GIFTS FOR GARDENERS

It’s a cold and quiet time in the garden so what better excuse to curl up indoors and take a look at some of the best gardening books that have recently hit the shelves? They also make excellent Christmas presents for green-fingered loved-ones. Elly West suggests...

The Gardeners' Yearbook by Martyn Cox; published by Mitchell Beazley, £18.99

A great handbook for new and experienced gardeners alike, this almanac is friendly in tone and clearly laid out with month-bymonth checklists, tasks and helpful tips. Life-long horticulturist and garden journalist Martyn Cox sets out to make gardening “fun, thought-provoking and entertaining”, scattering the text with bite-size facts, trivia and gardening lore alongside sound advice. There are also lots of plant lists of tried-and-tested varieties. It’s basically a ‘what-to-do-now, and how-to-do-it’ gardening reference bible that you can refer to over and over. The attached ribbon bookmark is a useful finishing touch as well.

With the current costof-living crisis, and the increasing popularity of vegetarian and veganism, this hot topic of free, foraged food will appeal to many. The handbook begins with sections on foraging etiquette and a tool-kit list to get you started, and is then organised seasonally, so you know what to look out for at different times of the year. Photographs for plant identification are helpful, as are the extra pages where you can make notes on your findings and their location. Each plant includes a photograph along with how to identify it and its common uses, then there are recipes at the end of each seasonal section for more ideas on how to use your findings. A walk in the countryside will never look quite the same again.

Mushrooms aren’t my favourite food, and Percy Bysshe Shelley sums it up for me in the opening quote of this book: “Pale, fleshy, as if the decaying dead with a spirit of growth had been animated.” But this is what makes them so fascinating. They appear as if by magic in all their wonderful forms, and have the power to both heal and kill, so unsurprisingly are the subject of superstition, folklore and magical beliefs around the world and throughout history. This accessible book is packed with stories of fungi in multiple aspects of human life, including witchcraft, art, literature, food and medicine. We learn of mushroom dyes used in fashion, the ‘black diamond’ truffle – one of the most sought-after delicacies in the world, and the ‘zombie-maker’ fungus that infects ants and controls their behaviour, causing them to climb a plant and hang there by their jaws, leading to their death. It’s a dip-in-and-out book, each story or topic is given just a page or two, with beautiful illustrations sourced from the archives at Kew.

Sustainable Garden by Marian Boswall; published by Frances Lincoln, £18

The ethos of this book is encouraging rather than preachy, the author accepting that there is often angst around being time-poor, yet still trying to garden sustainably and do the right thing for the environment. Boswall’s attitude is one of making small changes and shifting to a slightly different mindset, working with nature and planning ahead. She has a rustic, slightly spiritual approach, and the book is packed with simple, practical projects that mainly use recycled materials and encourage wildlife. From composting leaves to making a wormery, a rain garden or a willow dome, this book is both inspiring and realistic in its expectations, ideal for those who want to make small changes to their gardens without breaking the bank. Beautiful images are provided by Bristol-based photographer Jason Ingram.

This is a big tome, nearly 400 pages covering 300 years of garden history with a focus on the quirky, weird and wonderful. Gnomes and fairy figures, statuary, birds, stuffed animals and other oddities give an insight into the lives of a cast of whacky characters who have expressed themselves and their obsessions through their gardens. We learn of Sir Robert Heron with his collection of eleven hundred goldfish (plus a small flock of kangaroos); Lady Broughton’s Cheshire rock garden – modelled on the Swiss Glaciers, 30-feet high, and filled with ferns, geraniums, cacti, yuccas and small clipped trees; and the Countess of Dudley’s collection of bizarre topiary at Witley Court, Swindon. A mixture of illustrations, artworks and historic photographs bring the stories to life.

When we think of a garden, colour is an inseparable element and one of the most important factors in garden design. Colour can set a mood, attract or deflect the eye, create contrast or harmony. Award-winning garden designer Jo Thompson provides one hundred different palettes in total, presented like paint charts. It’s a simple but effective concept. Pick the ones you like, then choose from her list of plants to achieve those colour combinations. For each palette there's an image of a garden or border in these colours, followed by a list of individual plants, also with images, and their growing requirements. This sumptuous, photo-rich coffee-table book would be a joy to unwrap on Christmas day for anyone who loves colour in their garden.

Also known as the Happy Pear twins, Stephen and David have spent the best part of the last couple of decades encouraging people to eat more veg, with a shop, café, online courses, cook books, and large range of food products. The Veg Box focuses on ten easy-to-grow (or buy) vegetables, including carrots, courgettes, potatoes and beetroot, then for each there are ten diverse recipes, some sweet, some savoury. There are also sections on growing, cooking and storing the vegetables, plus information about their nutritional value. Recipes are imaginative but uncomplicated, and include Chewy Carrot Flapjacks; Beetroot, Feta and Walnut Burgers; Easy One-Pan Courgette Pizza; and Buffalo Cauliflower Wings. A perfect book for vegans, vegetarians, or anyone looking to make their diet more plant-based.

Chestnuts roast on it; stockings hang above it; a magical figure clad in red and white shimmies his way down a chimney towards it –the fireplace has served as a focal point within our living spaces for hundreds of years, and never more so than at Christmas time. This month, Rupert Oliver of Rupert Oliver Property Agents takes a look at the history of the feature...

Picture a living room at Christmas time, and you’ll likely think of a glittering tree, a pile of presents – and a crackling fire. A source of warmth and light in front of which to gather, glass of fizz in hand, fireplaces go with the festive territory. There’s something nostalgic about the feature; novelist Gladys Taber aptly observes that “a house without a fireplace is a house without a heart”. Bristol, then, with its swathes of Georgian architecture and fireplaces, must be a city with plenty of heart.

The fireplace – which started life as more of a fire pit than an official fire place – made its way onto the architectural scene during the medieval period. Set in the middle of a large, communal room, these pits served the practical function of keeping a home warm and allowing those living in it to knock up hot meals on chilly days. Just as it does today, the fire also acted as a social lynch pin, creating a warm space in which family members could spend comfortable time together. Things changed in the 12th century, when the open-plan living space of the medieval home was chopped into a collection of private rooms, each of which served a different function; it made more architectural sense at this point that the fireplace be nudged out toward the edge of the room – and so it was that the mantelpiece came about. Framing the flames, the mantelpiece acted as a stone canvas on which people could carve – often literally – symbols of their social status. Dragons and lions loped about the fires of wealthy families, and it was hoped that guests might take a moment to ‘oooh’ and ‘aaah’ over the impressive décor. The centuries wore on, and the mantelpiece grew larger; fierce stone creatures departed, and homeowners started to use the fireplace as a display shelf of sorts. The Tudors were fond of placing decorative objects (think mirrors, vases, or pieces of china from far-off lands) along the mantle; the Victorians continued the trend, lining their mantelpieces with postcards and letters in a show of sociability. Fireplaces became strange hybrid spaces, where the public and private jostled for attention; a feature around which individuals could display their excellent taste, and wealth – and friends – for all to see.

Today, we still like our fireplaces to look their best – especially during the festive period. In fact, some of our favorite festive symbols have a fiery backdrop. Whilst there is no Official History of The Stocking, there are several theories as to how the sock-by-the-fire tradition came about. The first theory stars three daughters and their widowed father. Falling on hard times, the father can’t stretch to buy his girls their Christmas presents; seeing the family’s despair, St Nicholas (aka, Father Christmas) decides to drop three coins into the chimney of their home. The pennies land in the girls’ stockings, which are hung up to dry next to the fire. Others believe that stockings can be traced back to the St Nicholas Day feast, when children would fill their shoes with hay for St Nick’s donkeys – and, if they were lucky, return the next morning to find that the hay had been replaced with a shiny gold coin. Stockings aren’t the only fire-fuelled festive symbol: cue, The Yule Log. We may be more familiar with the sweet-treat take on this one, but the Yule Log originated in the medieval woods of Norway. At the start of the Christmas period, a group would make their merry way into the forest, carefully select a large log (or sometimes a whole tree), decorate it with ribbons and drag it back to the family home, where it would be kept alight for the 12 days of Christmas.

As the weather gets chillier and the evenings grow darker, the Yule Log tradition is a pretty appealing one; but then again, the chocolate version seems a little less labour intensive – and the payoff a little sweeter. Merry Christmas, all.

Coxley, Wells, BA5 FOR SALE (MAY LET) – POA 3,318 sq ft A freehold, detached building for sale with a right to park up to 11 vehicles in a large car park to the side of the property. The property is very prominently situated fronting the main A39 Wells to Glastonbury Road.

Portishead, BS20 TO LET – POA 1,395 – 4,964 sq ft Two new-build commercial units forming part of the Harbour Crescent development to be fitted to a high standard. Use Class E – would suit a range of uses.

6 Marsh Street, BS1 TO LET - POA 3,534 sq ft The property comprises a stunning period property which has been fully fitted to a high standard with benefit of a premises license and is ready to trade!

Queen Square, BS1 TO LET - £26.50 psf pax 2,728 sq ft A modern office suite which has been newly refurbished. The specification includes air conditioning, bike storage, shower facilities, and two car parking spaces.

Queen Charlotte Street, BS1 TO LET £17.50 psf pax 1,741 sq ft (161.65 sq m) A modern, ground floor office suite located in Bristol’s Old Quarter. The suite is predominantly open plan and benefits shower, bike storage, and car parking. Dial Lane, Downend, BS16 TO LET - ROA 5,108 sq ft Storage accomodation and office with potential for other uses STP. Excellent location close to the high street and amenities and in easy reach of Bristol city centre, the ring road, and M32 and M4.

Coldharbour Road, BS6 TO LET / FOR SALE 1,841 sq ft A ground floor commercial retail unit over ground and basement with a return frontage offering excellent visibility for passing motorists and pedestrians. Class E- could suit many uses.

Temple Back, BS1 TO LET – POA – 1,575 sq ft (146.32 sq m) A modern, predominantly open plan office benefitting waterfront views which is superbly located within close proximity to Finzels Reach, Castle Park, Cabot Circus, Old City, and Temple Meads Railway Station.

Warminster, BA12 FOR SALE - £850,000 Exl. An income-producing commercial investment opportunity with future development potential, subject to necessary consents. Situated in a stunning, rural setting with river frontage and large parking.

11 St Mary’s, BS35 TO LET / BUSINESS FOR SALE 1,113 sq ft Excellent opportunity for new or existing business, a hair and beauty business offered for sale, or the building to let. Fully fitted and ready to trade!

• Sales / Lettings • Rent reviews • Acquisitions • Property Management • Valuations • Investment Sales / Purchase • Landlord & tenant • Development & Planning • Auction Sales • Dilapidations Advice

Buying property has changed over the years, and over the last few years there has been a growth in, what are known as, off-market sales in Bristol. Gone are the days when all properties are advertised and marketed through an estate agent; now, many exclusive homeowners are choosing to sell their home discreetly. To break into this secret world of incredible homes you need to know the right person, one who will help you sell your home without all the glare, and in Bristol that’s Peter Greatorex Unique Homes.

Peter is a trusted agent and no stranger to the niche and highend property markets. Having operated for 30 years, Peter founded The Apartment Company and then established Fine & Country Wells & Chew Valley as the market leading agents for premium homes in that area, and he still runs both businesses. Peter and his team found there was a high demand of buyers looking for properties in and around the Bristol area, and so breaking into the Bristol market was a smooth and logical process, with successful sales leading to high quality buyer registrations.

His agency Peter Greatorex Unique Homes, as you might expect, differentiates itself into a niche market that specialises in helping clients downsize, as well as being offline sales experts. Offline sales are more common than you probably imagine, in 2021, 300,000 properties were sold offline, that’s a staggering 20% of the entire market.

Downsizing is an area of the market that is more complex than people perceive it to be, often people are moving from a family home into somewhere smaller, and this can bring up a wealth of emotions and questions that they didn’t expect. If not handled correctly, then such sales have the potential to fall through when nerves take over and doubts kick in. Peter and his team with many years of experience, have helped countless people to downsize, because they understand and empathise with clients involved in this kind of move.

It isn’t just selling homes that Peter and his team assist, they can also help buyers break into this secret property market through their VIP buyer service. When talking to buyers today, one thing they all have in common is struggling to find their next home, especially in a market where available properties are scarce. As exciting as searching for a new home can be, it can also be very frustrating and exhausting, especially if you simply can’t find what you are looking for.

Their VIP buyer service is a gateway to access these offline homes for sale, as well as those homes that are not currently on the market. Many sellers stall in listing their property because they simply cannot find what they are looking for in a next home. Peter Greatorex Unique Homes will keep you informed of new homes coming onto the market, as well as those selling offline, together with speaking to homeowners who may not have even considered selling.

If you are interested in selling and would like some assistance with your onward purchase, call and arrange a meeting. We can talk through your requirements and explain our VIP buyer service in more detail. For us it’s very important that sellers are in total control on timings and Peter and his team will make sure all the moving parts align.

We currently have a number of properties available offline priced between £1.5m and £5m, so if you would like to find out more about Bristol’s secret property market, and how we can help with your move, call Peter or Sophie on 0117 325 2600.

www.petergreatorex.co.uk