My job as an RHS Ambassador is to inspire children to go outdoors and have fun gardening, so I’ve asked family, friends and people I’ve met through the RHS if they would like to write a Guest Post on my blog.

Meet my friend, Glossop Gardener Steve; he likes gin & tonic, holidays in Greece and he never takes milk in his tea !

There’s a hint of Spring in the air!

I’ve been loving the weather of the last few days, where the sun is shining and although it’s cold, it feels nice to wrap up warm and pop outdoors to see what nature’s up to.

So what’s going on in the outdoors near where I live in Glossop, Derbyshire? 

My garden is looking a bit sorry for itself at the moment but now that I’ve cut back some of the dead foliage, I can see that some of the herbs have started to grow through again. The chives are a few inches long now and when they are ready, they will be really nice, chopped and sprinkled over salads.

It’s so rewarding to eat something you’ve grown from scratch; I think everyone should try it! You don’t even need to have a garden to grow your own either, why not try planting some herbs in pots on your window sill? It’s so easy and surprising how well they grow with a little looking after. Here’s some basil on my window sill at home.

Growing your own can be really good fun, and I think your own fruit and veg tastes so much better somehow! I grew these lovely things last summer, they tasted wonderful, plus they are all good for you, so it’s a ‘win win!’

It’s fantastic to see young people like George sharing the benefits of getting outdoors, whether it’s looking out for wildlife or getting stuck in to a spot of gardening. Either way, it brings great benefits like getting exercise, keeping healthy and learning about nature and the environment.

I see lots of bees coming into my garden each year. I am fascinated by how clever they are and how they help to pollinate many of our flowers and plants. We should encourage them to come into our gardens by growing plants like lavender, heathers and flowering herbs. Take a look at this video clip I took last summer…

I think you’re doing a great job George, getting us all to learn more about the great outdoors and nature! We always have a great time learning with you, keep up the good work!! Here we are enjoying the snow near my house last year – didn’t we have a laugh !

Thanks Steve I love your blog. I’ve heard you’re going to RHS Chelsea Flower Show too – you will have an amazing time, it’s absolutely FANTASTIC !