My Gardening Journal

My Gardening Journal is for all garden lovers: a beautifully illustrated personal organizer where you can gather information about your favourite plants and record developments in your garden month by month and year by year. Indispensable for anyone who cherishes their garden and wants to make notes and sketches about plants and garden projects. 144 pages, including 12 photo pages 6 tabbed sections with pockets.

Rose Bush Care- Enjoying Good Results With Many Varieties Of Roses

Rosebush care can be easy by finding the appropriate rose for the weather conditions in your area.  A lot of  backyard gardeners can be hesitant to grow roses reasoning that rose care is much too sophisticated and demanding.  In fact roses are generally among the easiest plants in the garden to grow for those who realize what things to look for.

A few parts in the U.S. have colder, wet winters with scorching, very arid summers.  The trick to appropriate rose bush care is to use rose plants that can tolerate these severe changes in the conditions.  As an example, in the event you happen to reside in the Pacific Northwest region, where there’s more rain rather than sun, consult your local gardening shop regarding disease resistant roses.  Examples of these roses have names which include “About Face”, “Crimson Bouquet”, “Gemini”, etc.

Additionally, in this area, experts would suggest that adequate rose care could consist of drenching the soil and showering the canes and any buds in early spring using compost tea.  This kind of rose bush care can compensate the owner with stunning blooms in late spring and continue on with perfect buds and roses almost all summer enduring well into October and November.

Should you be fortunate enough to reside in the middle to upper south where by locals enjoy mild, brief winters the gardening season usually lasts a lot longer.  Even though the summer’s might be quite hot and humid in this area, rose bush care and rose choice is easier.  The top selections for this area might be “Belinda’s Dream” and “Knock Out.”

East of the Sierra and Cascade Mountain ranges stretching to the High Plains rose bush care is considerably more difficult.  In these areas the winters are extremely windy and cold with almost no rainfall.  Summer gets there and the brutal hot temperature begins.  The sandydirt contains alkaline,  clay mixed with salt and boron.  One advantage to this place is the fact that there is minimal insect or disease troubles.

In this area it really is vital to search for roses that are robust and healthy.  Rose care really should entail consistent watering, adequately amended earth together with plenty of mulch.  Some rose titles to find may be “Carefree Delight”, “Crimson Bouquet”, “Eureka”, “Knock Out” and “Julia  Child.”

Bare root roses are popular and in many cases are purchased, grown and maintained without having much great outcomes.  The home gardener mustn’t be frustrated. Individuals looking to get a bare root rose bush discover it is quite difficult to know exactly how healthy it is.  They all appear to look deceased because there are no leaves on the shrub.  The plant’s roots are covered by the packaging process. Frankly, frequently the bare root rose is dead.  One way to check on its viability is to examine the bark.  The bark ought to be green and feel soft to the touch.  Keep clear of the bush which has stalks which are brown and dry along with fine lines, it’s usually dead or dying.

Roses, because of their beautiful blooms and pleasant smell, are often picked by home gardeners.  Proper rose bush care can offer many years of gratification and plenty of fresh cut flowers for your dining table. Ideally these pointers will allow you to purchase just the right rose for your garden.

A Dream Come True…

I was so thrilled to hear the September issue of Lancashire Life was on sale when I received a text from a friend saying she had seen the article that I ran to my local newsagents and bought 5 copies!  This month a special supplemented edition of Lakeland Life was include as a gift to its readers and as I quickly flicked through theses pages, I suddenly spotted a very familiar dining room and photographs. I was even more amazed when I realised that there wasn’t just one double page spread about me, my home and RedLadybird but two! ‘A dream come true’ what a great title, and it certainly was. I am absolutely delighted with the article and the images.

Thank you Lancashire Life for making one Lakeland’s girl dream come true.

Coming Soon – Rachael Taylor Designs.

Soon to appear on www.redladybird.co.uk is the lovely Rachael Taylor Designs, her work is colourful, creative and perfect for the home; specialising in cards, ceramics, soft furnishings and kitchen products. Rachael is well known in the design world, having featured in several pattern design books and also works for high profiled companies such as Paperchase, Marks and Spencer and WHSmiths. www.redladybird.co.uk is growing and I am very exciting at being able to feature some wonderful talent here, watch out for podcasts on Hannah Nunn, Rachael Lucie and newbie Rachael Taylor in the summer months.

Elizabeth x

Hannah Nunn at www.redladybird.co.uk

Its a pleasure to have such beautiful lamps by Hannah Nunn here at www.redladybird.co.uk and I LOVE their simplicity and beauty. Every style has been lovingly created and designed by Hannah, and each one takes you on a journey. My favourites are the allium, dandelion clocks and the cow parsley,  I am already thinking of wedding and birthday presents. But my first purchase will be for my home, I can’t wait to choose!

Let me know what your favourite Hannah Nunn Lamp is?

Elizabeth x

The perfect ‘house warming’ card

Moving into your new home is an exciting time for anyone and what better way to show your friends that you care, by sending them a lovely ‘house warming‘ card by ‘dots and spots’. Or if you want to have something more personlised, please contact me on elizabeth@redladybird.co.uk and let me know what you would like – I have just had a request ‘for a couple who are moving to Australia’ and their friends want to send them  a personalised card around this theme. To see more designs go to www.redladybird.co.uk

Elizabeth x

New range of cards here at www.redladybird.co.uk

Here is a selection of the new cards by ‘dots and spots’ available at www.redladybird.co.uk I love the illustrations and can already think of a few people to send them too. They are sold individually online, priced at £2.10.  Each card is a print of an image lovingly crafted by hand, created by the layering of different torn or cut papers to create contemporary, fresh, fun and vibrant designs. Each card comes with a quality red envelope and is sealed in a clear cellophane bag. To see more of the designs available go to www.redladybird.co.uk

Elizabeth x

Is Proud to Present …… Hannah Nunn Contemporary Table Lamps

A huge big RedLadybird welcome to Hannah Nunn…..

Though a city girl by birth, Hannah found great inspiration in the countryside when she studied ‘Crafts’ at Carmarthen college in West Wales. There she stayed for many years, raising her two small children, sketching and drawing in the fields and woodland and gathering her ideas.

When her children became of school age she moved back up North settling in Hebden Bridge, a buzzing creative town, between Manchester and her hometown of Leeds. The perfect mix! Close to the city but with an abundance of nature, moments from the front door!

Hannah offers you a range of contemporary table lamps, to bring the beautiful botanical world into your home and lifestyle.

The Hannah Nunn collection is a beautiful range of paper cut lighting inspired by the botanical world.

Hannah Nunn Cow Parsley Table Lamp available from www.redladybird.co.uk

Hannah designs and makes the lamps in her workshop within Radiance her lighting and craft boutique in Hebden Bridge, West.Yorkshire.

Hannah creates a fusion of elegance with a contemporary twist, her soft glowing lighting will bring a cosy ambience to any room.

Choose from Hannah Nunn’s collection of contemporary table lamps. Hannah may also be able to offer slight variations in size and design. Please contact us as she’ll be happy to talk about it with you.

The table lamps are freestanding and come with a white 2 metre cable with an inline switch. All lamps take a small screw candle bulb 40 watts maximum.  All lamps are CE marked.
Please Note: All lamps are hand made to order, the current lead time is 2-3 weeks, but please email us with your question we may be able to get it out to you before then.
30cm high, 13cm wide

Gift ideas you’ll love from RedLadybird

Looking for an inspirational and exciting gift idea? We at RedLadybird HQ are happy to help you with your choice of gift. Whether it’s a gift for a

gardener, or a gift for the home or even a gift for the kitchen, we’ve compiled a range of fresh and exciting products to suit your home and pocket.

Make sure you click on our ‘what’s hot’ tab to find this season must have gift loving selected for you by Elizabeth at RedLadybird find this season must have gift loving selected for you by Elizabeth at RedLadybird

RedLadybird – Tried and Tested Strawberry Eton Mess

If you are anything like us in the summer months we like to eat outside in the garden most evenings and what perfect way to end a summers evening with Strawberry Eton Mess, This easy dessert is one of the quickest and most simple ways to enjoy meringue. A delicious combination of whipped cream, meringue, strawberry jam and strawberries.

Ingredients

1 punnet of strawberries

2 tbsp strawberry jam

300ml whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 heaped tsp icing suger

4 meringue nests, roughly crushed

How to make it…….

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk the cream with the vanilla and icing sugar until it makes soft peaks.

2. Fold in the strawberry jam, meringue and 3 quarters of the strawberries.

3. Divide the mixture between serving glasses and top with the remaining strawberries and chill until you are ready to serve.

Relax, sit back, pour yourself another glass of Pimms and enjoy……

Elizabeth x

Woke up this morning and feeling great……

Last night I spent the evening on Lake Windermere with my family and friends celebrating my husbands and close friend Claire’s birthday. I am so lucky to live in such a beautiful place, that this morning when I woke up I jumped out of bed and celebrated that today is Sunday. A day I can spend with my family in the garden having fun. Already this morning Ive been out in the garden watering and hanging the washing out, it looks like its going to be yet another promising sunny day.

No doubt later in the day the girls will be shouting for the sprinklers to go on, and a mad dash for towels and swimsuits will be heard.

But just for a few moments while their all still in bed, I can sit back and enjoy a welcome cup of morning tea in my bone china Queen of Everything Mug, 5 minutes peace and quiet…..Bliss