Tips of the Month/Recipes of the week

For anyone who needs an “insta-garden”, herbaceous perennials are where it’s at. With some careful planning, you can fill your borders up with relatively inexpensive herbaceous perennials and have a beautiful display of colour in a few short months. The effect is not quite as instant as a tray full of pansies or petunias, but
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This is ideal for pulling together on a Monday morning when you have some leftover roast chicken from Sunday lunch. Spinach and rocket last for ages in the fridge so buy a bag and use for lots of meals. Cooked lentils from a pouch or tin can live in the cupboard for months so very
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Packs of cooked chicken are really expensive for the amount of chicken you get. You can buy organic, free-range chicken for the same price and there are no additives. Supermarket sandwiches such as coronation chicken are often quite unhealthy; this is a veg- and protein-packed alternative. Buy a loaf of Carpenter’s bread and cut it
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There are some wonderfully colourful flowers you can plant in borders, hanging baskets, and containers at this time of year, but none are as colourful as the humble primrose. We love primroses, so in case you are looking for some gardening inspiration this spring, here is a quick guide to primroses and how to care
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This crimson soup looks and tastes amazing. Even if you think you are not a fan of beetroot, give it a go; it’s delicious combined with lemon and spices. Beetroot is crammed with iron, calcium, folate, betaine, B vitamins and antioxidants, which combine to make it a great detoxer. A shorter cooking time means you’ll
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Packed with protein from the chickpeas and lentils, this is an easy soup to make (no blending). Small, brown chickpeas are great in this soup, although any kind will be good. Chickpeas give a satisfying bite so you don’t need bread with this. It’s also completely vegan. If you don’t have passata, simply whizz a
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Roses are one of the UK’s most popular plants. Beautiful roses are a fine addition to any garden. They are exceptionally versatile and can be grown in borders, containers, up trellises and walls, over pergolas, and used as ground cover. On a warm summer’s evening, the perfumed blooms of a rose are wonderfully beguiling. Roses
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This is the perfect recipe to use up your root veggies in a rejuvenating one-pot lunch for chilly days. This is enough for four, so share it, or freeze some for another day. Pearl barley is rich in fibre and filling, with a nutty taste, so you don’t need bread with this unless you have
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We are still in the depths of winter. Most days are cold, wet, windy, and unbearably dreary. If you look outside, your garden is likely to be a soggy wasteland, devoid of colour. In fact, unless the sun pops out, it’s much better to stay indoors! January is one of those months where everyone could
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It may be cold, wet, and miserable outside, but we have plenty of beautiful seasonal plants to brighten up your home this year. Whether you are looking for a stunning poinsettia or cyclamen to add a touch of colour to the kitchen, or a flowering basket gift for a loved one, here are some fabulous
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Feel like eating something lighter after Christmas? This easy soup is refreshing and a great way to use up some vegetables and frozen prawns. Tom Yum paste is made with galangal which is a member of the ginger family; it has an anti-inflammatory effect and is traditionally used to combat nausea (so might be good
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Fancy a change from bubble and squeak? Celeriac is a very useful vegetable; buy one and it lasts for ages in the fridge/larder. You see pots of celeriac salad in France where it is very popular. It’s so easy to make and tastes great with cold meats, pork pies and smoked fish, so ideal for
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