A Capital Gardens Magazine
Spring 2013
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8 Diarmuid Gavin
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Change Your Outlook
with stylish, simple solutions
y brief is your brief - amalgamating my experience and knowledge with the clients desires is fundamental to my design process. As a garden historian as well as a credited designer, my maxim is to link the house with its garden and the client with their desires. Strong ground plans, effective focal points and gorgeous planting will transform in a matter of weeks a drab view into something spectacular.
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Melanie Wand Garden Designs Helping you to make the most of your garden Or email amwand@btinternet.com www.gardendesignsam.blogspot.com
Content 13
Editor
A note from the
London is home to a host of inspirational individuals who are doing amazing things for the landscape of the city. In this issue we interview a few of these inspirational figures. The Champions of London theme came off the back of attending a book launch (The London Garden Book A-Z), where I met a host of passionate gardeners, heard some inspirational tales, and met Richard Reynolds the man who is responsible for bringing guerilla gardening to the masses.
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An exclusive interview with Diarmiud Gavin is my highlight of this issue. set of We have also put together our promotions, we have some unbelievable offers to kick start the season. We have joined forces with garden designer and columnist Melanie Wand. She has vast experience in horticulture and garden design. Her insightful column is a must read for any garden enthusiast. In her article she discusses ornamental grasses and offers her expert advice on how to use grasses to maximise the impact of your garden this Spring.
Melanie Wand Lynne Allbutt Stephanie Donaldson Laura Fitzpatrick Samuel Dontoh
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Going For Grasses Look at Ornamental Grasses by Melanie Wand Plants at a Glance The must have plants for this Spring Plant of the Season Our editor’s favourite plant for this season Spring Coupons Many great offers with up to 40% off Champions of London Interviews with influential gardeners who
are making positive change to London’s Landscape 16 Diarmiud Gavin A Capital Gardens exclusive 18 Chelsea Flower Show Contender An interview with early favourites for Chelsea Flower Show 2013 ‘Best in Show’ award, Michael Baltson & Marie-Louise Agius 20 Guerilla’s in Our Midst An interview with the notorious ‘Godfather’ of Guerilla gardening Richard Reynolds 22 Shady Characters Stephanie Donaldson tackles the Fern 24 10 Jobs to do this Spring Lynn Allbutt gives us her best tips for tackling the spring garden 26 Healthy Recipes Light and healthy recipes to help you stay in shape this summer. www.capitalgardens.co.uk 3zzzz
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Grasses zzzz 8
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Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus'
Miscanthus sinensis
Over the last few years ornamental grasses, which have been a staple for at least 2 decades in German and Dutch gardens, are finally making their mark here. At Capital Gardens we have been expanding our range year on year. But even now we find our clientele are still slightly mystified as to We asked Garden designer Melanie Wand to clarify.
Where Plant grasses as one would shrubs. Shrubs, as we know, provide structure to a herbaceous border. They create that all important ‘all year round interest’ from foliage and flowers to berries and coloured stems. Grasses don’t provide berries, but they do everything else. Some argue there are few evergreen grasses, and those that do exist are small. However grasses go right through to February and create a lovely shimmering in a frosty landscape. Plant tall for the back of a border and graduate down towards the front. One of my favourites is Stipa gigantea with its golden, oat-like spikelets floating over Red hot Pokers and Purple Salvia. I then often choose to ground the composition with a lovely, small, clump- forming grass like Hakonechloa macra. Grasses can also be used to replace a hedge. For example the upright habit of Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' makes it ideal for this. It will provide a stunning back drop to any summer or winter border and also makes a great screening for a patio. Instead of the ubiquitous box ball (buxus sempervirens) why not go this year for a ball of Carex comans ‘Amazon Mist’. Its hardy, evergreen and doesn’t need any topiary!
border grass which has sweet purple, bottle-brush flowers.
Plant Stipa Zebrinus. This is so striking that it is really a focal point in its own right. For autumn wow factor plant Miscanthus sinensis “Flammenmeer”, or try Panicum ‘Shenandoah’ for all round blue foliage which in autumn turns violet and purple. For coloured stems try Molinia caerula ‘Heidebraut’ it has lovely yellow stems throughout the year. The ‘Moorhexe’ cultivar has striking black stems.
Why Ornamental grasses have a style and grace that few shrubs can match. They are architectural without being static, tall or small they sway with the slightest air movement and are so much more relaxed than shrubs. Their summer plumage combines with rather than fights against your favourite summer perennials and their autumnal hues are comparable to a maple tree. They require minimal maintenance, just cut back in February. Go on treat your herbaceous borders to something different this year.
Top Tip
Which Plant Panicum virgatum 'Strictum'. A dense narrowly upright grass which turns buttery yellow in autumn. Its sturdy habit keeps upright well into January.
Plant Pennisetum a ‘Hamelyn’ a useful front of
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A history and graphic design graduate, who created a graphics company, running successfully for 15 years. Concurrently acquiring a large garden in Highgate, Melanie ventured into the horticultural world. She took the Landscape/ Garden diploma at Capel Manor and gained Distinction. She has now been designing gardens in north London for over 20 years. Melanie is also a Garden Historian and wrote her thesis on Percy Cane. She was invited to visit the garden that Cane designed for Haile Sellassie in Ethiopia. Her thesis now resides in the President’s palace in Addis Ababa. Melanie was also editor of Garden Confidential magazine. “I have to do a lot of research for the magazine which keeps me up to date on the gardening world this in turn benefits my garden designs and plantings." www.capitalgardens.co.uk 9zzzz
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Cha mpi ons of Lon d on
An exclusive interview with a gardening icon, the designer who enjoys pushing the boundaries with his award winning and wacky designs. Here Diarmuid discusses his inspirations, design ethos and much more.
Diarmuid Gavin
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Gold Standard
At what age did you realise you had a talent for garden design? I grew up in suburban Dublin and always found the 'sameness' of everyone's gardens confusing. Rose beds, rockeries and crazy paving abounded. Therefore, from an early age I began to imagine ways of changing my parents garden, taking influence from contemporary design I'd see on other creative but non gardening programmes on television. So, music videos and some Star Trek sets have a lot to answer for!
What is the inspiration behind the Westland Magical Tower Garden? The inspiration behind the Westland Magical Tower Garden was to examine the potential of gardening on a very limited footprint in an increasingly urbanised society. Could I build 7 gardens, one on top of the other, on a 10m x 10m footprint? Gardens which would appeal to both the young and old, gardens which could grow fruit and vegetables, provide places to sit, relax or have an outdoor bath, do the washing and hang it out? All in the sky? Complete with an elevator and a very fast tubular slide which deposited visitors down 5 floors in a matter of seconds? Your designs are seen by some as wacky, We could! controversial and ‘out there’. What is your design ethos? If there was only one plant which could survive My design ethos is first and foremost, to create in London what would it be and why? gardens that are beautiful, sometimes fun, and Buddleia, because its proved it can thrive in most importantly gardens that appeal to all the most difficult of circumstances. Sprouting age groups. I never seek to create gardens that from gaps in brick walls or cracks in are controversial, however some are designed pavements, producing oxygen, feeding to make people consider possibilities other butterflies and bees and making us happy with than what is regarded as 'normal'. its lances of colour. The 'wacky' label is definitely something I embrace when constructing show gardens at Space is usually an issue for most Londoners. a place such as Chelsea. Where else could I What are your best space saving tips? get to create gardens that can be hoisted into If you're short on space, concentrate on a the sky, brilliant giant hanging baskets, with collection of plants that please you rather than garden visitors inside, allowing new paving or pathways, and possibly forget the perspectives on our capabilities and lawn! environment. Spring is upon us do you have any favourite spring flowering plants? I adore spring, I can't wait each year until the soil warms up and hosts of fresh foliage and flowers come out to shine. My favourites are probably the same as everyone else's. After the bitter cold and wet winters we all enjoy how lovely is it to experience the joy and flamboyance of colour. Whether it comes from the commonest of shrubs like the Ribes (flowering currant) or the beauty and drama of a mauve wisteria, bursting with exotic foliage and flowers from its wizened wooden stem. You are probably the most well known garden designer in Britain, which celebrities gardens have you designed and who was the most fun to work with? I've created gardens for all sorts of well known people. I liked working with Laurence Dallallio a lot because of his surprising appreciation of design. My favourite celebrity garden is an unusual one, it is one that we are currently planting. A garden originally developed by Rudolph Nureyev who was a ballet dancer, one of the most celebrated of the 20th century. The site overlooks Monaco, his spirit lives on in the romantic nature of the original plans. So, his are big steps to follow.
I would advise that you always design with a destination in mind within that space. Lay down a pathway through the planting and lawn which leads somewhere, maybe around a mysterious corner to a simple summerhouse. Create a garden which draws people out, one with a reason to explore. Some designers just design- others design and build. Which one are you? I'm a designer and digger. I love planning and planting but am hopeless at anything else that's practical. What simple design ideas/theories should gardeners bear in mind when creating their own gardens? Some basic design ideas that I'd advise people to follow are firstly to keep things simple, don't try and achieve too much drama with plants or features, especially in the smaller spaces we commonly garden within. How would you describe your garden? Do you have any favourite elements of your garden? My garden is like a builders yard ...it's a mess! However, I've great plans, so, given a spot of good weather I will be out there making my garden dreams a reality!
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Cha mpi ons of Lon d on
The Chelsea Flower show is the marquee event of the horticultural calendar, this year’s show will be no exception. We speak with Balston Agius designers Michael Balston & Marie-Louise Agius. Their ‘East Village Garden’ (pictured below) has generated a lot of media attention in the horticultural world as well as the mainstream press.
with experience at the project management and implementation stages and it ensures that we are able to manage our clients’ expectations from the start. I started as an architect and drifted outside, re-qualifying as a landscape architect. Particularly hooked on gardens in the 70’s, I was inspired by both Modern Movement architects and by plantsmen such as Christopher Lloyd who taught me much, and Beth Chatto as well. These large-scale landscapes still go on, particularly in China where there are opportunities to create huge landscapes. However, design at the small scale of a show garden is especially challenging and great fun.
With Exbury Gardens as home, I have always been surrounded by extraordinary horticulture. The longer I practice as a professional, the more the principles laid out at Exbury by my great grandfather astonish me. He paid extraordinary attention to detail at both the macro and micro level. A passion for horticulture runs through my veins on both sides of the family, I’m not sure I was ever likely to escape this profession as my destiny.
East Village Show Garden - Chelsea Flower Show 2013
We are involved in a wide variety of high quality projects, including private gardens, and landscape management, both urban estate planning, small town gardens, roof terraces and general landscape design. We enjoy the challenge of diversity, though fundamental throughout the heart of the business is the design of landscapes, gardens and their buildings.
We aim to work closely with our clients to deliver a garden or landscape that works for them and their site. We arrive without any preconceptions and enjoy the challenge that each new project presents. We aim to marry our design and creativity with exceptional attention to detail. Combine this www.capitalgardens.co.uk
There are a total of 600 exhibitors at the Chelsea Flower Show, including 15 large show gardens and 21 small gardens. The biggest ever show garden at Chelsea was created in 2010 by the Eden Project at 600 square metres. In 2009, 2,000 bottles of champagne and 46,500 glasses of Pimms were drunk at the show. Last year, 65,000 cups of tea and 18,000 sandwiches were served.
Michael Balston & Marie-Louise Agius
ing too many different varieties of plants – and admire their regular collaboration with it will just lead to visual chaos. sculptors.
Antiquity - 40 years’ design experience first buildings then landscapes and gardens. Now I concentrate on the conceptual design.
I enjoy the challenge of working up the designs in detail, ensuring that the tiniest element of coordination has not been overlooked. The management of the project on site is also key and you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of this component of the job. It ensures for us, and our clients, that the design is carried out accurately and to the standard intended.
Understand what you have – this means close observation and maybe a survey if you are contemplating changing levels or sightlines. Look carefully at major elements such as trees or areas of paving and assess them critically. Understand what you want to do and look at alternatives. Try and go and see similar examples of what you want. Be-imaginative. Look at alternative materials and be ready to try out a variety of plants – but finally evolve a focused approach with a unity of design. Avoid the ever-present temptation afflicting gardeners of collect-
If you are looking to carry out the work yourself start with your brief – How do you want this space to work for you? Once you have an idea of what you might want to achieve and have played around with some layout designs, begin to consider your key materials. Avoid the temptation to use too many! Understand your soil, climate and light conditions – these will start to inform your plant palette. When it comes to implementation, it may be worth seeking some advice from a professional as to the costs involved as these can often be underestimated.
The exhibit emerged from discussions during 2011/12 about the relevance of outdoor living, gardens and parks to Delancey projects. In particular, the rejuvenation of Stratford with Qatari Diar Delancey’s purchase and management of the legacy identity for the Athlete’s village – now known as East Village, E20. With outdoor living high on the agenda, Chelsea could be a stage on which to re-instate the Olympic achievement and legacy that has been created. East Village is a brand new neighbourhood with a focus on real quality of life. Picking up clues from this, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the history of the Lea Valley, the garden encapsulates form and ethos that has driven the development of the East Village and its locality.
I still occasionally enjoy Kew where I lived for 4 years in the 70’s and where I learned a lot about plants. Back then it cost only 1 penny to get in so my visits were frequent – now less so. Instead I make more use of the Chelsea Physic Garden which is packed full of all sorts of goodies.
We knew we wanted to explore the theme of regeneration and legacy as these are central to the ethos of East Village. The architecture and built forms in the new neighbourhood informed our choice of materials, as well as the design for some of the key structures. Another key component was the incorporation of good horticulture, which we want to show as integral to strong Kew Gardens. As a young child I can redesign and urban living. member being in awe of some of their majestic trees and adored exploring their palm 01380 848181 houses. As an adult professional, I appreci- www.balstonagius.co.uk ate their botanical nature, good labelling (!) zzzz
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Cha mpi ons of Lon don
You were one of the lucky few who got the chance to carry the Olympic torch, how did that come about? My twin brother is a huge fan of the Olympics, and signed up as a games maker. He is a more of a legitimate member of society, but he has dabbled in some guerilla gardening. He ended up being assigned as a chauffeur in those BMW’s. He received an email about nominating a flame carrier a n d i m m e d i a t e l y said ‘Richard we should nominate you’. He asked if I would be up for it, and without any hesitation I said ‘yes’. If you recall there was a lot of cynicism about the Olympics but we tend to forget that part now don’t we; in the end it was brilliant and brought everybody together. The funny thing was that it was the local authorities who administer it, so I found myself getting contacted by Southwark council, confirming that I had been chosen to be a torchbearer and asking for a little video testimonial from me to put on their website. Southwark council unfortunately has never been supportive of what I do. On the other hand Lambeth council next door have paid me to judge their ‘estates in Bloom’ competition. Southwark, at best turn a blind eye to what I do, at worst they have been rather belligerent. So there I was, at Southwark council’s office being asked “So why are you an Olympic torch barer” to which my response was “because you are a negligent council. If it was not for you not doing you job in the council block where I live, I would neverhave become a guerilla gardener, and here I am 8 years on carrying the torch because you are a negligent council” www.capitalgardens.co.uk
Understandably that version of the testimonial never made it onto Youtube or the councils website. However, they asked me enough questions for it to be possible for them to edit it into a respectable video. So my video was delayed by two weeks, all the others did not require ‘high level’ clearance from Southwark council. They obviously realised it had the potential to embarrass them. I honestly did not set out
with this intention, if they were a council with a sense of humour they would have taken it on the chin. The upside is it began to make the council take notice. Being a torch barer is a way of telling people that guerilla gardening is a respectable activity. ‘Technically’ it is criminal damage at the end of the day it is not crazy to be doing this. What was it like to meet Camilla? Was she knowledgeable about plants? It was a pleasure meeting Camilla, she was even more down to earth and straight forward than I had been told. After giving my little guided bus tour on one of those double deckers, the press left. There I was sat at the front of the bus with Camilla, my future mother in law behind her and my fiancée sat next to me, we were just chatting like occasionally when you’re on a bus and you bump into a friend.
She candidly mentioned that she has her own garden which she is passionate about and Charles has his, they are separated by the M4 motorway! Camilla also informed us that she is not encouraged to do any gardening in Highgrove. We did not talk at length about gardening but her love of gardening did come across. Have you always been into gardening? Yes I have, I didn’t grow up in London I grew up in Devon. My Father is a Vicar there, and one of the perks of being a vicar in those days were that you’d get a reasonable sized house with a nice garden. In fact, it was big enough to hold the church fete. The size of the garden meant that there was always a lot of mowing and digging to do. My Mum and her Mum before her were both keen gardeners, so when we moved there in the 1980’s she dug a lot of herbaceous borders and a veg patch. My mother had big plans for the garden. Eventually we were roped in to helping her, as we never employed anyone to do it. My passion for gardening followed through to boarding school where I would do gardening during my break time. So I would say that I became a gardener at 12. I would go down to St George’s market in Exeter and buy trays of bedding plants such as Alyssum, Antirrhinum and Salvia. As a teenager when I returned home I would pretty much do the whole garden as my parents were not able to by that point due to their ill health. I would make planting list requests for my birthdays, and I would get bulk deliveries of various plants.
If only one plant could survive in London, what plant would it be and why? Wow, that is an amazing question. I think it would have to be the London Plane Tree. To imagine London with just one living plant is obviously an apocalyptic vision, something would have gone horribly wrong either with management, or more likely the climate. The reason why I chose the London Plane Tree, is because it offers quite a lot of benefits. It provides shade in the summer and once fallen, its masses of leaves provide nutrients to the soil. It is also home to a lot of wildlife, particularly squirrels. The reason they were planted in the laten 19th century is because they are great in polluted environments. Do you have a favourite garden London? Rather than pick someone else’s, I would go with what I call the London Lavender Fields. It is a guerilla garden; in fact it is my biggest guerrilla garden. It is 6 years old now; and is also the one that Camilla helped cut and most importantly it is where I met my fiancée. To this day it amazes me that we were able to do it with no formal written agreement. The garden is our main source of fund raising as we harvest the Lavender. I have a range of pure Lavender pillows (most Lavender pillows are not made with pure lavender). The fabric this year is designed by Liberty, who are doing a new range of fabrics inspired by London and the Chelsea flower show.
You are known around the world as the ‘Godfather’ of Guerilla Gardening, what inspired you to? What I did not do is invent guerilla gardening, some people think that I did, I correct them whenever I can. Whilst I did not invent it I did popularise it. Before I did my stuff, people did not talk about it, it was a very marginal and largely historic activity. The Green Guerillas in New York, during the early 1970’s had stopped being guerilla gardeners by 1975. What inspired me to do it is really simple. It is the itch to garden and not having a garden of my own. To the right: Pure Lavender Pillow available at www.guerrillagardening.org Bottom Right: The London Lavender Fields
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Shady Characters
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Ferns grow into new plants not from seeds but from spores in two stages. Stage one First spores are made in sacs called sporangia. These are the brown spots on the underside of the fronds. From these spores spread out. Some settle in suitable places. Stage two The spores develop into a tiny heartshaped plant called prothallus that makes male and female cells. When bathed in rain, the male cells swim to the female cells, fertilising them. A new root and stem then grow into a proper fern frond and the tiny prothallus dies. www.capitalgardens.co.uk
Ferns erns had their heyday in the 19th century. In conservatories and in the garden. The male fern retains its leaves over winter but the female
F
is a superior relative of the
winter gardens they provided a green backdrop for the extravagant fern will die back.
potted blooms that were popular at that time when fern grottoes male fern. More compact in size, it is known as the shield fern. It has
were all the rage. Young ladies and gentlemen collected ferns on their colourful fronds that are a pretty pinkish-red, as they unfurl and then travels and would delight in identifying and naming every one they came turn coppery and finally deep green.
The painted fern
is a compact relative of the female fern and has
across. Pencil sketches and watercolour paintings immortalised their
many finds, as did pressed ferns framed with their botanical name in soft grey-green markings and a pinkish stem. This fern makes an especially lovely container plant for a shady corner of the garden. The
neat calligraphic script beneath.
harts-tongue fern Fortunately, ferns are now fashionable once more. In recent times they as
and the spleenworts, such are all compact evergreens and will work especially
have been overlooked in favour of more colourful plants but, with the well in small containers or hanging baskets. increasing trend towards a minimalist style in the garden, there is a fresh appreciation of their subtle charms. It is estimated that there are between 6,000 and 15,000 species of fern worldwide with an enormous Although there are exceptions, the majority of ferns like to grow in moist, variation in leaf size, shape, texture and colours that encompass every shady conditions and they hate it if their roots are allowed to dry out, imaginable shade of green. Best of all they are easy to grow – they will especially when newly planted. Enrich the soil with leafmould or survive and thrive where most plants will quickly
compost before planting. When growing ferns in
succumb, especially in deep, damp shade, and there
containers, plant in a compost mix of two parts
are even varieties that do well in dry shade under
loam-based compost, two parts standard potting
trees or in wall crevices. They are ideal for city
compost and one part composted bark or leafmould.
gardens.
Mulch with bark chippings or leafmould to keep roots cool and retain moisture. The root system of ferns is
Botanically, ferns took a left-turn when the rest of
near the surface of the soil and is very fine – they dislike
the plant kingdom went right – while all other plants
disturbance so re-pot only when absolutely necessary
bear seeds, ferns reproduce by means of spores the cases of which can
when the plant is in active growth in spring or summer.
be seen as raised dots on the underside of the leaves. The spores are released when ripe and will germinate if conditions are favourable, although it is a long process. Ferns within the same family often bear absolutely no resemblance to each other and the names can be confusing. If you see a fern that you like, be sure to make a careful note
Stephanie
Stephanie’s blog can be found here www.blog.theenduringgardener.com
of each part of its name – this is the only way to be certain that you don’t end up with the wrong plant when you visit garden centres or specialist
Ferns in store now
nurseries.
There is no doubt that many keen gardeners admire ferns for their bold forms, fine foliage and delicate shades of green.
The most commonly available are the male fern the slightly paler female
and
Both of these plants can
We have a great selection of ferns to add that subtle air of wilderness, that they bring to the garden.
reach more than one metre (3ft) across when planted in a shady position om Fr s 9 rn .9 Fe £4
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10spring Things to do in
By Lynn Allbutt
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Get Cutting
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Cut back any spent herbaceous growth in beds and borders, now wildlife doesn’t need it and complete clearing the veg patch.
Label it Label everything you sow. Create novel markers like recycled cutlery and twigs halved lengthways. Simply write on flat surfaces with a permanent marker.
3
Use good quality secateurs such as the Fiskars Medium PowerGear Bypass Pruner. Price £27.99
Sow it
2
Sow your seeds - in the veg patch and the flower beds. Incorporate veg in the flowerbeds, the frothy top growth of carrots adds interest, as does a wigwam of peas or runner beans at the back of the border. Similarly, sow annual flowers in your veg patch to provide colour, cutting flowers, and help attract pollinators into the veggie garden.
Why not try rainbow carrot seeds, the colours of the carrots will make for interesting meals.
2
Skip it
Have a good tidy up; every garden has ‘messy’ corners harbouring a build up of old flowerpots, dead plants and broken furniture. Skip it or take it to the tip!
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Price £1.65
Best known for her TV presenting, 'Outdoorist' and Champion for Mother Nature, Lynne Allbutt's love of the natural world is inspiring, infectious and utterly uplifting. She is an avid writer and speaker whose humour and energy make for informative and lively walks, talks and interviews. lynneallbutt.co.uk www.capitalgardens.co.uk
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5
Tidy it Tidy up your shed and greenhouse. Get broken tools mended. If you are using your greenhouse as a shed, make this the year you give it to a good home and get a shed!
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Mow it
Enjoy it Don’t forget it’s not all about work; use your garden for fun too. Mow a Labyrinth in your lawn. Dust off the garden furniture, and the BBQ; our best weather is often in the spring these days. Introduce solar lights so spring sunshine can get them ‘glowing’ through the night. Invest in fire pit (that doubles as a BBQ) or chiminea so you can dine al fresco for longer!
Start cutting your grass, with the blades a little higher for the first cut. This will avoid shocking the mower, the grass and the operator! If your mower doesn’t start, talk to it nicely; research has shown that even inanimate objects are able to understand the difference between threats and persuasion. If have to renew your mower, consider paying someone to come in and mow regularly for you instead. Feed and weed your lawns as necessary.
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Get a professional to maintain your lawn. Call the Capital Garden Maintenance team for a quotation. 0800 783 4010
7
Paint it
Get the paint out. Garden paint has come on leaps and bounds and there are some great colours to choose from for fences, sheds, pet hutches, trelliswork and even garden furniture. Visit www.bedec.co.uk, their Multi Purpose Paint transforms most outdoor materials and all without primer. Be brave when choosing colours.
Pen it
Picture it
Take photos. Diarising your garden throughout the year is a great way to inspire improvements and nice to keep. There are many tools available on the internet to turn your photos into great personal greetings cards too.
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Keep a gardening journal and list your plans. The pen is often mightier than the spade when it comes to managing your time.
Capital Garden Maintenance Garden Clean Ups - Lawn Mowing - Planting - Lawn Care - Fencing
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We have two specially selected recipes by our resident foodie Samuel Dontoh.
These recipes are a easy to make and bursting with flavour.
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Healthy Light and
As summer approaches the pressure to shed those excess pounds can become unbearable. To help you look your best without the need for extreme diets, we have put together two low calorie meals.
Easy 2 ●250g English Asparagus - trimmed ●2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil ●2 Duck Eggs (or chicken if you prefer) ●50g Wild Rocket ●1 Avocado – halved, stoned and skinned ●100g Radishes – trimmed and sliced ●15g Toasted Pine Nuts ●50g Blue Goats Cheese – Crumbled ●1 Tbsp freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
Toss the trimmed Asparagus in 1 tbsp of oil. Heat a griddle until hot and cook asparagus for 4-5 minutes, turning regularly until tender and lightly charred. Prepare the eggs by simmering for 7 minutes, drain and then cool under cold water. Arrange the rocket between two serving plates. Cut the avocado into cubes and scatter over rocket with radishes, pine nuts and goats cheese. Peel and quarter the eggs before arranging these and asparagus over the salad. Whisk the remaining oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over salad before serving.
Easy 4 ● ● ●
Mild olive oil spray 4 Sheets filo pastry (each roughly 38cm x 30cm) 1 Egg
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1 Medium onion, finely chopped 2 Garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 250g Young spinach 250g Ricotta, drained (or vegetarian alternative) ½ tsp Freshly grated nutmeg 100g Feta cheese (or vegetarian alternative)
Heat a spray of oil in a large pan and fry the onion and garlic for 10 minutes until soft but not coloured. Add the spinach and cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Tip into a sieve and press to remove as much excess liquid as possible. Cool. Beat the egg with the ricotta and nutmeg and season. Stir in the feta with the spinach and onion. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Spray a 20cm loose-based cake tin with a little oil. Line with the filo sheets, leaving excess pastry overhanging and spraying each sheet with oil. Spoon the cheese and spinach mixture into the tin. Bring the pastry up and over the top of the pie. Spray generously with oil. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Serve warm or cold. zzzz26
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