Stephanie's Garden Blog

We are thrilled to collaborate with Rebecca Udall as part of our King’s Road pop-up shop, where her beautifully crafted fine European linens and artisan homeware will be showcased alongside the Harrod Horticultural Southwold Collection. Founded in 2019, Rebecca Udall has quickly become synonymous with timeless quality and exceptional craftsmanship, championing the ethos of “investing well, once.”

We are excited to be welcoming Claire Ninham as the second artist to collaborate with us in our Pop-Up Shop on the King's Road, Chelsea. Claire draws and paints from her home studio in North Yorkshire, UK, where she is inspired by the natural world in her immediate surroundings.

Excitement is building as planning is well underway for our stand at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 20th-24th May - looking forward to meeting up with our customers and to showcase our Southwold Garden Furniture along with some exciting new additions too...

As part of our King’s Road pop-up shop, we are delighted to partner with Weaver Green, a brand celebrated for their innovation and commitment to sustainability. Transforming recycled plastic bottles into beautifully designed, soft textiles, Weaver Green’s work exemplifies how thoughtful craftsmanship can have a positive impact on both homes and the planet.

We are thrilled to collaborate with the incredibly talented artist, Zosia Olenska Anderson, as part of our King’s Road pop-up shop. Known for her evocative and dynamic artwork, Zosia’s pieces beautifully capture the joy, movement, and energy of life, often inspired by the natural world.

Harrod Horticultural is delighted to have a new display window at the prestigious Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour. As the world’s premier destination for design and decoration, the Design Centre is home to over 130 showrooms and more than 600 international brands, making it the largest of its kind in Europe.

We are excited to announce our first ever pop-up shop is going to open on the King's Road in Chelsea this April! Showcasing our hand-crafted Southwold Garden Furniture Collection and collaborating with some great brands, we wanted to give you a sneak peak of what to expect...

As the calendar flips to a new year, we’re pausing to look back on the incredible achievements and milestones of 2024. From award wins to creative collaborations, it’s been a whirlwind of activity that’s kept us busy and inspired. Here’s a recap of our year - packed with passion, growth, and plenty of green-fingered joy.

As we enter into the festive season, it’s a time for gardeners to plan for the year ahead, dreaming of springtime blooms and bountiful harvests. This Christmas, give the gift of growing – a present that keeps on giving long after the decorations come down. Whether you're shopping for a seasoned gardener or someone just starting their green journey, Harrod Horticultural has the perfect gardening gifts for family and friends.

As the festive season approaches and winter settles in, December might seem like a quiet time in the garden. However, for the dedicated gardener, this month is full of opportunities for planning, maintenance, and dreaming of the seasons to come.

We’re excited to unveil our new, exclusive collaboration with renowned British designer Rebecca Udall - a stunning curated range, handpicked to complement the elegance and craftsmanship of our Southwold Garden Furniture collection...

Planting bare root roses is a wonderful way to start or expand your garden with stunning blooms, and there's no better expert than David Austin Roses to guide you through the process. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just beginning your rose-growing journey, knowing when and how to plant these roses can make all the difference in their growth and bloom...

Kitchen gardens are experiencing a resurgence, blending tradition with modern sustainability practices. From historical estates to luxury hotels, these spaces offer both beauty and practicality, serving as hubs for growing fresh produce and enhancing outdoor living experiences. Here are five kitchen gardens in the UK that stand out for their innovation, design, and rich history.

In the past few years, more and more people have found themselves struggling with mental health and overall wellbeing. While no one solution fits all, gardening has been widely recognised as a powerful way to nurture both body and mind. Find out more in this blog...

To create a warm colour scheme in your garden during autumn, you can add a variety of plants and elements that showcase deep, rich tones like reds, oranges, yellows, and purples.

In this Q&A with Gardening Influencer, Tom Strowlger (@garden_with_tom), we delve into expert advice on lawn preparation, edging, tools, and products to help your garden thrive, even in the chillier seasons.

Winter can be tough on your garden, but with the right protection, you can keep your plants healthy and thriving through the cold months. One of the most effective tools for shielding your plants from frost, wind, and pests is garden fleece!

As the vibrant hues of autumn take over, October brings fresh inspiration for transforming your garden. From sustainability to stylish outdoor living, these top 10 trends for 2024 will help you make the most of the season.

Tucked away in the rolling hills of Wiltshire, Ordnance House boasts a breathtaking garden designed and nurtured by award-winning gardener, Terry Winters.

The Harrod Longrow Cloche is an essential tool for gardeners, providing protection and enhancing growth throughout the year. Here’s our seasonal guide on how to make the most of your cloche and what you can plant and protect under its cover...

There’s nothing quite like enjoying a Christmas meal filled with vegetables and herbs you’ve grown yourself. With a bit of planning and effort now, you can have everything from roast potatoes to flavour-packed herbs ready to make your festive dinner truly special...

It may feel early to think about Christmas, but if you’re dreaming of a festive dinner with homegrown vegetables and herbs, now is the time to get started.

September is the perfect time to introduce new varieties that can withstand the changing weather while providing striking displays of colour.

As we step into September, the garden takes on a new energy. The golden days of late summer are here, bringing a mix of tasks as we prepare for the seasonal transition...

As we move into August, it's an excellent time to start composting and make the most of your garden waste. Composting is a simple yet impactful way to reduce waste, enrich your soil, and contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle!

If you’re looking for a natural and aromatic way to keep these unwanted visitors out of your home, look no further than your garden!

Our Peony Trumpet Plant Supports traditionally used to support the elegant, yet sometimes floppy peony blooms.

A blog by Nicole Laird @nicoleatcherrygarden, find out how her garden transformation has taken shape over the past year after moving her allotment into her home.

To celebrate the launch of our new sport and leisure range we're giving away three of our new Finesse Garden Goals!

We have chosen our Top 10 Plant Supports - all designed and made in the UK by us using high quality materials - stylish and practical plant supports for flowers, plants and shrubs.

2024 marks a remarkable milestone for Harrod UK - 70 years of innovation, craftsmanship, and dedication. From our humble beginnings in 1954 to becoming the proud parent company of Harrod Horticultural and Harrod Sport, we’ve spent seven decades perfecting our craft, providing high-quality products, and staying true to our roots as a family-run British business.

Al fresco dining is now upon us, weather dependent of course, but there have been a handful of warm, sunny days suitable for outdoor dining already this spring!

Do you want to visit the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year? Enter now to be in with the chance of winning two tickets for Friday 24th May!🌿🌷

We have been supplying netting since 1954 so we think we know a thing or two about it! Our Top 10 of Garden Netting Tips will help you choose the right netting and protect your plants throughout the year.

One of the most important things to learn about your garden to ensure successful crops year after year is your soil type. Knowing your soil type will help you choose the right plants for your garden and maintain them in good health.

Everyone's favourite cloche is back in stock and we're giving you the chance to win 1 of 5 this week!

These delicious beans are easy to grow and will prosper in just about any soil and climate. Store bought varieties are often big, floury and lacking in flavour, but when you grow your own, you can pick them when they are young, tender and at their tastiest.

With winter fast approaching, we want you to be able to enjoy any outdoor adventures that you may decide to embark on, without the worry of mud scattered throughout your home. Our boot room range provides somewhere to store those dirty wellies, jackets and brollies to ensure the outside comes off before you fully transition into the interior.

It’s not surprising to discover that in the past three years more and more people have been struggling with their mental health and general well-being. And while gardening isn’t for everyone, it’s proven to be an effective way to boost mental and emotional health. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve got a sprawling garden, a concrete yard, or even just a balcony – you can still reap the benefits that getting green-fingered can bring.

Growing your own fruit and vegetables can have some real advantages over standard plots, our top 10 benefits will help you see why you should consider growing in raised beds this year...

Parsnips are a hardy winter vegetable that are easy to grow, require little maintenance and can be used in just about any dish. Find out more about this versatile vegetable in our latest blog...

Our plans are already well underway for the Kitchen Garden next year, but as ever a lot has to be considered such as crop rotation, testing new varieties and including new products. Our early plans look great and we can't wait to see it come to fruition.

The days are getting colder and the trees are shedding their leaves (continuously), but this is no time to let your veggie patch deteriorate. Though you should be reaping the rewards of an abundant harvest from the warmer months, sometimes we just long for something fresh and crunchy.

As the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, you might think that your gardening efforts should come to a halt. However, November is a perfect time to bring some life and color to your outdoor spaces...

2023 has been a really rough growing season. Everything started off really well with my early sweet peas being the star of the show but then that extreme couple of weeks of heat that blasted my allotment in June...

Home composting can seem overwhelming and mysterious, but in reality, it's a simple process that almost everyone can use effectively. With little more than fallen leaves and kitchen scraps you can make dark, nutrient-rich compost that will work wonders for your garden. What is more, you'll be helping the environment in the process too.

It is a good idea to line the inside of your greenhouse during the winter. It is economical and quick to fit and will frost-proof the structure and can also extend your growing season for up to 6 weeks

Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival is just a week away and ready to celebrate its 30th year running with breath-taking displays, inspiring gardens and a celebration of nature’s boundless creativity...

We were very excited to visit BBC Gardener’s World on the 16th June, and this year we were fortunate enough to be approached by some incredibly talented garden designers!

What a fantastic week at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023! It was great to meet so many of our customers and the weather was also kind to us! Here are some of our show highlights...

Perennials in borders often grow strong heavy growth that makes them easily susceptible to damage by wind and heavy rain if they are not well supported...

Here are our Top 15 Tips to keep your garden healthy and more water efficient this summer!

We're taking a trip down memory lane and reminiscing on many of our fond memories at Chelsea Flower Show throughout the years!

To celebrate the launch of our new Harrod Longrow Cloche, we're giving you the chance to win 1 of 5 this week!

We are thrilled to be featured on the HomeAway Garden at RHS Malvern, designed by Emily Crowley Wroe!

I made the most of Easter weekend and put my autumn sown sweet peas in the ground. I sowed the seeds for these way back on 16 October and once they were a few inches high I moved them outside to get them hardened off...

Raymond Evison is an award winning clematis breeder, spending six decades developing the worlds best clematis. We are thrilled that Raymond is supplying us with 100 clematis plants, the stunning clematis Tsukiko, for our Chelsea Flower Show Stand this year. We got the chance to ask Raymond a few questions about his career and his love of clematis...

A beautiful guest blog from Nicole Laird (@nicoleatcherrygarden) who, over the next few months, will be coming to you directly from her allotment which is nearly entirely dedicated to cut flowers!

We're thrilled to be back at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023! Here's a sneak peek on what you can expect from Harrod Horticultural this year

If you want to make the most of your outdoor space, vertical growing could be the solution you’ve been searching for. If you’re still gathering ideas for your 2023 growing plan, vertical growing could be something worth considering to maximise your produce and minimise the space it traditionally takes to do so!

This month there is hope – there are signs that Spring is approaching, bulbs are appearing and wildlife are waking up as the light levels and temperatures increase.

Happy New Year! I love this time of year and all the planning that goes into making the most out of the garden in the months ahead. Here are my top picks for January...

Are you planning on 'Growing Your Own' this year? Get your seedlings off to the best possible start with our Harrod Modular Cloche System!

Another year has flown by and what a year it's been! There were some great milestones for us during 2022, here are some of our highlights...

It's getting colder but Christmas is coming! Here are my top product picks for the month of December...

Active birds are a great friend of the gardener so don't wait until the depths of winter before putting food out for the local population - start now and help our feathered friends build up enough strength to get through the cold winter.

There is no green vegetable more loathed than the humble Brussels sprout, but these misunderstood miniature cabbages deserve a second chance. Often given a bad rep because of their infamous pungent aroma when overcooked, when properly prepared this nutrient-packed veggie is pleasantly crisp with a slightly sweet, complex flavour profile.

Read the latest blog written by the wonderful Brigitte Girling and learn how she utilises her garden to create stunning sustainable and fully home compostable Christmas Wreaths!

Be in with the chance of winning one of 8 Flower Seed Advent Calendar’s provided by The Rose Press Garden and 1 of 3 Harrod Horticultural Southwold Collection Trumpet Plant Supports!

For many, Autumn is a season synonymous with pumpkins. Come October, people go wild for the squash, which has become a big part of Halloween associated traditions worldwide...

Owning a garden with a cheeky dog can be a daunting situation... Here's 20 of our top tips to keep a beautiful and safe garden while owning dogs, this blogs for you!

We are pleased to announce the opening of our New Factory Showroom showcasing our Southwold Garden Collection, giving you the opportunity to visit us to try out the furniture before you buy.

Although we had some cooler days in September autumn is now definitely here for real and it feels colder. It is a beautiful time of year with the trees changing colour!

Another year has rolled around and we were thrilled to be attending the SGD Awards once again at the Landmark Hotel London!

We were fortunate enough to catch up with the wonderful Anna Greenland. Anna is based in Suffolk and after retiring her role within the fashion industry, Anna has since become an organic grower and has worked in a number of prestigious venues around the country.

September is often a cooler, wetter month than August but as previous summers have shown this is not always the case and can often be glorious.

August this year seems a little different with the lack of rain which has left a lot of us in drought! Here's a few of our top products that will help keep your garden looking healthy in the heat...

Nothing quite compares to making delicious cider, wine, fruit juice or even apple cider vinegar from the comfort of your own home, with your very own fruit press. Not only will your homemade delights be far healthier and tastier than shop-bought varieties, they'll be a fraction of the cost too.

August can be one of the hottest months of the year, this makes watering an essential task! If water butts are running flow, grey water can be used wherever possible. If August is holiday time for you, plans may be needed to enlist the help if friends and family to look after the garden when you are away!

Summer so far has been a hot one to say the least. That being said, here's a few tips and tricks to water your garden effectively in the heat...

Here are Ben Thornton's top tips for your allotment this month!

We've teamed up with Peter Beales Roses to bring you an amazing summer giveaway worth over £400!

July has certainly been a hot one and a great time to sit out and enjoy your garden. Here are my top product picks to keep your garden looking healthy this month!

Last week we had the pleasure of visiting Norwich's hidden gem, the Bishop's Garden!

Blueberries are an incredibly delicious fruit packed full of nutrients and pretty easy to grow too! Find out more about this versatile little berry and how you could be growing your own.

Believe it or not, if you’re an advent gardener, frogs may be more beneficial for you than you would have ever believed...

Transform your patio space this summer with these gorgeous garden accessories...

Here are Ben Thornton's top tips for your allotment this month!

See our latest update from the Hoveton Hall Kitchen Garden!

What a week it was! After last exhibiting at the RHS Chelsea Flower show back in 2018, ‘excited to be back’ was an understatement! Here's some of our highlights from the show...

These hardy and vibrant red morsels are incredibly easy to maintain and should be featured in every home grower’s plot. These fast-growing veggies take up very little space and can be planted in amongst the rows of other plants.

We caught up with Grow Your Own's Best Gardening Influencer of 2021, Ben Thornton to get some allotment advice for this month!

Spring bulbs will be fading now and the flower borders growing in leaps and bounds, summer is on it’s way.

We’re delighted to announce that we have teamed up with Hoveton Hall Gardens to sponsor their new Kitchen Garden!

We’ve teamed up with Gardens Illustrated to bring you their spring offer, free downloadable copy and an exciting giveaway!

The arrival of Spring should now be in evidence, with daffodils in flower and blossom adorning the trees. Frequent sunnier days and rising temperatures make it perfect gardening weather but expect to be caught out by the inevitable ‘April showers’.

March is the ideal time to start thinking about lawn care and we caught up with the wonderful Emma Jo Real Davies to do just that! Find out what Emma has planned for her new garden borders....

Since a single plant can provide up to 100 chillies, they are the perfect addition to the kitchen garden or windowsill. Whether you prefer just a little heat, or a pepper that makes your eyes water, there are dozens of varieties to choose from.

Harrod Horticultural return to the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022 to launch new ranges!

Depending on where you live in the country, Spring has usually arrived by mid-March. The milder weather means it’s time to get busy sowing seeds, cutting back winter shrubs and generally tidying up around the garden preparing for the busy growing season ahead!

Raised bed gardening is becoming more popular than ever before with increasing numbers of people opting to grow their own food and live a more sustainable lifestyle. With the variations in height, size, potential higher yield and aesthetic value, raised bed gardening should be on your mind for gardening success.

This month there is hope – there are signs that Spring is approaching, bulbs are appearing and wildlife are waking up as the light levels and temperatures increase!

These delicious Mediterranean fruits have grown in popularity and are now widely found in many kitchens across the UK. Despite the challenges, aubergines are definitely worth the effort and make for a delicious addition in curries, lasagne, bakes and risottos.

Our new fireside range will help you make the most of your log burner or fire and add a stylish twist to storing logs, making them an eye-catching display with our stylish log holders.

Happy New Year everyone! Here's what we'll be using in the Kitchen Garden now that January has arrived!

2021 has been another whirlwind of a year to say the least! We''ll be taking a look back at the past 12 months and some of the highlights from the horticultural industry...

Looking for the perfect gift for the gardening enthusiast in your life? You’ve come to the right place! We’ve got everything from gardening accessories to decorative plant supports that are bound to put a smile on their face this Christmas!

Cold frames can be used all year round in your garden and their purpose changes through the seasons. You may find that in spring and early summer, the cold frame can be used as a mini-greenhouse to harden off any tender or young plants you may have.

November has rolled around once again and we don’t know where this year has gone! The mornings are getting frostier by the day and the darker nights are stumbling in.

Home-grown carrots are versatile and full of flavour and texture. They are a popular, long-lasting root vegetable that can be grown in many climates.

Winter is slowly creeping in and now is the time to start preparing your garden for next year!

Butternut squash is one of the most popular squashes to grow in your home garden. The pear-shaped fruits are widely celebrated for their sweet, nutty flavours and incredible versatility.

On Friday 15th October the SGD Awards returned to the Landmark Hotel in London, after being postponed earlier on in the year. It was a night to celebrate some of the best in the business and their achievements and beautiful designs throughout 2021...

And just like that, October has rolled around once again! Although this season is a beautiful time of year, we’re still holding out hope for some better days with crisp blue skies...

The first ever autumn RHS Chelsea Flower Show has come to an end however, we’re still reminiscing on the once in a lifetime event.

An abundant garlic harvest doesn’t take much expertise, even beginners can easily grow these nutritious homegrown treats which have a multitude of culinary uses!

Although it has been a beautiful start to September, we’re already starting to see the misty mornings and darker nights creeping in.

For the first time in its 108-year history, RHS Chelsea will be taking place in September and we are beyond enthralled to be to be showcasing on of our traditional bespoke pergolas on Gaze Burvill’s trade stand.

In July, we were lucky enough to be involved with the inspiring ‘Get Up and Grow’ garden designed Lucy Hutchings and Instagram Star 'She Grows Veg' at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. Inspired by her new book, Get up and Grow – the garden was a dream come true for Lucy.

Hardy, durable and not particularly fussy, beetroot is ideal for both first-time and experienced gardeners. Traditionally a deep purple root, this versatile veggie actually comes in a variety of colours, all bringing intense earthy flavours when slow roasted or added to soups and salads. Plus, with its underlying sweetness beetroot lends well to cakes and desserts too.

It has been so long since we had been to an RHS Flower Show that to finally be able to attend the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival in July was a real treat!

I’ve been using many products in the Kitchen Garden over the last few weeks, but I've managed to narrow down my top 3 picks for August.

You could sense the excitement from the buzz around the crowd that the long-awaited project was finally open for the world to see. The glorious weather helped to bathe the Wellbeing Garden in all its glory and the stage was set perfectly for the ribbon to be cut by Sir Nicholas Bacon, Baronet OBE (Deputy Lieutenant).

Nothing comes close to home-grown peas for their tenderness and taste. What’s more, peas thrive in cooler climes, so are perfectly suited to growing outdoors in the UK.

June started with a bit of a heatwave and ended with much more unsettled weather, but everything in the kitchen garden has continued to flourish, including the weeds!

One of our oldest cultivated foods, lettuce is the quintessential salad crop that dresses up a garden with its ruffly leaves.

The past two weeks of glorious sunshine has been a wonderful relief from the excessive rain and gale-force winds that battered the gardens throughout May.

I always love all of our products and the different things we try to grow with them, but I have narrowed down my top 3 from May which have really helped things to grow and made gardening so much fun!

We interviewed Brigitte Girling (Creator of Moss and Stone) who teaches an array of flower classes which will allow you to develop ‘naturally artful, animated designs creating a visual story within your work’.

Runner beans have long been a favourite among gardeners and no veggie patch is complete without a delicious crop of these quintessential delights. These productive growers are among the easiest and most rewarding vegetables to grow.

We were fortunate recently to meet up with and interview multi-award-winning garden designer Ann-Marie Powell who won the design for RHS Wisley’s new Wildlife Garden and World Food Garden.

The fruit and veg gardening podcast from Grow Your Own magazine that celebrates the failures on your allotment as much as the successes!

You can not beat the flavour of delicious home-grown tomatoes eaten straight from the vine. Once you taste tomatoes harvested fresh from your own patch, you?ll never again be satisfied with the supermarket imposters.

With March signalling the arrival of spring, I had high expectations for the weather. However, mother nature had other ideas. Aside from three bright, warm days the rest of the month was cold.

With brighter, sunnier days on the horizon and rules on socialising easing, you will no doubt be thinking of dusting off that BBQ and organising a few garden gatherings with six of your nearest and dearest. From cleaning your garden furniture, to mowing the lawn, here is a few things you can do to get your garden ready.

Guest Blog Post by Sophie van Gerwen of Old House in the Shires - Spring is always a busy time in the garden but I think the lockdown in the UK has increased everyones connection to their garden or outdoor space.

The lesser-known relative of onions and garlic, leeks are an easy to grow veggie with the same fantastic health benefits. With a delicious mild flavour that sweetens as it cooks, leeks are perfect onion substitutes in all kinds of dishes from casseroles to risottos.

With interest in Grow Your Own flourishing, Fruit Cages are fast becoming staple additions to the garden. There is nothing more upsetting than discovering your tasty strawberries, raspberries, leeks, or other such delights have been devoured by garden pests and animals. A fruit cage increases the amount of produce that makes it from the veggie patch to the table.

Over the years we have developed a strong working relationship with the RHS and are so excited to be a donor for the incredible new Hilltop project at RHS Wisley in Surrey.

Considered the least favourite gardening month by many, January was a month of two halves. It started cold and frosty with regular wintry showers and developed into far milder conditions with regular bursts of winter sun. A welcome break from the constant rain showers we were dealt in December.

Considered by many to be the king among vegetables, the humble potato has an ancient and honourable lineage. Boiled, mashed, baked or roasted, there are a number of ways to cook potatoes, which makes them one of the most versatile vegetables in the world.

Throughout November the kitchen garden has witnessed an array of weather conditions. Much like every other UK November, rain featured heavily. Not enough to put a stop to my monthly tasks, but enough to warrant several layers and a waterproof!

In the past, cauliflower was often overlooked, ranking low on the list of veggie favourites and relegated mainly to frozen vegetable medleys or crudite platters. But these days, the mild but delicious white vegetable is growing in popularity, thanks to its versatility.

October has been a busy and very wet month in Stephanie's Kitchen Garden. With the days getting shorter and autumn making its appearance known, tidying has been at the top of the agenda this month, particularly the past week

With winter fast approaching, we want you to be able to enjoy any outdoor adventures that you may decide to embark on, without the worry of mud scattered throughout your home. Our boot room range provides somewhere to store those dirty wellies, jackets and brollies to ensure the outside comes off before you fully transition to the interior.

Autumn is an important time of year for taking care of your lawn. The effort you put in during autumn will improve the quality and health of your lawn right through into spring and beyond. Here's some tips on caring for your lawn in autumn from our friends at Rolawn.

A garden arch can lend real drama and presence to a garden, whether you are looking to create a stunning focal point, frame a garden entrance or use to section the garden, they can be a beautiful addition to your outside space. But, choosing the perfect arch for your garden can be tricky with such a wide range of styles on the market, materials and prices to pick from.

With much of the Autumn Harvest now in, many of the kitchen gardens beds are revealing bare soil. These will be allowed to rest for a while then, manure will be added to them and they will be dug over in the Spring ready for the new season crops.

The temperatures have dropped, the days are getting shorter, and the lawn is covered by a blanket of golden yellow and rich orange hues. Autumn has arrived. Now is the perfect time to prepare your garden for the cold, dark weather that lies ahead. Here's everything you should do to ensure your garden remains in tip-top condition ready for a vibrant spring

There is something deeply evocative surrounding the traditional hand forging of tools. The heat of the forge, the smell of the coal furnace and the sound of molten steel being hammered into shape all take us back to a time long past, when tools were hand-made and lasted for decades. But are these wonderful noises and smells resigned to history? In most places yes, but in a small corner of Holland they are very much alive.

A fruit press and fruit crusher are invaluable if you're faced with an orchard full of apples and pears that you want to turn into fresh fruit juice or make into cider. Even if you don't have an orchard many of you have more than one fruit tree in the garden and on a good year they can produce more apples and pears than your family can comfortably eat.

It has been another week where the heat has built up, peaking on Friday in the 30's, and still no decent rainfall. The water butts are empty again. So, it was more days of what seemed like endless watering!

The week began with the photo shoot in the kitchen garden and we were very fortunate with the weather with plenty of sunshine, no rain and a gentle wind.

Over the last week there seems to have been a surge in pests in the kitchen garden, with the calabrese plants being the worst hit by an unknown culprit!

We got some much needed rain over the last week at the Kitchen Garden, unfortunately forcing the photo shoot to be cancelled, but still lots to do to make sure the garden is looking its best.

The weeds have loved the recent weather and it was time to have a blitz in the kitchen garden with lots of weeding to make the garden look at its best for the upcoming photo shoots.

Well last week was a real scorcher with the UK seeing a mini heatwave and the mercury exceeding 30 degrees celsius at time, meaning lots of watering again in the kitchen garden.

This week the main job in the kitchen garden was cutting and shaping the box hedging. It is normally done in the autumn, but this year with the rain we had over the winter period and the heat we have had recently, the box hedging was getting rather long.

Some welcome rain over last weekend gave us a rest from the watering, for a few days at least!

Although the week started very dry and warm, towards the end of the week and into the weekend we had some very welcome rain in the Kitchen Garden.

It has been another warm and dry week in the Kitchen Garden so once again watering has become a priority. Its a big job trying to keep the plants hydrated through this particularly dry spell.

With no decent rainfall and higher than average temperatures across the last week, the main job has been watering, watering and more watering!

We had planned to be on our stand at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week and what glorious weather we would have had, but due to the Coronavirus pandemic the show had to be cancelled for the first time since World War 2.

It has been another busy week in the kitchen garden planting out all the brassicas in our newly built cage, with sprouts, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower all being planted out.

The week started with building a larger net cage for the brassicas. Building the frame was the easy part, shaping and cutting the net to fit took its time but finally it was built.

Finally, we have had rain and everywhere is looking so much better for it, with the kitchen garden really bursting into life over the last few days.

It has been another busy week in the kitchen garden. Peas that had been started in the greenhouse and then transferred to the cold frame, had grown sufficiently to be planted outside. These have been planted opposite the peas that were sown directly into the ground and are going to run up the vintage pea frame.

It has been a short week after the long Easter bank holiday, a very different Easter to what we are use to as we are still in lockdown. As we still have not had any decent rain it meant this week a lot of watering especially in the kitchen garden.

What a change in weather this week. We seem to have had weeks of cold wind and cloud, but now the wind has shifted to the south and finally the sun is gracing us with its presence and warmth.

It has been a busy week in the kitchen garden. Because of the lock down one of the gardeners who works mainly in the kitchen garden is now being furloughed and Louise is taking over most of the gardening jobs. We do hope Heidy will be back with us soon.

Spring cleaning has a 1950s housewife image. Not many people open up their houses and clean them from top to bottom in March any more. But a garden spring clean will make a big difference to your gardening later on in the year.

Work is continuing as normal in the kitchen garden despite the coronavirus. We do have the benefit of being quite isolated here and now is certainly a good time to be out in the garden and growing more of your own food.

Growing in raised planters is a real boom area in gardening right now and it's little wonder when you realise just how easy it can be and how many delicious vegetables you can cram into such a small space. Let's take a look at how one of our attractive Manger Raised Planters - all 8ft of it - can transform a barren patio into a vegetable oasis.

It has been a lovely spring like week in the kitchen garden with lots of sunshine and it is really starting to feel that the warmer days are on the way.

Planning is key to a successful vegetable garden and we take a lot into consideration when planning the Kitchen Garden planting each year. Incorporating new products, trialing new varieties while still observing crop rotation can make it a bit tricky, but the design looks great and we can't wait to bring it to life!

The new metal raised beds that have been located in the peak roof fruit cage have now all been filled with new soil and the autumn raspberries and blueberries have been replanted in their new homes.

It has been an exciting week in the kitchen garden, we have installed the new superior raised metal beds in the fruit cage. These are to be the new home of the autumn raspberries and the blueberries.

The kitchen garden is quiet at the moment, sprouting broccoli and young cabbages are a few of the vegetables growing but in the greenhouse, it is a different matter. A variety of seedlings are beginning to shoot.now. Cucumbers are taking off in the heated propagator, alongside the chillies and peppers.

Last week began clearing up after Storm Ciara. We were lucky here as we had minimal storm damage. Just lots of small branches and twigs down, and plenty of pine cones under foot!

We have had some windy days this week with more challenging weather forecast for us for the weekend which will mean we will have a lot of debris to clean up next week.

We have had some really frosty conditions in the kitchen garden this week. Which, although looks really pretty has made working the ground quite hard as it has been frozen.

The runner bean trench has now been dug, we have had to dig this quite deep as we have lots of tree roots invading the ground and we want to make sure we get them all out. This also means we have a nice deep trench to fill with lovely manure and water retaining mediums.

It has been quite a mild week considering that we are in winter. It has been very pleasant working in the garden and we have even had some lovely winter sunshine. This has made spring and the new growing season seem so much nearer now.

The kale and early sprouting broccoli are growing well we are continuing to add feed to soil around them in the form of seaweed meal, a little sprinkle every few weeks. This seems to be working well, liquid feeds this time of year just don't really get the job done as we have had so much wet weather.

The cold weather means that the woodfire is now being used in the house and we regularly collect the ash to use in the kitchen garden. The wood ash is a great helper in the garden

We have had our first frosts this week so I am really glad that our delicate plants are either in the greenhouse or covered up with the winter garden fleece protection.

We have had some lovely winter sunshine this week in the kitchen garden, and some very active squirrels who have been busy burying the horse chestnuts that are now falling from the trees.

It has been another week of tidying in the kitchen garden especially in the greenhouse. The long sweet peppers and bell peppers have been harvested and all the plants removed along with the aubergines and we have harvested an amazing crop of sweet potatoes.

We have definitely been making the most of our waterproofs this week we have had lots of rain and a few thundery downpours. We have a few peppers that are still showing promise of ripening but it's pretty much the end of the summer greenhouse plants.

It's that time of year when we have our big autumnal tidy up, clearing and getting ready for winter.

With the threat of lowering temperatures, we have been able to plant the garlic out. This year we are growing elephant and Mikulov and we are growing them in one of our superior wooden raised beds

This week we have started our autumnal jobs around the garden. The beds have been weeded, the lawns have been scarified and some areas re-seeded and the lavender and roses have had their autumn prune.

We have finally had some rain not lots but enough to give the ground some much needed moisture and us a day off of watering. However, it has also given the slugs something to smile about so the aggressive slug control has commenced,

As Autumn raspberry plants get taller and stronger they will need support from poles or a frame we have been specializing in fruit protection and growing frames for over 50 years and our exclusive product range is designed and manufactured here in our Suffolk factory.

You may be thinking, what are the benefits of purchasing a Harrod Horticultural steel fruit cage from us rather than from another company? Find all the answers here where we discuss the merits of a fruit cage, and with the many types available there is bound to be a style that suits your garden.....

It's been a week of tidying in the kitchen garden, we have cleared out all the plants that have stopped producing and relegated them to the compost bin and started our Autumn planting of perpetual spinach, Pak choi, early sprouting broccoli and kale.

Options to get involved in gardening really are endless from tending to large gardens or smaller urban spaces, even balconies, windowsills and indoors with houseplants. Often, no matter what size your space is, containers and raised beds are often part of a garden and can be a useful, convenient way to grow your own flowers and vegetables.

It has been a hive of activity in the garden this week as we've had a photo shoot for our new garden furniture range, it looks so very stylish in the late summer sunshine. We are all very proud to see the end product now in situ and how beautiful it looks in the garden.

This week has been a short one as we have enjoyed the last bank holiday before, dare I say it, Christmas. But there has been no let up in the warm weather if anything we suffered 4 days of constant hot dry conditions and 3 days of temperatures getting up to 30 degrees.

It is starting to feel very autumnal in the kitchen garden this week and its only August! The weather has cooled down and the plants are starting to come to the end of their productive period so the kitchen garden has had a really good tidy up.

The air of mystique which sometimes surrounds allotments will be lifted for 7 days in August this year, when National Allotments Week takes place across the UK. The event will run from Monday 12th August until the 18th August.

The box hedging in the kitchen garden has become infected with box blight, brown patches and leaves dying, so all of the hedging has been sprayed with fungus fighter. The box in the kitchen garden has suffered with blight before, the disease can remain in the plant for up to 6 years and with the right conditions the spores can become active again.

I have been busy preparing the bed for our autumn carrots by sieving the top layer of soil to make it as light as possible and to remove all the debris. It was a very stony bed which is no good for carrots, this has delayed the sowing of the carrots but hopefully they won't mind to much.

The weather has been extremely hot here with glorious sunshine, which has meant I have been doing lots and lots of watering. But the vegetables have loved it and are growing really well and getting big especially the sweetcorn which has now got kernels, not quite ready for picking yet but I think it is going to be a very good year for sweetcorn.

For many gardeners, a greenhouse is not just somewhere to grow your plants it is also a design statement. So if appearance is one of your main considerations then a Greenhouse would be top of your list. However, where simple practical covered growing space is required, you will be getting much more growing space for your money if you choose a polytunnel.

It has been an exciting week in the kitchen garden as we have been doing the photography for our upcoming catalogue. We have had our raised beds, obelisks and plant supports re-photographed and some new product ranges still to be announced.

We have been busy preparing for a photoshoot this week and everything is now looking lovely with the hedges trimmed into shape and lots of weeding and tidying done. It is very satisfying to look round the garden and see what has been achieved with all our hard work.

If you have a sunny patio you can grow an amazing variety of fruit and vegetables in very little space. You won't be self sufficient but you can certainly make a good contribution to your kitchen table.

It has been a very good week in the kitchen garden everything is growing well and yielding lots of produce. We have red currents, spinach, courgettes, broad beans, rhubarb, sprouting broccoli, and cucumbers and the shallots are ready to be lifted and dried.

This week in the kitchen garden it has been a week of planting out, the last of the runner beans (Enorma) have been put in. This year we are doing more successional sowing, to give a longer harvest period and to hopefully avoid a glut of any one vegetable.

The last of the cauliflower (Romanesco) has now been planted out under the cover of butterfly netting to protect them from the butterflies, and the caterpillars that will eventually follow.

Themes at this years RHS Chatsworth Flower Show centred on mental health, reconnecting with nature and the creation of biophilic meditation spaces. The Harrod Horticultural Moon Gate Arch was a stunning feature on the Gold Winning 'Space Within' Garden.

This week has been very productive in the kitchen garden the first of our broad beans have been harvested along with some very juicy strawberries and the rhubarb I feel like a crumble might be on the cards the only decision is cream, custard or ice-cream.

The kitchen garden is thriving and a lot of work has been done this week, the celery and celeriac have been planted in their final positions and seem to be very happy. The last of the courgette plants have been planted now too

It's been lovely in the kitchen garden this week plenty of blue skies and sunshine, this of course means no rain and an awful lot of watering, as this has been a week of planting.

Finally, the temperatures have improved enough to start planting in the kitchen garden, this week I have planted out the sweet potatoes, Dwarf French green beans, Runner beans Enorma, Peas Norli and Kelvendon wonder, sweet peas, Dill and Parsley.

It has been a week of wind, rain and low temperatures which has made gardening a challenge. When the risk of frost was announced I was worried we would lose the younger more tender plants but we covered them in a weather protecting fleece and so far, they have survived.

So, this week I want to talk about companion planting in the kitchen garden, companion planting is a must for organic gardeners as it is the natural way to control pests and aids pollination, plus it looks really pretty

What a difference a week makes weather wise, gone are the beautiful sunny skies and warmer temperatures. I have to admit it has caught me out as I thought the risk of frost had gone, only to wake up this morning and hear the dreaded weatherman say there is a chance of frost over the weekend.

What beautiful weather we have been having, lovely sunny skies and warmer air, so its now time to start planting out some of the hardy vegetables. This week we have planted our early purple sprouting broccoli, broccoli Santee, Brussel sprouts nautic f1 and spinach. All of them have appreciated the sunshine and have already grown well.

An important job to start now is slug control because these greedy little creatures will quite happily munch through all your crop and leave you with a few stalks to cry over. I highly recommend Nemaslug as it is a natural biological slug killer you apply every 6 weeks until all the crops are harvested, I would also recommend applying it with the Nemasprayer as it distributes the product easily and evenly.

Peonies do like a sunny location with well-drained soil and good air circulation around the plant is important. Peony plant supports should be put in place early on in the growing season. Once the plant is in full bloom, it is much harder to set up an effective support system and the damage may have already been done.

The first of our rhododendrons has come into flower and looking beautiful next to the new laser screen panels, a perfect assimilation between nature and man.

Its been a busy week in the kitchen garden, preparations are well under way for the season ahead. This year we have decided to plant our vegetables in a potager style, this should add interest to the garden and be aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Every year we spend a lot of time deciding on the planting plan for the Kitchen Garden and this year we have brought this to life with colourful illustrations of how we hope the garden will look when everything is in full growth.

Seeds are shooting up in every seed tray and pot in the Greenhouse. The broccoli, brussel sprouts, aubergine, celery and celeriac have been moved into an unheated propagator to free up space for more seed sowing and tomato plants that have been potted on can now be moved into the raised border bed in pots.

Well what a battering we have taken this week in the kitchen garden. This time it was the turn of storm Gareth passing over us, reported to be 1000 miles wide. But at last the strongest of the wind has gone and now the tidy-up starts.

As we have not experienced any really hard weather here this year, the apricot tree 'Tomcot' is now in flower which is a lovely sight to see on a cold grey day. The peach and nectarine trees are also now in bud but no flowers yet. Once they start to flower they will be given a helping hand by pollinating with a paintbrush.

Well what a week it has been weather wise. This time last year we were staying indoors, only going out if it was really necessary! It had been snowing, there was ice and the day time temperatures didn't get above freezing and the Beast from the East had arrived!

It has almost been like summer, not spring, with the warm weather we have been experiencing. Most days there has been full sun and blue skies which has been brilliant as that has given me the opportunity to get out and really start clearing the flower borders and beds.

Well the weather this week has been a complete change, with us having the warmest valentine's day in 21 years. I have seen out in the garden a butterfly, a very large bumble bee, other solitary bees and numerous other bugs and flies, the weather is really teasing us.

The news we've been waiting to share - It's not everyday our factory here in Suffolk looks like a film set - and we would like to thank all at Nike for the experience!

This has been a week about finding jobs in the garden that keep you warm. We haven't had the heavy snow like some parts of the country but we have had some very cold nights and frosty starts the following day.

Well the week started with a couple of tons of farmyard manure being delivered. Most of this was to go in the kitchen garden so with wheelbarrows and spades at the ready, it was time to shovel manure. We have put about 50 barrow loads onto the kitchen garden plots and the remainder has been stored to go over the flower borders at a later date.

The last of the Brussel sprouts have been dug up and the surrounding cage taken down. The cauliflowers and savoy cabbages which were planted in the same area have now been covered with a a popadome crop cover. If left uncovered even at this time of year the pigeons will make as tasty meal of what brassicas are growing.

I have finally had a dry, bright day to remove the fruit cage roof netting. This will prevent any damage to the cage frame from any heavy snowfall that may lie ahead. A lot of the tie wraps that were used to put the netting up were easy quick release ties, but after a time the fingers do start to go numb in the cold.

December has arrived, reminding us that Christmas is fast approaching and a new growing year will soon be here. The month arrived quietly but wet and thankfully no snow, just rain and more rain so a lot of the jobs I had planned for this week have now been moved into next.

This week I have started some seed sowing ready for next year. I have planted a couple of different varieties of sweet peas ready for a spring display and the greenhouse has had a couple of new additions.

Active birds are a great friend of the gardener so don't wait until the depths of winter before putting food out for the local population - start now and help our feathered friends build up enough strength to get through the cold winter.

Composting kitchen and garden waste is an environmentally friendly source of organic matter that helps to reduce landfill and won't cost you a penny.

Well this week has seen me clearing paths and borders of leaves after yet another storm has passed through. Though this storm brought snow and hail with temperatures plummeting to what they should be. Whilst I am raking large piles of leaves, I am always cautious of hibernating hedgehogs, I once found a hedgehog sleeping in the leaves of crocosmia.

The recent warm spell has seen one variety of garlic we planted in a raised planter which should still be dormant shown signs of early green shoots. If we do get a sudden cold snap, it may stop the garlic in its tracks.

Whilst over half of the country was being hit by gale force winds and rain, here on the East coast we have seen temperatures reaching 17c, with wasps and bluebottles still flying around and even a Red Admiral butterfly flew past me on Tuesday, what strange weather we are having!

This week in Kitchen Garden we will be pruning our blackcurrant bushes; the plants are now beginning to shed their leaves and showing signs of dormancy so it is an ideal time to give them their annual haircut.

The runner beans and the French beans have been cut down and the foliage sent to the compost heap. Both the pea and bean frames have been taken down and completely cleared of any plant debris and put away for another next year.

Finding that perfect gift can be tricky, but if you are looking for a gardening gift for a greenfingered family member or friend, our range of gifts for gardeners will give you some great inspiration and ideas for the perfect present.

This week we have given the greenhouse a good clean and tidy so it's ready for the less hardy plants to be overwintered and for some autumn seed sowing.

There's no escaping the fact that in the garden, a large part of the autumn is spent clearing up fallen leaves, but there's an upside to all your hard work - leaf mould.

Well the week started with the clean up from last weeks gales and heavy rain, there were pine needles, branches and leaves everywhere. Armed with my wheelbarrow, spring tine rake and garden vac the gardens have now started to look much tidier. I never realised how deadly an unopened pine cone could be until I stood on one and found myself sliding to where I didn?t want to be.

The start of this week was still unseasonably warm and dry so regular watering continued in the Kitchen Garden and the greenhouse, but the end of the week saw the arrival of gale force winds that have wreaked havoc! The garden is full of leaves but they will remain until next week as another possible storm is coming on Sunday with some more much needed rain, even now the ground is still very dry when you dig down just a few inches.

My husband and I have used black aluminium poles and slot and lock fittings to make a bespoke raised curved pond cover to protect from herons. We would love these photos to be on the website to show the versatility of the fittings.

Well Autumn has well and truly got its foot in the door. The night temperature has dropped rapidly and with the cooler evenings also comes that familiar smell of logs burning on the wood burner resumes.

Last week was certainly a week of a mixture of weather. Monday was another warm, dry day and being able to get into the shade was wonderful but the lavender bushes all needed their Autumn trim. When you have quite a few the use of a petrol hedge trimmer is brilliant, remembering to take the new growth right down to where the old wood is, so next year you will get good healthy growth and flowers.

A short week for workers this week but the kitchen garden continues to grow. Although, since the last heavy rain it has started to feel a little autumnal in the mornings; a chilly and sometimes dewy start but warming up during the day.

This week, after almost six years, I am leaving Stephanie's Garden to move on to a new garden and new challenges. As any gardener who has ever left a garden they have loved (whether through work or through house move) will know, it is a bitter-sweet time. Having loved and nurtured a garden for a long time it is so difficult to leave it.

For the first time in a long time my first priority wasn't more watering when I went out to the kitchen garden this morning. Yesterday we had an inch of rain which has left the garden feeling refreshed and the plants have lifted their drooping heads and you can almost hear them growing.

The cordon tree is something like the gardener's victory over the tree. Here, the domesticated tree no longer pushes itself self-determined toward the light, but the gardener dictates where it grows with this step over support.

Setting up a store cupboard full of your own home-produced preserves is such a marvellous way to capture the full flavour of what you have grown that it far surpasses anything you can ever buy in a supermarket.

Well the promised storms by the weather forecasters have finally arrived and we've had a few heavy showers to keep the garden ticking over. It had been been 8 weeks since we had any rain in the Kitchen Garden and the temperatures over the past week has been in the 30's every day so these showers are very welcome.

Harrod Horticultural are looking for a part-time kitchen gardener (minimum 20 hours per week, flexible to support business needs), to work in their private garden in the Somerleyton area.

This week we are going to be planting out broad beans for autumn harvesting. We have never grown them for autumn harvesting before and are very excited to see how they perform. We have a large space where our disastrous onions and garlic grew and that we had originally earmarked for our leeks. Given our white rot problems we couldn?t use it for leeks so decided to give autumn broad beans a try.

Like many gardeners around the country we now seem to find ourselves constantly watering, or worrying about watering, our crops. Rather than despair about the disasters being caused by the scorching weather, we have decided to revel in the positive effects the hot sunshine is having.

In Stephanie's Kitchen Garden, moving our pots into the shade of a north facing fence and standing them in trays to keep water at their feet has proved very effective. We have mulched raised beds with strulch and the plants certainly seem to be happier for it. This week we will be continuing to strulch around the tops of larger pots that cannot be moved, as well as other beds.

It has now been three weeks since we had any rainfall in Stephanies' Kitchen Garden and the forecast shows sunny and hot weather for at least the next three weeks to come. In our part of the world, near the most easterly coast of the UK, we are used to gardening in the driest part of the country, but usually enjoy the odd thunderstorm to keep the garden from drying out completely in the heatwave.

Our apple and pear trees are positively smothered in tiny fruits and, so far, there is no sign of the June drop, where nature thins out the excess fruits on the trees. In the next week or so we will emulate mother nature by picking off fruits to leave the largest two on any spur. As painful as this is, it is necessary if we are to get good sized fruits and to protect the branches from breaking under the weight.

Summer is almost upon us and the garden is reveling in the warm temperatures and long daylight hours. Unfortunately, the weeds seem to be reveling in it too and are popping up all over the garden literally growing overnight. It is important to keep on top of them while they are small and before they have the chance to set seed.

It's all over for another year, but the 2018 RHS Chelsea Flower Show was another great success for Harrod Horticultural.

The recent warmer temperatures have really helped our sweet potatoes which are now ready to be planted out in our metal raised bed.

Another long Bank holiday weekend is upon us and the weather looks like it is going to be perfect for gardening!

Following the arrival of spring, the garden has put on a growth spurt and it would appear that Mother Nature is trying to make up for lost time. The peonies are quite literally growing as we watch and we just managed to pop the plant supports over them before their stems became too tall.

The recent welcome change in the weather has seen the garden hit the fast forward button and everything seems to be growing before our very eyes.

The weekly harvest is becoming more bountiful as temperatures increase and overwintering crops begin to grow. We are currently harvesting rhubarb, kale, spinach, rocket and the last of the leeks.

It's still feeling a little chilly in the kitchen garden, but the weather is definitely improving a bit now. The forecast for the coming weekend is warm and sunny and we will be making the most of the welcome fine conditions to get on with the many jobs that need doing at this time of the year.

We are excited to launch our 2018 Look Book - a glossy 68 page A4 perfect bound publication that gives a different visual context to the inspirational Harrod Horticultural garden structures range.

Easter is traditionally the time to plant potatoes and this weekend we will be making the most of the double bank holiday and the long light evenings to get ours into the ground. I had thought to delay it a little following the recent cold start to spring and the current chilly temperatures, however today I watched the local farmers putting their seed potatoes into the ground in the fields near our kitchen garden. If conditions are good enough for the farmers, they are definitely good enough for us.

At last we have passed the Spring Equinox and this weekend will put the clocks forward which will give us all a precious extra hour of light at the end of the day to spend in the garden. The ground has been dug over, all of our structures have been cleaned and the garden is ready for growing. A whole new season lies before us and we can't wait!

Having just spent an enjoyable morning in shirt sleeves digging over the potato bed, it is hard to believe the weather warnings for sub-zero temperatures and snow that are forecast for our part of the UK over the coming weekend. The sun is watery today but it's providing some warmth and combined with the birdsong is giving the day a distinctively spring-like feel.

Over the years we have worked closely with private customers, landscape architects, garden designers and landscapers to deliver wonderful individual bespoke designs.

At last the snow has gone and the garden has returned to normal. Following a week of suspended animation, both the plants and gardeners are making up for the growing time that we lost. Green shoots are appearing everywhere and it is almost as if the big freeze gave our plants a boost; certainly the spring sunshine and warmer temperatures of the past few days have helped spur on new growth.

For the past week the garden has been suspended in frozen animation by the Beast from the East Siberian weather system. Somewhere under the inches of snow and ice are the green shoots of spring that had just begun to peep through the soil, and hopefully they will have survived the extreme subzero temperatures. It's a timely reminder to us all that the true Head Gardener on all our plots is Mother Nature.

This week we are bracing ourselves for the Beast from the East weather system that is expected to hit us in the next few days. As we are situated just a few miles from the East coast, the biting winds will hit us hard and peg back the temperatures.

At last we have had a taste of spring in the Kitchen Garden, with a few days of warm sunny weather arriving in East Anglia. It has been warm enough to leave the greenhouse door open allowing vital ventilation around the plants. The autovents on the greenhouse windows have even nudged the windows open in the warmth of the winter sunshine.

All around the garden new growth is slow to emerge this year. Snowdrops are a good month later than we would normally expect to see them in flower and the daffodils are only just beginning to peek through the soil. In the Kitchen Garden overwintering crops are surviving under their cloches and fleece covers, but showing no sign of new growth.

February always signals the start of the new growing year for us in the Kitchen Garden, despite the fact that we already have some seedlings growing in the heated propagator and overwintering crops both inside and outside the greenhouse. This week we will be sowing rocket, spinach and chard in seed trays in the greenhouse. We will also be sowing peas in rootrainers which can be grown on for planting outside or eaten as delicious pea shoots in salads.

We have had our first taste of spring weather over the weekend; a welcome sign that the winter will not last forever! It was but a brief reprieve and the grey skies and cold winds have returned. As February approaches, it is time to start off some early crops in the greenhouse. Impatient as ever, we sowed ours last week and now have tiny shoots of green appearing in the seeds trays in our heated propagator.

Weather permitting, it is time to start digging in the Kitchen Garden this week. As a rule of thumb, we usually pay attention to the activities of the local farmers as an indication of when it is time to begin turning over the soil and in our area, the tractors have begun to appear in the fields surrounding the garden.

January is mulching month in the Kitchen Garden and this week it will be the turn of the blueberries to get a fresh, nutritious top dressing. Most of our blueberry plants are grown in pots standing in our fruit cage. Despite the fact that we have acid soil which blueberries like, the bushes prefer to grow in pots, and this is evident every year here as the pot grown plants always fruit better than those grown in the soil.

With the remainder of the brussels sprouts now harvested, there has been lots of tidying and composting going on to get ready for another gardening year!

It's time to harvest the Christmas dinner table vegetables, from brussels sprouts to parsnips, celeriac to carrots, can't wait to tuck into all the homegrown veg!

All is quiet in the kitchen garden at the moment and we are making the most of the good weather days to mulch the bare soil with well-rotted manure or home-made compost. Over the coming months this will be broken down by the worms and the cold weather ready for digging over in the Spring.

Despite the imminent onset of winter, we are still growing vegetables in the Kitchen Garden. Our overwintering broad bean plants have just been planted out alongside the onions, garlic, spring cabbage, broccoli, and turnips and we will be sowing carrots and peas in the greenhouse this week.

Our fruit trees and bushes have all but shed their leaves and are entering the dormant stage of the growing year. Now is the time for us to give them some care and attention to prepare them for a productive season next year. This week we will be removing the old glue bands and replacing them with new ones and apply a winter tree wash.

It's time to plant out our broad bean plants in the Kitchen Garden this week. We sowed the beans a few weeks ago in rootrainers in the greenhouse, as sowing direct into the soil tends to result in well fed mice and very few plants! Once the beans plants were a good size, they were moved to the cold frame to harden off and are now ready for life outside.

From new innovations to tried and tested favourites, enjoy this quick trip through our festive range and get some inspiration for the gardener in your life!

This concise guide to the Planting Season is full of useful information on when to plant and why, some great ideas on planting throughout the year.

The clocks are going back this weekend leaving us with less working daylight hours and the first air frost has chilled the garden. Our newly planted winter crops are snuggled under fleece and cloches and our tender plants have already been moved into the greenhouse where the heater is keeping them safe from the cold nights ahead.

It's time to plant out our onions and garlic in the Kitchen Garden. Back at the end of September we sowed the sets into trays and set them onto the greenhouse shelves to start them off. We prefer to sow them to modules initially as the local bird population like to pull them out of the ground when sowed direct into the soil.

It's a busy time of year in the Kitchen Garden. Mother nature is winning the battle of the leaves and as fast as we clear the autumn debris, she litters the paths and beds again. Recent windy days have exacerbated the situation. But the sun is shining and still has some warmth to it, the leaves are dry making them easy to rake, and the end result of a tidy garden is worth the effort, however short-lived it is.

The main summer harvest is almost over and the larder and freezer are bursting with the fruits of our labour. This week we are continuing the big autumn clear up as crops begin to fade and litter the ground. Spending a little time each day clearing away plant debris keeps the garden as neat as possible and avoids a huge clear up later on.

Despite the return of warm weather over the weekend, the cold nights we have had over the past week or so have had a definite autumnal effect on our summer crops. The tomato plants grown outside have finished their productive lives. They, along with their counterparts in the greenhouse which have also ceased fruiting, will be consigned to the compost bins this week.

It is time to dig up our main crop potatoes in Stephanie's Kitchen Garden, during August, the entire crop was hit by blight; a common problem for growers this year. We cut the haulms right down to the ground and burned them.

During the past week, summer has begun to make way for autumn in Stephanie's Kitchen Garden. The night-time temperatures have dipped and the weather has become squally with the strong wind and rain setting in.

The long August Bank Holiday weekend is upon us and the forecast in our area is for hot and sunny weather. Crops are ripening ready for picking in vast quantities and we are in the throes of our annual bean glut.

One of our team has really taken their work home with them this year. Some great pictures of their latest harvest and lots of other plants doing really well

Like many gardeners at this time of year, I am taking a much-needed holiday which will mean a week away from the garden. August is the perfect time for a holiday but the worst time to leave the garden as it is such a busy part of the growing year; the greenhouse needs watering daily, plants in pots need watering at least every other day in sunny weather and crops need harvesting to keep them productive.

We are at that stage in the Kitchen Gardening year where there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. The watering and feeding regime is still at its peak despite summer showers helping us out. The weeds have slowed down their growth a little, but still require regular attention. And the harvest is now occupying much of our time; picking beans and berries, tomatoes, aubergines, and many other delicious crops.

The summer harvest continues in earnest this week in Stephanie?s Kitchen Garden and spaces are beginning to appear in our vegetable beds. We have already dug the garlic and shallots up and they are currently drying in the sunshine.

Guest Blog by Elementa Design - A Concise Guide to Garden Design - some great advice on creating your own garden scheme using the same tools that a professional garden designer uses.

Garden pests that we are on the look-out for this week are butterflies and white fly. The broccoli and sprout plants are now a really good size and we are being vigilant to make sure the netting on the vegetable cage doesn't touch any leaves, allowing butterflies to lay their eggs through it.

It's time for a spot of tidying up in Stephanie's Kitchen Garden. The hot summer weather, combined with irrigation and recent heavy rain have sent plants into a growth spurt, in particular our espalier fruit trees. We would normally be pruning these during August, but they have put on so much growth that we are going to tackle the job now.

This week we will be sowing more vegetable seeds to grow plants to fill the holes that the harvest creates. We will soon be harvesting our early potatoes and our remaining broad beans which will open up more much needed growing space. We will be sowing winter cabbages, pak choi, chard, kohl rabi, spinach and broccoli.

This week it's fruit picking week in Stephanie's Kitchen Garden. All of our soft fruit bushes have really been enjoying the hot sunny weather and are covered in plump juicy fruits almost ready for harvesting. We have been watering all of our fruits plants and bushes twice a week and they have been thriving in the sunshine.

We are experiencing one of the driest growing seasons in recent history in Stephanie's Kitchen Garden, along with soaring temperatures and hours and hours of glorious sunshine. We have spent many hours carrying watering cans keeping our crops happy and with their feet in damp soil and their heads in the sun, they are, on the whole, flourishing.

All around the garden this week, there are many plants that will need tying into their supports. Our blackberry is grown over an archway that suits its rampant growth. The plants seem to be growing as we watch at the moment and the new stems will need tying in to keep them supported. Currently they are just bursting into lovely pale pink blossoms and the bees are really enjoying them.

This week we will be earthing up our potatoes for the final time. They are a really good size now and looking very lush and healthy. Hopefully the tubers are growing just as fast. We will be incorporating some potato fertiliser as we earth them up to give them a good feed at the same time.

What a change in the weather this last week - from lots of much needed rain last week to beautiful sunshine this week, the Kitchen Garden has really burst into life!

This pergola is not only on show at RHS Chelsea this year! Gaze Burvill are so pleased with it that part of the structure is making it's way to Chatsworth house for the inaugural RHS Flower Show running from 7-11 June. For those not able to make it to RHS Chelsea, can view it in person at RHS Chatsworth

Last week we finally saw some heavy rainfall in the Kitchen Garden and all around the garden, plants seem to have put on inches of growth overnight. This week we will be exchanging the watering cans for soft-tie and scissors to stake the plants that have had a growth spurt.

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is the pinnacle of the gardening year taking over a small corner of London for a week every May and this is the 14th year that Harrod Horticultural have been a part of this fantastic spectacle!

It is certainly becoming an unusual growing season this year, with the serious lack of spring rain and the late cold temperatures. Mother Nature is challenging the Kitchen Gardener and it will be interesting to see what effect it has on our harvests.

It's our 14th year at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and we thought it was a great time to look back at our stand over the years - things have really changed!

Now that we are well into May, we will be starting the Big Plant Out in Stephanie's Kitchen Garden. Our greenhouse and cold frame are crammed with tender crops such as runner beans, courgettes, squash, climbing french beans, sweetcorn, celery and celeriac all waiting to spread their roots into deep fertile soil.

As we head into May, in our part of the world we would normally expect to be planting out some of our tender crops such as beans, courgettes and squash plants. However we are in the middle of a very cold snap and planting out now would be a disaster for these tender plants.

We've finally treated to some significant rainfall in our part of the world. This was a big relief for us gardeners, giving us some respite from the watering can; albeit for only a few days. The garden seemed to sigh with relief too and plants in every part of the garden seemed to shoot up overnight after their welcome drink.

The long Easter weekend has given us plenty of opportunity to tend to the maintenance of the garden and we have been busy jet washing paving and oiling decking. The grime and algae of the winter has been washed away. Necessary and satisfying work, but time spent away from the main task of growing.

A great guest blog from Elementa Design using a 5 step guide to prepare your garden for Summer. Nick Dickinson, a much sought after plantsman and garden designer and offers some great advice in the article.

We seem to have permanent sunshine at the moment, with no rain on the immediate forecast. Consequently, we are busy with the watering can making sure our crops are well watered at a crucial time in the growing calendar.

Our tomato plants, sown back in February are now about 6 inches tall and lifting the lid on their propagator. They were started off in a heated propagator and then moved to an unheated propagator to free up some space. Outside in the kitchen garden we are now ready to apply Nemaslug nematodes to the soil.

The recent warm spring weather has brought a growth spurt to all areas of the garden, rhododendrons are beginning to flower and our young vegetable plants are getting bigger by the minute. Unfortunately the weeds are also enjoying the conditions and are thriving!

The warmer weather has finally arrived in the Kitchen Garden and we have been enjoying some sunny spring conditions. The rhohodendron buds are showing subtle hints of the colour that is soon to come and the weeds are beginning to grow. A sure sign that the temperature is rising!

The greenhouse is the central focus of our Kitchen Garden at the moment, as it is home to tray upon tray of seedlings and small plants.

Traditionally, pancakes were eaten on this day to use up rich, indulgent foods like eggs and milk before the 40-day fasting season of Lent began. But although it is enshrined in Christian tradition, it is believed that Pancake Day might originate from a pagan holiday, when eating warm, round pancakes - symbolising the sun - was a way of celebrating the arrival of spring and here is one of our favourite recipes.

At last we have reached the end of February and the Spring is about to begin. After the hard work of the winter, it?s time for the growing to really start. Inside the greenhouse this week, we will carrying out one of my favourite jobs of the gardening year; pricking out seedlings.

Unfortunately the vegetables you are attempting to grow for your own consumption are also much loved by lots of pests which exist in your garden - here are our most common garden pests .

We are currently harvesting some lovely rocket, grown in the greenhouse over the winter months and thankfully, not reliant on the weather conditions abroad. The milder weather has brought with it a flurry of activity in Stephanie's Kitchen Garden, and from the forecast it would appear that next week will be much the same.

We are great obelisk gardeners and have a number of competitor obelisks going strong, some a bit flaky by now. However when you introduced your obelisks we had two and then two more as they are far superior to the competitor ones and are sturdier and easier to erect ! We have David Austin hybrid roses trained up them and they are now in flower.

Raised beds are becoming ever more popular, and it is easy to see why: wooden raised beds are a great way to grow plants, vegetables and fruit right on your patio. They look great and allow you to create a simple, yet wonderful growing area - without the hassle of digging up plots in your garden.

One of my favourite things about gardening, particularly in the kitchen garden, is the blank canvas that presents itself at the start of every year. Last year's successes and failures are all behind us and we have an opportunity to changes things that haven't worked or learn from previous good practise

Well the wintry weather has finally hit the east coast, its coming down thick and fast at the kitchen garden!

The garden is tidy, the potting shed has been spring cleaned and the greenhouse is gleaming. Overwintering crops are snugly nestled in a heated tent of bubble wrap. We are ready for the festive break; the only time of year that I leave the garden and disappear into the house.

UK Restrictions were put in place for Avian Flu December 2016, these measures currently apply whether you have 2 hens or 102 and covers the whole of the UK and at present are in effect until 5th January 2017.

Now that the potting shed is clean and tidy, there is room to sit and clean our tools. We are very fastidious at cleaning the dirt from them every time they are used, before putting them way. This keeps tools in good condition, but we also like to give them a good dose of loving care to keep them in tip top condition.

The espalier apple trees and trained pear trees have at last shed all their leaves in the Kitchen Garden, which means that it's now the perfect time to give them a bit of attention.

Our log holders have been featured on Houzz.co.uk showing them as a great way to store your firewood and also make a real statement feature in the room.

The trees surrounding Stephanie's Kitchen Garden are now almost bare, so this week we will have more time to spend on jobs other than clearing up leaves. Our next big tidy up will be inside the greenhouse, where many plants have now gone over. Last week we harvested the last of our cucumbers and the plants are now ready for the compost bin.

If you need a gift for the Gardener in your life, our Top 10 Gifts for Gardeners will give you some great inspiration.

The first of the winter storms has just arrived at Stephanie's Kitchen Garden and this week we will be clearing up the aftermath. Storm Angus has swept across the country causing gardeners everywhere to open their curtains and despair at the mess it has left in its wake. It has ripped leaves from the trees and scattered them wide across the garden. We also have a few branches down and our first job of the week will be to clear and tidy away.

The big autumn tidy up continues this week in Stephanie's Kitchen Garden as we turn our attention to our bean supports. The bean plants have been shedding their leaves over the past few weeks and are now skeletons of the plants they once were.

The first cold spell of the Autumn has arrived in Stephanie's Kitchen Garden, with overnight temperatures dipping dangerously near to a frost. The forecast is for colder nights to come. Outside in the garden, we have been quick to cover our tender with fleece and cloches, but this week it is the turn of the greenhouse for some much needed attention.

Time to harvest one of our favourite crops in the garden, sweet potato, not only do we love the tasty tubers but the plant always looks fantastic trained up an obelisk in one of the raised beds.

This week we will be pulling the hoops and covers out of the shed to put over our raised beds and mangers. This will help keep our crops protected in the winter and allow us to plant out some winter crops such as spinach, rocket, mustard greens and chard.

Autumn is creeping into the garden and I have just filled my first barrow of leaves. This week we will begin the annual task of trying to keep the garden tidy it is a battle with Mother Nature that I know we will lose. As soon as the rake and barrow are put away, more leaves will fall and all our work will be undone.

Some great crafty ideas to get the family involved in the garden, growing your own and helping the birds

September is the ideal month to prune evergreen hedges and get them neat and tidy before the winter. Hedges trimmed now are unlikely to put on any significant growth before the cold weather hits us, so they will stay looking crisp for the months ahead.

There are a number of Do's & Don'ts when it comes to composting - so to make it easier we have created a simple check list along with some common problems.

One of our customers has been kind enough to send in some before and after shots of their garden and what a transformation!

For years, the art of making compost has been shrouded in mystery. Gardeners would regularly creep down to their heap in a neglected and forgotten corner of the garden, armed with old plant material, newspapers and other seemingly useless and unwanted items before the big day, months later, when they would emerge with a steaming wheelbarrow full of wonderful compost.

Despite the harvest and growing season being still in full swing, it is time to turn our thoughts to next year's crops so this week in the Kitchen Garden we will be ordering our seed garlic and autumn planting onion sets.

This week in the Kitchen Garden, we will be digging up our main crop potatoes. We would not normally expect to be doing this for at least another month, but our crop has been struck by blight following the wet summer. It certainly wasn't a surprise that our plants were attacked by blight. With the amount of rainfall we have had, it was something that we were fully expecting.

It's been mixed fortunes over the last few weeks in the Harrod Horticultural HQ Garden, luckily the successes outweigh the failures!

The Ultimate Guide to Wildlife Gardening - a guest blog from Green Gardens about the benefits of attracting wildlife to your garden and advice on planning a wildlife friendly garden