Planting tulips and alliums in a chalky border in November
How deep to plant tulips and alliums on thin chalk, which tulips come back year after year on alkaline soil, and how to plant bulbs in pots.
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Every piece so far, newest first: walks, history, the old churches, gardens and the life of the hedges.
Pieces
Bath or shower after a muddy walk: thinking through a tub swap in an old cottage
Thinking of swapping a bath for a walk-in shower in an old cottage? Notes on hard water, awkward floors, safe access and what to ask an installer.
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Outside taps on chalk: what a hard frost teaches you about garden plumbing
A gardener's notes on frozen outside taps, water butts and hidden leaks on thin chalk soil, and when to turn off the water and call a plumber.
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Reading a village war memorial, and researching the names with care
What a village war memorial records, how to read its lists and inscriptions, and how to research the names respectfully with the IWM and CWGC records.
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Fieldfares and redwings: the winter thrushes on the chalk
How to tell fieldfares from redwings on the chalk fields round Offley and Lilley: their calls, the berries they strip and the hedges worth watching.
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The fuse box that puzzled me: wiring questions for newcomers to an old cottage
A newcomer's notes on old country wiring: storms and power cuts, warning signs in an old cottage, and what to ask an electrician about the fuse box.
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What a hilltop winter teaches you about the water heater
Hard chalk water and cold hilltop winters wear a water heater down. The signs to watch for, and when repair gives way to replacement.
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Leaving the car behind: group days out by coach, from the chalk to the mountains
Why group outings work better by coach, what to look for from the window on chalk lanes, and how to plan a group trip, from village walks to mountains.
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Why old yards crack: chalk, frost and the drive in front of the cottage
Why old cottage yards and drives crack on chalk and clay, what the cracks can tell you, and when to ask a contractor to look at the ground beneath.
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Water on dry hills: dew ponds, skylarks and the idea of an inland wave
Why chalk hills run short of water, how dew ponds and bird baths draw wildlife, and a few thoughts for families planning a day at an inland surf park.
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Keeping an old bathroom dry through a hilltop winter
A walker's checklist for damp and steam in an old cottage bathroom: weather, solid walls, ventilation and what to ask a builder before a refit.
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Painting the outside of an old house without upsetting the house martins
How to time outside painting on an old cottage around nesting birds, bats and the weather, and what to ask a painter before the ladders go up.
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