garden man

If you're looking for a relaxing holiday as a family,couple, or individual, we at The Big Calm have the solution. We can create tailor made holidays to suit most budgets, from a typical friendly Greek rooms with shower & cooking facilities, to apartments with or without pool, or even an immaculate boutique hotel or villas. The Big Calm is located on the stunning island of Kefalonia, overlooking the quiet little Koroni beach. Our activities include; pilates,yoga, childrens yoga,reiki,meditation,massage,practical philosophy,mud treatments, Greek cooking & lying on the beach! For those not so inclined,there's sailing, 2 catamarans or 42ft Benetau, dinghy sailing on the shallow beach up the coast, horse riding,trekking,chilling out at Eddie & Irias kantina, beach barbeques or lying on the beach! Our travel counsellor will organize your holiday including car hire & any special requirements through an ABTA registered travel agent & ensure you come home relaxed & with more than a few ideas on how to cope with life back home. Have a look at the web site thebigcalm.com & sestokoronigr for a taste of what's on offer. A different holiday. Call Nigel on 07961888253 evenings, for availability & enquiries

Hi Spoiltdog thanks for your enquiry. The idea for the apartments was for 1-2-3 weeks holiday let's, but certainly longer term booking depending on availability can be negotiated at a more favourable rate. Direct flights are now available until October, after which you can fly to Athens or one of the nearby islands & catch a boat. Kefalonia becomes very beautiful & quiet during winter & we use it as a retreat, so very happy to sort out a winter rate. We also have other private apartments, rooms & villas available as we are starting a holistic centre on the road down to Koroni beach. If needed we can arrange flights, car hire & activities to suit your requirements. Please feel free to give me a call when you have a moment & I will sort out a favourable deal for you. Kind regards Nigel 07961888253

I have 4 apartments in Kefalonia with beautiful views over the sea to Zante. Kefalonia is stunningly beautiful with amazing sights round every corner. A short sail away to Zante, Ithaca, even Corfu. The apartments are above a beautiful secluded beach, with a great cantina run by Eddie & Iria, where you can chill out all day & end the day with a meal & glass or two of wine watching the sunset. A hire car is advised to tour the island which along with flights my travel counsellor can ensure a relaxed holiday. The top apartment consists of two double rooms, one with double bed, the other 2 singles, lounge tv ( you won't need it!)full kitchen bathroom.& balcony with stunning views 90 euros per night Ground floor apartment: two double bedrooms, full kitchen, bathroom & lounge. 70 euros per night. 2 seperate apartments with double bedroom each, kitchen bathroom lounge & balcony on top floor apartment. 70 euros top apartment. 60 euros ground floor. All include hot tub,sauna & collection & return to airport. Discount for EDF users. Call me for more info, available dates & bookings. Check out thebigcalm & sesto koroni gr websites for local pictures & info Nigel 07961888253

It's that old chestnut, "If you think you can, you probably can" If you think you can't, then you probably can't"

Very profound Narnia. For certainty or uncertainty only exist in the mind. You have a choice to embrace either, or be open to universal law,which is of course freedom.

The film was brilliant,but the book was stunning,nurse Ratchet was supposed to represent control by "Authority" and the big Indian by smothering him at the end prevented "Them" winning and taking his freedom of mind.Cant recommend the book highly enough.

Hi Easties EL Thanks for asking.Maiden hair fern is one of the most popular,very easy to keep.Little bamboo shoots,sold as "Lucky bamboo" Try small Kentia palms,very pretty and also Lavender is always very relaxing.Good luck Gman

Bruce & Santana played in the athletics stadium.The classical concert were free,as were the pop gigs.That all stopped,when Bromley took over,then in 2008 there was a series of classical/popular concerts,last year nothing,but theyare repairing it,so hopefully the concerts will be returning.I'll make some enquiries & get back to you. Btw the the original stage was temporary & the new one looks great in Autumn when its rusty exterior blends in with the trees. The LDA held 3 years of talks with locals & local interest groups,then Ken lost & Boris suspended things,but last week it was agreed that ?87 million would be invested in the park,but not sure where the moneys'coming from.The land being used for new housing will be the camp/caravan site,which it is expected to move to the Olympic site.A precedent was set for the sale of land to fund the park when all the land was sold to build the current villas down Crystal Palace Park road around the 1880s.

Thanks njc97 You have a point,however as a farmers son,the price is set when speculators bet on the outcome of the crop,good or bad or Tescos tell you how much they are going to pay you! We have a current example of a speculator who has cornered most of the cocoa market and in so doing can set the price for this product,sending the retail price soaring.The farmer sees none of this extra profit,but has sold his crop.Dont Know Too many farmers who deal in derivatives,not tennant farmers anyway.We live in different times,certainly since the big bang,banks are no longer just banks & you dont hear the word stockbroker anymore. Re building societies,if what you say is true,then why the 5.9%,I'm certainly not sharing any profit at that percentage! So I can only surmise they are trying to claw back what they lost.Not all banks building societies & financial institutions are greedy,but enough to nearly bring the country to its knees!!

Wow Thank you all,I have learned a great deal,but being a gardener i am sadly ignorant of the ways of finance.If I understand at least some of what has been said,when we borrow money from our bank/building society,they then much as bookies lay off that money to other organizations,that in the past have failed to repay,as this money is mixed with bad debt.{I think bookies repay each other,or they wouldn't be in business.I cant understand how hedging is legal,given some of the more well known examples,whereby you buy shares or a currency with someone elses money,then do everything in your power to ensure the outcome you desire,including,lying,cheating,or conning! The result of this is,our financial organisations dont trust each other,therefore,dont loan eachother money causing a squeeze or crunch on money supply.We the people then loan the the banks,who if they were any other business,wouldn't be in business,vast amounts of money to bail them out.Bullying chairmen,or men with short term city reputations,are encouraged to leave said institutions,with full pockets of us the peoples money.No one as a consequence learned anything.We learn most from our hardest lessons. What money they do put back into circulation is,for various reasons {including greed,which never went away}is now reluctantly loaned back at way over base rate,consequently,we the people are not able to put any money we may have saved back into the economy.We have to wait for the financial institutions to recover at our expense,in order for them to continue doing what they do best! Perhaps if our government of whichever hue wasn't so enamoured of the city as a major money earner,they might invest some of our money into industry,which when we put our minds to it are very highly thought of throughout the world,so much so,they bought most of it!! Recently we discovered communism didn't work due to greed from those at the top. If the banks weren't bailed out,what chance capitalism ? For me it's time to think who I bank with,or in which country I bank or if I bank at all.To learn my lesson and never ever borrow money again. My building society did reduce my interest for a couple of months,but raised it again later last year,telling me market forces were responsible. Due to poor income over winter,they tried to repossess.Despite an offer to cash in my pension to pay my arrears,they still continued their action.i have managed to get a court order & await the courts decision on my offer,not theirs. Thank you all once again for your insights,they have helped me understand a lot more. As for the financial institutions,those lessons they need to learn will just come up again.You tend to get back in life what you put in. Gardenman

When the base rate came down to 0.5% my building society reduced the rate to 4.2% which although not enough,helped.Last year they increased it to 5.9%,when I asked why,I was told "market forces"!!! Would this be the market forces so recently in evidence called GREED? If you were to go into a shop with a mark up of 540% you would probably walk out without purchasing anything.Unfortunately i am unable to change my building society,even if i did the rates are still sky high.I thought the idea of reducing the bank rate was to put money back into the economy,not into the pockets of the banks & building societies,or am i just a naive gardener,trying to keep the roof over my head by doing what i love? I feel what is needed is a peoples bank to fill the gap in the market which charges reasonable rates,no fees for handling our money & puts its' directors up front to keep in touch with its customers needs. Any offers? Nigel

I cant recommend getting a dog highly enough,not only are they great company,they get you up & out walking or running in the morning/evening,you get to talk to to people,especially if they are cute! [the dog that is!!] I have made loads of friends and met a wonderful girl,who became my girlfriend,alas long gone,whatever you do,do things you enjoy.I take my vicious,huge,but very cute Jack Russell down the pub if I want a chat or a bit of company. Good luck

Hi, Thanks for the question. They are normally trouble free from pests,frosts are the usual cause of yellowing or brown ,which maybe down to the less sheltered position.Watch out for a mould on the leaves,or even worse a fungus which will kill the plant. Needs a well drained loamy soil,with a top dressing of peat or compost each April.May help to move it back to sheltered position,especially while these easterly winds still persist. Hope that helps Nigel

Hi Pebbles, I think he's great too!! But I would wouldn't I.Thankyou for your kind comments.There should be a thread for me,as my customers tell me they got me from here. I'm a bit ill at the moment,you know "MAN FLU" Probably wont make it past the weekend,but in the unlikely event I do,please feel free if inclined to call me. Have a good weekend Kind regards Nigel aka garden man! 07961888253

SPRING HAS SPRUNG AT LAST AFTER A VERY LONG HARD WINTER.I'M AFRAID WINTER HAS TAKEN ITS'TOLL & DEVASTATED SOME OF OUR GARDENS & PLANTS,BUT DONT DESPAIR I THINK WE'RE IN FOR A GREAT SUMMER,WELL WE DESERVE ONE!! SO TIME TO GET BUSY,BUT DONT OVERDO IT,I DONT WANT ANY INJURIES OUT THERE!! 1. AFTER A BIT OF WEEDING,(GET THEM NOW BEFORE THEY GET ESTABLISHED & START SPREADING) MULCH YOUR BORDERS WITH A THICK LAYER OF ORGANIC MATTER,HELPS KEEP WEEDS DOWN & CONSERVES MOISTURE IN THE SOIL.IF THE SOIL IS DRY,WATER BEFORE MULCHING. 2. IF YOU HAVENT PRUNED YOUR ROSES IN WINTER NOW IS THE BEST TIME. PRUNE BUSH ROSES BACK HARD & TO A GOOD SHAPE,THEY WILL PRODUCE GOOD GROWTH & FLOWERS.DIG IN A GOOD MEASURE OF WELL ROTTED MANURE. 3. YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH ANY PESTS THAT HAVE SURVIVED THE WINTER.TRY BIOLOGICAL (ECO) SOLUTIONS,SUCH AS BACTERIA OR NEMATODES,THAT KILL SPECIFIC PESTS.YOU CAN ORDER THESE THROUGH THE PRESS,MOST ARE FOR THE GREENHOUSE,BUT YOU CAN GET ONE FOR SLUGS THAT YOU WATER IN. 4. ANY PLANTS IN POTS OR CONTAINERS NEED A TOP DRESSING OF COMPOST & A FEED,YOU MAY NEED TO SCRAPE OFF AN INCH OR SO OF SOIL BEFOREHAND 5.PLANT OUT SUMMER FLOWERING BULBS 6.SOW SWEET PEAS OUTSIDE OR PLANT OUT YOUNG SEEDLINGS.PINCH OUT GROWING TIPS TO ENCOURAGE SIDESHOOTS. 7.SOW HARDY ANNUALS WHERE THEY ARE TO FLOWER 8.LAWNS!!! WHERE TO BEGIN?? RAKE THEM OUT,YOU CAN START MOWING THEM NOW,THEN AERATE WITH A FORK OR AERATOR.THEN APPLY A TOP DRESSING OF COMPOST,SAND,WEED FEED & MOSS KILLER FERTILISER (NOT TOO MUCH OR YOU WILL BURN THE GRASS) & SEED IF YOU HAVE BALD PATCHES (ON THE LAWN!!!!) 9.PROTECT FRUIT BLOSSOMS AGAINST FROSTS WITH A FLEECE (NOT YOUR WIFES' !!) 10.SOW VEGETABLES,PLANT 1ST CROP OF POTATOES & ASPARAGUS 11.RENOVATE CLIMBERS.CUT BACK HARD ANY OVERGROWN CLIMBERS SUCH AS CLIMBING ROSES,HONEYSUCKLE,WINTER JASMINE & IVY.AGAIN DIG IN MANURE AROUND ROOTS. 12.YOU CAN STILL SPLIT UP SNOWDROPS & LATER IN THE MONTH POLYANTHUS PRIMULAS. TOLD YOU IT WAS A BUSY TIME,SO DONT WEAR YOUR SELVES OUT, GET YOUR BRILLIANT LOCAL GARDENERS TO TAKE THE STRAIN,WE'VE ALL BEEN SLEEPING OVER WINTER WAITING FOR YOUR CALL! A LOVELY CUSTOMER RECOMMENDED GIVING GARDEN LESSONS IN YOUR OWN GARDEN,SO GIVE ME A CALL IF YOU THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR YOU. HAPPY GARDENING & AN EARLY HAPPY EASTER NIGEL 07961888253

JUST THOUGHT I"D THROW THIS IN THE MIX!! "IS THERE A GOD"? That is the first thing to learn - not to seek.when you seek you are only window shopping.The question of wether or not there is a God or truth or reality,or whatever you like to call it,can never be answered by books,by priests,philosophers or saviours.Nobody & nothing can answer the question but you your self & that is why you must know your self.Immaturity lies only in the total ignorance of self.To understand your self is the beginning of wisdom. Namaste Nigel

I'm so sorry,it might have been me,I've been practicing for the next Strictly come dancing!! Must of put on a bit of weight over winter doing day time tv instead of gardening. Alan Titchmarsh

A few more tips on Cyclamen; They are quite delicate & suffer from many predators,one way apart from feeding is to stand them in a bowl\plate of 1", gravel & water from below,not through the centre of the plant,fill with 1\2 inch of water.Maintain deadheading,including any fading leaves. It tends to be the maggots of the vine weevil that do the damage,these can appear sometimes from not so reputable sources who dont use John Innes no.1 potting compost,but probably unsterilized or used soil.As Sue says,you can pick them out,or pay a little more from a reputable nursery,where you are protected by the seeds act. If you need any plant advice,i would be glad to help if possible,might take a little time to get back to you as still a bit busy. EVEN THOUGH THE WEATHERS' BAD CONTINUE TO USE THE RECOMMENDED GARDENERS ON THIS SITE,& BOOK THEM EARLY,AS THINGS GET A BIT BUSY FOR SPRING! GOOD LUCK,KEEP WARM!!!!! Nigel

Thanks Sue,I said that without opening my mouth!!!Very unusual for me.

Provided your gardens not under snow!!! 1. If you haven't cleared the leaves off your borders,dont worry leave them there,they will act as a mulch,you can dig them in if the soil is not frozen,or when it rains the worms will do the job for you! 2.Now the snows here stay off the lawn!! It will ruin it 3.Plant up cyclamen in pots outside for a bit of winter colour,should get them for a ?1 plus from local markets.Give them a feed & keep dead heading them.Buy flowering hyacinths as gifts,then plant them out for next year. 4.Sterilize your greenhouse,pots & planting trays,give your tools a good spray with WD40 5. Using an eco friendly cleaning product,power wash decking & timber features 6.The snow will provide a cover for some delicate plants,but not if it freezes hard,Cover Camelias,Rhododendrons & Azaleas with a fleece suspended above the plant to protect the flower buds. 7.Have a great Christmas,take care of your selves & each other,be positive for a wonderful new year ahead and thankyou to all my lovely customers for the work they have given me this year,I am very grateful. Nigel

Throw those curtains wide,365 days a year like this will see me right! What a fabulous day,methinks summer hasn't quite finished with us yet. Mind you I'm off to Kefalonia,so might just drag the sun down to the Med with me if you all dont mind!! I'll bring it back with me though

I am led to believe that there are over 750 enlightened people in the world today,the majority of whom are from India.It is from the East that the oldest & most successful philosophies come.My philosophy tutor tells me we are all enlightened,we just dont realize it,so maybe we need to look no further than The East Dulwich forum for our answers!! Religion holds all the great truths,unfortunately they dont want us to know them,or we just might realize how free we really are.We are in a period of darkness as far as universal growth is concerned,but like everything,all is passing.It strikes me there are many brilliant minds on the forum,find yourselves a system and you will find your own answers from your own experiences. Nigel

Having suffered for 25 years I've run out of things that bring it on,but have noticed that this summer heat seems to be a factor,I'm suffering a month long attack at the moment(havent killed anybody yet!!) Am taking allopurinol & peroxicam anti inflammatories,but still persisting. as said the cherries certainly help and flushing out with as much water as you can take,putting your foot/feet when at rest at a higher level than your heart.When severe pain kicks in I'm using co-codamol,very strong,only take 1 during day,2 at night,they'll knock you out! Try to include celery in your diet.I used celery seed tablets instead of allopurinol for 3 or 4 years without an attack.Hope that is of some use,and good luck with it.Us men are'nt very good at pain!! Nigel

sounds like you're on a bit of a journey legal,good for you. Dont worry if you lapse,the subject will come up again another time.Bin reading the amazing debate/abuse?opinion you've raised re alpha. I've a very dear friend who lives in C palace attended alpha & went through a similsr quest,she overcame her drink issues & stopped inviting dodgy men into her life.Believe me I'm not advocating alpha,I've been attending Practical Philosophy for 7 years and that suits me fine for now,although she did invite me to alpha on the promise of trying Philosophy.I did find Nicky Gumbel a bit preachy,but in order not to criticise without knowledge i finished the course.She hasn't reciprocated yet but there are many paths & I'm not & never will take up religion. I found taking up things that interested me helped,like salsa dancing {have you ever seen a dance floor cleared in 10 seconds?Like John Cleese on acid!!} Also Ju jitsu ( I can now kill a man just by lifting my arms!!} Anyway you get the drift,there must be something out there you like.Good luck with it & well done on the fags & 2 weeks with your problem feet {ie.cant keep them out of the pub!}You could always take up gardening!

What a lovely idea,a poetry corner.Poetry is so undervalued in these outward looking times.I've been writing for a few years now inspired by events and nature mostly,with no outlet,so here goes,this inspired by a 150 tear old tree in Crystal palace park & people i should have appreciated more| Downed by the weight of trying to please us with its beauty one of the giants of the park,a weeping Beech tree gave up the effort last night,crashing to the ground. Now it is our turn to weep for the loss of its glory. Like the beauty of the people in our lives, do we really appreciate them while they are here or do we have to wait for them to come crashing down to understand what we had and lost? Season after season that tree gave freely and all we did was take. Our souls search for happiness when the answers are all around; The scent of a flower,a kind word,a helping hand, a smile or word of encouragement the changing colours of a weeping Beech tree. All of these are free. But are we free to receive them. or indeed to understand their power when we give them Live now Love now Dont wait for them to fall Perhaps i should stick to gardening,all thought good or bad welcome||