I would be the first to admit I have been hopeless about posting regularly but here is a little about my latest book, written with Sally Hughes. We had a great time researching and writing it and now hope everyone enjoys reading it. If people notice the nature around them, in parks or gardens, alongside… Continue reading Urban Nature Every Day
Author: Jane
A Brace of Catalogues
Every year Hatchards produces a Christmas catalogue. This year I’ve written the entries for my favourite sections (Children’s, Cookery Gardening) and a few others. As we always say, this is a particularly good year for books. The photo is hopelessly unrepresentative of the selection as a whole – it is simply the books I have… Continue reading A Brace of Catalogues
Caterpillar Cakes
Many supermarkets sell caterpillar cakes. Sally and I created our own for a book we are writing. There are two variations: a brilliant green lemon curd caterpillar or a beautiful raspberry pink one. Makes a swiss roll 33 cm long The basic cake 4 large eggs, 100 g caster sugar, 100 g self-raising flour The… Continue reading Caterpillar Cakes
From Book Lovers: Favourites
This week I received two copies of my books in the post: Bedside Companion for Book Lovers and A Nature Poem for Every Day. Book Lovers is on its second printing and Nature Day (the book’s everyday title) is on its eleventh. Huge thanks to all the bookshops, gift shops and museum shops which have… Continue reading From Book Lovers: Favourites
Catalogues
For the last ten years or so I have written catalogues for Hatchards. There were annual Christmas catalogues, which included the best books published that year. They covered all subjects, with about two hundred titles ranging from history and business to children’s and cookery. In 2015 and 2016 respectively, I wrote catalogues on novels and… Continue reading Catalogues
Woodland Poems
I am often asked which poems are my favourites. It is, of course, an impossible question. As with so many things my favourite poems change according to the seasons, my mood, what I am reading at the time and even which anthology I am compiling. With each new anthology I make new discoveries and remember… Continue reading Woodland Poems
Black Forest Gateau
Black Forest Gateau was originally trendy in the 1980s. For many years it was sneered at, along with Prawn Cocktail and Grilled Grapefruit, but is now enjoying a well-deserved revival. It is one of the recipes from Cherries and Mulberries: Growing and Cooking, published by Prospect Books in 2018. According to one of our recipe… Continue reading Black Forest Gateau
Books and More: An Introduction
Welcome to my posts (I dislike the word ‘blog’). My ambitious plan is that there will be regular pieces here on a balance of books, gardens, gardening, cookery and possibly craft. It’s a completely unrealistic plan, as I know from my previous website. There, Chris and I only managed regular posts when we took part… Continue reading Books and More: An Introduction