Sarah
@sarahkeetley.bsky.social
Gardener on top of a hill in North East England, baker, wannabe artist and occasionally remembers her job is to help fix our National Health Service
🌱 Gardening is a pleasure, whether your own or someone else's. Lawn up to the fence so we'd stripped that back and introduced things that will fill in partial shade - rhododendron, viburnum, fatsia, climbing hydrangea, anemone and bleeding heart. Topped off with a clematis armandii for the fence.
October 25, 2025 at 2:07 PM
🌱 Gardening is a pleasure, whether your own or someone else's. Lawn up to the fence so we'd stripped that back and introduced things that will fill in partial shade - rhododendron, viburnum, fatsia, climbing hydrangea, anemone and bleeding heart. Topped off with a clematis armandii for the fence.
🌱 As dad's dahlia garden fades outside the kitchen window, he has filled the window sill with flowers and some wildlife it seems
October 19, 2025 at 10:51 AM
🌱 As dad's dahlia garden fades outside the kitchen window, he has filled the window sill with flowers and some wildlife it seems
🌱 When dad is left alone in the garden, things like this appear!
October 8, 2025 at 3:18 PM
🌱 When dad is left alone in the garden, things like this appear!
🌱 Sunny day at Harrogate flower show, buying plants and admiring crafts, giant veg and a selection of animals.
September 21, 2025 at 4:50 PM
🌱 Sunny day at Harrogate flower show, buying plants and admiring crafts, giant veg and a selection of animals.
🌱 May seem mad to buy four more Virginia creeper plants (parthenocissus henryana) as they will each grow up to 20m with a bit of luck - we have a dog who barks at every person passing by, so 🤞 these create a distraction. Tried other climbers but there are large trees offering shade and dry ground
September 20, 2025 at 2:07 PM
🌱 May seem mad to buy four more Virginia creeper plants (parthenocissus henryana) as they will each grow up to 20m with a bit of luck - we have a dog who barks at every person passing by, so 🤞 these create a distraction. Tried other climbers but there are large trees offering shade and dry ground
🌱 A day trip today, leaving the garden behind, and visiting Northumberland Zoo to see otters and snow leopards, and a birds of prey display. Followed by a trip to an antique centre in Morpeth, which may supply furniture for our kitchen and living room
August 26, 2025 at 3:04 PM
🌱 A day trip today, leaving the garden behind, and visiting Northumberland Zoo to see otters and snow leopards, and a birds of prey display. Followed by a trip to an antique centre in Morpeth, which may supply furniture for our kitchen and living room
🌱 Spotted Harebells in the paddock today, while fitting wire netting round the trees to distract the deer from nibbling the bark, and prepping the first section of ground for some wildflower meadow seed next to the pond. Meadow Pipits joined Swifts and dragonflies, catching insects over the water.
August 24, 2025 at 3:04 PM
🌱 Spotted Harebells in the paddock today, while fitting wire netting round the trees to distract the deer from nibbling the bark, and prepping the first section of ground for some wildflower meadow seed next to the pond. Meadow Pipits joined Swifts and dragonflies, catching insects over the water.
🌱 Created a small container pond outside husband's office window to bring the birds closer - looking forward to seeing the plants develop
August 22, 2025 at 3:34 PM
🌱 Created a small container pond outside husband's office window to bring the birds closer - looking forward to seeing the plants develop
🌱 Very happy to see a flock of long-tailed tits on our bird feeders today, at the woodland edge (not my photo obviously, they are the size of a small mouse so hard to get close to)
August 17, 2025 at 2:30 PM
🌱 Very happy to see a flock of long-tailed tits on our bird feeders today, at the woodland edge (not my photo obviously, they are the size of a small mouse so hard to get close to)
🌱 Bringing kitchen and garden together - lifted a few beetroot from the raised beds today, and cooked them down with red onions into a chutney/marmalade thing with cider vinegar and brown sugar - yummy 😋
August 9, 2025 at 4:11 PM
🌱 Bringing kitchen and garden together - lifted a few beetroot from the raised beds today, and cooked them down with red onions into a chutney/marmalade thing with cider vinegar and brown sugar - yummy 😋
🌱 Orchids seem to like our bathroom and reflower repeatedly, but this one has done a particularly spectacular job. I'm experimenting with not using canes to hold them generally, to give a more natural shape, but the weight of the flowers here is too much 😘
August 9, 2025 at 12:31 PM
🌱 Orchids seem to like our bathroom and reflower repeatedly, but this one has done a particularly spectacular job. I'm experimenting with not using canes to hold them generally, to give a more natural shape, but the weight of the flowers here is too much 😘
🌱 The joy of a cottage garden is spotting flowers you forgot you planted
August 3, 2025 at 1:11 PM
🌱 The joy of a cottage garden is spotting flowers you forgot you planted
🌱 So pleased we brought the Buddleia from dad's old garden, as the bees and butterflies are loving them. We have white, dark pink and the traditional purple - this one is next to the gate to the drive so it's a fabulous experience when you arrive home from work!
August 3, 2025 at 1:07 PM
🌱 So pleased we brought the Buddleia from dad's old garden, as the bees and butterflies are loving them. We have white, dark pink and the traditional purple - this one is next to the gate to the drive so it's a fabulous experience when you arrive home from work!
🌱 Between the new roses and dad's dahlias, the bees are happy 🐝
July 31, 2025 at 4:18 PM
🌱 Between the new roses and dad's dahlias, the bees are happy 🐝
🌱 🦔 So excited by our hedgehog camera star in the middle of the night, looking for snacks by the bird aviary. First sighting as they keep out of the way during the day, with the crazy dog running around.
July 31, 2025 at 4:14 PM
🌱 🦔 So excited by our hedgehog camera star in the middle of the night, looking for snacks by the bird aviary. First sighting as they keep out of the way during the day, with the crazy dog running around.
🌱 We've lived here for two years today, and the garden is in it's first proper year with good results so far - looking forward to seeing the roses fill the borders over time (may have to squeeze more in while others aren't looking! 😉)
July 20, 2025 at 7:07 PM
🌱 We've lived here for two years today, and the garden is in it's first proper year with good results so far - looking forward to seeing the roses fill the borders over time (may have to squeeze more in while others aren't looking! 😉)
🌱 Hopefully this beautiful Hollyhock sets seed across the garden ☺️
July 13, 2025 at 2:13 PM
🌱 Hopefully this beautiful Hollyhock sets seed across the garden ☺️
🌱 Stunning pale lilac oriental poppies have appeared across the cottage garden borders
July 12, 2025 at 10:35 AM
🌱 Stunning pale lilac oriental poppies have appeared across the cottage garden borders
🌱 Managed to video the creature responsible for stripping wood from the garden furniture - common wasps gathering materials for their nests
June 28, 2025 at 1:58 PM
🌱 Managed to video the creature responsible for stripping wood from the garden furniture - common wasps gathering materials for their nests
🌱 A sunny day for cutting a path in the field, to help with moving the inherited trees to their new homes
May 25, 2025 at 1:50 PM
🌱 A sunny day for cutting a path in the field, to help with moving the inherited trees to their new homes
🌱 new wisteria planted against the front wall of our home - looking forward to seeing the long white racemes of flowers in a year or two (and yes, the stone is rather weathered on this side, but solid)
May 24, 2025 at 1:53 PM
🌱 new wisteria planted against the front wall of our home - looking forward to seeing the long white racemes of flowers in a year or two (and yes, the stone is rather weathered on this side, but solid)
🌱 Nice to enjoy someone else's garden over lunch at Linnels Farm - today we did a middle eastern bread baking course in this lovely setting
May 21, 2025 at 4:23 PM
🌱 Nice to enjoy someone else's garden over lunch at Linnels Farm - today we did a middle eastern bread baking course in this lovely setting
🌱 I see them every year but am always amazed by the flowers on the Sarracenia, like miniature sculptures held high in the air above the plants
May 17, 2025 at 2:10 PM
🌱 I see them every year but am always amazed by the flowers on the Sarracenia, like miniature sculptures held high in the air above the plants
🌱 Donated melon plants settled in the greenhouse, while Clematis (early sensation?) and Centaurea keep the bees happy - spreads like a weed which is nice! Wool packaging wrapped round hostas has kept slugs off - best ever leaves!
May 11, 2025 at 3:40 PM
🌱 Donated melon plants settled in the greenhouse, while Clematis (early sensation?) and Centaurea keep the bees happy - spreads like a weed which is nice! Wool packaging wrapped round hostas has kept slugs off - best ever leaves!
🌱Sad when someone leaves at work but made better by their plant gift voucher!! Has anyone grown tree peony bartzella? Label says it reaches 2m but online says 1m
May 11, 2025 at 3:34 PM
🌱Sad when someone leaves at work but made better by their plant gift voucher!! Has anyone grown tree peony bartzella? Label says it reaches 2m but online says 1m