Monthly Archives: February 2015

The Wheelbarrow… a weapon of war?

Wheelbarrows have been around for ever haven’t they?  But who invented the one wheeled labour-saving contraption?   A Roman road builder?  A clever mediaeval gardener? A wily Victorian entrepreneur?  You might guess at any of them but you’d be wrong. The wheelbarrow doesn’t  appear … Continue reading

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Mrs Montague : The Bluestocking Gardener

Elizabeth Montagu is best known today as one of the leaders of the bluestockings and a great lady of letters – she was ‘brilliant in diamonds, solid in judgement, critical in talk’ but it’s much less well known that she was an … Continue reading

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Romance in the garden…

My partner dropped a subtle hint suggesting I should do something for the blog to celebrate Valentine’s Day.  Of course it might just have been a subtle hint that I should do something for him too but it set me thinking…. What … Continue reading

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Percy – The Nation’s Head Gardener

Percy Thrower was a household name during his long career in gardening programmes on radio and television.  A natural broadcaster, with quiet enthusiasm and a very hands-on practical approach, he built a substantial following amongst adults and children alike.  Always cutting a fairly formal figure … Continue reading

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