If you didn’t already know, Agents of Field are now transmitting to you from our brand new HQ in the depths of the Waveney Valley in East Anglia. 

Despite our new headquarters and a garden I’m itching to design and shape, things can’t really get going for me for another two weeks, once I’ve finished working London. At the moment, I’m spending inordinate amounts of time on the road as I commute back and forth.

Yet, despite my frustrations, I returned home on Friday to the perfect housewarming gift. Those classy boys and girls over at Burgon & Ball (special thank you to Alison) have sent me the most stunning set of tools. I’m absolutely thrilled; it’s like Christmas has come early! If you know me, then you’ll know I love the look and feel of wooden-handled tools. I now have a new Curved Pruning Saw, Perennial Spade, Groundbreaker Spade, Digging Fork, Culti Rake and a Half Moon Lawn Edger. They’re all beautifully designed, RHS endorsed and I can’t wait to try them out in my new playground! If you haven’t checked out this range yet, I urge you to take a peek. Burgon & Ball are a heritage garden supplies company that really knows their business, and if you keep an eye on our blog over the next few weeks, then you might get the chance to win a few choice items yourself! But more on that later…. 😉

The limited, precious time I am getting in my new home, has been filled with getting the little jobs done, but even this hasn’t been easy. I’m surrounded with such beautiful countryside here, it’s proving a big distraction! No two sunrises are ever the same, each seems to outshine the previous one.

But I have managed to get my first garden task done. We have a huge red rose growing up the side of the house. It’s beautiful, but the high winds we’ve had here recently had blown it loose from its structure, and it was leaning into the country road. So, it was on with the gloves and out with the loppers as I let my green-fingered instincts take over.

With my horti-cravings temporarily sedated, I took to the Map Room to look at my future gardening plans: scrutinising, assessing, re-jigging, and itching to get started. However, as eager as I am to start, my internal Schwarzernegger gently reminds me, I still have to wait until I’m back here more permanently. ‘Two Weeks!’

The vegetable garden is my primary focus, this will be the jewel in the crown for me. At the very bottom of the garden is an overgrown area and a rotting shed. It’s here that I shall bring new life. Digging up and re-allocating what plants I can, I’ll then remove all the dead shrubs and conifers. The remaining trees will get a hard prune to let in more light and ventilation. I’ll also build a new shed and a greenhouse.

I’ll give you a full video tour in the coming weeks… so stay tuned!