Gardening in Slippers

Liz Cowley lives in Putney, London, and is an avid gardener. She enjoys going with her husband or gardening friends to National Trust gardens, flower shows and garden centres for inspiration. She has appeared on BBC Radio 4's Saturday Review and has a dedicated following of readers.

`Witty, straight from the heart' Joanna Lumley - `Plant a smile on your lips.' You Magazine - `The poetry of slugs, lost towels, herbaceous-border anxiety and downing tools for the holidays!' BBC Radio 4 Saturday Live - `Funny, bitter-sweet.' Mail on Sunday - `Light-hearted.' Scottish Herald - `Will chime with every gardener.' English Garden - `Perfect for the busy reader and Mum.' Sainsbury Magazine - `Gardening gems.' Lancashire Evening Post - `Warm witty incisive.' Worcester News - `Our favourite.' The Lady - `What you need is a dose of Liz Cowley's quick wit.' Sunday World - `Entertaining.' Irish Independent - `Laugh with Liz.' Metro, Dublin - `Short, bitter-sweet.' Metrolife - `A delight for the nation's army of avid gardeners.' Lancaster Guardian - `The people's poet.' Blackpool Gazette - `Britain's only gardening poet.' Beverley Guardian - `Packed with the dogged spirit of gardeners.' Bridlington Free Press - `Warm and winsome.' Isle of Man Today - `Gems of outdoor observation.' The Clitheroe Advertiser and Times - `Making us laugh and lifting our spirits.' Longridge News - `Perfect... to relax with.' Spalding Guardian - `Guaranteed to strike a chord with gardeners.' Pocklington Post - `The joys and frustrations of gardening.' The Visitor - `A natural poet in the natural world.' The St Helens Reporter - `Much to smile about.' Pendle Today - `Funny, piquant poetry.' Lytham St Annes Express - `Whimsical.' Leyland Guardian - `This garden of delights.' Leigh Reporter - `The ideal gift for gardeners good... and bad!' Garstang Courier - `Nothing escapes her notice.' Fleetwood Weekly News - `Enjoy.' Driffield Times & Post - `Familiar gardening dilemmas.' Chorley Guardian - `Poetic gems.' Bridlington Free Press - `Wickedly funny.' Burnley Express

• Outside at dawn again 11 The first celandine 12 What's lost to the frost? 12 Spring's out there painting 13 Plant talk 14 Moss makes me cross 15 Dear Primrose 15 Time to get the pond sorted 16 England's a pleasant country 17 Blackbird 18 These are a few of my favourite things 19 Fairy rings 20 March 21 Tulips 22 Hydrangea 23 Compassion 23 Just when I want to get planting 24 April 20th 25 Listening to a woodpecker 26 Mexican Orange Blossoms, aka Choisyas 27 Magnolia Grandiflora 27 A silent spring 28 Crow's nest 29 Our next door neighbours' Venus de Milo 30 The end of spring 30 Hello Blue Skies You'll never dig alone 32 Hello blue skies 33 `I'm holier than thou' 34 Reading in the garden 35 The garden centre 36 Monet and Giverny 37 Will you, won't you? 37 In praise of slow 38 Grass seed 38 Underneath the arches 39 Hampton Court 39 Returning from Hampton Court 40 A salute to Edwin Budding 41 Lament for horse chestnuts 42 Periwinkles 43 Coming back from abroad 44 Grandma's footsteps 45 Website 46 Watching swallows 47 Chelsea Flower Show 48 The garden versus Wimbledon 49 My favourite Van Gogh 49 Disaster 50 `One can never have too large a party' 50 The primary colours 51 Going potty 52 Flower unarrangements 52 All too much 53 Why the rush? 53 `Gosh that is lovely' 54 Daisies, daisies 54 An open air concert 55 Can't 55 Lawns 56 11 p.m. 57 A favourite visitor in France 58 Oh, ground elder 59 Monkey puzzle 59 Ladybirds 60 Lunch in the garden 60 Evening mozzies 61 Useless creatures 61 Growing your own 62 Snapshot of a writer's paradise 63 Reading by a waterfall 64 Earthworms 64 What I wanted above all 65 The Eden Project 66 Sad 66 GM 67 Eleven a.m. 67 Fred West 100 `Wind in the Willows' by Kenneth Grahame 101 A thought for Interflora 102 Roses are red 102 Tony Hannaford 103 Allotment wars 103 Sorry, garden 104 Woodland Wonders Older gardeners 106 Younger gardeners 106 Where have spring and summer gone? 107 Autumn leaves 108 October 108 Remember, remember, the fifth of November 109 The fig 110 Solace 111 Built-in obsolescence 111 A lost childhood outside 112 Ugh! 114 Good tip for autumn 114 Out roasting chestnuts 115 Ouch! 116 In autumn years 117 Now is the Season of My Discontent January 119 Wintering plants in France 120 December 121 A Jenny Wren 122 Annuals and perennials 123 Honesty (Lunaria) 123 Lichens 124 Adonis 125 When plants are dying 126 Too big a challenge 126 Christmas trees 127 The greatest present is one you can't wrap 127 December and January 128 An ever faster world 128