The pleasure of gardening, on balcony, patio, garden or allotment, brings many health benefits and rewards and is an activity that many of us at Lime Cross Nursery enjoy, even when not at work!

Call it a busman’s holiday if you will, but Tamsin and her husband love the outdoorsy life, growing their own and living off the land as best they can.  Tamsin’s husband works an allotment, growing a good variety of everyday vegetables and fruits for the family.  At home in the greenhouse, Tamsin likes to grow tomatoes, cucumber, aubergine and chilli plants (not always successfully) and tends the culinary herbs planted in an old butler sink.  Their five free-range hens provide fresh eggs and seasonal foraging of berries and fruits are used to make jam and chutney and their infamously potent but oh-so-delicious home-made wines!

Preferring to use chemical-free pest control, the taste of home-grown veggies for dinner followed by a simple home-made fruit crumble is the couple’s favourite meal of the week, all washed down with a good jug full of their own wine, of course!

Tamsin loves miniature gardens of alpines and succulents clustered into pots, and also likes to encourage wildlife into the garden by creating habitats ideal for bees and butterflies.  Choosing bee-friendly flowers and shrubs also adds some welcome splashes of colour to the raised borders.

Tamsin finds the benefits of gardening include both mental and physical health; being in the fresh air helps her de-stress and ‘switch off’ from the day’s events which, in turn, aids sleep.  Exercise is gained through digging, raking or mowing (although mostly that is her husband’s task!) and being at one with nature in the garden is the best therapy of all!

Working at Lime Cross is so tempting, Tamsin says ‘…the plants are all so appealing – I just want to buy everything but I have to resist as we simply don’t have any more room in the garden!’