There's a new series starting on Channel 5 on Thursday 13 May at 8pm.  It's called Kew Gardens - A Year in Bloom.

The programme follows a year in the lives of the staff.   It starts with winter and looks at the ways in which banana plants are looked after. 

It's a great way to find out more about the work that goes on behind the scenes at Kew Gardens - I can't wait to see it! 

Give someone a visit to Kew Gardens
Buy a visit through Red Letter Days and get 15% off!
Just use the code AHW2021RED - it's valid until 31/12/21**

The gardens are situated in West London.   

Kew Palace is a magnificent royal residence;  King George III lived here - it was his summer home.  You can go behind the scenes of royal life - the palace has got lots of wonderful history.  The Royal Kitchens give you an insight into the Georgian's cookery skills. 

You can stroll around the World Heritage Royal Botanic Gardens yourself.  They are home to the most diverse collection of living plants on earth.   The Kew Gardens stretch nearly 326 acres.  There's the Princess of Wales Conservatory with its 10 different climatic zones. Stroll along an amazing treetop walkway and enjoy the quiet water lily pond. 

A visit to Kew Gardens and Palace is a great way to enjoy nature, gardens and history all rolled into one!   

Visit Red Letter Days and get 15% off with the code AHW2021RED which is valid until 31 Dec 2021!** 

**It does not apply to non-discountable products.

Emma Bridgewater has got a great collection called the River and Shoreline Collection! There's also the Scattered Boats collection and they would make great gifts for anyone who loves boats and the sea.

The collections boast items such as half pint mugs, 3 pint jugs, a large milk bottle, a one pint mug, a small mug, a medium vase, a cocoa mug plus a 2 mug tea pot and a 4 mug tea pot!  

You can have personalised products as well so you could put your loved one's name on a product or something of a sea/boating nature such as First Mate, or Ship Ahoy!

This is from Emma Bridgewater's River and Shoreline Collection

The collection is very colourful and would add lots of cheer to any home, and the products are fun!   

Prices start from £14.95 

Visit Emma Bridgewater's River and Shoreline collection here 

The Create Academy runs online courses and they may be just the thing for people who love to be creative and who are looking to learn some new skills!

The courses are all online, and there’s Floristry, Indoor Gardening, Block Printing, Healthy Eating and Interior Design to choose from.

There's a Floristry course with Willow Crossley

The Floristry course is with Willow Crossley, which shows simple ways to bring nature into our homes all year; it breaks down the techniques and tools to create stunning arrangements, whether for a special event or simply to enjoy at home – with arrangements for your table, how to make a table runner, working with dahlias, working with tulips, making a simple bouquet, how to use spring branches, wedding flowers, making a Christmas wreath and a Christmas garland, and more!  There's 24 video lessons, and you'll spend about 5 hours with Willow, all broken down into 10 to 15 minutes episodes. 

How about an Indoor Gardening course?

The Houseplants course is with renown botanist James Wong who makes caring for plants accessible, whatever the size of your space indoors.  You can discover tips and tricks to keep your plants happy and to help them look their best.  It covers cacti and succulents, orchids, mini living walls, terrariums, Kokedama, planted tables, carnivorous plants, and ferns. Find out how to combine the skills of horticulture with floristry techniques, so creating flourishing mini indoor ecosystems! The course takes over 5 hours and is broken down into 10 to 15 minute lessons. 

There’s also a Healthy Eating course with nutritional therapist Amelia Freer, whose teaching offers an array of practical tips to help you cook from scratch quickly and efficiently, understand key nutritional theory, and enjoy eating healthily!

And you could be inspired by internationally renown interior designer Rita Konig as she shows you techniques and tricks you could use in her online Interior Design course.

Each course gives you a good idea of what it covers, with lesson plans, and courses have a downloadable guide too.  Each one also has a free trailer you can watch to find out more.  You can start it whenever you like so this could be a perfect thing for anyone stuck at home during lockdown.

Once a learner has bought the course, they receive access to the Create Network’s platform on which they can interact with other students and upload pictures of their work.

Head off to the Create Network here.