I absolutely love Salvias and they are a flower I recommend growing.  Not only do they come in several colours,…

Garden day is the time to “Reap the rewards of your labour. No matter how big or small your garden” (https://www.gardenday.co.uk/) so you will find me reclining here, reaping my rewards…actually if it wasn’t for Gardenesque coming to my rescue, there wouldn’t be many rewards to reap. I managed to kill off all my Geraniums…

First of all – Happy Garden Day, coming up on Sunday 9th May. This day is about celebrating our green spaces whether inside or outside and the hugely positive impact it has on our mental health. Now I maybe not donning a flower crown (I’ll give you Millie instead), but I am going to be spending some time…

This rich creamy dauphinoise is largely inspired by a Swedish dish called Laxpudding.  Please let me know if you have heard of this before-not many people have!  A simple dauphinoise made with potatoes, cream, butter, salt and pepper is one of my absolutely favourite dinner party side dishes as it goes perfectly with so much,…

Seven years ago, when we moved in, our garden looked very different. It was surrounded by huge and out of control conifers and it took us two years just to clear.  We literally had to ’empty’ the garden, level it and then add the borders back in. There have been a few plants that remained, but the…

Serves 2-4 This is a dish that for years I kept meaning to try as a great friend of mine always talked about how delicious it was and she was so right! So when I cooked it for the first time I was absolutely not disappointed. Originally from North Africa, Shakshuka literally means “all mixed…

Their English Country Cottages It’s true what they say, old houses really do wrap their arms around you and seem to ooze appreciation for anyone that shows them love and respect Lizzie and her partner Steve had been renting for years when their last rental led them to a very pretty village on the Norfolk/Suffolk…

Did you know that April is one the busiest times in the garden? Why does ‘don’t panic Captain Mainwaring’ spring to mind?  I must admit, this week has been one of those weeks where I’ve got to Friday and my ‘to do’ list is still on Monday! My garden is also reflecting this. However, there was a light at the…

When we first moved to Fruit Hill from London we inherited the most amazing amount of rhubarb plants.  In fact there were two huge vegetable beds, and one bed with berries galore.  It was quite something after living in London, and over the years since then we have condensed the beds into a manageable size.…

Their English Country Cottages I instantly fell in love with the sash windows,  the long path to the front door, the enclosed garden and the seclusion of the cottage Eighteen months before Anna and her partner Andrew had sold their respective houses and started looking for a home together, Anna had spotted this gem of…

This is one of my favourite Summer blooms and even better, it’s one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed.  Also, they grow densely and have a good vase life. It’s always the flower I recommend people giving a go, and now is the time to start thinking about growing them. I therefore thought it would…

When I told my daughter (aged 7…) what recipe I was doing this week for Rebecca, she looked at me with such disdain I thought I had some of the soup attractively dripping from my mouth-but no.  Apparently soup is reeeaaalllyy boring Mummy, why aren’t I doing a more exciting recipe like normal!?  Well, I…

Their English Country Cottages A real labour of love and one we thought we understood when the 57 page survey came back on the house but looking back now I think we were blindsided by the beauty! Five years ago serial renovators Amanda and her husband Niall decided that they had one last project left…

One of the things I love about Instagram is the ability to be able to look back through my pictures and see what my garden looked like in previous years. While Spring and Summer is when the garden really bursts into activity, I love the slow decline and the stillness that Autumn and Winter brings.  Structural plants really…

Risotto is an absolute favourite in our house.  One of my pantry staples is a bag of arborio rice.  Risotto is a dish that you can basically throw anything at, conjuring up a delicious bowl of creamy tasty rice from whatever is in the fridge, which is exactly how this recipe came about. These are…

Their English Country Cottages The moment I knew we’d made the right decision was when my lovely father-in-law arrived on moving day and as he wandered around the cottage, he said “this house wraps its arms around you” Jane & her husband Craig live in this glorious Kent cottage with their 23 yr old daughter…

Lucy Hoyle cooks is back! Woo hoo! Starting her new catering business and homeschooling her three children during lockdown has not defeated her. She returns with the most delicious recipe, perfect to rustle up, stuff in a hamper and head over to the garden of your choice (preferably people you actually know)…over to the super…

Their English Country Cottages We didn’t fall in love with the cottage as it stood as it was a bit souless and neglected and needed a lot of care and love putting back into it but we could see the potential Emmy and her husband Martyn live in this gorgeous hideaway of nostalgic beauty sharing…

This week I brought a little of the outside in, in the form of some Hawthorn blossom, and it got me thinking about the wonders of foraging. Where I can, I always try to incorporate blooms into my bouquets from either my garden or from the hedgerows where I live, I think of it as my own little signature. However, I’m…

Their English Country Cottages As we walked out of the gate from our first viewing, we both looked back, looked at each other and in crazy unison, both said “this is the one”.  With 8 properties under their belts, Belle and her husband Dave were no strangers to renovation projects but when they looked at…

The Darling Dahlia (as I like to refer to them)  is one of my favourite flowers. They can bloom well into October and are rather beautiful, coming in all shapes, sizes and colours (so many in fact that there is one there for everyone). Even better, they are very low maintenance (my type of flower) and will thrive in most sunny spots and soils so…

Their English Country Cottages My dream house would be pretty simple, nothing big or fancy Christina and her husband Tony fell in love with this glorious cottage two years ago, their only problem was that the cottage had already sold. The couple loved the cottage so much that they still contacted the agent on the…

My mum was a great gardener and a very keen one. The borders in her garden were deep and full of large shrubs, offset against the prettiest English roses and flowers. As a result, I remember frequently being out in the garden with my mum – maybe, this is where my love for gardening stemmed…

Their English Country Cottages I love a house that has many stories to tell, and I’m sure our cottage does, I just wish it could share them all with me Drooling over this perfect thatched cottage with it’s quaint roof, beautiful old brickwork and frankly gorgeous windows of please peep inside, one wonders why Paula…

This week I’ve been planting up some bare root roses, so I thought I would share with you a quick step by step guide as to how to do this. Any time between November and April is a good time to plant them, as this gives them enough time to establish before blooming over the Summer. However, if your ground is…

Their English Country Cottages Time was ticking for Victoria and her family when they viewed this beautiful cottage. Their Victorian Villa had sold and after three months the buyers were getting a little impatient. White Cottage ticked some of their boxes with a village location and period characteristics but there were a few deal breakers:…

The latest announcements on COVID and next steps have definitely put a spring in my step. Isn’t it wonderful to think we’ll soon be able to have people in our gardens once again? I have provisionally pencilled in some dates but am slightly worried about catching up with all my gardening jobs first. I therefore thought it would be useful for this week’s blog…

Their English Country Cottages Every corner I turned I fell in love a little bit more Leanne had just laid down her paintbrush on her cottage refurbishment when she received the details for this beautiful cottage. She and her boyfriend were looking to buy a property together and from the details Manor Farm Cottage fitted…

It’s been so nice to see the return of some sunshine and milder weather. I’ve managed to spend a couple of afternoons out in the garden, starting to get it organised for the Spring months. Here’s a quick update on what I’ve been up to. Mulching I know I’ve already talked about mulching but as…

Bring spring inside and wave goodbye to the cold, grey winter This is a collaboration that has been months in the making. It marks my new foray into making a real life job of work from writing and it heralds the beginning of spring decorating. Posterlounge got in touch with me last year to ask…

Their English Country Cottages I fell in love with the quaint of it Lisa, her husband and their Cocker Spaniel Ruby moved into this dreamy cottage 20 years ago (so that’s why these roses are so stunning). They were searching for the holy grail of a character cottage in a village location so when the…

There’s nothing quite like fresh flowers in the home.  In fact, they are probably my favourite ‘accessory’.  It is just unfortunate they don’t last forever.  However, there are a few things you can do that will help maximise the life of your blooms and, with Valentine’s day just around the corner, I thought it was good timing to share my tips – just in…

Their English Country Cottages The minute I walked through the door I knew it was the one. Despite knowing that I shouldn’t show my hand to the estate agent I don’t think I kept a very good poker face Louisa and her husband Mark searched the length and breadth of the country to find the…

Did you do the RSPB birdwatch last weekend? I decided to do it after reading about it on Instagram. To be honest I wasn’t familiar with it but after doing some research I was amazed at how much information has been collated already and how it has helped our understanding of the challenges faced by wildlife. As a result, I thought…

Their English Country Cottages I walked into the main bedroom and fell in love – even with its leaky roof, peeling wallpaper and old tatty carpet, my sixth sense told me that this was right. The deeds to this whippersnapper of a cottage (1865!) mention numerous single women living in the cottage over the years…

For those of you who have followed me on Instagram and via my blogs, you will have gathered that I have a thing for flowers, both in my garden and my home. My garden is taking a bit of a back seat this week as I focus on everything to do with Valentine’s day – one of the things COVID…

Their English Country Cottages There it was: in the bottom corner of the paper, a little cottage covered in Wisteria, in a village just outside Exeter and was exactly what we were looking for. Strap yourself to your chairs if , like me, you adore floral fabrics, mora clocks, wood clad walls and antique mirrors. Yup,…

Pampas grass is native to south America, hailing from the Pampas region hence its name. It was planted in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand in the 1970’s primarily as an ornamental grass to be harvested and used for its decorative purposes once dried. However, it somewhat fell out of favour for a period of time when it…

Their English Country Cottages The sleepy village was full of rustic charm and we knew we’d found somewhere pretty special. Clare and her husband live in this gorgeous cottage with their Dalmation Dexter who she calls the star of her account but as handsome as Dexter is, I suspect that it is this beautiful cottage…

After a bit of a break from the garden, the time has come for me to get back out there. I had a good tidy up in November, clearing and pruning but there’s still plenty to do. Here’s a quick tour around my garden and some jobs I’m getting on with. Hydrangeas are one of my…

Their English Country Cottages I took a leap of faith because every time I left the property after a viewing I could imagine how it could be Vintage White Cottage is one of three workers cottages built in 1930 that were owned by the manor house which is still connected to the cottages by a…

I must admit I often find the first week in January a little ‘sluggish’. It’s back to being woken by the alarm clock and with the Christmas decorations coming down everything can feel a little bleak. One thing I like to do to help ‘banish the blues’ is to give the house a post-Christmas spring clean and replace…

Their English Country Cottages This is one of those beautiful cottages where I could simply show you a gazillion photos of the just the outside, it is so very beautiful but the inside is also ridiculously gorgeous. Be warned, you will want to move in! I fell in love with the cottage from the sales…

Their English Country Cottages When we strolled past Rhubarb Cottage – there it was, looking beautiful in the spring sunshine with its windows open and I actually whispered “That’s a beautiful house” as we tried to subtly peek in through the windows. Ellen and her husband had viewed a nearby property but been deeply disappointed.…

If you are hosting Christmas you may be thinking of creating a garland for your Christmas table so for this week’s blog I thought I would talk you through how I created mine. There are a couple of ways you can create your garland and for this blog I’m going to be showing you how…

If you’ve never made a wreath then I highly recommend it, there’s something so very therapeutic about it. Every year I do a refresher course on making them and I always go away learning something new. It’s also been great to see all the wonderful wreaths and top tips shared on Instagram, what a lovely…

Their English Country Cottages On first sight, before I had even gone in, my feelings were confirmed: I loved it. Naomi Stuart is the Marketing Director for Snowbility that provides snow sports coaching to people with additional needs and mental health challenges. She has also just launched Ambre Clothing, a sustainable and ethical casual wear…

One of the things I love doing at Christmas is not only decorating my home with flowers and foliage but also creating arrangements with Spring bulbs. I always think there’s something so lovely about seeing them come to life in Spring, and just seeing the bulbs reminds me that my favourite season is just around the corner. There also…

Their English Country Cottages We met when we were in our early twenties and spent years dreaming about one day owning a beautiful chocolate box cottage with a roll top bath, an aga and a fire. It’s not a thatch!! Welcome to the first non thatched cottage of the series! I am breaking my Christmas…

One of the things I talked about on my Instagram account this week was the different ways of getting the most out of my flowers and foliage. When you receive a bouquet or an arrangement, there will always be flowers that go past their best quicker than others and it can be tempting to just discard the full arrangement. However, this does…

As a child Tori Murphy wanted to be a fashion designer but as she grew up her dreams progressed to becoming an artist yet it wasn’t until her mid twenties that she realised she could have a career in textiles. Textiles is an area that allows me to be fluid as it is very creative…

Their English Country Cottages Before I even viewed it, I knew it was going to be ours – I think you get the house that you are meant to have. I knew Rose Cottage was going to be for us. Yes it’s ANOTHER thatch! I promise this new series won’t all be thatched cottages but…

The garden is very much going into hibernation mode and while some of my roses are still flowering, the majority of my Summer flowers have now died back. One of the things I love about Spring and Summer is the abundance of blooms you have to play with, both in your garden and in arrangements. However, never underestimate the…

Their English Country Cottages “The house chose me” Hurrah! Come in! Erm…actually this isn’t my house so that’s probably a bit rude. This beautiful cottage belongs to Jane Compton-Leese who lives in Suffolk in a very similar cottage to ours (sometimes I have to look twice at her kitchen before I realise that it’s not…

I can’t quite believe we’re in November already but I’m so glad the month has started with some dry and bright weather! My last few weeks of October were a bit of a wash out so it’s been nice to get back out in the garden and start giving everything a much-needed tidy. I always think…

If I was to get a report on my first year growing sweet peas then it would be – must do better! At the start of this year everything was going so well – they germinated, grew and looked strong.  However, then I made a rooky mistake. I didn’t provide enough time to gradually expose them to the…

A bit of a different blog for me this week as I share with you how I go about bringing a little bit of my garden inside. If you’ve been following me for a while then you have most probably guessed I adore flowers, and as I spend more time out in my garden I’ve started to become intrigued…

When we first moved to this cottage we knew that there was a tick list of items that we would need to buy to achieve our country idyll. Aga – tick. Logburner – tick. Large scrubbed pine table – tick (would prefer French oak refectory table but my our kitchen table has stuck by us…

The garden is definitely going into hibernation mode,  as whilst I’m pruning, I’m not getting the bounce back of new growth like you do in the Summer months. This week, I’m focusing on starting to clear my cut flower garden and plant in preparation for Spring.  Out with the old and in with the new It’s getting close to…

…I’m trying ok? I am a summer baby, this is not my metier but I am trying to move to the darkside. Get outside and gather We don’t have a dog (I am incapable of looking after anything else, I am just not up to the job), I have so far managed to stay firm…

With the arrival of Autumn, it definitely feels like everything in the garden is going into hibernation. I tend to garden all year round and September through to November consists mostly of giving the garden a good tidy so it looks as good as possible for the Winter months. This week on Instagram I posted a picture…

I BELIEVE!!!! Hallelujah! I am converted! I LOVE AUTUMN!!! What a glorious season, a time to run carefree through leaves (well – maybe watch out for hedgehogs and fox poo…), a time to gather and harvest. A time to pull on cosy jumpers and plodge through puddles in wellies, returning home to warm up by…

The darling dahlia (as I like to call them) is one of my favourite flowers.  They can bloom well into October, when I dig the tubers up to protect them from the first frost. Not only are they rather beautiful but they come in all shapes, sizes and colours so I challenge you to find one that you don’t like. Even better, they…

September is one of those months where we start to see dramatic changes as the seasons switch from Summer to Autumn. To help avoid you having to spend huge amounts of time out in the garden throughout the colder months, it’s a good idea to use this month to get on top of things. Here…

A little snapshot of my cut flower garden in September My first year growing cut flowers has definitely been a steep learning curve but overall I’m really pleased with the result.  For those of you who have been following me, you’ll know that I’ve already started my outdoor Autumn planning, and this also applies to my cut flower garden.  I’ve already got an extensive shopping list which includes revamping a shaded border as well…

If you’re anything like me, then you’re most probably very good at starting a ‘weather-related’ conversation.  I often wonder why it’s one of our go-to conversation topics, and personally I think it is to do with the fact that our weather is constantly changing. August, for example, has seen soaring temperatures, high winds and heavy…

Ok, this seems like a massive squeeze – well it is! I am spending the day in a socially distanced way with friends so I wasn’t going to post today but then this amazing company got in contact and asked me to become an affiliate. I am very careful about affilliations so I was slow…

This last week has been very much about tidying up following the recent rain we’ve had. One of the first thing I do after a period of rain is weed. It’s so much easier and quicker to remove weeds from the wet soil – it almost makes it a pleasant job! I’ve also started to do a light prune on my ivy and…

I realised with my last couple of blogs that they are both floral based. Years ago when we first moved into this shell of a cottage, I read Ros Byam Shaw’s brilliant book “English Cottage” and although our house has most of the elements of the styles listed in this beautiful book, Romance is the…

One of my jobs this week has been pruning back the lavender. I absolutely adore this plant, not only because it is easy to grow and low maintenance, but also because it is so attractive to our very important bees. Oh, and it’s scent is a wonderful, calming presence in the garden.  Also, if you have a dog like our border terrier Millie, then it’s great entertainment, as she’s been known to…

This is perfect for all those staycation trips we are all doing at the moment.  You can make these little breakfast pots up the night before and then just pop in the cool bag ready for breakfast on the road!  I started doing these a few years ago when breakfasts suddenly became boring (apparently) in my house.  Of course with…

Interview with artist Emma Perring Many people have commented upon the numerous paintings of florals and textile explorations that we have in our home. When you live in an old cottage that requires off white walls but when one is a secret lover of colour, paintings allow our walls to brighten our lives. We are…

I must admit that I did have some ‘moments’ earlier on this year as I wondered if I was ever going to get any blooms from my cut flower garden, but they are definitely coming thick and fast at last! While I still have so much to learn, I’m pleased with my first attempt and, whilst I’m already planning for next year, I thought I would share with you…

This glorious weather turned my little country cottage mind to outdoor seating. We have a variety of seating arrangements (say it with a french accent “Arongemonts” and it sounds far more glamorous), ranging from elegant wicker chairs to a pallet seating area made by my very clever and desperate for me to stop spending our…

Last week I spoke about starting to plan for next year and one of areas I really want to focus on is the right-hand side of my garden. This part is in partial shade and if I’m being honest, it is a little neglected.  My ambition is to rectify this, and my action plan with a list…

It is that time of year when everyday’s a picnic day in this house.  Largely due to the number of cricket matches the boys are playing…..I can hear my smallest sigh from here…..but also just because it is (supposedly) summer so trips to the beach, the river for kayaking or just heading to a friends’…

Surely an absolute country interiors prerequisite? Dump some flowers you have pulled out of the garden into a jug. Alakazaaam! Magic: the house looks loved and cherished and very cottagey. Obviously I don’t do this, I forage, I curate, I spend hours carefully placing blooms into jugs dotted around my cottage to bring joy and…

Last week I spoke about sitting back and enjoying the garden and I must admit I have done this, this week. Since then I have also taken the opportunity to look back on old photographs of the garden, reflecting on how things were when we first moved in. It’s been a motivational thing to do and it has got me thinking of what projects I want to tackle next year.  Believe…

“The love of old country furniture from the seventeenth Century is hardly an acquired taste. Old oak is at once a jarring note in a Sheraton drawing-room with delicate colour scheme of dainty wallpaper and satin coverings. But, as a general rule, when it is first seen in its proper environment, in an old-world farmhouse…

One of the most important jobs to do in July is to sit back, relax and enjoy your garden. I often forget to do this but I do try and take a step back every now and again to see how far the garden has come. If, like me, this period is a bit short-lived for you, here are some…

Ahem! Did I mention that little old me…little old my house…was featured in the extremely very prestigious I am dining out on this for years yet Period Living Magazine? This is the money shot of the kitchen which (hopefully) beautifully illustrates my topic for this week “Painted Furniture makes an English Country Cottage” I painted…

Now I bet you are dying to hear the story behind this little mid-week supper beauty with a name like that!! It should really be poulet but I can’t possibly change the name now after 20 odd years.  At university, some time ago now when the dinosaurs were roaming-my children’s favourite comment at the moment…I was on placement…

Mirrors are the windows into the soul..oh no..that’s the eyes. Well, they are certainly the windows into our house. I adore our 17th Century Thatched Cottage, but it wasn’t built with light in mind. It is super cosy and on sunny days with doors and windows flung open it is bliss but on dark dank…

This week’s blog focuses on one of my favourite plants, the Salvia.  I absolutely adore these flowers.  They are a fabulous border filler as well as one of the best flowers to attract bees into your garden as they are so rich in nectar. Wherever you plant them, the bees will be sure to find them.  Here are my top tips on growing and…

Time for something sweet.  Elevenses and teatime are, it has to be said two of my favourite times of day.  So I am always on the hunt for something to nibble at either or both times of the day. I’m not a natural baker, unlike lots of my friends but I’ve been intrigued about using…

Modern houses often make me extremely very jealous: “You have windows that OPEN?” “Your walls don’t let in the breeze?” “Your roof doesn’t house mice, squirrels, birds and spiders the size of your hand?” “What sort of miracle building do you live in? How do I get me one?”. But for all these modern quirks,…

Heavenly hydrangeas –  one of my favourite shrubs and flowers and definitely a fabulous follow on to the peony. These are one of my favourite blooms and I adore them in bouquets, arrangements and in my garden. They can flower from April through to October and the foliage can be quite wonderful to in the…

So something fishy for this weeks recipe.  This is a lovely, simple recipe I have done for years.  It was my first rather smart starter that I tested out on unassuming friends in the relatively early days of my cooking escapades.  And I thought as we are potentially able to start entertaining a little more from a…

My love of my Kate Forman, Cabbages and Roses and Susie Watson cushions is not filed under my poker face folder. Cushions are the heart of the home…oh no, that’s kitchens, ok, cushions are the hug of the home. I almost defy you to find a photo of a country cottage that doesn’t have cushions…

If you’ve been following my blogs, you will know that earlier on in the year I had four raised beds built for the purpose of growing cut flowers.  Towards the end of May, I started to plant these beds up so thought it would be useful to reflect on progress and what I’ve learnt so far. Dear Santa, please can I…

Candles make an English Country Cottage…ok, fine, they make pretty much anywhere a home. Their fragrance, the ambience created by their flickering light as well as their original purpose to actually light a room. Our cottage can be rather dark (hence the variety of off white shades on every wall, I tried embracing the darkside…

For the love of Peonies I adore Peonies – in fact, some may say I’m a little addicted to them. I am, however, rather new to growing these stunning blooms. I’m in my second year growing but I will certainly be growing more – in fact I’ve just pre- ordered next years beauties from Sarah Raven for an October delivery. If…

Good morning lovely lockdowners…here we are, the sun has decided it needs a break so to cheer everyone up I thought it was time for another pudding.  However it might not be the obvious choice for a June pudding, not a delicious, fruit soaked bready summery summer pud (its time will come though…) but a…

“The Potter who lives here in this house makes houses and shops, trees and rainbows all from clay which she raku fires in her garden. She loves dogs and never leaves home without at least two. She loves her family and friends, mashed potato, reading magazines, the Suffolk coast, rose wine and roast dinners”. (Amanda…

One of the things I love about June is seeing my roses in full bloom. I have a lot of roses in my main garden and next year I would like to dedicate a bed in the cutting garden to them.  They are definitely one of my favourite flowers and I don’t think I’ve ever seen them as happy as…

The article in Period Living Magazine (May 2020 with ME in it…well, ok,the house…) has made me think about what makes “Effortless rural style” (Period Living May 2020 about MEEEEE…the house). I was quoted as saying: ” ‘I wanted (to create) an English country homewith lots of textures, fabrics, rugs, thick curtains and comfy, sink-insofas.’ …

Eat your greens! Well, kale to be more precise. My veg bed is bubbling over with greenliness (is that a word?! If not it should be) and the most delicious (and the only one ready more importantly) is the most nutritious of them all, curly kale. Kale is packed full of all sorts of nutrients, namely vitamins…

It’s a strange feeling once you’ve planted up your cut flower bed and you begin watching and waiting for them to bloom. The work doesn’t stop here though, as there are a few things you can do to give them the best possible start. Keep your small plants or seeds watered and fed. I water every day, either with a hose on a…

The weather is looking up and there appears to be no chance of a frost (all being well) on the horizon, so the time has come to plant up!  Here’s my step by step guide on the all-important how-to. Preparing the soil – It’s so important that the soil is the right consistency. Make sure you dig, rake and…

These beautiful Antigua (oh to be there…) aubergines were in our weekly veg delivery this week.  I love them, but unfortunately I can’t seem to get these past the children (yet) in their natural form…the only way is if I cook them and put them in a ‘hide the veg’ pasta sauce all razzed up.…

I imagine by now you are tempted to start planting things out into your cut flower bed but I would recommend giving it another week or maybe even two. As we’ve seen, the weather is still changeable and you don’t want all of your hard work to go to waste. In the meantime here are some other jobs you can be getting on with. Feeding I feed…

Hurrah! I shrieked from the rooftops on Friday when I saw that the glorious weather we had been sooo incredibly lucky to be having was potentially going to break on Sunday.  And what better day to do it I ask you? Off I went to shop in the chest freezer to dig out a chicken…

Weather plays an important role in the success of growing cut flowers and since ours can be changeable, it is important to keep an eye on the forecast and be ready to adapt your plans. At the moment I’m on the cusp of starting to plant up my cut flower bed and very tempted to just get on and do it…

This is one of those one-pot wonders that is bursting with smokey, spicy flavours that leaves you always wanting more.  Not wanting as in lacking you understand, but just wanting more…like Oliver.  It really can be done in one pot, I promise.  So for those of you who sometimes struggle with many pots on the…

Lovely Lucy has agreed to help me with the cooking side of this website blog thing. You may well be acquainted with my primadonna La Aga who decides how and whether to cook the food I attempt to create for family and friends. It is definitely La Aga’s fault and not mine. However, Lucy is…

I’m hoping to start planting up the cut flower beds this weekend. In a pre- COVID world I would have started a week ago as the weather is warming up, but perhaps unsurprisingly I’m still waiting to finish off the edging of the cut flower patch. The delivery of the edging has been promised for this weekend so I’m hoping…

My last blog covered the things to consider when selecting your cut flowers so hopefully you’ve started to think about what you want to plant up and how you are going to plant them.  For me, the first thought was to just put them all in together and hope for the best but following some further reading, there is a little more to…

For me, flowers are my number one home accessory and I definitely have my ‘go-to’ flowers and foliage. Therefore, when it came to selecting what cut flowers to grow in my new beds I went with what I truly loved – the flowers I would want to cut and bring into my home.   While I would always encourage people to do the same and grow what they love,…

The lane has been ABUZZ with our oil saga, there has been high drama and much enjoyment..Gorgeous Charlie bless him came through for us and on Thursday we received the heavenly phone call: “this is your oil delivery driver, I can’t get to you because there is a Hyundai parked in the middle of the road, I…

I have to admit that when I first decided to grow cut flowers, I got rather carried away with the ‘deciding what to grow’ and ‘buying seeds and bulbs’ parts of the process. It took me until January to realise that I hadn’t actually decided where I should plant them! I knew roughly where I wanted it all to happen, but as I started to read up on it, I realised…

I had wonderful plans for this month, the very exciting Period Living magazine article and the launch of this website/blog (I really must decide what it is soon). I was also approached by Susie Watson Designs to work on a collaboration together and I thought that all my dreams had come true. Little did I…

In May 2020 our little thatched cottage was featured in Period Living Magazine. It was the culmination of 7 years of creating a family home with my “effortless rural style” – I have taken this as a positive comment on my interior design style rather than a reference to the lack of housekeeping, muddy wellies…

I was lucky enough to be plucked from obscurity (Cambridgeshire specifically but I spend my days redirecting delivery drivers to our actual house so I feel pretty obscure) by Period Living Magazine who persuaded me to allow them to photograph our house last summer. I was ridiculously excited and gently terrified. What about the hole…

This is our utterly ridiculous cottage that would have made Phil and Kirsty weep. When we started our house search 7 years ago, we knew that we wanted a character property approximately twenty minutes from Cambridge, near a station but as remote as possible. That was it for the wish list which we thought was…

This is the front of the house (yup, ‘I love what you did with the front of it in the 1970’s darling’) however the glorious roses make up for the entombed timber frame. This is just outside the front door where I linger during the morning, a variety of gardening tools in my hands in…

This was an old stable block that proved to be a wonderful storage unit for all our rubbish (bikes, scooters, things with wheels from when the children were toddlers that became indiscernible ‘objets’, boxes of old clothes, boxes of indeterminate ‘things’ and gardening equipment). My son has ridden since he was quite small but two…

A weekly guide to growing your own flowers I have met many wonderful people in the magical world of Instagram and I shall be calling upon lots of them to help with this blog over the next few months. I thought I would start with Karen (@flowersandlifestylebymargot) who not only has a stunning garden but…