As part of our single-minded (!) assault on our own garden, we decided that our kids’ trampoline, which went unleapt on throughout last year, had to go. As there was nothing wrong with it, we decided to advertise it on Freecycle. For those who have never heard of Freecycle, it is a website which enables people to advertise items they no longer need, and matches them to people who will take them away for nothing. It gives the items a new...

…who is reading your blog. This we discovered in embarrassing style on Sunday night. Our avid reader will remember that we were due to see Darren Bennett & Lilia Kopylova last Sunday, at The Assembly Rooms in the Dance in Time Spring Ball. Well see them we did, and they were fantastic – they did five numbers, as well as a masterclass before the Ball, (which we didn’t have time to get to, it being Mothers’ Day and...

March and April are the best and worst of times for us garden designers. The best of times because orders for garden designs are in and garden builds are being scheduled. The worst of times because there just aren’t enough hours in the day, and my own poor neglected garden once again has to take a back seat. Last year we had Big Plans for our garden. We were aiming to have everything redesigned and installed in time for my birthday party...

I was listening to a radio interview this morning with interior designer and presenter Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. He said he was increasingly being commissioned for new interior design work, and put down the renewed demand to a change in outlook from home-owners and estate agents. A few years ago the emphasis was firmly on houses as investments. People were being encouraged to tone down their interior decor to make their property as saleable as...