Alexandra Campbell’s “Notes From My Garden” is back in the magazine this week, helping you get the most out of your garden — however large or small — in 2020.
This week’s issue sees Alexandra talking about creating the first impression you want with your front garden. Do you want something dramatic? Something lovely, but low maintenance? She’s got tips for all styles.
There’s a really interesting part of her feature this week about artificial turf.
It’s become increasingly common for people to use Astroturf to save hassle in their gardens, or even to pave or deck over gardens completely. But let’s be honest about this: whilst it makes life easier for us, it has an impact on the environment.
Essentially, in fact, it removes the environment — giving mother nature even less space in the world.
After a series of floods in Edinburgh last year, scientists recognised the impact that residents were having by paving or Astroturfing every bit of their land.
Water can’t drain away the way it can on real turf, so we get floods. It all just accelerates the climate changes we’ve already set in motion.
We love Alexandra’s writing, so we’ve asked her to do a few extra features this year.
Glad to see her returning
We’ve got one on growing your own herbs — such a simple and satisfying thing to do — plus interviews with gardeners Jack Wallington and Huw Richards.
Both of them are just fab, and deeply inspirational.
Jack is encouraging people to look at weeds differently. Gardeners spend so much time fighting them off, he says, whilst wishing that the things they planted by choice grew half as well.
Maybe it’s time to embrace some of the species we’ve traditionally considered “weeds”. After all, they often have lovely flowers. And they certainly don’t need any help to grow!
Huw, on the other hand, is a dab hand at making gardens of any size productive with homegrown fruit and veg.
He’s full of great advice about growing the right things, choosing the most productive plants, and how to go about it all.
Have a look at his YouTube channel.
Huw’s all about organic food — growing things with as little interference as possible, just the way everyone used to back in the day.
We hope you’re as glad as we are to see Alexandra returning to the magazine again.
It’ll be every other issue throughout February, and then she’s back to full-time again for us in March!
Happy gardening in 2020!
For more gardening advice from “The People’s Friend”, click here.
Click here for some suggestions of what you can get planting this springtime.
Alex Corlett I am the "Friend's" Features Editor, working with the talented Features Team to bring you everything from cryptic crosswords to financial advice, knitting patterns to international travel and inspirational real life stories. Always on the hunt for a new feature idea, I also enjoy cycling and love a good tea room.
