There’s a quiet revolution going on in the suburban back gardens of Australia.

Rather than sitting back and admiring our perfectly manicured ‘outside rooms’, gazing lovingly at our Mondo Grass, perfectly coiffed hedges of Gardenias and Buxus or newly acquired Agaves perched in copper pots on our Cotswold Collection Outdoor Setting, we are instead choosing to head outside armed with buckets of kitchen scraps, water collected from baths & showers whilst we attempt to figure out where we should build a chicken coop, locate the veggie patch and compost heap.

Where are the chooks?

Suffering a slow death (and not for lack of water) is the passive, over-structured garden.  Instead we are rediscovering how much fun it is to actually interact with Mother Nature and the vital lessons she has to impart about nourishing our environment and ourselves.  Despite our hectic lives, we are taking time to get down and dirty and, somewhat surprisingly, we are finding that we love it.

So what’s behind this shift in the suburban landscape?  I’d suggest a few things. Everyday we are bombarded with messages about climate change and the potential impact it will have on our lives.  No longer an obscure issue, we have an understanding of some of the associated issues and their ability to directly affect what we do and how we do it, now and into the future.  It unsettles us.

Fundraising Koala

Gone are the days when we could drop a coin into a bucket held by a man dressed in a koala suit and feel that we were doing our bit for the environment.  So it comforts us on many levels to get out into our back gardens, plant shrubs, grow our own veg, participate in community gardens and work towards providing a happy and productive environment for our family and the future.

The economy is doing nothing to provide peace of mind.  Food, fuel, water, medicines and shelter are all more expensive.  And with the global economy constantly uncertain, the ability to provide basic fruit and veg for ourselves at greatly reduced cost is very appealing and for many of us, more necessary.

The continued rise of global terrorism is beginning to guide our lifestyle choices.  Terrorism is no longer a remote event, occurring in a far-off country.  There is unspoken fear in many communities that some day soon, ‘something’ may happen closer by.  So our homes become haven again; we are bunkering down, cocooning and trying to figure out what we should do to protect ourselves and maintain the relatively peaceful lifestyle Australia affords us.

This unease reminds us of the staples of life – we hanker for a return to the simplicity and wonder of our childhoods, which was, on the whole, a time spent outside whiling away the day with lots of unstructured play (not a device in sight) and very little to worry about except what mum was cooking for dinner.  We long to provide this for our own children. It’s my view that this is very likely the reason Trump is now President-elect and Britain will be exiting the EU at the first opportunity. We desire to return to what we knew and what we feel we can control.

Here chook, chook, chook

Or maybe it’s none of these.  Perhaps we are simply sick to death of gardens that offer nothing but a vacant green room, with little to engage or educate our children and no place for their beautiful imaginations to flourish.

Whatever the reason, I’m thrilled with our new-found involvement and am longing to hear, once again, the 3.00am call of a lovelorn rooster and hoping that I will soon find an unwieldy Choko vine spilling over the back fence.

What’s happening in your back garden nowadays?

Until next time…

For more ideas and tips on finding wonder in the everyday, consider buying my new book. You can purchase it via the link in my sidebar above, or at all good bookstores and online and as an e-book. For interview opportunities please contact Jackie Evans on 0407 776 222 or jep.pub@bigpond.net.au

Caro and Co

Five Simple Things:

Hedwig

1. Mix the magical with the practical. By adding a few props to everyday chores or activities we can make outdoors a wondrous place for children. For example, sprinkle some glitter around the veggie patch and you have evidence of fairies. Place a few white pebbles along the lawn and you know that there are dragons about. Place one of their toys in a ‘comfortable’ spot in the garden and they’ll believe they come alive at night. My daughter had a stuffed Hedwig (Harry Potter Owl) when she was very little. Every night I used to put him in a different place around the garden. She was certain he could fly and would race outside each morning to see where he had ended up. It was a delight to witness her joy. Now almost 14, she still has Hedwig sitting on her bookshelf.  I admit that he’s not as prone to night-time flights as he once was.
   

   Hitting the off button isn’t as hard as you think…

2. Set (at least) one 24-hour period of green time rather than screen time each week. Ban all technology for 24 hours. This includes parents too. It is easier than you think ~ this is my promise to you.  But plan ahead a little with this one.  Have in mind what you might replace the screen time with before hitting the off switch.  You could involve your children by asking them what they would like to do.
3. Role model the behaviour you wish to see in your children. That is, set aside regular slabs of time in your own day to get outside. A walk with the dog, a game of footy in the back garden or local park, a bit of gardening, visiting a botanic garden, a stroll through your neighbourhood are all achievable. It doesn’t have to be hard, but in so doing, you are showing your children that outdoors is important, can be great fun and leads to overall better health.  Admittedly, if you work full-time this can be tricky, but not insurmountable.  Try and schedule a few early morning walks during the week and a couple of hours each day over the weekend.
   

   Doing “nothing” and enjoying it.

4. This is my personal favourite. Have a discussion with your child’s teacher about building some “active homework” into the weekly homework schedule. There are many studies that show formal homework offers zero benefits to primary school-aged children (but that’s a discussion for another day). For example, rather than rote learning some maths and transcribing it into a workbook, request that your child be set some tasks such as finding 10 leaves of different shapes and sizes, or counting and drawing all the birds they can see/hear in the garden. They could be asked to help mow the lawn with Mum or bake a mud cake with Dad.  Active homework, to my mind, leads to more engaged learning.
   

   A job for the kids ~ washing the dog…

5. Set them some regular outdoor tasks such as helping with gardening, feeding or washing the dog, tending the veggie patch, picking some flowers for an indoor arrangement, collecting and creating a found collection for a pretty indoor display and so on. The options here are endless (and age specific). Try NOT to help your child. Let them enjoy the mastery of these simple tasks by themselves.  You could set up a reward calendar to accompany their set tasks if you wish.

May I cheekily suggest my new book would make a great Christmas present?  I’d love your support, as writing it has been a joy and I’m so committed to helping parents give their children the gift of wonder. Richard Louv, who I admire tremendously says about my book: “Caroline Webster has written a brilliant book of simple and fun activities that will motivate young children to go outdoors, and will help them foster critical developmental skills as they use more of their senses to explore, imagine and create”.

You can purchase it via the link in my sidebar above, or at all good bookstores and online. For interview opportunities please contact Jackie Evans on 0407 776 222 or jep.pub@bigpond.net.au

Until next time…

Boys doing what they do best.

I believe there may well be a silent movement afoot.  Parents are again starting to realise how important it is to replace large slabs of their kids’ screen time with a healthy dose of green time each day and we would also appear to be understanding that it doesn’t need to be hard…It’s not that we’re trying to turn our children into outdoor warriors overnight (and nor should we).

Hanging out…

Instead I am seeing over and over, parents re-introducing their kids to the concept of finding a balance in all they do.  A return to mindfulness, if you will.  Living in the moment and striving to find contentment with a simpler, more active way of life.  Not in the meditation/yoga sense (personally they just send me to sleep).  No, simply by encouraging our children to look up and out and recognising that the best place for this is outdoors.

Just being…

I’d also suggest that many parents are sensing that our kids’ contact with their greater community (or village) is slipping and that getting outside and re-engaging with their neighbourhood is a good thing.  All this fills me with joy. Not only because it’s such fun for kids to be out and about and exploring,  but also because there are some very important reasons to turf our kids outside.

Skipping stones…

1. A little bit of sunshine each day ensures our children receive an essential dose of Vitamin D. Amongst other things; Vitamin D regulates the absorption of calcium, which is critical for building healthy, strong bones. Just 10 minutes a day (pre-sunscreen) is enough. After that it’s time to ‘Slip, slop, slap‘.
   

   Building cubbies…

2. Spending time outdoors reduces the likelihood of obesity, as children are more likely to be moving, running, kicking, jumping when outside.
3. It reduces the risk of children developing myopia (shortsightedness). Simply put, if devices are put down and children are forced to focus at different or varying lengths for regular periods of time outdoors, in natural light, it keeps their eyes strong. Research shows that Myopia has increased markedly in children since the advent of handheld devices, computer games and too much screen time in general.
4. There are many studies that show by spending time connecting with the wonder of nature and outdoors, the chances of depression is minimized and/or alleviated.    A June 29 study by the National Academy of Sciences found that a small group of subjects who strolled through nature for just an hour and a half reported a significant reduction in negative thoughts.
   

   Discovering…

5. According to a study published in Psychological Science, spending (unstructured) time in nature gives the brain a break from everyday overstimulation. They suggest that this can also have a positive effect on subsequent attention levels.
6. Studies (U.S.) have shown spending time formally learning outdoors can actually increase a child’s ability to learn. It may well improve academic results as a consequence.
7. Studies have also shown that for children with ADHD or on the Autism spectrum, spending regular time outdoors boosted focus and afforded higher scores in concentration. Interestingly, studies are currently underway to see if spending time outdoors diminishes sensory issues amongst autistic children.
8. 

   Dirt is good!

   It boosts immunity. Spending time playing/digging in the soil, running through the bush, swimming in the ocean and so on, naturally exposes children to germs. But in so doing, their immunity to potential disease is actually boosted. (Obviously observing good hygiene is still important). Some studies suggest that the incidence of colds and flu are also diminished if we spend regular time outside. Vitamin D is also accepted as a cold/flu preventer…

9. Giving children the opportunity to enjoy unstructured play outside innately creates periods of self-discovery and can lead to moments of wonder. When we experience wonder, we release dopamine and endorphins. These lead to moments of intense happiness and contentment. The molecule (and neurotransmitter) Dopamine, along with Serotonin and Oxytocin are known as the happy endorphins.
10. When children are outside exploring, playing and discovering, it innately builds resilience and affords lessons about consequence and responsible risk-taking.
11. Fine and gross motor skills are improved and refined when children are outside.
    

    Tree climbing

12. Spending time outside fosters creativity and imagination. It affords a child the opportunity to question their immediate and greater environment and their place within it. Mother Nature has the most wonderful props-box from which children can borrow to create the most fantastic games and scenarios with nothing other than what they can find outside.

Are you part of the movement?  Do you turf your kids outside to enjoy the wonders to be found there? I’d love to hear about it.

For more tips, advice and ideas on how to find wonder in all you do, look out for my book “Caro & Co ~ Helping Kids find Wonder in the Everyday”, published by Sally Milner Publishing. You can preorder via the link in my sidebar above or it’s available from 01 December at all good bookstores and online. For interview opportunities please contact Jackie Evans on 0407 776 222 or jep.pub@bigpond.net.au

Until next time…

Elm blossoms doing their thing

I was watching the elm blossoms fall outside my window this morning and it led me to think about how powerful and evocative reminiscing can be. You see it reminded me of when my daughter stuck some snow into a journal.  She was about eight at the time and did it after spending 10 minutes excitedly ‘whooping’ around our garden trying to catch snowflakes on her tongue.  At our farm we are blessed to experience four seasons, but snow that actually settles on the ground for any length of time is a bit of a rarity. As a consequence Grace was super excited to wake and find the white stuff lying prettily across the garden.

Melting snowflakes on a Cotinus

Once she had caught the snow, she raced inside, flung open her journal and tipped a few precious flakes onto a page and attached it using sticky tape.  She was old enough to know that it was a temporary measure, but as she said to me later,  “Every time I look at that page Mama, I will remember the fun I had chasing snow in our garden.” I like her attitude.

Things from nature can make beautiful indoor arrangements

I’ve long encouraged my children to capture their outdoor memories, believing that in so doing, I’m building within them a lasting love of nature.  We’ve taken photos, written stories and pasted things into schoolbooks.  We’ve put things in jars and made homes for insects out of old shoeboxes.

Our recent seaside haul

Shells have been lovingly collected and placed into bowls, along with gum nuts that we’ve then drizzled with fragrant oils to make an instant potpourri or decorated with glitter to make funky arrangements.

Home made Christmas decoration.

You name it and we’ve probably collected it.

An early artwork

My son has always enjoyed observing the growth of things, especially our vegetables.  He used to love taking weekly measurements of our peas as they snaked their way slowly but surely up a trellis and once I remember he tried to estimate exactly how many kale seedlings were growing in the patch.  62 I think it was.

Peas fresh from the patch

Reminiscing about these times fills me with joy.

Scent is another great maker of memories. The smell of Daphne in winter and I’m transported back to my grandmother’s garden. A whiff of wattle and I can see myself as a child sneezing as we walked home from school. Lily of the Valley and I remember the sweet little wreath I made for Grace’s head on her Christening day.

A sneezing machine

So I’ve decided I’m going to encourage my now teenaged children to spend time every other month to sit down and reminisce. I’ll cook their favourite meal (15 years on and it’s still schnitzel, peas and mashed potato) and together we’ll explore the memories we have made and those that we hope to create in the future.

A recent collection. Everything was found in our garden.

What’s your favourite memory and are you a collector of them?

Until next time…

For more tips, advice and ideas on how to find wonder in all you do, look out for my book “Caro & Co ~ Helping Kids find Wonder in the Everyday”, published by Sally Milner Publishing. Available from 01 December at all good bookstores and online. For interview opportunities please contact Jackie Evans on 0407 776 222 or jep.pub@bigpond.net.au

Cherry Blossoms

Go for a walk around your suburb and look for the multitude of spring blossoms likely to be on offer. Collect as many as you can and use them to make some potpourri (after you’ve dried them out), a sweet little bed for the fairies in your garden or a dainty arrangement for a vase.

Rainbow Lorikeets are active during spring

I’ve never known a child who isn’t fascinated by rainbows. From a very young age they are likely to know its colours and when spotted will most likely want to set off to try and catch it. If there are no real rainbows on offer, why not help them make this delicious rainbow sandwich and then head outdoors in search of the real deal or spend the afternoon drawing some.  You’ll also find Rainbow Lorikeets are very active during spring so you could go looking for them too.

For one sandwich, you will need:

Lovely image found at 1K Smiles

It can be windy in spring. Why not make or buy a small kite and head to the park?  Because everyone loves to go fly a kite don’t they?

Vampira

October 31 means Halloween. Love it or hate it, it’s my view that it is a great way to create community. So don a simple costume and wander the streets with your kids.

Plant seeds now and this is what you’ll have come summer

Get stuck into the garden! There will be pruning and planting to do and it’s definitely time to dig out any Bindii so your summer is prickle-free. This is a great activity for young kids. All they need is kitchen fork and plastic bag. My daughter adored doing this when she was young as she was keen to ensure a weed free lawn. Now is also the perfect time for children to plant potatoes, pumpkins, tomatoes and zucchini (just make sure you’ve had the last of any frosts).

What’s your favourite thing to do during spring?

Until next time…

For more recipes, tips, advice and ideas on how to find wonder in all you do, look out for my book “Caro & Co ~ Helping Kids find Wonder in the Everyday”, published by Sally Milner Publishing. Available from 01 December at all good bookstores and online. For interview opportunities please contact Jackie Evans on 0407 776 222 or jep.pub@bigpond.net.au

So often today, with the ‘busyness’ of our lives, it is easy to overlook the wonder to be found around us. It can be located in the simplest of places, both indoors and outside and often creeps up on you unexpectedly. When experienced, it is coupled with a rush of happiness and a quick release of Dopamine, which naturally compounds feelings of satisfaction, reward and pleasure. So I guess you could argue that seeking out such moments is something we should regularly build into our good-health armoury.

During the 15 years I’ve been writing about keeping kids connected to nature and the outdoors, I’ve asked every child and parent I’ve met the same question. I think it would be close to 500 people now.

“Name the one time in your life when you’ve been filled with a total sense of wonder.”

Interestingly, around 98% of respondents have said it was a moment spent outside. From climbing to the top of a tree for the first time, exploring the bush, canoeing down a creek, finding a discarded bird’s nest, watching the sun or moon set or rise, listening to birdsong, catching their first wave in the ocean, that delightful moment when a butterfly or ladybird unexpectedly alighted on their body, smelling the earth after a shower of rain (petrichor), feeling empowered when the training wheels came off their bike, catching their first fish or yabby, building a fort or cubby, through to planting a seedling and watching it grow. Generally, most respondents were by themselves, or at least felt they were (with young children, Mum was most likely keeping watch from a distance).

Very few speak of traditional milestones such as getting their driver’s licence, graduating from school or university, their first job, buying their first home, losing their virginity or becoming a parent. Over and over, people speak of moments of connection with nature. They are always small things, little events; but people are deeply touched by them. No one has yet mentioned technology.

So why not try and find a little time each day, with your children, to pursue a healthy dose of wonder?

For more tips, advice and ideas on how to find wonder in all you do, look out for my book “Caro & Co ~ Helping Kids find Wonder in the Everyday”,  published by Sally Milner Publishing. Available from 01 December at all good bookstores and online.

When was the last time you were filled with wonder?

Until next time…

Making the outdoors fun!

I was contacted a while back by the team at MILO who wanted to share some research they have undertaken.  It scared the tripe out of me.  I knew kids weren’t getting enough exercise, but the research results are frightening.  Amongst other things, it shows that, as I guessed, it’s not the kids, but us that need to take the lead on getting them active.  Kids will willingly do so if we just take (and make) the time to show them how and then give them the freedom and opportunity to do so…

The research found that the majority of Australian children (78%) are getting less than the recommended daily amount of exercise, with one in four (28%) even getting less than half that.  Why?  I’d wager that we parents are over structuring our children’s time with formal learning, structured play and also allowing them too much time on devices.  I know that I’ve been guilty of using the TV or a device as a babysitter in the past because I’ve been “too busy” to kick the kids outside.  Busy?  Nah.  It was my laziness that contributed to my children’s inactivity.

It seems we’re worried about it, but doing little to correct it. The research found that 61% of parents expressed concern that their children weren’t getting enough activity. This figure increased dramatically to 93% among parents of children who get less than half the daily physical activity recommendations.

Australia’s Physical Activity & Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for Children, developed by the Department of Health, recommends children between 5 and 12 participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

To encourage kids to get active, MILO has launched the MILO Champions Band , a health, fitness and activity tracker designed for kids (it’s like a kids version of a Fit Bit). The band syncs to an app where parents (and kids) can check their progress and in turn help monitor the balance between energy input and output.

The MILO Champions app is super easy-to use and you might find your kids become quite addicted to reaching their activity and fitness goals.  My kids loved it although the bands were a snug fit on my teenage children, so are probably best suited to kids under 12 years of age.  I gave ours to a friend’s 10 year old son and I’m told he hasn’t been inside since!

The entire MILO Champions pack, which includes the MILO Champions Band and a 450g can of MILO, is available at Woolworths and online at milo.com.au while stocks last.

How do you encourage your kids to stay active?

Until next time…

This is not a sponsored post, although MILO did give me a couple of the bands for my kids to test drive.

Oh the smell!

My daughter and I went to a spiritualist recently. Don’t ask me why. We just happened to walk past a shop and there she was, sitting, waiting for us. She didn’t know us from Adam but as is so often the case she managed to pinpoint what was going on in our lives with unnerving accuracy.

She told me that my abiding passion was words and their use. Tick. She mentioned that my overarching love was nature and our connection to it. Tick. She told me I should reboot my championing of the charity I support. Tick. During 2016 she told me it was important to continue putting pen to paper as it keeps me balanced and that she felt it was really important that I focus on seasons and cycles. She used the word wonder repeatedly. I’ve never really believed in such supposed mumbo jumbo, but wowsa, she had me completely pegged. She had no way of knowing that wonder is my favourite word and that I have been planning for a very long time to start a regular schedule of posts so I can share my monthly or seasonal moments of wonder.  What I’m reading, doing, cooking, learning, loving, watching, buying, making, planning ~ in short, whatever has inspired me during the month ~ in the hope that they might also do the same for you.  In coming months I’m also going to work hard to be able to offer you some of the products I feature in each post.

So here’s my first post for the months of December 2015 and January, 2016. I hope you enjoy it and it gives you a little moment of happiness…

I’m watching beautiful sunsets at our farm.  Each and every time they take my breath away. I’m also watching Harlequin Beetles race industriously up and down our Linden tree.

Sunset on the Southern Tablelands. NO filter.

Harlequin Beetle

I’m reading a fascinating book by Martin Tedeschi called Eugenia.  It’s the true story of a woman who lived almost her entire life disguised as a man.  She married twice and for four years, her first wife Annie had no clue as to the deception (not sure how that works).  Eight months after making the discovery, Annie was dead.  Riveting stuff.  I encourage you to pick up a copy today.

I’m listening to BBC Radio 4 Extra live via Tune-In Radio on my brand new Sonos system.  A surprise Christmas gift from my beloved.  Technology makes my head spin nowadays.

I bought two beautiful framed prints for just $50 each, found in said spiritualist’s shop.  Isn’t the owl particularly beautiful?

Crystal Owl

Crystal Raven

I’m loving our garden after a much-needed shower of rain.

Cotinus or “Smoke Bush”

Such delicacy…

I’m making beetles and bracelets out of pistachio shells with my daughter.  Such fun!

A little nail polish and et voila!

I’m wondering how it can be 35 degrees one day and 10 degrees with a Scotch Mist the next. I am also filled with wonder when I see that life and death can be equally beautiful.

Scotch mist comes to the Southern Tablelands

Roses and Rosehips

I’m baking Pavlova with my family. Because you can never have enough Pavlova.

Pavlova ~ two ways

I’ve found my cooking mojo, which had gone AWOL after Christmas and am now wondering if there is any way of combining these two items found at the back of my pantry. I very much doubt it, but I’m having fun thinking about it.

Orange Blossom Water and Truffle Oil

I am filled with joy when I witness the bond between Grace and her dog Blossom.  Oh, by the way, the spiritualist told Grace that she is a natural leader, that she must step out of group consciousness as she must learn to love herself more (than others) for periods of time. That’s Grace to a tee. Of more interest to Grace however, is that she will have three children and marry a tall, dark-haired spunk.

Grace and Blossom

I’m smelling the beautiful scent of the frangipanis in my suburb during my #morningwalk and then smelling it replicated almost exactly in the new offering by Sniff Soy Candles.

Frangipani flowers bursting forth

Polynesia ~ a must-have scent

What has filled you with wonder this month? I’d love to know…

Until next time…

The team at Wonderful Pistachios are encouraging families to come up with the quirkiest, most creative use of an empty pistachio shell. Such fun huh?! All you need do is grab a handful of empty shells and set to decorating.  Although the nuts are so delicious, I defy you to not to eat huge handfuls and end up with a mountain of shells (any leftovers make great compost by the way).

So, simply create, record (photo or video) your own pistachio artwork and share it on the Wonderful Pistachios AU Facebook page (and your own social media networks) with the hashtag #CreativelyGetCrackin to be in the chance of winning a week’s farm stay for the family and a year’s supply of yummy pistachios. Total prizes on offer (including some super runner-up prizes) are valued at over $7000.

Obviously they’d love everyone to go berserk buying their nuts, but it’s more than that.  It’s refreshing to come across a company which is genuinely trying to inspire creativity.  I should point out that the nuts are from the U.S., but this time around I’m overlooking food miles as I’m yet to find better pistachios grown and readily supplied in Australia.

Here’s what we came up with.  We spent about an hour creating pistachio beetles, bracelets and necklaces along with a wind chime. We are also thinking of making our own version of “The Hungry Caterpillar” tomorrow.

Before you start your craft activity, try and have to hand:

• A huge packet of Wonderful Pistachios (well, der)
• a variety of nail polishes,
• non-toxic paint (esp.  glitter version)
• craft glue
• some fishing wire,
• a drill with a teeny bit,
• beads and other decorative items that can be threaded

Trifle topped with pistachio and pomegranate arils

In the kitchen, pistachios (raw or roasted) can be added to salads, sprinkled over roasted vegetables, make a beautiful ice-cream, can be added to pasta dishes, and many Middle Eastern dishes. Substitute pistachios for pine-nuts for an interesting take on pesto. Use them roughly chopped over desserts such as trifles, cheesecakes or cakes.

Cheesecake with persian fairy floss, rosebuds and pistachios

Here are few things you might not know about Pistachios. They are an excellent source of Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, folate, manganese, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. They are also jam-packed with copper which assists with the production of healthy red blood cells. That’s a tiny powerhouse of a nut!

So get cracking and prove to me that you’re a creative lot… I know you are but I want to see it.  Visit the Wonderful Pistachios Facebook page for more details (including T&Cs) on the competition. THIS COMP. IS NOW CLOSED.

This post is brought to you by Caro & Co in partnership with Wonderful Pistachios

I served with a pan-fried scotch fillet and a fine pinot noir although it is also a beautiful stand-alone entree on a lovely autumn day. (That’s Starter or Appetiser for the Americans amongst us).

Dahlia

And so to flowers.  If you wander your suburbs right now, you’ll see Dahlias, Chrysanthemums and Salvias doing their thing. Camellias are also preparing for their winter display and may be spot flowering. In the veggie patch, your Echinacea should be flowering their pretty little heads off. Also known as Cone Flowers, they are well known for their germ fighting properties and will attract bees to the garden.

Hibiscus – did you know they are edible?

Hibiscus are at their best now. They look fragile but are as tough as old boots. Sadly they make a totally useless cut flower. You may also see Roses having a final flush before the cold months set in. Tibouchinas with their eye-popping purple flowers are also putting on a display. Personally I can’t stand these small garden trees but guarantee your teenage daughter will; purple generally being a favourite of most young girls. Why not encourage your children to hunt for these flowers, pick some for a pretty arrangement or have a go at pressing them.  Similarly, encourage them to pick some autumn leaves and once at home, try leaf stencilling, or drawing them with the aim of matching exactly the colours they see on the real thing. For those of you who celebrate Easter, now’s also the perfect time to have a go at blowing and decorating eggs.

“Grubby” Hibiscus. Brown eventually turns to a mauve.

And finally to a song. Inexplicably, my daughter has recently started playing double bass. So in honour of her enthusiasm, here’s a cute little song just for her.

It’s all about the Bass

Can’t you just imagine listening to this, curled up on the couch, fire blazing with a good glass of Pinot in one hand and a book in the other?

Until next time.

*Lettuces, pears and walnuts are all in season now.