About

Hi! I’m Cathy, originally from the UK, but now living (and gardening!) in Bavaria. I am utterly obsessed with plants and food, and – as you can see – both of these are the main features of this blog.

My rockery is where most of the planting takes place, and the rest of the garden is pretty wild. Encouraging bees, butterflies, other insects and small creatures is a priority, and my garden is totally organic.

Since the end of 2015 my kitchen adventures are vegan, but you will also find some vegetarian recipes on my recipe page. I love using the herbs that grow in my garden in summer, and drying a few for the winter too.

Some of my favourite things:

  • pesto made with fresh home-grown basil
  • weeding in spring and discovering all my plants re-emerging
  • my lovely dog
  • the beautiful countryside all around us
  • snuggling up in front of our fireplace in winter with a good novel

I am always pleased to hear from my readers, so do leave a comment!

 

159 thoughts on “About”

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  9. A lovely blog – I wonder if people where you live tell you that you have an “English style “garden? In reality though, not all English gardens are neccessarily more natural – some can be very boring of course. And I usually get the impression that many Germans are interested in the environment so perhaps my question is not such a good one! (I ask it as it’s always been my own experience living in France).
    You’re inspiring me to do some gardening.

    Reply

    • Thanks for dropping by! Yes,you’re right – the environment is very important here, but often the link to wildlife outside one’s own back door is missed. My garden isn’t typically German, but it certainly isn’t English either in this climate! (I’d say an English garden in German eyes is roses and lawns!)

      Reply

  13. Hi Cathy,
    I love cooking, I cook for my friends and family (It is other think they don’t like sometimes)…
    I have a thought about cooking and eating habits, that one should freely try all kind of flavours, tastes, fragrances, this versatility will enhance your love for food and for cooking for your whole life.

    Rest is, I like your photos, keep this hobby alive…this will keep you alive too…

    Thanks..
    Burgersbite.

    Reply

  15. My dear Cathy, your blog is a gem! Just like I want to curl up with a good book and a hot cup of tea and warm socks, I want to savour this blog with all the natural goodness of life. Can’t wait to catch up with all that you have stashed here! To the good life! Sharon

    Reply

  16. Hello Cathy! Because I enjoy your writing and want others to learn about your wonderful blog, I have nominated you for The Beautiful Blogger Award. If you want to join in the fun feel free to check the details here, or of course just for more information: http://professionsforpeace.com/2012/05/19/awards-help-teach-do-what-you-love/
    Your writing is fun and informative and I want others to know about this wonderful blog. That’s why I’ve included you on my list of nominees. But as always, I believe very strongly for anyone to participate in the steps only if it is still fun. You deserve this award regardless of what you do from here. Warm hugs, Gina

    Reply

    • This is so kind of you Gina! Thank you! I feel very flattered and will start thinking about who to nominate… will then do a post soon! Thanks again! 😀

      Reply

  17. Hello, Sorry, couldn’t find your email, you are one of my fellow bloggers who has inspired me and supported me through this “world wide internet”! Just wanted to tell you that my garden will again be featured in an American gardening publication on June 8th, Fine Gardening Magazine. Since I am the quintessential introvert this is how I share my gardens. Thank you for your gardening support!

    Reply

    • Hi Bonnie, thanks for letting me know. Congratulations! Would love to see the article. Will it be available online? Are you going to post about it?

      Reply

    • Thank you very much for nominating me! Really appreciate it! 😀 I hope you don’t mind me not posting about it, as I already have this award. Thanks again!

      Reply

  20. Hi from Flowery Prose! I’ve nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award and the Very Inspirational Blogger Award! Your nomination is on my Virtual Bouquets tab. (If you’re not participating in these awards, please accept my sincere apologies).

    Reply

    • Thank you Sheryl! That’s lovely of you to nominate me! Since I already have one of these awards, I won’t post this time, but very much appreciate the gesture… Congratulations to you too on your awards! 😀

      Reply

  22. Hi there, I’ve just found your blog through Marie (My Little Corner of Rhode Island) and so glad I’ve found you, what a wonderful blog. I see there it’s lots to read and enjoy here 🙂

    Reply

  27. A blog interesting, different colorful words for nature. Sorry for my translation into English, because I am from across the world. Although my ancestors are from Bavaria.
    Adiós
    Cruz

    Reply

  29. Cathy, your blog is beautiful. I discovered you through Amy at afternoonpopcornsnack, where she linked your raspberry ice cream recipe. I have a particular interest in Bavaria and I love your photos.

    Reply

  32. Hi Cathy,

    lovely blog & ur interests are really awesome & would leave the ppl arnd u happy – enriching the taste buds (delicious food), feast for the eyes (blooming flowers) & interesting to talk to ( a well-read person is enlightened)

    love,

    Rose

    Reply

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  44. Greetings from Australia Cathy,
    I spent many years working and travelling all over the UK. I loved the English countryside and picturesque towns (I’m not a London fan). The funny thing is I also spent quite a while travelling all over Bavaria, which features on my blog. You put a smile on my face, Bavaria is beautiful indeed, I can’t wait to go back again one day.
    God bless

    Reply

    • I’m also the countryside type, but would still love to visit London again one day and see all the sights I remember from my childhood. Thanks for your comment!

      Reply

      • Greetings Cathy, I also prefer the countryside and way of life. There is a stronger sense of community and there is much beauty in simplicity. Glad that you’re in Bavaria, probably the most beautiful and picturesque part of Germany. All the best and take great care. 🙂
        God bless

        Reply

  49. Dear Cathy. Your blog is a delight. Your love of nature shines like a sunbeam through your photos, words and recipes. I shall share it with my herb group here in the UK. Thank you.

    Reply

  50. Yes it’s an inspiring group. We have talks and demonstrations on all aspects of herbs – medicinal, culinary, historical, domestic, soap making, dying, growing herbs, posy and wreath making etc etc,. We also bring and buy herbs and go on outings to old and new herb gardens. Maybe you will start one too.

    Reply

  52. Do you have a link for your RSS feed you can add to your page so I can have you show up in my reader?

    Reply

      • YEAY!!!!! If I click on your name no go but when I clicked on RSS symbol BAN you were added to my list of VERY SPECIAL BLOGGERS

        XO

        Have a wonderful day 3rd day in the high 90’s F storms will hit soon them MOWING again! You should see what I did to my beautiful Lilacs they were too tall now sadly too short hope I did not send them into a tailspin lol they may take a few years to fill in but then I can smell them again 🙂

        Reply

          • Yes the US weather heads East in the direction of over there so sorry it is plain nasty in parts of our spot. This place is all done and waiting on the 2 days of rain to arrive. I could not put things in the garden much too HOT almost 100F for 3 or 4 days straight and it is SPRING 😦

            Reply

  56. I’ve just found your delightful blog, which is so compatible with mine. I’m a veggie with two border collies. I love nature, photography, poetry, walking with my dogs of course in the English countryside, cooking and recently I’ve taken up gardening again.

    Reply

  60. Hello Cathy, it’s been lovely to read your recipes. If you ever want to take part in my (somewhat sporadic!) BCE Cheese Challenge, please let me know. I’m pretty certain that you’d do British cheese justice in one of your lovely dishes : )

    Reply

    • Hi Sally! Sarah from the Garden Deli recommended your site to me, and I was delighted to see your online shop! The challenge sounds interesting, so please keep me posted. I’ll be ordering something tasty from you soon! 😀

      Reply

  61. Hi Cathy,
    I’ve just come across your lovely blog and I wonder if there’s something you could help me with? My debut novel will be published by Fig Tree / Penguin next February, and part of it is set in a remote area of Bavaria. I’m currently checking the final proofreaders’ comments on the manuscript and there is a query about a reference to celandine. I have written ‘I walked amongst the celandines, their yellow heads paling into summer.’ I know that it is a spring plant, but I wondered if you know when the flowers are over in Bavaria? Would this be early May, or might they stretch to the end of May?
    Any help you can give, would be gratefully received!
    Thanks
    Claire Fuller

    Reply

    • Hi Claire. Of course I’ll help as best I can. Sounds exciting getting a book published! The Lesser Celandine usually starts flowering in March, but this can vary by up to 3 weeks depending on the weather. This year it was very early due to the extremely mild winter and was over by mid April-ish. (We have some in a shady spot in the garden.) But in a cold year like last year it could flower until mid May. I’m afraid I don’t know if it flowers later in a colder climate – near the Alps or in the eastern part of the Bavarian Forest it may possibly be a bit later as I know the Wood Anemones are a week or two later there. My German wild flower guide and the German Wikipedia page both say it flowers March to May. Having said that, most people consider the start of summer to be mid May after the last frosts. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you need more information and I’ll do my best to find out! Cathy

      Reply

  62. Hi Cathy,
    That’s really helpful – thank you. I’m going to leave it in. They could have had a cold winter, and they are probably further east than you.
    So, thanks again.
    Claire

    Reply

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  64. Dear Cathy: I found your brilliant photo’s of your Mum’s garden, August 2012 and the beautiful garden cheered me up. I’ve had a foster dog, little Emily, weighs about 5 pounds dripping wet, and had got attached to her. With little advance warning, they came and got her just now. I still have my 2 little dogs, of course, Lucy and Murphy, but I’m missing baby Emily now! Sorrows of a foster mom!

    Reply

    • I’m so glad my photos managed to cheer you up Margaret! Your two little dogs will surely be a big comfort for you. Doggie hugs work wonders! 😉 Thanks for visiting!

      Reply

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  67. Hello Cathy, I have just seen your recent butterfly diary .. I think the plant the red admiral is resting on is red valerian or centrathus ruber not to be confused with the herb valerian, valeriana off. I have just found your site via another blog I was looking at and look forward to reading your posts. I have an allotment here in England, rather unruly, half flowers and half veg. And a small home garden with three chickens, dogs and a cat and numerous visitors, frogs toads, hedgehogs, badgers and stag beetles as well as the wild birds I love to feed and watch. Best wishes Sandra.

    Reply

  68. Ah sorry, silly mistake! I should have realised and I haven’t a clue about the verbena, it looks very pretty though. I’m enjoying looking at your blog and catching up on past posts, lovely photographs. It sounds beautiful where you live. I was married in Munich and then spent year in Grafting after my daughter was born, pushing the pram for miles around the local countryside before we returned to England but that was quite a long time ago!

    Reply

    • Nice to hear you have a connection to Bavaria! I’ve been here for 21 years now and can’t imagine living anywhere else now. Glad you are enjoying the blog Sandra. Thanks!

      Reply

  70. Hi Cathy,
    Don’t know if you’ve seen my blog today but Robbie at Palm Rae Urban Potager and I are drumming up some support for healthy soils. The UN declared 2015 International Year of Soils and we’re doing our part by blogging about it on January 21st. As someone who seems to be very connected to the soil, I thought you might be interested. 🙂 Doesn’t need to be fancy or long, just something that works for you. For more info, check out my website. Either way, have a great garden in 2015!!!

    Reply

  71. Hi Cathy, I just began to follow your blog. I’m original from Northern Bavaria, a Province named Lower Franconia. But I moved to Texas eleven years, ago. Both are wonderful places. 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Tanja! I lived in Oberbayern for years and now we are just inside Niederbayern. The climate must be so completely different in Texas from Franconia. Thanks for following!

      Reply

      • Yes, it is very different. I love the fact, that we have 300+ days/year sunshine. It’s wonderful. And I love the warm weather. You are welcome! 🙂

        Reply

  72. Hello Cathy. Just started following your blog. It was your recent blog featuring forsythia that got me interested. It’s a shrub that featured large in my childhood in southern England. Alas, I haven’t had any luck with it here in our walled garden in the Outer Hebrides – probably because it flower too early, when the weather here is too windy and wet which chills off the buds and tender stems. I’ve moved about a lot over the years, and have had many gardens, but have been very fortunate to have had two historic walled kitchen gardens to live in! The previous was in the 1990s – damals wohnten wire in der Mitte der kleinstadt Ochsenfurt, Unterfranken : and that was the last garden we’ve had where there was forsythia – and lots of it too, as well as peach trees, a grape vine, damson trees for making schnapps …

    Reply

    • Hi there! I have never been to Ochsenfurt – the nearest was probably Würzburg many years ago, when I was still a student! I have also never visited Uist, but we loved Skye when we visited a few years ago. A walled garden in any climate is good, and peach trees would be on the top of my list if I had the right spot for them. My garden challenges me too – hot and dry in summer, exposed and shady in winter, and with woodland right next door. I aim to make my rockery as low maintenance as possible, as we will slowly extend the planting to other parts of the garden, so watering is an issue too as it can be expensive and time-consuming! Thank you for visiting. Hope you are enjoying some calmer weather now the latest storm has passed. 🙂

      Reply

  73. Hi Cathy,

    Lovely to find your blog which just brought a blast of gorgeous flowers into my head and heart here in our urban Chicago loft. I started a few tropical gardens and its so inspiring to see everything grow and prosper and change. Now we are headed to Sri Lanka for a new adventure and hopefully a new garden to create with local flora.

    Peta

    Reply

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