Sorry my bad Stravaig. As Geoff said and as I think are shown in his profile pic. The lovely red berries you get on the hawthorn bush in autumn. They’re wonderful for heart health.

I’m hoping not OH, been chatting to the bumbles as they putter around the garden and don’t mind the wasps and hornets, but not in my garden please. Reminds me of a time on the allotment. I didn’t realise wasps could be ground nesting and ignored the “flies” batting off me, in hindsight the wasps try...

Ah how lovely Burnie, can’t beat a day on / in the river, fish or no fish. Not managed to get out this year yet as I haven’t sussed the best places in this area. You’re making me want to escape to the river.

Hope you felt a little better for it.

Tight lines

I love James Wong and also have his book. It’s amazing what you can use that we just pass by each day. My favourite is Hawchup. A ketchup substitution I make out of haws. The most beautiful fushia colour and good for your heart health. I did my PGDip presentation on them. The research into it is qui...

LOL, I’d be surprised if there weren’t a few wee cheeky nettles somewhere in the garden Stravaig.

They do suggest you can use cleavers in salads but I think I’d find the texture off putting.

Ah, this might explain my sweet pea germination rate in the root trainers… 2 out of 50 seeds sown. No vermin in the conservatory so assuming not enough water?

Popped into the local garden centre for a couple of tomato grow bags. They’re out of cheap little pots and have been for some time, as well as the coir ones. I refuse to pay £1.50 for a potting on pot, it’d cost a fortune. However, on our wandering we found a huge bin full of pots free to a good hom...

Welcome Home Stravaig

Lovely, especially the sedge warbler, love those little things.

`oooo, interested to hear more Westi

Beautifully sunny here today. The pond aka puddle is looking decidedly green and horrid so not surprised the frogs haven’t visited, really must get to it and give it a facelift. The plants are enjoying the foray into the sun as I harden them off but it does get decidedly cold here in the evening. Th...

Only had nettle soup in a restaurant in Glasgow. It was nettle, sorrel and citrus if I remember correctly. Was lovely. But never plucked up the courage to make it myself for the same reason Westi. I’m convinced I’d mess it up and sting myself. LOL, we made sure the cleavers were from a non-dog visit...

Our garden is absolutely full of these and they are sprouting quite well currently. They are edible so I thought I’d have a root around for some recipes to use them in given I’m going to try and pull most of them up. Sticky Willie Water Recipe - not the most appealing name. Seems quite straightforwa...

I have grown, from seed from the seed swap shop, thank you to the gentleman who send me a starter pack of seeds, several different types to see how I get on with them this year. I’m pleased to say all young plants are looking very robust even without the use of mycorrhizal fungi and despite a greenf...

I’ve yet to sort the beds that the PSB and peas have to go in and was considering putting them in the flower bed. Good to know they can go into big pots Westi. Might try that instead. My Papa used to soak the peas in paraffin. Not sure how that affects the plant but even then some would get eaten by...