Hello, From unseasonably late frosts, to the hottest day in May on record, all in the space of eight days, we’ve had a particularly varied fortnight of weather. After working under a beating sun all day yesterday, it was a delight to watch the skies darken and a thunderstorm roll in over a dinner of broad beans freshly picked from the garden. The storm was spectacular here, illuminating the sky in all directions, all sheets and forks, rumbling and grumbling on for over an

Hello, These fortnightly newsletters are proving to be a very useful record for us of general weather trends. To summarise the year so far, it was incredibly wet in January, gloomy in February, windy in March, especially dry in April and May, unseasonably cold in early May and unexpectedly warm in late May! This last week, we’ve had angry skies, billowing black clouds, and plenty of rain, rain, rain, plus the odd pelting of hail. It certainly tells a story of extremes. Th

The desire to rest my body and look inward, a feeling that characterised much of November and December, has suddenly shifted. Although still in deep winter, we’re now speeding onwards towards Imbolc, the pagan festival celebrating the start of spring. I can feel a rising energy inside of me, like the rising of sap in trees in spring. I feel a strong desire to sort, organise, plan and prepare for the year ahead. Narcissi flowering during a very dry spring This week has been

We have had a very busy few months since Christmas. As the sun grows stronger and the days longer, we have been preparing our beds and...

I suspect that my reasons for being a grower will change over time as I settle into the beautiful and busy world of flower growing. I...

After feeling a growing urge to learn some basic floristry, I watched a series of youtube videos and read the introductory chapter of...

For Zwetsloots Floriculture, 2023 is to be the great year of trials. We are in the process of growing a great range of annuals and...

Preparing the Soil In September 2022, we acquired a two-acre plot of rough land which was covered in scrubby, pioneer vegetation but had...