#book a table faversham

[hometoursandotherstuff]

This home in London, England looks like a Georgian, but it's the unusual decor that attracted me. It has 6 bds and is listed for $2,310,930. I wonder if you can negotiate for some of the furnishings.

Well, if nothing else, the writing on the stairs will convey. If you've followed me for a while, you'll recall that I really wish I could afford vintage church statues from an architectural salvage seller.

The sitting room is cool, not only does it have a nice fireplace and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, but look at how neatly the piano fits into that nook. (Surely, that would be included.)

Huge dining room. I really like this home's style- looks like vintage school chairs and table from science lab. Love the row of old velvet theater seats, and casual industrial style lighting. But, I don't like how those statues are situated on small weak book shelves.

I like the kitchen- it's long, but it's roomy enough. Love the vintage cabinetry, floor, and stained glass window. The only thing missing is a stove exhaust hood.

Interesting room- look at how old that fireplace is. Looks like they added a surround to the original and preserved it.

Loving this- look at the huge bar in the rec room.

Must be the main bedroom. It's huge, but the bed is blocking what appears to be a sealed-off fireplace and there don't seem to be any closets.

I suspect that by the looks of this room, it wasn't always a bath.

Here's another bedroom and a bath that looks like it was once a bedroom, as well.

Notice this elegant bedroom with the great neon sign. Both the fireplace above and this one have disco balls.

If they don't leave that chandelier, the deal is off. Look at that thing. This could be a bedroom, but it looks like a ballroom to me.

The yard is interesting- most of it is old paver stones, but there are some gardens and greenery in pots.

[sanjitchudha]

In Summer 2019 we had the enormous good fortune to be invited to lunch at The Sportsman at Seasalter. It was a curious accident of fate, it was meant to happen and to reconnect us with dear friends, renew old acquaintances, and take place a few days after my beloved’s birthday, taking celebration to a new level.

If the essence of a life well-lived is the memories it creates and the impressions it makes, then this is a treasured memory.

There has been an inn on the site since the 17th C, surrounded by productive farmland cultivated since the 12th C. And just beyond lie the ancient walls of the Saxon Shore Way holding back the sea, since bolstered, built higher.

Its situation, its terroir, defines The Sportsman. Sea, sandy soil, marsh, harsh winds, spiralling, sunny, balmy days, gently rolling hills inland and the extraordinary range of migratory birds which visit throughout the year, each adds its magic mix to the site.

As you reach a low lying site, sloping to the sea, you see set at an angle to the road a large, rambling, brick building painted in various shades of off white. Or was it a dove grey? Perhaps cream? It depends on the ever-changing light in this liminal space between sea and land, alone.

The sense of uncaring individuality is deceptive. Or perhaps it’s just a frank and mature realisation that time and effort spent on outward appearances is time and effort wasted.

The real star at The Sportsman is the food.

We were booked in for the tasting menu, several hours of eating and drinking of the topmost quality in refreshingly unpretentious surroundings. We couldn’t have asked for more.

A bewildering succession of nine courses came flying to our table, a rustic wooden long table surrounded by generously spaced large chairs. It’s all about the food at The Sportsman.

Let the pictures do the talking.

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The Sportsman is a pub. You can have pints just as readily as you can fine wines. The space is accessible so if you need level access you’re largely OK. The tables are spaced well apart too, each group has its space. Tables are generously sized too, as are the seats. The toilets are pristine and generously appointed, but unfussy.

Comfort is the watchword here.

Perhaps the greatest miracle here is that the food is sourced locally, literally from the land and sea within sight of the pub.

An even greater miracle is that the chef is entirely self-taught.

Nominated several times in the best gastropub category, year-on-year since 2015, The Sportsman’s chef, Stephen Harris, also has a Michelin Star.

From a peripatetic working life, and a stint in a Punk band, Harris decided to turn his hand to food. And perhaps that’s the real underpinning; the story of how a drifter landed by the sea, found something magical and decided to share the magic of the place through food with such verve and passion that their fast developing skills transcend the usual boundaries and norms – the essence of Punk.

The justified plaudits and fame the chef has gained over the years don’t seem to have gone to his head.

You don’t always have to follow the rules to excel.

Where to go and how to book

The Sportsman Faversham Road Seasalter Whitstable Kent CT5 4BP Tel: 01227 273370

For more comprehensive reviews, try this from The Guardian, or this from The Telegraph, and of course see what Michelin have to say too.

The Sportsman at Seasalter In Summer 2019 we had the enormous good fortune to be invited to lunch at The Sportsman at Seasalter.

[ellafryme]

Spice Lounge Swale is an Indian Restaurant and Takeaway in Faversham ME13. Located in the heart of Rochester, Spice Lounge Swale offers fresh Indian food and fast service for delivery & collection Order takeaway food and book a table online from Spice Lounge Swale through ChefOnline in just a few clicks.

[chriskarrtravelblog]

BRITAIN’s top luxury stays for groups

The best, big British boltholes for entertaining a group of family and friends in complete luxury

Planning a family get-together, a special party or a blow-the-budget birthday weekend away with friends? You’ll need space, and plenty of it. We’ve cherry-picked the best options for group and celebration stays, from dreamy cottages to stately mansions for a weekend to remember.

The Oaks

Ever dreamt of being lord or lady of your own Georgian pile? There’s no better place to live out the fantasy than The Oaks, a handsome Grade II-listed mansion near Faversham in Kent. The six ample, light-filled bedrooms are awash with period features, from original shutters to marble fireplaces; the vast master bedroom on the top floor has a claw-foot tub and views of the leafy garden. It’s a house made for entertaining – and celebrating – with a vast dining room off the country-style kitchen, a grand sitting room with a log fire and your choice of comfy sofas and armchairs, and even a kids’ playroom for the younger members of the party. Perhaps the house’s finest feature, though, is its garden: a handsome walled affair with beds of roses, mature trees and plenty of shady nooks in which to park your sun lounger. If you can bear to tear yourself away, the cathedral city of Canterbury is just 11 miles away, while Whitstable, 10 miles away, has plenty of salty charm, with its oyster stalls and busy harbour lined with fishing boats.

Winterfell

© Unique Home Stays http://www.uniquehomestays.com/+44 (0) 1637 881183

Anyone who’s ever been to the Lake District could be forgiven for wanting to move there permanently, such is the spell it casts. Tranquil Windermere is one of the Lake District’s loveliest corners, and the perfect place for a group get-together, whether or not you plan to pack your walking boots. Our pick of the places to stay is Winterfell, a magical, ivy-clad hunting lodge nestled in forested hills and set in six acres of private grounds on the lake’s southern shore. Entering the house is like stepping into a Narnia-like landscape, where snowy white, warm grey and bare wood combine with an abundance of texture in throws, rugs and cushions to create a beautifully cosy and romantic interior. The six double bedrooms boast ornate fireplaces and rococo beds. While away hours in the library, cook up a feast in the cosy kitchen or wander the grounds: a walled garden leads to four acres of meadows where nothing will disturb you but birdsong.

The Lady Hamilton

If you’re looking to escape to the southeast coast, plump for Deal, Kent’s prettiest seaside town. Its narrow streets brim with nautical heritage, it has two castles to explore (Deal and nearby Walmer), and it boasts an array of characterful restaurants and independent boutiques too. Tucked away on a side street just a minute’s walk from Deal’s shingly shoreline is The Lady Hamilton, a stunning Georgian townhouse that’s full of period features. Wood panelling and floorboards give it plenty of creaky charm, but it’s far from stuck in the past: colourful accents and bright art give it a warm, home-from-home feel. Set over three floors (it sleeps 8), the house is anchored by its winding staircase, taking you from the ground floor to the pièce de résistance– a gorgeous wood-panelled sitting room, with squishy sofas, a snug wood-burner and sash windows overlooking the rooftops. Books and board games are provided for relaxing evenings. On sunny days, the walled patio garden is a little haven – an ideal place to gather for drinks after a day on the beach.

The Fish Store

© Unique Home Stays http://www.uniquehomestays.com/+44 (0) 1637 881183

Cornwall is always a safe bet for a crowd-pleasing holiday: with its enchanting coastline and unspoilt villages, it has all the ingredients for a memorable stay. Large rental houses can be thin on the ground so we were pleased to discover The Fish Store, which sleeps up to ten guests. Set in Mousehole, one of Cornwall’s loveliest villages on Cornwall’s south coast, it was a pilchard factory in a former life – hence the roomy interiors. Everything’s on a giant scale here: the lofty beamed ceilings, the vast windows – and the views of the ocean beyond. It’s a house ideal for all ages, with a cinema room where you can gather for a family film, a table tennis table that the kids will love, and a steam room where you can unwind after a day’s exploring. The delights of the Cornish coast are all within easy reach, from swimming in Mousehole’s sheltered bay and wandering its winding streets to exploring nearby St Michael’s Mount.

Loch Lomond Manor

Loch Lomond: even the name is enough to inspire romance. This historic manor house with its five fairytale turrets is just the ticket. Recognised as a National Monuments of Scotland house, it is ideal for history and architecture buffs, being situated just 500 metres from the famous Hill House, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Facing the Clyde Estuary, the house is also ideally located for strolls along the banks of Loch Lomond, a round of golf on one of the famous courses nearby, or day-trips into the Highlands (it’s at the start of the highland train line, putting Oban and Fort William within easy reach). Inside, all is on a grand scale, from the sofas to the bathtubs, and there are plenty of spaces for a large party to gather – the light-filled drawing room, with its tapestries and Edwardian fireplace, is hard to beat. Sleeping up to 10, Loch Lomond Manor makes a stylish stay in this beguiling part of Scotland.

Shalfleet Manor

If you have a big party to accommodate, consider Shalfleet Manor in the Isle of Wight, which sleeps 16-22 guests and is a stunner to boot. A wisteria-covered stone manor set in mature gardens, it is a dreamy place to spend a few days. Inside, a grand hallway, wood beams and a panelled living room with a 17th-century fireplace set the tone. It’s just one of many corners to snuggle up with a book or catch up over drinks – the airy conservatory and sun-trap terrace are tempting too. It’s a house made for lounging, but make time too for some outdoor pursuits: tennis on the all-weather court or a few laps of the heated pool, encircled by mature shrubs. Further afield is Newtown Creek, a sleepy spot where you can moor your own little boat, plus the wider delights of the Isle of Wight, from Queen Victoria’s Osborne House to sandy beaches galore.

Bear’s Cottage

Norfolk is strong on otherworldly landscapes, and the unique Bear’s Cottage offers a rare chance to truly get away from it all in fairytale surroundings. It’s set in 200 acres of private woodland, planted in the 1850s and crisscrossed with private trails for exploring. The cottage, which sleeps 8, has a warm and cosy feel, and has been thoughtfully restored to open out its spaces. Its open-plan kitchen, dining and living area allows the designated chef to cook up a storm without missing out on the action, while the large south-facing terrace is the perfect spot for alfresco lunches. Days can be spent exploring the rural village of Wood Norton and the renowned beaches of North Norfolk – some of England’s loveliest.

READ MORE: 10 of Britain’s best hotels for Valentine’s Day

The post BRITAIN’s top luxury stays for groups appeared first on Britain Magazine | The official magazine of Visit Britain | Best of British History, Royal Family,Travel and Culture.

Britain Magazine | The official magazine of Visit Britain | Best of British History, Royal Family,Travel and Culture https://www.britain-magazine.com/features/britains-luxury-group-stays/

source https://coragemonik.wordpress.com/2020/02/12/britains-top-luxury-stays-for-groups/

[yuminov]

Wedding Casino in Faversham

Wedding Casino

A Wedding Casino can help make your wedding memorable. The tables give your guests a great opportunity to mix with each other away from the dance floor.

The wedding day is probably the most unforgettable day in a couple’s life. And every couple will make every effort to ensure it is a grand success. One of the several amazing things you can do to make your wedding the talk of the town is to make provisions for different forms of fun and entertainment. From the many types of wedding entertainment to choose from, having a fun casino set up for your wedding will most certainly be a great and an exceptional addition to your party. Not only will a fun casino provide hours of fun for all your guests, but will also raise money for you to spend on your honeymoon.

Cards and Chips

The Wedding Casino is strictly for fun and helps in breaking the ice and warming up the guests before they hit the dance floor in full flow. The atmosphere provided by the fun casino is similar to a real land casino. You have the expert croupier, music, and real players. With fun casino, the fun factor increases since nobody loses money here. Even before the couple left for their honeymoon, they get to play their share of rounds alone with the support of professional croupiers.

We have games such as Blackjack, Roulette and more on offer.

Playing  a Wedding Fun Casino

The fun casino does not permit playing with real money, but rather, “fun money” which is exchanged at the casino tables for chips. Anyone that has the most chips once the casino ends wins a prize at the event. This encourages the attendees to play with more eagerness.

Personalising a Wedding Casino.

The couple can request that the fun money and the chips be personalized to suit their wedding. Some casinos also offer table baize and customized gifts.

Fun casino theme

Just as your wedding is theme-based, so is the reception with a fun casino. Not only will the casino themes add color to your wedding, but also provide unforgettable entertainments for your guests. A few of the available themes include summer wedding casino, Vegas themed casino, James Bond themed casino, Elvis themed casino and many others.

When setting up a fun casino for your wedding, there should be enough space for guests to move about freely, for buffet tables and additional entertainments like song, dance, magic show, etc.

The Duration For A Fun Casino For A Wedding

Most fun casinos last for 3 hours, but there would be breaks during major activities like the couple’s first dance, cake cutting, wedding toast and bride’s dance with her father. Fun casino hire above 3 hours will attract extra charges.

Wedding casino hire

Wedding Casino Hires are becoming popular nowadays. If you are considering one for your wedding, some of the things you need to look for include the quality of equipment as well as the croupiers’ expertise. You need to also look for themes offered by the casino.

  Hiring a reliable fun service provider will help you organize a theme that will add lots of fun to your wedding. Looking to hire a wedding casino with ease? Fun casino fun should be your top choice! Contact us here now for more inquiries or booking.

Thanks for looking, book us here…..Casino Hire Contact

My Fun Casino look forward to hearing from you.

The post Wedding Casino in Faversham appeared first on Best Fun Casino.

from Best Fun Casino http://myfuncasino.co.uk/wedding-casino-in-faversham

[isabellelambert1975]

What colour should I paint my shed?

I have been debating the crucial issue of what colour to paint my shed.

Painting your shed transforms your garden. And if I paint my shed, it’ll also last longer. The wood is protected by the paint or stain.

I love Wenche Immink’s pale shed – she used just one coat of a pebble grey exterior paint. Wenche’s garden is open for Faversham Open Gardens & Garden Market Day, June 25th. It’s Garden 13.

Of course I also dream about a more dramatic transformation. I pored over the results of  the first ever Grand Shed Project at this year’s Grand Designs Live, which was sponsored by AXA Insurance.

This featured five inspirations for transforming garden sheds, including a Reading Snug, Sewing Shack, Miami South Beach Bar, Boutique Bedroom and an Outdoor Room. You can see them here, and AXA Insurance are also sponsoring this post.

I would adore a Reading Snug, but, for the time being, I am just going to paint my shed.

But what colour to choose?

Vintage-style blues, greys and greens must be the most loved shed colours at the moment. Who can resist a duck-egg blue shed with eaves and a window?

Lindsay’s shed is such a pretty blue and goes well with her planting.

Location, location, location…

The first thing to consider is where is your shed, and what is it for? Our new shed has been designed to merge with the fence. We want it to minimise its impact, not make it a focal point.

Greens and blues are wonderful garden colours, and blend into the landscape.

Green – especially dark green – helps a shed blend into its surroundings and is also attractive in its own right. This shed is seen on the Stonebridge Pond Allotments in Faversham (open for Faversham Open Gardens & Garden Market Day).

But if your shed is a focal point for the garden, the colour decision will be different.

Choose a pale romantic shade for your shed…

If you’re thinking of a pale colour, then test it carefully to see how it behaves out of doors. If you’re using a specialist outdoor paint such as Ronseal or Cuprinol, the colours seem to come out fairly close to what you might expect.

Wenche’s shed is ‘romantic’, with its white rose climbers.

However if you use exterior or interior versions of paint ranges designed mainly for indoors, I have discovered that the shades look much paler outside under the sky.

For example, we previously painted our back gate in Farrow & Ball Hardwick White. This appears to be a mid grey inside but properly white outside.

This colour – Hardwick White – appears mid grey inside (in our house anyway). So maybe go a shade or two darker to get the effect you want.

When trying out pale paint shades for your shed, you may need to go two or three shades darker to get the effect you want.

Be bold and paint your shed a bright colour

I love Angie’s lime-painted shed with its contrasting purple bird feeder.

There are some more brightly-coloured sheds in Revamp your shed – a short and easy guide here.

A white shed?

White sheds can be stunning. You might worry about white getting dirty. However, we had the back door (above the photo of the lime green shed) painted in Hardwick White for about seven years without repainting it. It does look a little grubby in the photo, but nothing that the odd wash wouldn’t have remedied.

White sheds can be romantic, seaside or modernist.

This shed in a seaside-themed garden in Whitstable is painted white, as is the fence around it. It’s in Clare Road, Whitstable, and is the view from a room available through Airbnb.

Tie in your shed colour with your border scheme.

Rosie Turner’s bright pink shed has featured on this blog before, and it’s always very popular.

Rosie Turner’s pink shed is a backdrop for her ‘pink garden.’

She chose this shade (  from Cuprinol) because she has a long thin town garden, with everything on view from the house. The theme of the garden is pink. She has crab apples, pink clematis, pink hebes, pink peonies and more.

Rosie Turner’s shed echoes her planting.

If you’re wondering whether you need to re-paint bright colours on sheds more often than darker colours, Rosie’s shed first appeared in 8 really simple, cheap ways of transforming your shed in 2014. The photographs above were taken three years later. She hasn’t re-painted in that time.

Go over to the dark side…

Award-winning garden designer Charlotte Rowe once told me that dark colours make a boundary recede. In 12 Creative Tips For an Urban Garden, she explained that she often uses dark shades for fencing.

I also think there’s a big move towards using chunks of dark in kitchens. (Put ‘contemporary kitchens’ or ‘kitchen decor’ into Pinterest if you don’t believe me.) We’re about to re-vamp the kitchen and I’d like to echo the paint shade both inside and outside the kitchen window.

And when I wrote about the renovation of architect Tom Croft’s garden, I was really struck by how wonderful dark green doors looked.

This barn door is painted in Amsterdam Green (Sanderson paints). I love it, and strongly considered it for my shed.

So I decided to paint my shed dark. That’s partly because the shed in question is practical. It’s not one of those sheds that serves as a pretty focal point. It has been designed to blend into the fencing line.

Farrow & Ball Black Blue on the new shed.

But the final choice is Farrow & Ball’s Exterior paint in Black Blue. The shed has ‘disappeared’, and people don’t seem to notice it all.

‘We’ve painted the shed since you were last here,’ I say, encouragingly, when people come round. They look somewhat bemused and seem unable to spot a shed at all.

The shed before painting. Don’t tell me you preferred it like this!

And the side view…

This was the previous shed in this position – sorry about the poor quality of the pic, but you get the idea.

Paint the shed door in a contrasting colour

Painting your shed door in a contrasting colour – or just painting the door and leaving the rest of the shed as plain wood or brick – can be remarkably effective.

This is a very attractive shed in Anna Turner’s garden in Deal.

A Plankbridge ‘shepherd’s hut’ with a contrasting door. Once again, the dark blue makes the hut almost fade into the background.

Jacqui and Richard Drew’s shed with a contrasting door. They are Garden 31 in Faversham Open Gardens on June 25th. Photo by Richard Drew.

And I didn’t just paint my shed…

We now have so many different elements on our terrace. There’s the shed, plus a bin store, log store, brown back door, white side gate and green water butt.

We decided that it would be calmer to paint everything the same colour.

The back gate, the bin store and the log store are all painted in Farrow & Ball Black Blue.

What the bin store and log store looked like before they were painted. The back gate was white, and our back door was brown. We bought the bin and log store from Wayfair.

We even had the water butt painted. It was an old green plastic water butt. I researched online to find an attractive alternative.

We painted the water butt to match the shed. It was green before.

The nice water butts were quite expensive, though. It was much cheaper simply to use the same paint we used for the shed. It may not last long – although it’s been four months now with no sign of it wearing off, in spite of some hard rains.

Wenche’s pale grey-white shed is a background for climbing roses. She’s painted the back gate the same colour. The bench and table in front of the shed are also painted in a harmonious wash.

Or do something dramatic…

I recently wrote about Jack and Carolyn Wahlberg’s charming small garden (Garden 36 in Faversham Open Gardens & Garden Market Day on June 25th). Jack has painted his shed and has also used CDs, which reflect in the sun.

Jack and Carolyn’s shed with its unusual treatment of CDs.

A shed at Sussex Prairie Gardens, covered in magazine covers. Possibly not the most long-lasting of treatments…but it’s fun.

The practicalities of painting your shed

When I decided to paint my shed, it was like doing a rain dance. The minute I bought the paint, the heavens opened.

We had booked a painter to paint my shed, and he had to cancel several times. You shouldn’t paint a wet shed. Or even a slightly damp shed. It must be properly dry, which means no rain for at least 48 hours.

If there’s any roughness, blistered paint or fungus, that needs treating first.

And there are counsels of perfection. Sand down the wood so that it is smoother. Use an undercoat. Use a spray paint for easier application (if you do, make sure the paint is suitable for use with a sprayer).

The log and bin store getting their primer (undercoat). They were both new so needed relatively little preparation.

You’ll need two coats, and it makes sense if one of those is a primer. But painting outside is much more forgiving than painting inside a house. It won’t matter so much if it isn’t quite perfect.

Wenche used just one coat of paint to get a washed or weathered effect.

We simply used some leftover Farrow & Ball interior emulsion paint on one of our sheds about 10 years ago and it’s lasted pretty well. It’s faded, but the effect is still much nicer than its original orangey-brown wood.

You can just see a standard brown wood shed at the end of this path.

The same shed, painted with a wash of leftover paint. Even in winter, I like it better. We did this seven years ago, so it’s worn well but the faded look is part of it.

For those of you planning to buy a new shed, there’s more advice on how to avoid buying the wrong garden shed here.

If you’d like to go further than just painting your shed, read about the Grand Design shed project sponsored by AXA here.

And let me know what colour you’ve painted your shed and how you chose it.

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The post What colour should I paint my shed? appeared first on The Middle-Sized Garden.

from The Middle-Sized Garden http://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/what-colour-should-i-paint-my-shed/

[fan-of-mulligan]

FOM BLOG: ADRIAN PENNOCK APPOINTED AS GILLINGHAM MANAGER

I have had plenty of time to think about Monday Afternoon’s Official Announcement that Adrian Pennock has been appointed as Gillingham Manager for The 2017 / 2018 Season, And I have got to say that The Appointment of Adrian Pennock as Gillingham Manager Is A Very Underwhelming Appointment and A Very Disappointing Appointment, and one that many supporters - myself included - are not happy about at all, Gillingham only just about managed to retain our League One Status On The Final Day Of The Season With A 0-0 Draw Against Northampton Town At Sixfields, But Port Vale Failing To Win Against Fleetwood Town was the main reason Gillingham Avoided Relegation and that's why The Gills are playing League One Football Next Season, and I am delighted that Gillingham are playing League One Football Next Season, but it is clear for all to see that Gillingham needed A Clear Out, We Needed A Fresh Approach, Someone new to come in to make the necessary changes that needed to be made to the playing squad, and someone who can come in and give us as Gillingham Supporters A Lift.

Four Wins In Twenty One Matches shows that Adrian Pennock has got a lot of work to do to try and win back the support from Gillingham Supporters, It turns out that we tried and failed to convince Kenny Jackett to take The Gillingham Job, and if that was the case, then there must have been other options on the table for Paul Scally to consider, Manager’s Like Chris Powell, Steve Cotterill and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink were all available on a free and no compensation was required to acquire there services, Whether we could have secured the three manager’s in question is another topic in itself, But you can see why Gillingham Supporters are so under-whelmed and disappointed with Adrian Pennock’s Appointment, Because the general consensus was that something new was needed and we needed change, And with Kenny Jackett spotted at Sixfields for The Northampton Town V Gillingham Match, There was the likely suggestion that Kenny Jackett will come in as Gillingham Manager, after all, Kenny Jackett lives in London and with Gillingham avoiding relegation into League Two, Then The Managerial Position At Priestfield Stadium was more appealing and I thought that The Job would have been appealing enough for Kenny Jackett to come in and take The Gillingham Job, After All, Asking someone to come and Manage Gillingham in League One, is A Much More Appealling Prospect, Compared To Gillingham having A Managerial Vacancy with A New Manager given the challenge to try and get Gillingham back into League One At The First Attempt.

But there are plenty of problems that need addressing and resolving and things that Adrian Pennock has got to improve on, Because Adrian Pennock’s Record In-Terms Of Goals Conceded As Gillingham Manager was far worse then Justin Edinburgh’s In The 2016 / 2017 Season, And Here Are The Goals Conceded Stats, Courteously Of @Gills_Stats On Twitter………

GOALS CONCEDED UNDER JUSTIN EDINBURGH - Conceded 1.57 Per Game

GOALS CONCEDED UNDER ADRIAN PENNOCK - Conceded 1.86 Per Game

These Stats show us what we know already, Gillingham have got to improve our defensive options, and while The Transfer Budget was all used up and Adrian Pennock was restricted in the number of players we could bring in to try and strengthen all area’s on the pitch, There Were Some Problems which were self inflicted by Adrian Pennock, Like Playing Players Out Of Position, And At Times Adrian Pennock made some questionable substitutions during matches, Gillingham Kit-Man Bob Lewin Was Sacked For Forgetting our kit away at MK Dons and Bob Lewin was replaced by Malcolm Steadman, Playing Tomas Holy ahead of Stuart Nelson when Tomas Holy was playing behind A Defence that was conceding goals left, right and centre, and not only has Tomas Holy never played in England before, But he was also thrown into A League One Relegation Battle.

Adrian Pennock certainly hasn’t been shy or holding back on what he has had to say about the problems he has faced at Gillingham Football Club over the past few weeks, And normally, When A Manager is that out-spoken they are usually shown the door, and when Adrian Pennock has gone as far to say that there was poison in the dressing room without specifically mentioning players, I thought that Adrian Pennock decided that he wasn’t going to hold anything back in his final press conference and say what he thought needed to be said, and maybe say what needed to be said because Adrian Pennock thought he wasn’t going to be given The Gillingham Job On A Permanent Basis, The Bondz N’Gala Situation caught out A Few Football League Clubs - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38827237  Because Leyton Orient Tried To Sign Ulrich Nnomo, So it wasn’t just Gillingham caught out with FIFA Changing The Transfer Rules— And Adrian Pennock has also spoken about how he saved Gillingham Thousands Of Pounds getting Bondz N’Gala To Terminate His Contract At Gillingham Football Club - http://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/ady-rescue-mission-saved-fortune-125438/

But The One Comment Adrian Pennock has mentioned that I agree with 100% is That The Infrastructure at Gillingham Football Club Needs Improving, and this explains Peter Taylor’s Appointment as Director Of Football, and there may well be other appointments that we will find out over the coming weeks which will see Gillingham make plenty of additions to The Scouting Structure, and maybe more additions to The Coaching Staff As Well, If Peter Taylor is going to be solely focused on Player Recruitment in his role as Director Of Football, Then perhaps, we will see Adrian Pennock bring in A Much More Experienced Assistant Manager to bring in that added knowledge and know how which will be an asset to Gillingham’s Back-Room Staff.

Adrian Pennock has mentioned time and again about how he can write a book about the past four months, But when you come in and replace A Manager Who Has Been Sacked - which is what happened when Adrian Pennock was appointed as Justin Edinburgh's Successor - There are problems that need fixing, you have to address the issues as to why Justin Edinburgh was sacked and why you have been brought in as Gillingham Manager ???, and I don't think Adrian Pennock has done that, Now there have been circumstances which have dictated as to why that is the case, No Emergency Loan System This Season being one such example, But I would like to see Adrian Pennock be self critical of himself in his analysis, maybe there are problems with some of the players that couldn’t be resolved during the season, and maybe there needs to be a change in the infrastructure, But Gillingham were five minutes away from dropping into League Two, and ultimately you are judged by your performances and results on the pitch, such is the life of A Football Manager, and if there are plenty of problems that need resolving, Then I am sure that we as Supporters would like to hear the answers to these problems one by one.

I think I have some answers as to why Adrian Pennock was appointed as Gillingham Manager, It Appears that Gillingham Football Club are in A Tight Spot Finically, Tottenham Away eased our financial problems, But The On-Going Court Case With Centre-Plate Needs Resolving and it needs resolving quickly, But Gillingham can really do with League Cup and FA Cup runs next season, especially if our finances are as bad as being suggested, And If The Finances at Gillingham Football are that dire, Then you can see why Kenny Jackett, Chris Powell and Steve Cotterill were out of our price bracket, Another Scenario could well be that Gillingham are awaiting the out-come of that Centre-Plate Court Case and we’re waiting for those results to give us a clearer picture on Gillingham’s Finances, Hence why Adrian Pennock has only been given A One Year Deal.

I know Adrian Pennock cares deeply about Gillingham Football Club and maybe that passion and commitment to the cause will ensure that Adrian Pennock tries harder then say someone who looks at Gillingham Football Club as just another job, and I do think that Gillingham will line up more friendlies against Kent Non League Opposition, Because that was one of the criticism’s aimed in Justin Edinburgh’s Direction, as Gillingham arranged pre-season friendlies in Essex against Braintree Town and Billericay Town, these aren’t friendlies that many Gillingham Supporters Could Travel To, and matches against Kent Non League Opposition will mean that it is possible for Gillingham Supporters to travel to these matches to watch Gillingham Play - So Far, Faversham Town and Dover Athletic Away are already on the pre-season friendly fixtures list.

But Local Pre-Season Friendlies aren’t going to be enough to appease Gillingham Supporters who have genuine questions about where the club is heading and what direction the club is going to go in within three, four, five and ten year’s time, you can understand the frustration and why Gillingham Supporters are infuriated with this appointment, but it is the appointment we have got and not necessarily the appointment we would have wanted, But the challenges that lay ahead of Adrian Pennock are deciding on which players will Gillingham release and retain from those who are out of contract, which players currently contracted at the club will stay or go next season, will Bradley Dack and Josh Wright have to be sold to finance any new recruits, and who will Gillingham sign during the off season ???

I don’t think anyone is hoping that Adrian Pennock fails next season, Gillingham Supporters have always backed and supported whoever the manager is sitting / standing in the dugout, Some Supporters have taken the decision not to renew there Season Tickets and others have made the decision not to turn up and watch Gillingham Play, Decision’s you can completely understand and appreciate given the lack of enthusiasm surrounding Adrian Pennock’s Appointment, Because watching Gillingham Play Home And Away Is Expensive, And it’s not just Match Tickets and Season Ticket Prices you have to take into consideration, Food, Drink, Match-Day Programme, Travel, They are all contributing factors whenever fans decide to go and watch Gillingham Play, Regardless if Gillingham Supporters are turning up For All Twenty Three Home League Fixtures, or if your coming along for Five, Ten Or Fifteen Matches.

However, If I am underwhelmed by Adrian Pennock's Appointment as Gillingham Manager, Then I am very very pleased with Peter Taylor's Appointment As Director Of Football Development, Because Peter Taylor has got plenty of contacts in the game, plenty of knowledge and experience and I liked what Peter Taylor was trying to do when he was appointed as Gillingham Manager Last Time Round, Signing The Likes Of John Egan, Brennan Dickenson, Josh Pritchard, Aaron Morris, Luke Norris, Kortney Hause, and giving Jake Hessenthaler and Bradley Dack long term contracts, we clearly wanted a lot of energy and athleticism in the middle of midfield, and while the style at times was very defensive, I can appreciate what Peter Taylor was doing with A Gillingham Team in transition, and if Peter Taylor can find 1-2 more players like John Egan in his role as Director Of Football, then maybe we can find a few players who Gillingham can sign on low wages with high sell on potential.

And I think that is what we can expect to see from Gillingham During This Summer's Transfer Market, Gillingham will be looking to sign several 21 / 22 Year Old Players who have been released by Premier League and Championship Players, and these players are eager to play competitive first team football and there willing to sign for a team like Gillingham on lower wages, The Gills have tried spending big on players like Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Paul Konchesky and Jamie O'Hara and these deals haven't worked out, maybe, Gillingham will need to look at signing younger players who are keen to prove themselves and there willing come to Gillingham keen to experience first team football.

This Summer is A Massive Summer For Gillingham Football Club, and the re-building task of the playing squad is a huge challenge, I think it is clear for all to see that the defence needs sorting out and I hope we get an announcement that Cody McDonald has been offered and accepted a new contract at Gillingham Football Club, I also think we will get announcements on pre-season friendlies with the managerial appointment in place, but this isn't the managerial appointment we wanted, but given Gillingham's Financial Situation At The Moment, It is an managerial appointment we will need to accept, even though accepting yesterday’s announcement is going to take some-time to bed in.

Finally, I have mentioned that If I could Give Adrian Pennock A Check-List, What Five Things would be on your list ???, For Me, and in no particular order ONE Make Sure Cody McDonald has signed an extended contract with Gillingham Football Club, and I would offer Cody McDonald A Two Year Deal TWO Add Some Battlers And Scapprers Down The Spine Of The Team, Players who aren’t the best technically in possession of the ball, but they are consistently putting in seven out of ten, game in game out THREE Play Players In There Best Positions, FOUR Sign A Strike-Partner For Cody McDonald, someone who gives Gillingham A Much Needed Physical Presence In Attack and FIVE Improve Gillingham’s Defence, Seventy Nine Goals Conceded was the most goals conceded by any side in League One Throughout The 2016 / 2017 season, attack wise, Gillingham scored just three less goals then Bradford City, but look at the differences in both teams defence, Bradford City conceded Forty Three Goals, That’s Thirty Six Goals Less then the number of goals that Gillingham Conceded In League One.

[isabellelambert1975]

11 charming small garden ideas on a budget

If asked for ‘small garden ideas’, I wouldn’t normally start with advising you to plant a large cypress tree right in the middle of your  courtyard garden.

But one of the great pleasures of helping to organise the Faversham Open Gardens & Garden Market Day (held on Sunday 25th June) is discovering all the amazingly different ways people garden.

Mark and Carolyn’s charming small garden is open for Faversham Open Gardens and Garden Market Day on June 25th. Many things have been collected from charity shops.

Make the best of what you’ve got

Mark and Carolyn’s garden is just 12 square metres. They’re opening it for Faversham Open Gardens for the first time this year. It is brimming with delightful, low-budget small garden ideas.

When they moved into their 1980s house four years ago, there was a large cypress right in the middle of the garden. And there was nothing else.

With remarkable restraint, they didn’t cut it down. ‘Although Mark’s always threatening to,’ says Carolyn.

The cypress tree in the middle of the garden creates a secluded seating area, and divides the garden up.

The effect is fascinating, because the tree prevents you from seeing the whole garden at once. Going round Mark and Carolyn’s garden is an adventure of discovery, and the tree is part of it.

Don’t let size curb your ambitions

A central bed of wildflowers, self-seeders and other plants flourishes – although the bed is shared with the cypress tree.

There is everything the gardener could want in this small space. It includes two mini-wildlife ponds,  self-seeders, wild flowers, containers of all kinds, sculpture, ‘garden paintings’, bird feeders, places to sit and abundant, gloriously healthy plants and flowers.

Don’t have a lawn in a small garden

There is a wide path around a large central bed, plus wide beds around the edges of the garden. There are two places to sit, but no lawn. That greatly increases the space to grow flowers.

There’s a central bed with a wide path around it, then deep beds around the edges. This gives the garden an abundant feel.

Paving and paths are initially probably more expensive than a lawn – but you won’t need a lawn-mower!

And a lawn is hard to maintain in a small space – it quickly gets bald.

Use the walls – it doubles the growing space

The fences have ivy, clematis and other climbers, but they also host works of art. Mark calls them his ‘garden paintings.’ He hangs picture frames on the fence, and uses them to frame  hanging pots.

‘Garden paintings’ – a picture frame hung on a fence to frame a garden pot.

Raid the charity shops for small garden ideas…

The picture frames and many of the other quirky touches in this charming garden come from charity shops. Faversham is a great place for charity shops, vintage markets and other second-hand shops. And Mark volunteers at the Cancer Research Charity Shop in West St.

There’s a mix of pots, picture frames, troughs, vintage gardenalia and lots more in Mark and Carolyn’s garden. Much of it comes from charity shops.

Mix second-hand chairs with garden furniture

If you buy chairs and tables from junk or charity shops, you’ll probably be less worried about whether they’ll rot. Paint your metal garden furniture with a good all-weather paint to help stop it rusting.

A mix of garden furniture in a corner of Mark and Carolyn’s garden. Collect it over the years, and paint it.

Painting garden furniture generally helps it withstand the elements.

Cut the plant bill by letting weeds and plants self-sow

If Carolyn likes a flower, she lets it set seed. So the garden is marvellously colourful and relaxed. Purple loosestrife is considered a weed in many gardens. But here it is part of the colour scheme. It probably counts as one of the cheapest small garden ideas you’ll find.

Purple loosestrife mingling with other garden plants, filling the garden for free.

Upcycle your shed

Mark and Carolyn’s shed is an installation in itself. It’s painted, covered in old CDs and has window boxes and signs. In the sunshine, the CDs glitter.

Read this for more fun easy ideas for transforming your shed.

The shed has been painted, covered in CDs and hung with blue window boxes where Mark and Carolyn grow lettuce. Could CDs be good anti-snail deterrent, perhaps?

You can be wildlife friendly in a small garden

Bird feeders and bird boxes are mixed with the ‘garden paintings’

Think about how your garden can offer food, water, shelter and access. Bird and bat boxes, bug hotels, feeders, mini-ponds all fit into the smallest of gardens. And don’t forget that fences and hedges need to have some gaps to allow small mammals and amphibians to access several gardens at once.

Find out how to create a good wildlife garden here, even in a small space.

Pots, pots, pots…

There is a wonderfully eclectic collection of pots and upcycled containers in Mark and Caroline’s garden. Wooden boxes, old teapots, and more.

Pots work well in small gardens because they give you lots of flexibility. You can replace plants when they’re ‘over’ and change arrangements around.

A mix of pots, troughs and upcycled planters in Mark and Carolyn’s garden.

An old teapot full of succulents looks charming on the table.

See here for recommendations on the best plants for low maintenance pots.

Recycle a container to make a small pond (or two)…

Even the smallest garden can have a pond or two. You can make a pond out of anything waterproof, from a bucket or barrel to big plastic tray.

Below is a container pond, with bog plants in it. It’s important to make sure that creatures can get in and out of container ponds, so have different levels of planting and also vegetation.

Also make sure that babies and toddlers are protected. A very young child can drown in a few inches of water.

See here for how to make a mini wildlife pond.

Don’t forget to have one or two mini-ponds – wildlife need water. There are two mini-ponds in this small garden. One is the square central planter in this photograph.

One of the ponds is the top of a recycling bin. Remember when we all had to put the bottles in a large tray at the top of the bin, then the newspapers went underneath?

Now recycling technology has advanced and we can throw all the different recycling elements in together. The black tray at the top has become redundant. Mark and Carolyn have used it to make a mini-pond.

Faversham Open Gardens & Garden Market Day

Join us on Sunday June 25th (10am-5pm) in Faversham, Kent for the largest one-day open garden event in the South East.

Mark and Carolyn’s garden is no 36 in the guide book. You can also see a wide range of other gardens including walled gardens, long thin town gardens, tiny gardens, wildlife gardens, a town ‘meadow garden’ and more.

A rose on the old wall at Ravenscourt, another new garden for Faversham Open Gardens & Garden Market Day. Ravenscourt is garden 34 in the guide book and is just a few minutes drive from Garden 36.

And there are 33 stalls selling plants, vintage garden equipment, pots, local food and craft and more. Plus we have a children’s competition called Hunt the Golden Pebble to keep children happy.

Buy your tickets (£6/£10 for 2) from the Faversham Society, 10-11 Preston St, Faversham, Kent ME13 8NS. You’ll also be able to buy tickets in The Market Place on the 25th June.

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[isabellelambert1975]

10 no-time, no-money last-minute Easter decorating secrets

I woke up to Easter decorating rather late this year.

You may already have your spring door wreath, complete with succulents and quails’ eggs on your door.

A spring wreath with succulents and quails’ eggs at Compton Furniture, in Faversham.

And you may already have your Easter egg ��tree’, your mantelpiece ablaze with beautiful spring bulbs and an Easter table that Martha Stewart would be proud of.

Or, like me, you may be expecting guests, and they may be expecting Easter decorating. Which, somehow, never made it onto the ‘to-do’ list, in spite of us all being urged to think of Easter as ‘the new Christmas’ in decorating terms.

Everything here comes from the garden or the kitchen…pull the labels off your tins of chickpeas or tomatoes and you’ll find this lovely corrugated iron effect.

Here are some super-quick ideas you can do. Most of what you need will come from the garden.

1) Go for bright and light colours

Dig out anything bright or light. Reds, blues, greens and yellows all work well together in spring.

Mix bright and light colours together. I bought the duck napkin rings about twenty years ago, and have just re-found them at the back of a cupboard.

2) Jam jar flowers and weeding the garden

Jam jar flowers are so Easter. If you have jute twine in the tool shed (I have Nutscene in various colours), tie it round the necks. You can also use ribbon, if you have any.

(NB: links to Amazon are affiliate links which means you can click to buy. If you do, I may get a small fee, but it doesn’t affect the price you pay.)

Then fill the jars with anything that you will probably need to weed out over the next few weeks.

Jam jar flowers tied with garden twine and filled with ‘weeds’

In my garden, that’s lamium, smyrmium perfoliatum and a very hairy borage that has just popped up from nowhere.

And some purple kale has gone to seed creating gorgeous racemes of yellow and purple.

The tall flowers in the old bottles are from some kale plants which have finally run to seed after serving us well throughout the winter.

The self-seeded euphorbia could do with thinning out, too, but that’s not a plant to be cut in a hurry. Only cut euphorbia with gloves on, and wash your hands afterwards. You do not want a trip to A&E because you’ve rubbed your eyes with fingers that have been cutting euphorbia.

3) Jam jar 2: make one bunch of flowers go far

You may have time to buy a bunch of flowers. Make them go further by putting separate colours in different jam jars.

I bought this bunch of ranunculus in Faversham market for £5 – it’s the only thing I bought for this post. Divide any mixed bunch into separate colours and separate containers for a contemporary effect.

4) Or take just a few blooms from the garden

I cut only five tulips for the party to use in the bottle below. That means that I haven’t diminished the display in the garden.

These bottles are San Pellegrino drinks bottles or scent diffusers. You can also use beer or lager bottles, and vintage milk bottles are lovely. The water is coloured with food dye.

Down in this corner of England, all the daffodils have baked to a crisp in the heatwave. But there are lots of tulips around. You could cut a few branches of blossom, but I pruned mine into the shape I wanted.

Next year, I may try to remember to leave a few surplus branches on the fruit trees to use in flower arranging.

5) Use food dyes to liven up glass bottles

I only had ten minutes to ‘do the flowers’ for a party recently. Emma Slade, a Buddhist nun, who goes by the name of Ani Pema Deki, was launching her autobiography ‘Set Free’. It’s the story of how she went from a City financier to a Buddhist nun, via a life-changing violent experience.

The San Pellegrino bottles and scent diffusers, filled with dye. Some of the tulips took the dye colour up after about five days, but you don’t need to worry about that for the first 48 hours.

She has now set up a charity ‘Opening your heart to Bhutan’ to provide equipment for disabled Bhutanese orphans, and the book aims to raise money for the cause.

Back to flowers, however. I got five bottles and used a few drops of food dye in the water.

Do this carefully. Food dye stains if it runs onto surfaces and you only need a few drops.

But it’s very easy and creates a dramatic effect.

A mixed pack of coloured glasses are very useful if you like decorating tables. You’re not tied to a colour theme, and they will add life to a plain table or mix in with a coloured one. I’ve bought some from Amazon in the past.

6) Recycle tins and bottles to re-use as vases

Use old tins as flower pots. You’d have to drill drainage holes in them if you want the plants to flourish, but it won’t matter for just a few days.

An old gin bottle plus vintage milk bottles and a few other things. Our friends Rosalind and Robin keep them by the sink and pop in a few stems of whatever’s in bloom all year round.

7) Dig up plants from the garden to use in your Easter decorating

Pot plants are great on tables. If you don’t have time to pop out to the garden centre, grab a trowel.

I dug up some muscari, a primrose and a parsley plant. The parsley had self-seeded in the path, so that’s another nice bit of weeding done!

The parsley in the Golden Syrup tin self-seeded itself in the path.

I’ll probably re-plant the primrose.

8) Paint garden pots to use as planters

I use tester pots to paint standard terracotta pots. They dry quickly, and don’t require any expertise. I am famously useless at any kind of craft, so if I can do it, so can you.

Don’t bother with any special preparation unless you are a perfectionist. I just got a paintbrush and painted the pot. It was dry in a couple of hours.

The primrose was dug up from the garden, and put into a terracotta pot painted with some paint from a discarded tester pot.

9) Use all the same tricks for your mantelpiece

The bunch of ranunculus in four jam jars….

And the same bunch in one jam jar….which do you prefer?

10) Channel the 1950s and 60s…

Spring is a time of fresh growth and hope. But it’s also nostalgic.

Evoke the Easters of the past by finding something you haven’t used for ages.  Wash china, iron tablecloths and give everything a new lease of life by presenting it differently.

My mother used to dye eggs, buy hot cross buns and serve a roast chicken. Before battery hens, roast chicken was a luxury.

However, I must warn you that food dyes will dye your fingers, your worksurface and your sink. But they won’t dye brown eggs very well. Most eggs now seem to be brown.

This eggcup has been in Mr Middlesize’s family since the 1950s. He guards it carefully.

The egg above was a duck egg, which is paler. Use alot of food dye, and it’s difficult to get even.

A moment after I took this photo, I turned my back. The dog ate the duck egg…

You may notice a lack of chocolate eggs in this post. If you are waking up to Easter decorating on the Easter weekend, Easter eggs will be sold out. Round here they go on sale just after Christmas, but are usually out of stock by the Wednesday before Easter.

This post is out early, due to Easter. We’ll be back to coming out on Sunday mornings from Sunday 23rd. Plus look out for occasional ‘Wednesday giveaways.’ If you’d like to get them straight into your inbox, sign up to receive this blog in the box on the top right. Thank you!

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[isabellelambert1975]

A week in the life of a garden blogger

What does a garden blogger do?

Or, indeed, what does any blogger do?

And, most importantly, does blogging make money? If so, how?

The world wakes up in February, after the hungover sleep of January. In the garden, the first snowdrops and hellebores are up.

And in the blogosphere, companies start reaching out to bloggers.

When I started the Middlesized Garden blog, I promised to be honest about the ups and downs. I said I would reveal what goes on behind the scenes.

So I thought a diary of this week would be one of the best ways of showing you how the business of blogging works.

Sunday – snowdrops day + editing

The Middlesized Garden comes out first thing on Sunday morning. So when I wake up, I check it on a mobile phone or tablet in order to spot any mistakes.

Then I publicise the new post. I use Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and (sort of) Google+. It saves time to use Hootsuite to schedule tweets.

If you only tweet your post once, most people will miss it. You have a better chance of getting it seen if you tweet it around a dozen times, on different days and different times.

So rather than manually tweeting it every time, I use Hootsuite to schedule tweets about posts.

Last Sunday I went to Copton Ash’s snowdrop open day. Copton Ash’s owner, Tim Ingram, talked to me about growing snowdrops.

I turned this into a video for The Middlesized Garden YouTube channel. This, too, has to go on Twitter, Facebook Instagram etc.

I use a Sony Xperia X phone to video. The EE shop recommended Sony phones for the best photo and video because Sony are also camera manufacturers.

Note: there are some Amazon affiliate links in this post, which means you can click through to buy. If you do, I may get a small fee. More about that later in this post.

Here’s the video:

Monday – book review, emails and catching up.

I received a review copy of Good Soil from the publishers, Frances Lincoln.

As soon as I opened it, I was hooked. Would it be very shallow of me to say that I am only likely to read about something as worthy as soil if it’s written about in a very beautiful book?

Good Soil – manure, compost and nourishment for your garden, by Tina Raman has the design and photography you’d expect in a book on Californian smoothies or Danish hygge.

It has beautiful photographs, accompanied by really solid information. You will find interesting tips boxes and excellent advice.

For example, there’s a box on which wild flowers and weeds do best on which soils. And did you know that cow manure is the best manure for fertiliser?

A spread from Good Soil – a serious book that’s also a pleasure to look at.

As the intro says: ‘We hobby gardeners often go all out on the plants and decorations, completely forgetting how important it is to build up a good nutrient-rich soil.’  Well, no more.

Apparently, this book is already a best-seller in Scandinavia and Germany.

Note: bloggers are supposed to state clearly when something has been sent free for review.  Like most bloggers, I only review books and products I really like. There is absolutely no point in saying you think something is good if you don’t. That’s why I, along with most other blogs, can’t guarantee a review when a product is sent for free.

Now for the emails

I deal with around 100 emails a day, often from people wanting to ‘guest post’ on The Middlesized Garden. Some are charming, and say lovely things about the blog.

Others are misspelt and vague.

And some offer money. People and companies want to ‘guest post’ because it gives them links to a reputable site. When search engines see these links, this raises a company in the search engine rankings.

So Google have made it clear. If you are paid to link to a company, you should firstly state that it is ‘sponsored’ or ‘collaborative’.

Secondly, you should make the link ‘no-follow’. This means people can click through to the company from your blog, but there’s a piece of code in the link. Google then knows not to recognise it as a ranking signal.

So that is one way bloggers make money. Charging for guest posts on their site.

But  many companies do insist on a ‘follow link’. And a few don’t even want the words ‘sponsored’ or ‘collaborative’ on the post. Some bloggers agree to that.

Why ‘disclosure’ matters

If you don’t follow the rules, then both the blog and the company that paid for a ‘follow’ link could be marked down massively by Google. You may disappear from sight. It’s not worth the risk.

It’s also illegal to mislead readers. There’s more about ‘disclosure’ here:

And I believe it’s important to be honest. If you have been paid to write something, that’s fine, in my view. It’s just wrong if you pretend you haven’t been paid.

The Middlesized Garden only does a few sponsored posts. We only do them if I feel sure that the product is good, and that the sponsor is happy to stick to the rules.

I also read about a dozen other blogs a day. Some are gardening, homes and lifestyle blogs.

That’s why I know that a few bloggers are accepting money for paid posts, and not disclosing they’ve been paid. The same companies approached me.

Interestingly, however, some companies are increasingly emphatic that the guidelines must be followed. Wayfair works with a number of bloggers and insists that all links ‘must be no-follow’ and that posts must be marked ‘sponsored.’

Tuesday – Pippa Greenwood for tea and Gardeners Question Time

On Tuesday, BBC Radio 4 Gardeners’ Question Time recorded at the Alexander Centre, Faversham.

By coincidence, I handle the social media for the Alexander Centre. Blogging or handling the social media for other companies is another way bloggers earn a living.

Pippa Greenwood and I had been communicating on Twitter about her plug-plant veg growing sets, so I suggested she pop in for tea beforehand to talk about it.

Gardening author, plant pathologist and BBC Radio 4 panellist Pippa Greenwood in the Middlesized Garden. She’s talking about her new veg growing sets.

She started Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood to help people who want to grow their own veg but either don’t feel confident or are too busy to grow from seed.

Pippa is a trained botanist and plant pathologist, formerly of Wisley and Gardeners World. She’s a regular panellist on Gardeners Question Time, gives talks and is the author of many gardening books.

Grow Your Own With Pippa Greenwood is a range of garden-ready plug vegetable plants. You choose the ones you want. They’ll be sent to you when they’re ready to plant, along with precise growing instructions.

She also sends you a regular newsletter and advice on products that she recommends. And you can buy Gift Vouchers. That’s a really nice present for anyone thinking of growing their own for the first time.

‘Although I am really pleased to find that people are coming back year-after-year,’ she says.

‘And every year is different, so if you’ve just started growing veg, you may get disheartened when you get a bad year. If you’ve got access to good advice, then you either find out how to deal with bad weather or unexpected pests. Or at least you realise that it wasn’t your fault, and it is worth trying again.’

10% discount on Grow-Your-Own With Pippa Greenwood

There’s a 10% discount for readers of the Middlesized Garden. Order from www.pippagreenwood.com.

Use the discount code 12462-VNZJ7 when checking out. Valid until 15th May.

And there’s more about Pippa and her vegetable plug plants here:

We did the video interview in the back garden. I don’t have a tripod for my phone, so we propped it up on a table, step-ladder and two copies of Nigel Slater’s Tender.

My makeshift ‘tripod’. The cost of blogging equipment adds up quickly, so a proper tripod will have to wait. I managed to do a quick ‘poo-pick’ of the garden before she arrived, but we sat amid piles of pruned branches.

We then went to the Alexander Centre, where I interviewed the BBCGQT producer, Dan. He told me that Gardeners Question Time will record anywhere from a big city centre to a small village hall.

‘We try to vary where we go, week by week,’ he said. He revealed that the programme has never been to the Orkneys, so if there is an Orkney Horticultural Society reading this – invite BBCGQT now! Dan says he’d love to go.

Warming up for Gardeners Question Time at the Alexander Centre in Faversham.

If you go to Gardeners Question Time, there’s a pile of forms. You can write your gardening question on the form. If you’re chosen, you will be moved to a reserved seat at the front. If you fancy this, Dan advises you to choose a question that hasn’t been answered on the programme recently.

I use a Zoom Handy Recorder for interviews. The microphone on a mobile phone is never as good as the camera. A proper recorder or microphone makes the sound much better.

Wednesday – People’s Friend and photo/film editing

Twenty years ago, my journalistic work came mainly through magazines I’d worked for in the past. Now it’s more likely to come through editors reading the blog.

People’s Friend magazine has asked me to do fortnightly gardening pages for a couple of months. I’ve been gathering info for this during the week, and put it together on Wednesday.

A blog keeps your name out there, and anyone wanting to use your services will have a good idea of what you do. It’s a calling card, plus portfolio.

Whether you’re a writer or a specialist in cheese-making, cake baking or crochet, a blog can help you be better known in your field.

Beware of the time sink…

But – and it’s a big but – blogging takes time. If, for example, your work is very local, you’d be better off spending that time networking rather than blogging.

If you’re a florist who wants more weddings, then it’s probably better to spend the time at wedding fairs or at local events. If you’re a florist who wants a book deal, then blogging is an effective way forward.

I’ve seen several book review bloggers go on to get book deals, and then become novelists in their own right. The book review blogs got them known in the publishing industry. Their writing talent got them the deals.

Photography, video and editing takes time

I probably spend an hour or two each day taking photographs, editing them, then sharing them on social media or creating videos.

This includes making YouTube thumbnails and Pinterest images, using Canva. I’m not a trained designer – far from it – but images are vital both for the blog and social media.

A YouTube ‘thumbnail’ (cover photo). I made it with Canva and one of my photos.

Having worked with some brilliant ‘proper’ photographers, I know the difference between their work and mine. I have a lot to learn.

But some bloggers’ photography is good enough to sell. One friend has signed up to the Getty Images photo agency. Most months he only gets about £20. Occasionally, however, someone buys a chunk of his photos for a book or catalogue. Several hundred pounds (or more) come in.

If you blog in a visual industry, such as gardens, homes, art etc, then syndicating your photos is another option. Garden bloggers Harriet Rycroft and Andrew O’Brien – you should give it a go, if you don’t already!

Thursday – the Garden Press Event

I went up to London to The Garden Press Event in the Barbican.

This is where garden companies introduce their new products to the media.

The first person I saw was Charles Dowding. When I explained that the Middlesized Garden was for people whose gardens were larger than courtyard but smaller than an acre, he said ‘Like mine.’

‘No dig’ guru Charles Dowding and Steph Haggerty at The Garden Press Event.

I was impressed to find out that Charles has achieved so much in the world of veg with just quarter of an acre of veg growing space. The total area of the plot is only three-quarters of an acre.

‘Some of that is house,’ he says. ‘And I keep the rest fairly wild.’ Charles has written several books.  The most recent is Charles Dowding’s Vegetable Garden Diary from www.charlesdowding.co.uk.

The book starts on February 14th, because that’s when Charles starts planting seeds. And it gives you week by week ‘no dig’ veg planting and harvesting advice.

Gardening equipment is now easier to use

I’ll review other products I saw at the Garden Press Event in a few weeks. But the headline message is that tools are getting lighter, brighter and easier to use.

Wilkinson Sword has some super-lightweight tools. Burgon & Ball has luminous-bright tools that can even be seen in the dark.

Burgon & Ball’s luminescent tools- no more losing tools in the compost heap!

And Cobra have a lithium-ion lawn-mower which means you can mow  a middle-sized lawn with a battery-powered mower. It’ll do 40-50 minutes before you need to recharge it.

For the purposes of full disclosure, I must also reveal that Cobra had some delicious cup cakes on their stand. I’m not sure where Google stands on cake bribery.

The Garden Press Event is also an opportunity to catch up with people you normally only ‘see’ on Twitter or Instagram. Mr Plant Geek, Michael Perry and I had a quick catch-up, and I also met a fellow garden blogger, The Chatty Gardener.

Friday – coaching, writing and catching up

Coaching writers or bloggers is another strand of work that comes via the blog.

People get in touch because they’re thinking of starting a blog.

Sometimes people want a ‘blog clinic.’ Their blogs may already be successful, with a good following. But they have a sneaking feeling that they may be missing a trick or two.

Or they just want another eye on their work. When there’s only you, it’s easy to overlook something.

They’re not necessarily garden bloggers. Coachees have included Emma Varnam, who has a very successful and beautiful crochet blog. Rachael Hale’s lovely Home & History Magpie focuses on historic homes.

Whether you’re a primary school teacher or a pianist, you can publicise your coaching and teaching via a blog.

But the ‘local’ issue crops up again. If you want to coach eleven year olds to pass exams, you’d be better off spending the time getting involved with local schools.

However, I can coach or teach by Skype, so I’m not limited to local activity. Many bloggers also run excellent online courses (for example, Jen Stanbrook’s Pinterest tips courses.)

I’m trying to pluck up courage to start one myself.

Saturday – writing and photographing the next post

There hasn’t been alot of time for writing (or gardening!) this week. So at 9.30am, I went to a friend’s house to photograph next week’s post.

You can read about that next week, so now is probably a good time to mention affiliate sales.

What are affiliate sales?

If you are, for example, an Amazon Affiliate, then you can sell products via Amazon from your blog. You sign up, then you get special links to insert in your posts.

If someone clicks on the link and buys within 24 hours (without visiting another site), you would get a small percentage. Typically, this is 3%, but it ranges from 1%-10%.

It doesn’t affect the price the buyer pays.

The affiliate fee on books is 7%, so if you click through to buy the Gardener’s Companion to Medicinal Plants after my review, I would probably earn 94 pence. That’s only if you buy while clicking through my link. If you leave the site, but then return to buy the book, I wouldn’t earn anything.

However, if you buy other things, having clicked through via my site, I’d also get a small percentage on those.

As you can imagine, it takes a while for pence to add up. To date, in February, I have earned £33 via Amazon Affiliates.

Only recommend products you personally rate

And it is important to recommend products in your blog that you would recommend to a friend. People won’t be impressed if you just stuff your site full of links.

I only recommend either products I’ve tried myself, or those which have an exceptionally high number of positive reviews. It can take a while to hunt the latter down.

Often the products I recommend are ones I’ve bought, such as the Zoom Handy Recorder or Sony Xperia X phone that I mentioned earlier.

What about advertising?

You need hundreds of thousands of page views a month to make money from internet advertising.  Fashion, beauty, travel, food, parenting and personal finance blogs can get that many, but a garden blogger is operating in a smaller industry.

I also find that internet advertising interrupts my reading. And if I don’t like it, then you probably don’t like it either. So, as a garden blogger, I don’t personally think it’s worth taking advertising.

So that’s been my week. What about yours?

If you’d like help with blogging or writing, do get in touch. And to get a post from the Middlesized Garden every Sunday morning, enter your email address in the box on the top right.

Thank you!

The post A week in the life of a garden blogger appeared first on The Middle-Sized Garden.

from The Middle-Sized Garden http://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/week-life-garden-blogger/