
Lyth Valley damsons
This blog shares our love of local produce and the unique Lyth Valley damsons are recognised as a huge asset to this beautiful valley just a few miles west of Kendal.

August tasks in the garden
August in the garden is the time to sit back and reflect on all your hard work; BBQ, entertain family and friends, pick all your lovely produce and just enjoy the outdoors. There are a few tasks to complete but they are mainly just tending and keeping on top of weeds.

How To Utilise A Glut Of Tomatoes
Home grown tomatoes are a world away from supermarket produce and well worth finding space in the greenhouse or against a hot south facing wall but sometimes you find yourself with far more than you can eat fresh. Here we give you a few recipes for making the most of these fruits so you can enjoy them throughout the winter.

How To Utilise A Glut Of Apples
Even a single apple tree can yield far more fruit than you can eat so we have put together some suggestions for making these delicious fruits last over winter. Not all apples are suitable for storing but there are still plenty of other ways of preserving them.

How To Grow Bountiful Blackberries
Blackberries are packed full of nutrients, taste delicious and best of all can be had for free. Not only do you get delicious food you also get some exercise from a walk in the countryside. If you do have space in your veggie plot there are some good varieties giving you huge plump juicy berries. Just add a cooking apple tree and you have the recipe for tasty crumble.

How To Preserve Apples
If you have the space in your garden why not grow an apple tree, just one tree will yield plenty of delicious pesticide free fruit over the winter. Family trees have more than one variety on the same tree so you don't need a pollinator. If your apples won't store over the winter you can still juice, freeze, puree or dry to keep you fed over the winter

Best David Austin Roses For Growing In Containers
David Austin roses are universally loved and flourish in most gardens but don't let the fact that you don't have a garden stop you from growing them. Just choose a large enough container and pot into good quality peat-free compost. Place next to your seat to fully appreciate their glorious scent.

How Do I Plant Up A Container With Summer Bedding Plants?
There's nothing like the exuberance of summer flowers and even if you don't have a garden you can still have containers packed with colour. Just remember to feed every week, keep well-watered and deadhead to keep them flowering into autumn.

Care for your roses in summer
Roses are the nations favourite flower and an absolute essential if you are creating a traditional English garden. This blog gives you some tips on how to make them last as long as possible over the growing season.

How To Keep Your Summer Bedding Plants Looking Good Until Autumn
One of the stars of the summer are hanging baskets and containers packed with a riot of summer bedding so it makes sense to keep them looking great for as long as possible. Follow these easy tips and you can have them lasting into autumn.

Grilling ‘Beer Can’ Chicken On The Traeger Timberline 850 Wood Pellet Grill
Beer can chicken is one of the classic BBQ recipes and this video takes you through the steps to producing this incredibly juicy chicken. Even if you don't have a BBQ it can easily be cooked in the oven. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for news of the next free weekend BBQ demo.

How to cook tropical fruit sundae on the Weber Master-Touch BBQ
Desserts cooked on the BBQ are incredibly easy and are the perfect way to finish off a BBQ. This tropical sundae has been concocted using pineapple but you could just as easy use mango, peaches or banana.

Using garden plants to deter midges and mosquitos
Midges and mosquitos can ruin a summer BBQ, but there are a few things you can do to deter the little blighters. Many of the solutions, such as planting herbs also benefit your cooking, just add to the grill to infuse your food with the aromatics.

How to keep your plants alive when you go on holiday
Going on holiday when you have a garden full of beautiful flowers, veggies and containers relying on being watered every day for their survival, can be fraught and spoil your break. If you have fantastic neighbours your prayers are answered but if you don't there are a few tips to ensure you come home to to a thriving garden.

Grow Stunning Shrub Roses
The rose is the UKs most popular flower, and with good reason, it looks gorgeous, smells delicious and is happy in a great variety of conditions. What's more there are more sizes than any other shrub, from small miniatures to huge ramblers and in the middle are these beautiful shrub roses.

Cook Pork Ribs (Baby Back) On The Weber 57Cm MasterTouch BBQ
This video gives you step-by-step instructions on how to prepare and cook pork ribs on the Weber BBQ. If you follow this video you will be rewarded with fall-off-the-bone delicious ribs. We also cooked the same dish on the Traeger wood pellet grill so if you are thinking of buying a new grill you can choose which one would suit your grilling style.