@RecipesmadeinHerefordshire

What a weekend with this threesome and just look at that book.  Made In Herefordshire - exciting new collaboration with contributors from restaurants, producers, B&B's (oh yes - check out the lavender /honey shortbread recipe from yours truly).  It was launched in the presence of His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester - a splendid gentleman who genuinely thought we Herefordshire Farmers - and some, "real people" - no comment!

The real launch for me was to the people of Hereford at the magnificent Flavours of Herefordshire Food Festival.  We are so lucky in Hereford to have quite the most magnificent Cathedral - the Dean and Chapter (the former bought a book for his collection) graciously allowed the festival to happen in and around the confines of the Cathedral grounds - awesome in many ways.  It was quite surreal chatting to the JuiceShack boys then the Passion4Fish folk, sampling Oliver's Perry and then listening to organ practice - that is Hereford - what a mix!

Couldn't resist this picture taken on a recent holiday in Florence.  It's how I feel - just about to order tulips and trying to make the right decision.  Isn't this a gorgeous painting though, in a simple Church just around the corner from where we stayed - awesome.  One big surprise was having to make appointments to see the gorgeous largely private gardens in Florence.  How lucky we are in Herefordshire - such a wealth of stunning properties, many open in the Yellow Book for National Gardens Scheme and many superb larger gardens and nurseries within a very short distance - sometimes sneaking over the border into Worcestershire, Shropshire or Powys - many surrounding us.  Our favourites  within 20 miles are Stocktonbury Gardens and Hampton Court Gardens near Leominster; Hergest Croft in Kington, the Whimble Nurseries at New Radnor - but be quick as Elizabeth Taylor (yes really) closes a the end of September.  Westonbury Water Gardens near Pembridge are surprising and stunning and have the most entrancing dragon and cuckoo - you have to go to see!  As a bonus Upper Newton has just joined the great hortihub which collates and gathers all things good about gardening in our Marches borderlands and helps and promotes garden matters.
Now back to the tulip orders!  Queen of the Night has finally disappeared - helped by vine weevil in the round bed and age - so questions - what to drench with, which of the lovely compost heaps shall I spread there and what colour shall we have?

End of Harvest, beginning of wood pellet stove lighting. In the same week!

Just off on Saturday to an eco-dyeing course with Claire Cawte and Mandy Nash in Llantrisant Region 12 IFA - gathering leaves and bark in readiness for gorgeous alchemy.  Suddenly the leaves are turning and there is a chill in the garden.  The aeonium came in from the cold last night - I am not repeating the disgusting squidginess of last years disaster after the first frosts.

On the plus side we are just about to order tulips - a great buddy is having her wedding reception in our field next year - so I am trying to time the tulip and blossom display!  Challenging as peak cherry blossom time can stretch between three weeks as it did this year.  I am hoping that underplanting a new hedge of amelanchier's with vibrant tulips will do the trick!

Natural Dyeing and Farmer's Markets and Food Festivals

Could not resist posting this, taken last weekend at a www.plantdyedwool workshop with Jane Meredith.  I'm really lucky as she is just 8 miles from Upper Newton, on the riverbank.  I joined forced with the Brecon Weavers and Spinners Guild for a happy, if rather roast day natural dyeing Cotswold fleece with coreopsis, nettle, madder, meadowsweet, weld, indigo, woad, tansy all tested with chrome, copper, alum and some without mordant.

My dye plant area in the garden is developing, I picked up seven madder plants from Aardvark books in Brampton Bryan (don't forget the Scarecrow Festival 3/4 August this year), at their antique festival and rendezvoused with Cottage Herbery.  It's the best thing about local nurseries, you get a personal service.  I had been chatting to them at Shobden Food Festival on the aerodrome - ok next door to it, and arranged to see them three weeks later.  I did the same thing at the Farmer's Market in Hereford - I had forgotten to plant Nicotiana Sylvestris so ordered and arranged to pick up at the next market - perfect.

Walking With Offa, swallows, Gardens in the Wild Festival

The new Offa Hopper free guide with maps, proven bus routes out and lovely walks back to Kington has been launched.  Yours truly is kneeling by Lisa Richardson - Walking Festival Herefordshire and Pete Blench - Hereford Times walks and wonderful guide to take guests on great walks.

Nearer to home tthe Swallows are now nesting on the house and in the barns and the robins have rejected my soft felt bird pods and decided to lay and nurture their fledglings in the tidy pile of plastic rubble sacks for recycling - there is no accounting for taste!

The Malvern Show has been and gone - amidst it's usual mix of weather especially wind.  I remember a few years ago helping a friend from Pershore College layout and plant up her competition garden in such a wind - a total change of planting had to happen as all the tulips were blown over and then petals blown off.  Still at least those tulips were ok - something has completely destroyed my gorgeous Spring Green Tulips, they are now on the bonfire in disgust.  Thankfully the amelanchier hedge - newly planted ready for a friend's Springtime wedding reception is focusing me at that end of the garden.  I have also been somewhat focused on the dearth of ground elder, larger and stronger than ever before in two new beds - I must have divided something and inadvertently spread it last year.  Thankfully two of my twitter followings involve forages so I will be looking up recipes - probably not for breakfast guests - never fear - well not until I am entirely convinced that they enhance fritattas.

The new deckchair covers have been made and the deck chairs given a splash of freshening up black paint.  I bought one length of deckchair material from TinSmith's in Ledbury - one of my favourite haunts when over in that part of the world.  I had some rather gorgeous black lace in my stash and decided I wouldn't use it in felting work anytime soon but an artful dash underneath the pillows I have sewn in should look quite splendid.  I'll post photos when the sun decides to come back!  Also I'll post photos of the Kadai for outdoor cooking I finally succumbed to on a recent visit up the A49 to Shrewsbury.  It has a Hungarian goulash pot attached - well on the floor now after the winds of yesterday but now that Kington Building Supplies has furnished me with some sharp sand I am confident that the first summer stew will be upright.  The sand is quite ingeneous - it filters charcoal and cooking debris that is accidentally dropped in so only water splashes onto the ground underneath.  Of course now I am eyeing up small bits of farm mending thinking that a certain enclosed tube shape with two vertical holes and a removable lid at one end could mean that we could engineer our own charcoal in the embers ....  It's always interesting at Upper Newton - no room to relax for this particular brain.  Always projects for the benefit of guests though.

The next excitement is 22/23 June Gardens in the Wild based around Stagg Meadows.www.gardensinthewild.org/ Some really terrific speakers, Robert Myers (just post Chelsea),  Anna Pavord, Anthony Woodward, Clare Foster, Mirabel Osler, Noel Kingsbury, Nigel Dunnett, Peter Clay and Stephen Anderton.

Felt Exhibition in Llanlidloes this Easter
Quite chuffed to have sold a cashmere and merino antique scarf at the Feisty Felters exhibition in Llanlidloes this Easter.  I have been having fun with iPad overs too.  Now to make some welly boot liners for he who is important and has cold feet in this latest snow.  It was a beautiful journey over on Easter Saturday, luckily lots of sheep visible but the snow drifts in Radnorshire near Llanfiangel-Nant-Milan were awesome and scary for local farmers.

Made a few more cushions, lovely duck feather filling, a photograph of our gracious Oak Tree down in Long Meadow - adapted and screened onto some lovely shabby chic cotton and backed with Black Mountain (white) fleece.  In a way hope they don't sell - perfect for the holiday cottages!

Sorry about the lines around - I got my layers muddled in photoshop!

Primroses are here, Kinnersley on Sea!

Just so lovely when the one field near the cottages bursts into lemon gorgeousness all along the bottom of the hedgerow.  The cattle trample around here pretty well for most of the year but it is rested from November to ... the finer weather so these beauties have a chance to procreate undisturbed.  Of course if you were one of my foraging Twitter followers you'd be syruping or munching on them - but me - I just appreciate them just where they are with the birds in full chorus all around.

If you fancy following any of the foragers you can track them through the twitter feed of @GreatCottages.  Very exciting day first bumblebee on the hellebores - enjoying extended daylight hours, this was taken at 5.50pm

Now for the deck chairs, the winter has taken its toll with a slight infestation of woodworm so the idea of fresh canvas from Tinsmiths in Ledbury was a little premature, treatment, a severe talking to and a good coat of paint are all going to be necessary prior to the unveiling.  There is something so hopeful and promising about the notion of sitting with something sparkly (hawthorn fizz or nettle wine!) that appeals when the reality is still soggy and still soggier boots thanks to the snow!

Astrology
Nearly forgot - don't miss Countryfile on Sunday - all about dark sky status in the Beacons National Park - on our doorstep.  Our resident astrologer has suggested I get download "Starry Night", "Planetarium", "Google Night" on the IPAD so I can name the stars we see so clearly here.  Also a really great hint - a red torch - life is full of finding out about things you cannot live without isn't it?

Deckchair hunting near Brecon

Wonderful mossy velvetness near Sennybridge

Pen y Fan and Black Mountain Ranges March 2013

I set off on an ebay related adventure yesterday, picking up two deck chairs from the other side of Brecon passing this view of Pen Y Fan and the Black Mountains.  Such a beautiful journey with many statuesque trees on the way - bit obsessive about trees before they burst into leaf at present as a new range of cushions are being made for Apple Bough Cottage.

I called back via Brecon Craft Fayre - held in the Memorial Hall - met some lovely people including a great Chinese artist who is based in Abergavenny and someone who makes cute sheep footstools in gorgeous colours.  Then purchased some coasters with fabulous photographs from the top of the Black Mountains - now used on the breakfast table.  No need to put the snowy scenes out this morning as watching the lesser spotted woodpecker nibbling www.wigglywiggler.co.uk nuts we had a coating of snow on the parterre.

The yfenni (mustard seeds cheesy deliciousness) cheese I picked up in the Hay deli yesterday went down really well melted into mushrooms with sour dough bread and maple smoked welsh bacon and rosemary and pork sausages - both from the great Butcher in the Brecon market.  I don't get up there often but always pop in and order, cross over and have a freshly cooked (in front of me ) welsh cake and chai tea and then pick up my goodies.  Shopping this way is always a pleasure - lovely welsh humour and a feeling of belonging.

Yesterdays breakfast sausages and bacon were both rare breed Gloucestershire Old Spot from a terrific butcher in Ledbury - again I was passing.  It's the joy of the market towns, just 15 miles centred from Hereford and you have such choice and treasures.

I returned from Ledbury to find the most gorgeous bunch - nay bouquet of flowers from @greatbritish flowers, from Heather Gorringe to sample.  They were and are stunning and the sent is really gorgeous from the narcissi.  I split the bunch, half into the cottages and half into the dining room.  Four days later they are still going strong and the irises are now fully open and taking centre stage.

Luxury travel blog

It's been a good day to tweet!  Incensed that VISIT ENGLAND site doesn't even have Herefordshire listed on its page about rural counties, - we don't get much more rural, I defy anyone to ask for a non-sea related activity and me not be able to find somewhere close that they could do it! (follow GreatCottages if you want to see the related tweets, or maybe its Kinnersley Cottages!)

Anyway,  a significant number of folk are following us so I tweet to the said company and commented on their thoughts on luxury travel and luxury items in the bathrooms particularly.

"I've been thinking, luxury isn't just expensive toiletries, it can be pure handmade artisan products too - we don't do expensive packaging or makes that suggest your room rate has been hiked up to pay for Molton's of the world.

'Luxury can be simplicity - not quite our gypsy caravan experience during the minus10 nights but our biomass wood pellet boiler bubbling away warming the cosy cottage. It can be the farmer's wife popping you onto the family pony for a gentle trek around the farm, popping some deck chairs down into the bluebell wood and kitting you up with a flask to bird watch in complete, splendid isolation.  Just a thought. welcome to Herefordshire and the Welsh Marches, simplicity and cosiness done well!'

What do you think, would you prefer highly packaged "luxury" shampoos etc or locally well made items?  I guess this is my first online focus group - you can tell it is too cold to be gardening or taking photographs.  Archie has been tightly curled up for three hours - a new weather report angle  it is Archie 3 degrees - non exploring weather today!

Feltmaking for door panels and Llanlidloes exhibition

Finally, builders and decorators all settled - one biomass fire burning away which makes Chess Cottage really toasty.  Decided that it was time to help folk who are not used to the wonderful darkness and near zero light pollution by making an optional door curtain to pop over the stable door.  Also thinking about buying a telescope as we are close to the Brecon Beacons National Park which as you probably know has been awarded International Dark Skies Status as an International Dark-Sky reserve  – one of only 5 in the world along with Exmoor National Park, Canada, New Zealand and Namibia. 
It's great to be back with my fingers in the fleece, ready to take to Felting in the Factory near Ross-on-Wye tomorrow to pop on a rolling machine.  I want to get this particularly fine ready to screen print with an image of our gorgeous ancient oak - a stunningly simple photograph I took last week.

Finally managed to extra the photo of the mystery fungus I found on a walk last week in our woodland - anyone know what it is - I can't find my fungi book at present - a great buddy who helped me with my library is jetting off to Australia today and I am at a loss as to know where it might have been located.

Olympic meadows/bokashi bran - the ceremony of spreading of donkey dung and the opportunity for trials in Herefordshire farm garden with rescued deck chairs!

Inspired by the Telegraph article on the plantings masterminded by Nigel Dunnet from Sheffield University and the need to leave my new flower bed adjoining the vegetable garden fallow - I am inspired.
I have a mixture of forgotten, forsaken and free packets of annual flower seeds in various areas of potting frenzy around the gardens and think that with a sound supplement of a mix such as the Sheffield flower mix I could be onto a winner for a blaze of summer colour.

I read with delight that Nigel Dunnett had complimented Mary Keen (Pg 21 The Garden magazine - RHS) on fertilising her meadow  seed bed to combat the effects of our rather wet summers hmmm a use for the cherished and definitely well rotted Donkey dung at last!  This was acquired (I can hear you asking) on one of my many sojourns to Westhope craft college - I had great plans for more until Shropshire County Council decided to close the road for a substantial number of weeks and alas when it reopened the donkeys had been relocated.  A little like the first pickings or scrabblings of the bokashi bin the precious mix has to be used reverently.  (Thereafter it is just tipped onto the huge mound of compost and unceremoniously mixed up with the use of the farm teleporter and then dramatically flipped or turned.)

So summer planning is on its way, I failed to purchase any end of season deck chairs in Brighton at the weekend - part of the grand plan for Upper Newton picnics for guests in the extended garden.  I was tempted by the sign on the pier adjacent to some innocuous blue and white striped affairs piled up which stated Deckchairs Free to use  but then he who is important encouraged me to continue reading - whilst using the pier.  Spoilsport.  Note to self - it is very very chilly in Brighton in February - visit when warmer and negotiate with deckchair attendants in much the same manner you chat to nurserymen and rescue bent, broken and misshapen plants.  There must be a retirement system for well used deck chairs.

Lavendar Shortbread, Biomass and Yoga - yum

I decided to use some of the lavender harvested in the Summer to crush and use in shortbread - I used a tsp of hot lavender essence too and bought in a few culinary flowers (from Kent - shock) to place in the bottom of the baking pans to ensure it was clear that the shortbread was lavender in taste and vision.  After a bit of trial and error (i.e. three small batches) I managed to incorporate our own honey and get uniform amounts into my new, gorgeous baking pan.  I am particularly besotted with this as it has alternating honey combs and bees so perfect.  I'll take a photo when I get a moment.  There is a professionally taken one ready for the new Herefordshire Recipe Book to be launched at the Herefordshire Food Festival in October.  Do contact Photopia nr Pembridge if you have a great recipe idea - Becca and Simon would love to hear from you.

My photo will probably be set up in front of the new biomass pellet boiler in Chess Cottage - just loving the flame and the heat exchange system - very green, very warm and lovely contemporary look.

Quite a change to a freezing seafront in Brighton on Saturday.  This chilly weather snap is all about comfort food and spices that warm us.  We did find an amazing Vietnamese restaurant with the most delicious vegetables steamed in a stunning combination of spices.  New ideas for mixing with our nourishing basmati and mung dahl - a healthy staple in this house whilst the lady of the house gets her flexibility back and takes her yoga seriously.

In the background is the desolate sight of the burned down Brighton pier.  I do hope they renovate - it seems ridiculous that a new tower is being built to rival the height of any other architecture whilst this invaluable part of our history is left to erode.

Sunny, chilly Sunday afternoon walk to re-home the farm gnome.

Fungi walk today down in my favourite woodland. Found this and a gorgeous red fungi that looked like half a tangerine with red paint inside - one of the benefits of the soggy soggy year as it was growing only on rotting wood - out will have to come the fungi book.

Mostly we despise ivy and the damage it does to trees but this looked rather beautiful down in the long meadow over-looking Hay Bluff.

Early morning with the leaning copse.  One of the advantages of the crazy weather is that on days when the sunrise is glorious we appreciate it even more and revel in any signs of Spring coming, the hawthorne is shooting fast, the insects are enjoying the ivy flowers and the birds are definitely eyeing up potential nesting spots.

All is well - and the gnome has a new home, a place on a beautiful walk ready for treasure trail walks for guests.

Rather chuffed that this photo loaded, I went for an early ramble with Archie to see a stunning sunrise and was delighted to see the reflected light on the "dry soil" with surreal ice patterning by the cattle water tanks.  Scary to walk on as every now and again you sink into holes possibly created by the weight of William - our gorgeous bull!

Despite the rain, there is development in the garden - a wonderful birthday surprise was the creation of fabulous jetty down at the pond area - which now of course means the lady of the house thinks she should acquire a Wind in the Willows style fishing boat and at the very least needs a Jeremy Fisher style - "Gone Fishing sign".

The ducks have made it onto the jetty, the photo is posterized until it is planted underneath.

Just lucky with the oak tree silhouetted by Tin Hill, from our garden on 8th February.

Alchemilla Mollis May2012, just divided and replanted today

Wish it looked like this today but great to remind ourselves of how lush and warm we can be.  Also found a photo of some garden goodies ready for guests in the cottage before we decorated.  Its great at this time of year to think back on what we all achieve in a year with quiet, dogged determination.  Still, its also a great time to plan for lush gardens so I am donning the fatopets (best for gardening in this weather) - the silly hat, two pairs of gloves and off to attack once more.  I took some cuttings off the winter honeysuckle before lunch so have them to pop into some good gritty soil - I've taken enough to try popping half into the greenhouse and the other half directly into the soil which is pretty gritty.  It must have been the cook's dumping ground for broken pottery and her favourite colour must have been blue!

New extended herb garden just before settling snow

Phew, the Sorbus Cashmeriana was finally dropped into a lovely big hole where the herb garden fencing used to be - thanks to a great friend's help.  Just before the newly settling snow but in a great gale - I was wearing two hats and still had singing ears!

It's great when you suddenly have a eureka moment in your own garden - for years I had been nursing along two badly pruned - rescued roses and a fennel had established itself intertwined with a non-productive gooseberry - either that or the bluetits were really quick every year - anyway they have all gone, the tree is in and the bind (Convolvulus arvensis L.)  shards having been picked out.  Decided not to pop any green credential perennials in for a year but just take a pot luck with lots of forgotten annual seeds and just see what happens.  The ground needs to be kept fertile, covered but not with green manure - not until I am sure it is cleaned out,  I need to be ready to dig up anymore of the pernicious bindweed before being very creative.

No photos yet - not until the grapevine has reestablished itself and the Orange Blossom which I rescued from a Factory shop is in full leaf!  Just moved some Persicaria - a new variety from WyeVale cash and carry and moved some purple loosestrife to the replace them - they prefer bog gardens anyway and the bottom end of the herb garden definitely fits this definition at the present - Beth Chatto - my "right plant, right place" heroine would be delighted.

Chess Cottage, new year, new look!

Just putting my head in gear for a new website, would appreciate some feedback on these photographs. Do they show what you would like to see on an accommodation website.  Do they hint at comfort, cosiness, attention to detail and a wee bit of luxury from a country cottage?

Chess Cottage Brass Bedroom - January Flowers!

Chess Cottage, double bedroom, new washbasin area.

Chess Cottage, Brass Bedroom from internal door.

Snow, marmalade and gardening!

New sign well and truly christened with the rosa rugosa stems tickled with snow.

The lower pond with Silver Birch and Cornus in the foreground - hope the snowdrops are ready to push through.  Splodge is a snowflake (top left) no time to photoshop - seville oranges to juice and peel and chop - jars of loveliness will appear.

Then I took one more photo and used effects on the camera - pretty stunning I think!  Hope you are having fun too.

Happy New Year

Hay Bluff January 1st

Emi visiting Eardisley Great Oak from Japan January 1st!

Just needed a bracing walk on the Bluff after all the rain, as you can see a clear, gorgeous day.  

In fact the bicycle came out too!  Goodness rare image of me being still!  Back to the sewing machine this evening, finishing off new gorgeous linen cushions for Chess Cottage bedrooms - makeover nearly completed.  A few sneaky photos are creeping onto the website. www.herefordshireholidays.co.uk