Matt Peskett
@growlikegrandad.bsky.social
Chair of #Dorking Allotment Assoc | Chair of Westcott Gardeners' Club | Grower of 677lbs pumpkins | 25 yrs in digital | Fighting Hodgkin Lymphoma
Last of the 2025 gardening... and probably until March (post recovery). Top terrace bed weeded and final tulips and daffodils in. Lavender moved and magnolia standards potted on. Dwarf fig potted on. Last year's Amaryllis bulbs repotted and popped into the garden cabin.
December 3, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Last of the 2025 gardening... and probably until March (post recovery). Top terrace bed weeded and final tulips and daffodils in. Lavender moved and magnolia standards potted on. Dwarf fig potted on. Last year's Amaryllis bulbs repotted and popped into the garden cabin.
Sandy soil here. Dahlias mulched and covered. #GardenersWorld
November 21, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Sandy soil here. Dahlias mulched and covered. #GardenersWorld
November 21, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Done a few big pots.
#GardenersWorld
#GardenersWorld
November 21, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Done a few big pots.
#GardenersWorld
#GardenersWorld
Lovely to see a border giving colour at the end of October. Nicely planned at Upton House gardens.
October 26, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Lovely to see a border giving colour at the end of October. Nicely planned at Upton House gardens.
Weekend in cottage at Upton House near Edgehill in Warwickshire. Celebrating a gap between finishing salvage chemo and stem cell collection on 5th. Eldest popped down from Birmingham University for a night of charades and NT lunch today.
October 25, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Weekend in cottage at Upton House near Edgehill in Warwickshire. Celebrating a gap between finishing salvage chemo and stem cell collection on 5th. Eldest popped down from Birmingham University for a night of charades and NT lunch today.
The poem was inspired by my sister. As a child, she would go into the garden and talk to the birds. She got in a lot of trouble for applying bird transfers onto the living room wallpaper the day after it had been put up 😂 She just came back from a bird photography prize trip to Estonia.
October 18, 2025 at 6:23 PM
The poem was inspired by my sister. As a child, she would go into the garden and talk to the birds. She got in a lot of trouble for applying bird transfers onto the living room wallpaper the day after it had been put up 😂 She just came back from a bird photography prize trip to Estonia.
Yes Canada is a very long way to go, my mother thought Denham to Dorset was too far 😂 Luckily my wife was able to play chauffeur, unfortunately I couldn't go because my immunity isn't recovered from my latest chemo cycle, a real nuisance. I have the poem here and the judge's comment.
October 18, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Yes Canada is a very long way to go, my mother thought Denham to Dorset was too far 😂 Luckily my wife was able to play chauffeur, unfortunately I couldn't go because my immunity isn't recovered from my latest chemo cycle, a real nuisance. I have the poem here and the judge's comment.
Here's my mum's winning poem.
October 18, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Here's my mum's winning poem.
My mum has won the 2025 Bridport poetry award and £5000 in prize money for her poem Bird Child. So pleased for her and super proud. She's in Bridport today with MrsGrow to collect her award.
bridportprize.org.uk/results
bridportprize.org.uk/results
October 18, 2025 at 9:01 AM
My mum has won the 2025 Bridport poetry award and £5000 in prize money for her poem Bird Child. So pleased for her and super proud. She's in Bridport today with MrsGrow to collect her award.
bridportprize.org.uk/results
bridportprize.org.uk/results
I've put a few Apricot Beauty bulbs in again and ordered more. Really loved them last year as they seemed to change colour with age and lasted weeks.
October 17, 2025 at 8:04 PM
I've put a few Apricot Beauty bulbs in again and ordered more. Really loved them last year as they seemed to change colour with age and lasted weeks.
Autumn windowsill.
October 17, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Autumn windowsill.
In the Daily Express today dressed as Gandalf (with my 2022 pumpkin 'Gollum'). Article available online at
www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2121...
www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2121...
October 15, 2025 at 11:04 AM
In the Daily Express today dressed as Gandalf (with my 2022 pumpkin 'Gollum'). Article available online at
www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2121...
www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2121...
Very proud of my sister who features in Digital Camera Magazine today following her recent prize-winning photography trip to Estonia. She's such a fabulous photographer. I have suggested she goes back to our secondary school to give a talk.
October 10, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Very proud of my sister who features in Digital Camera Magazine today following her recent prize-winning photography trip to Estonia. She's such a fabulous photographer. I have suggested she goes back to our secondary school to give a talk.
Started on my spring bulbs. Early for me but planning ahead as I have December in hospital. Some Apricot Beauty tulips and Jetfire Daffs. Also repotted some big pots of generic daffodils using old tomato bag compost mixed and topped with stable manure.
#gardening
#gardening
October 5, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Started on my spring bulbs. Early for me but planning ahead as I have December in hospital. Some Apricot Beauty tulips and Jetfire Daffs. Also repotted some big pots of generic daffodils using old tomato bag compost mixed and topped with stable manure.
#gardening
#gardening
New world record giant pumpkin from the Paton boys. 2818.9lbs. Crazy! 🇬🇧🇬🇧
October 4, 2025 at 4:54 PM
New world record giant pumpkin from the Paton boys. 2818.9lbs. Crazy! 🇬🇧🇬🇧
I've got a few gourds for decorating the living room this year, but it took a lot of plants to get a handful in the heat! Also a few edible baked potato squashes.
#GardenersWorld
#GardenersWorld
October 3, 2025 at 7:40 PM
I've got a few gourds for decorating the living room this year, but it took a lot of plants to get a handful in the heat! Also a few edible baked potato squashes.
#GardenersWorld
#GardenersWorld
I think Butterfly Conservation reported 2025 as a good year for Jersey Tigermoth numbers. We had lots in the garden for the first time. #GardenersWorld
October 3, 2025 at 7:17 PM
I think Butterfly Conservation reported 2025 as a good year for Jersey Tigermoth numbers. We had lots in the garden for the first time. #GardenersWorld
Rescued fresh dahlias from the rain.
October 3, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Rescued fresh dahlias from the rain.
My dahlias have reawakened after a mostly green 6 weeks. 2 of the smallest sunflowers too.
September 28, 2025 at 6:23 PM
My dahlias have reawakened after a mostly green 6 weeks. 2 of the smallest sunflowers too.
Bought a couple of new roses today. Both 'Silver Anniversary', lovely fragrance. 25% off at Waterperry Gardens. Partly to cheer myself up after dropping eldest off at Birmingham University at 7am 😥
September 20, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Bought a couple of new roses today. Both 'Silver Anniversary', lovely fragrance. 25% off at Waterperry Gardens. Partly to cheer myself up after dropping eldest off at Birmingham University at 7am 😥
What to do with 0.5 kg of cobnuts... roasted and added to chocolate for a cake? Never had any before, the squirrel usually takes them all.
August 25, 2025 at 6:49 PM
What to do with 0.5 kg of cobnuts... roasted and added to chocolate for a cake? Never had any before, the squirrel usually takes them all.
Just had a post chemo stroll around the garden (sandy soil). I've been too wiped out since Saturday. It is so dry out there. Crispy leaves galore. Got the boy giving life support watering to critical plants. Think I need to redesign the lot though. It is practically a desert. Banana has recovered.
August 19, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Just had a post chemo stroll around the garden (sandy soil). I've been too wiped out since Saturday. It is so dry out there. Crispy leaves galore. Got the boy giving life support watering to critical plants. Think I need to redesign the lot though. It is practically a desert. Banana has recovered.
Well, Abdul hit 180 lbs but also has two blossom end splits so that could be the end of him. Mrs P applied some sulphur powder for me as I am in hospital having new chemo today, 4 more months of that and then a stem cell transplant.
August 11, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Well, Abdul hit 180 lbs but also has two blossom end splits so that could be the end of him. Mrs P applied some sulphur powder for me as I am in hospital having new chemo today, 4 more months of that and then a stem cell transplant.