January News Letter from garden designer, Jane Follis

A VERY Happy New Year to you all. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and well-earned break? December was pretty chaotic here. A new shower and basin were being fitted in the bathroom at the same time as
the office was being underpinned. This involved having to move a fair amount of the contents of my office into my little cottage and the contents of the bathroom into my bedroom. Not great planning!!
Thankfully, both were completed just before Christmas but it took me until New Year?s day to finally sort out the office ready for 2008.

Sadly, my plans of a break in Florence were scuppered at the last moment. It seems any idea of travel in 2007 was fated. I woke up on 16th with the beginnings of a really nasty virus. I took to my bed for four
days and made a remarkable recovery, only to come down with it again for New Year – a quiet non-event under the circumstances. Christmas itself was good.

Now it is back to reality and I start the year with some very interesting projects, some still on the drawing board, others underway and some nearing completion. We are forecast some fairly dismal weather later this week but I often find clear days in January/February are ideal for catching up on some of the jobs overlooked in November and December. My garden is no exception. Since the massive clear up in October I have hardly had a moment to finish what I started.
The seed catalogues are in and I am planning all
sorts for the vegetable patch. Last year was really successful and it is now I realise just how valuable it is to keep a record of everything sown.
I still have bare borders to plant up and provided the ground is not frozen this can be done at any time. I am still wrestling with too many ideas and not enough space. Sometimes I just have to live vicariously through all your planting schemes. I am working on a Mediterranean style garden around a swimming pool at the moment and dream of being
able to plant my own space in this style.
For the moment I have to concentrate on new designs? I hope to get out to take some photographs this year and look forward to catching up as many of you as possible.

RECIPE
Parma Ham with Warm Chestnuts, Rocket and Sage Oil
12 Sage Leaves
175ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Zest of a Lemon
30 Chestnuts
Rocket Leaves
12 slices Parma Ham

Bruise the sage leaves with a rolling pin. Place in a saucepan with the oil and lemon zest. The lemon zest should be cut in wide strips. Put over a very low heat and warm for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
If using fresh chestnuts ? make an incision on the flat side of the nut and then immerse in simmering water and cook for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the pan and peel away the skin. Place in the warm sage and lemon oil. Return to the heat and warm for about 10 minutes. Set aside.
Toss the rocket through the chestnuts then divide among four plates.
Lay a few slices of Parma Ham on top and serve.
We had this over Christmas and it was deliciously light as a starter.

SEASONAL TIPS
If you still haven?t disposed of your Christmas tree can I encourage you to recycle it? Contact your local council to find out where they are offering this service.
Most of the tips I mentioned in December can still be carried out this month. Leaf drop was late this year, so you might still need to continue to sweep them up. Remember to bag them up for leaf mould ? see
November?s Newsletter.
Don?t forget the birds at this time of year. Children might like to make their own titbits? We used to, and I still do; use pine cones coated in lard and then rolled in birdseed. A messy job, but the children enjoy making them and the birds love them. Just tie the cones on to a bit of string and hang up.
Remember, milk and bread is not good for hedgehogs ? dog food is a much better option. If you want to encourage hedgehogs, why not buy them a little house ?available from www.mrmcgregors.com (07778
529421)

Continue to clean and maintain garden tools. I also make time to wash all my pots and containers ready for planting up seeds later this month.
As you know, my preferred seed catalogue is Marshalls (www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk) or www.seedsofitaly.com. Both offer a really good range. I have just ordered garlic from Marshalls and if I pot it up and place it on a windowsill, I should be eating fresh garlic by mid summer.
Hardwood cuttings can be taken from woody plants, such as Cornus and Weigela.

VEGETABLE & FRUIT GARDEN
Sow broad bean, leek, brassicas and onion seeds under glass. Marshalls sell onion sets and I can thoroughly recommend ?Red Baron?. 100 onions cost about