Can’t believe we’ve got Serkis claiming in 2026 that it’s fine (not harmful) to say Tolkien’s Norse “influences” were not diverse so the source material isn’t/fictional places aren’t either?! When we have plenty of evidence to disprove that view. Like coins found here in Lancashire! Just stop! ✋😩

Some delightful dark foliage dahlia varieties I’ve spotted recently! #FlowersOnFriday #bloomscrolling 🌱

My “Black Ship” Lilies are back! #FlowersOnFriday #bloomscrolling 🌱 🥰🖤

Where have I been? Well for about 2 weeks I was in Birmingham at Gardeners’ World Live building a folklore and mythology centric showcase garden! From fairy wells and rowan trees to fern flowers and Rosalia. And since Tuesday I’ve been settling back in at home with my family #FolkloreSunday 🌱

This June I am looking forward to my first black iris blooming! Literally got back off holiday about an hour ago and assumed I would have missed it but I’ve got lucky! 🎉 🌱 #GardensHour

For World Goth Day I thought I’d share these I spotted at the garden centre. That I thought had a bit of a horror look to them! 🩸🧛🏻‍♂️🪓 🌱

Sharing some of my “gnomes” in honour of the gnome ban being lifted at #RHSChelsea 😂👍 🌱 (personally I love a weird little guy)

Came across these snapdragons by my local shop and would love to know what variety they are! If anyone has an idea please let me know 🙏 🌱 #FlowersOnFriday #bloomscrolling

May the 4th be with you Star Wars fans! Feeling a bit like I need a Niamos crash out Mon Mothma style this week honestly but never mind, these things pass 😂👍

Blossom and bluebells for Beltane! Wishing everyone a magical May Day. Hoping that my Hawthorn coming into flower today means I’ll definitely have good fortune for the year ahead 😂👍 #FlowersOnFriday #MayDay 🌱

It’s a nightmare in my garden, not on Elm Street. The “Nightmare” tulips are finally here! And they are gorgeous 😍 🌱 #bloomscrolling #FlowersOnFriday

Black tulips are a challenge! I’ve lost my Van Goghs this year to bad fire (thankfully they were potted) and in the past I’ve lost Black Hero and Queen of the Night to fire or just doing nothing in year 2. But Continental and Paul Scherer are pretty reliable and fire resistant so far #GardensHour

Currently in Spain and spotted these gorgeous aeoniums! Doubtful I could grow them in my garden up North but if you’ve managed to do it in the UK (without a greenhouse) please let me know (April means thinking about new plants? 😂) 🌱 #GardensHour

What’s blooming this week? Still the hellebores mostly and my “Harvington Black” is back again 🥰🖤 🌱 #GardensHour

Shakespeare used the phrase “the primrose path of dalliance” in Hamlet to describe taking the flowery road of pleasure and indulgence, or the easy route in life. They tend to represent eternal love, childhood or the very dramatic “I cannot live without you” #FolkloreSunday #ShakespeareSunday 🌱

Some of my gothic hyacinths for Friday the 13th 🥰🖤 🌱 #flowersonfriday #bloomscrolling #fridaythe13th

One word to describe my garden this week? Maybe “purple” is a good one? Hellebores and crocus are still going strong and I forgot to take a picture of my hyacinths but they’re coming out too #GardensHour 🌱

Happy World Book Day! A little look at my constant companion (I’m working on some very special folklore writing right now), my two current reads and my stack for the rest of the year #booksky #worldbookday

King Alfred’s cakes! Folklore claims Alfred was hiding in the Somerset marches and met a peasant woman. She asked him to help her bake but he was busy planning his counterattack against the Vikings and the cakes burnt! She was so angry she scolded the King #FolkloreSunday #fungifriends

A little update on these panda crocus because it’s actually sunny this morning so they’ve opened up a bit more (did you know that crocus are diurnal so they close up at night or in lower light levels) 🌱

The loveliest flower in my garden (you can’t get more romantic than a bleeding heart) and something I love in my garden right now (“panda” crocus which are the darkest variety I’ve ever found and look like little humbugs) 🌱 🖤🩷 #GardensHour

Wishing everyone a lovely Valentine’s Day. Was a very chilly start here (frozen like my heart 😂) but at least it’s not raining! 🌱

Gorgeous to see some of the “Candlemass Bells” we planted coming up again in the churchyard. They get that nickname because today (40 days after Christmas) is commonly when they’re flourishing! #GardensHour 🌱

Goodnight, sweet Dinosaur. May flights of pterodactyls wing you to your rest. Was lucky enough to say goodbye to this iconic ride 10 months ago when we were last in Florida. Animal Kingdom won’t be the same without you 💔

Does anyone else enjoy a graveyard snowdrop? And did you know that they are actually sometimes known as “corpses in shrouds”. It’s also unlucky to bring them inside the house unless you pick 13 of them #FlowersOnFriday 🌱

First daffodil of the year is out! I also got another hellebore last week since I didn’t actually have one with black freckles. You can’t have too many hellebores at this time of year! 🌱 #GardensHour

My response to those accounts that post fake goth plant content and get loads of attention is always to find more real life goth plant content 😂👍 this my friends is the gorgeous velvet plant (gynura auranatica) and it wasn’t made by a computer 🌱 #FlowersOnFriday

Totally forgot what day it was yesterday so I missed Gardens Hour! 😭😂 here’s two lovely examples of springtime toxicity anyway. Snowdrops are starting to wake up now and we all love a pretty but poisonous flower don’t we 🥰 🌱 #bloomscrolling

Goals in the garden for 2026? Keep up the good goth work 😂👍 growing all this again but add amaranthus and strawflowers because I’ve never grown either before and you can find some quite dark varieties (though they’re not black). I’m also going for the Black Magic sunflowers again! 🌱 #GardensHour

No snow here yet so the hellebores are still happy 🥰 wishing everyone a happy (belated) new year and a lovely start to 2026 🥳 🌱