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A small family-owned nursery on the Isle of Man I’ve been tidying up the greenhouse and thoughts of tomatoes have been on my mind. Mainly I’ve been thinking about where to buy plants and which varieties to choose. Last year I grew Red and Yellow Currant tomatoes which are tiny and unusual but this year I want to…
Today is the darkest day of the year Watching the sun set on the darkest day of the year from the Meayll Hill Stone Circle. This 4000 year old stone tomb overlooks the sea on the Isle of Man That means that from here on out, our days are getting longer and lighter, even if…
Experience a real Hobbit hole at the Children’s Centre Community Farm Everyone loves hobbits. Ask anyone who’s a fan of the Lord of the Rings to choose their favourite character and nine times out of ten it will be Samwise Gamgee. He’s loyal and innocent and determined and without him Frodo couldn’t have saved Middle Earth. He represents the Shire…
I’ve finally found it. The quartz crystal ‘Cave’ and ancient mound on the Isle of Man. When I first moved to the island I heard rumours of the ‘Crystal Cave’, a place that some people consider mystical. It is a small man-made space constructed of slabs of white quartz that could have been built 4000-5000 years…
Today is the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. Many of us will simply marvel at today’s 17 hours of daylight and leave it at that but this day was important to ancient Europeans. Though we can only speculate on what their beliefs were, many burial sites and stone circles have been found…
Unique weekend attractions on the Isle of Man including scenic routes, ancient stone circles, fairy doors, and local attractions In April I got a Facebook message from a friend I hadn’t seen in a couple of years: “Hi Tanya – I will be in Wales later this year and saw there was a flight from…
Tips on how to grow Snowdrops from the Milntown Estate. Includes advice on planting them ‘in the green’ and aftercare. Video with snow drop growing tips at the end At a time of the year when trees are bare and temperatures chilly, Snowdrops welcome us with pure white and green tinged petals that bob in the…