A New Magazine!

gardening stories every day of the year!

I love my garden. I am not a ‘gardener’ but I manage what I have with a few simple goals in mind - wildlife, comfort, and friends.

photo of me in my hammock with friends (books!!!)

Which meant I was a little surprised to be approached by a brand new online gardening ‘magazine’ and asked to become one of the regular contributors!

I was a little uncertain to begin with - but it was made clear they were not after me for my knowledge of succulents, sedums and snowdrops. They wanted someone with a love of wildlife - in particular someone who would be a wildlife advocate … so … I said yes.

To read the articles by me - and the 29 other writers - you just need to sign up to Scribehound Gardening. This is not, unfortunately, free - but given that you are getting an article on the subject every day of the month from a wide array of amazing writers is, if gardening is your thing, going to be good value! 

The magazine launches on the 1st November - but that should not stop you getting signed up already.

It won’t come as a surprise as to the subject of my first article! It will appear, all being well, on 4th November - and will be about … hedgehogs, of course!

I am really looking forward to using this platform as a space in which to encourage people to help hedgehogs. This time of year it is the reminder about bonfires … remember remember … that if you are not careful you can end up killing hedgehogs - so PLEASE - never build a pile up over days and leave it to become inhabited by wonderful wildlife … only ever burn what you have built up that day.

But it won’t just be hedgehogs! There is more to me than that (though it is sometimes easy to see why people might think otherwise!) I will be writing about the other wildlife that visits my garden - there will be something coming soon about the robins I have tamed to feed from my hand for example. And I will be travelling further afield - already planning talking about the foxes that have been visiting my mother’s garden up near Birkenhead!

Anyway - I won’t be sharing the Scribehound articles on here, as both the magazine and me need to make a living. But I will continue to share many other bits of writing and campaigning - with the obvious leaning towards hedgehogs. In particular I will report back from a meeting I have soon with a developer … maybe some good news!! 

Please give this venture a go - I really hope you enjoy - and please, report back on the Substack page with any thoughts on subjects you would like to see covered! 

ps ... I know the photo is not relevant - but I am just so thrilled to have seen the Northern Lights THREE times this year, from Oxford!!! This view was from my bedroom window ... I was SO GRUMPY when my wife woke me ... that soon dissipated! 

pps ... there are still a few tickets left for the fundraising ball I am hosting for the Shepreth Wildlife Conservation Charity - at Kings College, Cambridge on 21st December