Making DIY arts and crafts for the garden is a very trendy hobby. One of the popular mediums to use is cement. It is durable and pretty easy to work with and can be moulded into such a variety of shapes. I love the rustic look of cement objects. The decorative cement spirals featured in last week’s blog about creating a contemplative garden are from a DIY project in a gardening magazine. You can use these to add a personal…
Everyone needs a spot sheltered from the hustle and bustle of daily life. A peaceful area where you can sit and relax. A secluded place to listen to the sounds of nature while quietly meditating or just day dreaming. Garden project #2 shows how I transformed an unused and rather neglected part of the garden into a space for peaceful reflection – a contemplative garden. This project was done a few years ago. It was during the time I was…
Have you ever had that sinking feeling of seeing your darling plant babies being eaten by an army of caterpillars? It is enough to send one into a panic. It’s an emotional tug of war between welcoming butterflies into my garden and not wanting my plants eaten by caterpillars. Surely Mother Nature must have a plan to prevent the world from being overrun by these ravenous little creatures. In April my curiosity got the better of me so I left…
Lemons – there is so much one can say about this citrus fruit. From the lengthy list of their health benefits to their use as an organic household cleaner, lemons are so versatile. This year in particular boosting the immune system has been a hot topic so here is a quick and easy Lemonade recipe to add to your health regimen. Why are lemons good for you? Lemons are packed with Vitamin C which makes them full of antioxidants. These…
One can be forgiven for thinking that nothing grows in the veggie garden in winter. Winter is after all a time of hibernation and dormancy for many creatures and plants. But actually there are quite a number of cool season veg that can be grown now. I’ll also share some tips regarding which pests to be on the look out for at this time of the year. Being in the Western Cape in South Africa has its climatic advantages. My…
Any visit to Florence in Tuscany should not be without a visit to their famous gardens. Designed to bring pleasure to the visitor these magnificent gardens aim to inspire and delight the senses. Join me as I explore Boboli, Bardini and Giardino delle rose. It was while we were busy planning our holiday to Tuscany in May 2019 that I happened to come across a programme about Italian gardens on Netflix. It was a BBC programme hosted by Monty Don,…
When nature blesses one with an abundant harvest, drying, freezing, making jams or sauces are all ways of preserving the excess. I suppose cucumber jam would be one way of keeping your fruit (yes, it is a fruit and not a veggie) preserved, however, I have yet to try that. I prefer to pickle the extra cucumbers so that I can enjoy them after the season has passed. I took a gamble when I planted my cucumbers this year. The…
Are you looking for a splash of colour in a dull corner? Want to add some interest and height in a flower bed? Yes? Then read on because this is one of those easy DIY garden projects that everyone can enjoy. I just love how flowers have the ability to brighten one’s mood. If you have an area that could do with a little brightening up then why not give this project a try? What you’ll need It is not…
As you can see from the photos below the front garden was in rather a miserable state and in desperate need of some TLC. There was too much shade at the one end and not enough flowering plants. The lawn – if it could still be called that after a lack of water and excess of weeds – looked dismal. A rather depressing sight which I was determined to tackle and change and so the fixing of the front garden…
If you are reading this page then I am very happy that you found my blog. Welcome to Notes by Nats! That’s me in the photo above, standing in my veggie garden in the back yard. My little corner of the world is in the northern suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa. We are a week away from the winter solstice so I’m growing some cool season crops at the moment. The veggies you can see growing are cauliflower, peas,…