Country Living UK September 2022

One of the things I love most about working at Country Living is that it keeps me connected to nature and the seasons. At this time of the year, we are drifting from the last glorious days of summer into the ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ (no one says it better than Keats), and this issue, our very own ode to the approaching autumn, offers an abundance of stories that beautifully conjure up the spirit of the season. On page 23, CL friend and smallholder Sally Coulthard (below right) shares nifty tips on how to save seeds for next year’s crop of homegrown produce, while on page 31, our columnist Susy Smith champions the dahlia, a late-blooming flower that adds vibrancy to gardens and table displays long after other plants…

“September is the month of maturity, the heaped basket and the garnered sheaf. It is the month of climax and completion. It has warmth, depth and colour. It glows like old amber”Patience Strong, The Glory of the Garden Don’t miss POLINATIONS IN BIRMINGHAM (2-18 SEPTEMBER) Did you know that more than three-quarters of all plants in city gardens are non-native species? PoliNations is a celebration of natural diversity in green spaces, held at Victoria Square in Birmingham. The square will host a forest of architectural ‘super trees’ 12 metres tall, along with thousands of plants. Join in forest tours and audio baths or attend a light show, talks and performances. Events, which are all free, culminate in a four-day ‘seed party’, when the trees will burst into a cloud of colour, combining the…

Editor’s choice “With a magical patterning of light and shade, these beautiful lampshades are in fact made of sustainable waste cardboard.” Home and crafts editor Alaina Binks Follow @CLArtisans on Instagram to see more unique products from talented makers FOR STOCKISTS see Where to Buy COMPILED BY CARA LASKARIS. PRICES AND AVAILABILITY CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS…

Author and seasoned smallholder Sally shares her Yorkshire plot with sheep, horses, hens, ducks, an orchard, a vegetable garden and a pond It’s September and the vegetables are firing on all cylinders. It’s a bittersweet moment – my enjoyment of the garden’s bounty is tempered by the knowledge that summer is almost through. To stave off any panic that autumn is around the corner, I start thinking about saving seeds. It’s a task that not only lets me daydream about next year’s garden but also saves me money – always a bonus for a Yorkshire woman with short arms and deep pockets. Growing certain vegetables can be really thrifty – one packet of ‘cut and come again’ lettuce seeds, for example, will give you bowlfuls of mixed salad for weeks. Then there’s…

WHAT YOU NEED 500G SOIL50G PLAIN FLOUR200ML WATERWILD-FLOWER SEEDS COLLECTED FROM YOUR GARDEN OR NEARBY FIELDS OR HEDGEROWS*: BULBOUS BUTTERCUP, CAMOMILE, COMMON KNAPWEED, LADY’S BEDSTRAW, RED CLOVER AND WILD THYME ARE ALL GREAT OPTIONS METHOD 1 Mix the soil and flour together in a mixing bowl. 2 Slowly add water to the mixture, working it with your hands until it becomes sticky and dough-like. 3 Roll into golf-balls. 4 Fill a tray with the seeds and roll the wet and sticky mud balls around until covered in them. 5 Leave to dry for a day or two. EXPERT TIP If you’d like to give seed bombs as a gift (or add some to your garden) but don’t fancy getting your hands dirty, go to seedball.co.uk. This nonprofit organisation is on a mission to tackle the decline of pollinators and…

1 What are your roots? In the 1990s, my partner Ben Gabel and I were keen allotment growers, but found that fruit and veg seeds sold through catalogues were often aimed at large farms and depended on chemical fertilisers and pesticides. We wanted to grow great-tasting varieties organically on our less-than-perfect plots. 2 So you collected your own? Exactly. We tracked down non-hybrid varieties that grow really well in home gardens and taste great. We tested them in our own plots and then offered seeds to customers. 3 How many varieties do you sell? More than 400. We focus on vegetables but have a fair number of herbs and flowers, too. All our varieties are open pollinated, so once you’ve grown a plant, you can gather the seeds and plant them the following year. 4 Is…