If you're one of those people who like to get organised well ahead, e.g. buying Christmas cards early, there's some great Christmas cards from the RSPB online shop - there are some delightful cards to choose from.  

 
The Midwinter dusk Barn Owl Christmas cards (pack of 10)
are designed by Jo Grundy - a beautiful twilight scene.
for £5.00

There are cards with barn owls, curlews, avocets and misty waters, robins, sleepy hedgehogs, hares, puffins, donkeys, blackbirds,wrens, mice, doves and of course the Three Kings.  

Just look at these donkeys snuggling up!  
It gives me a warm cosy feeling inside! 
The cards come in a pack of 10 and they have been illustrated by artist Ian Saxton.
£5.00

All the RSPB Christmas cards are glitter free, and can be recycled.  And the RSPB has ideas of what you can do with the cards you receive - including making bunting from them!  

I love this card - Four Candles, with the rabbit sitting in the snow and the Welly boots, too!
The artist is Kirsty Walker - and I'm sure her design
will bring back lots of memories of the Two Ronnies sketch,
Four Candles or Fork Handles!  
£5.00

I think it's lovely to send Christmas cards and show you're thinking of people and connect to them.   It's a great time to pop a little message in and say "how are you?"  

This Christmas Quackers card is very cheering to look at. 
Lynsey McLaughlin has designed this card, with the carol-singing ducks
and their robin friend, all having a merry time!  Quack, quack...
£5.00

Of course, we don't need to wait until Christmas to connect with people - I love to send Mum a card through the post, usually something funny to make her smile.  It's a small way to make a difference and make someone's day!

There are also cards for those wanting a more traditional scene.
This one designed by Caroline Armstrong depicts
the Christmas journey of the Three Wise Men. 
£5.00.

TVisit the RSPB Christmas card selection here and help nature whilst you shop! 

By the way, the little bird I mentioned at the start?  His friend hopped by to mention that you can get £2 off if you buy 2 calendars from the RSPB - a good time to start planning ahead and get things in the calendar!   The offer** lasts until 10th December 2025!  

**T&Cs 

• Add any two 2026 calendars to your basket to save £2
• Offer is subject to availability
• Loyalty points can be collected/redeemed
• Offer not valid with other promotions (including promotion code discounts)
• Offer ends 10th December 2025

Emma Bridgewater produces wonderful products which add cheer when you look at them or use them!   With everything from mugs to jugs, vases and glasses, plates and bowls, there's a great range of goodies which would make lovely gifts!

There are lots of themes connected to the natural world - animals including dogs and cats, birds and bees - plus lots featuring flowers.   And there's her beautiful Oak Collection, too!

It's great to see the oak featured in Emma Bridgewater's range.  Oak trees make a wonderful sight, and they have been important trees in England.   They can grow up to 20 to 40 metres in height, and 8 metres wide, and they can live up to 1,000 years old.  So they are very majestic, beautiful trees which I always think give you a sense of history and long life.   Do have a look at this video from the Woodland Trust which is all about a year in the life of an oak tree - it only takes a minute! 

Wildlife love an oak too!  The Woodland Trust says that oaks can support over 280 different insect species!  Wow!  Small mammals and birds also think of oak trees as a source of food and shelter.

I love this Personalised Oak Cocoa Mug.
There's nothing like a warming mug of cocoa,
especially as autumn moves along towards winter! 
From £24.17 (plus £0.83 per letter)

There's a Personalised Oak 3 Pint Jug from £50.83 (it's £0.84 per letter).
You could put flowers in it for decoration, or use it for drinks.


There's an Oak Small Old Bowl
- which could be just the thing for nibbles and snacks! 
For £17.50

There's something for our furry friends, too!

You could put your dog's name on it or a dog related word! 
From £26.67 (plus £0.83 per letter).
There's also a large pet bowl, too from £31.67 (plus £0.83 per letter)

 Take a look at Emma Bridgewater's Oak Collecton here! 

Remember the story of King Charles II,
who hid in an oak tree from the Parliamentary forces
in Shropshire back in 1651?
 Read all about it here.

There are some great gifts about for animal lovers and if you're looking for something diffierent to give someone who adores ducks, then take a look at Paper High!

They have a wonderful range of presents, many of which are recycled.  These include gifts for bird care and wildlife, such as recycled cotton birdhouses.  

And they've got garden ornaments and stakes, including quacking great gifts for duck lovers, just the thing for the garden to give a certain extra something to it!  Each ornament is handmade so they are all unique, but lovely! 

This is Anka, the Drinking Duck Wire Garden Ornament
for £42.95 from Paper High
Expertly hand crafted from recycled wire,
each one is unique - but they are all lovely!



Flap, flap!  This is Kriti, the small flapping duck wire garden ornament
who is available from Paper High for £26.95.

Quack, quack!  This is Janhvi, the Small Quacking Duck Wire Garden Ornament
for £26.95 from Paper High.

This is the Recycled Wire Duck Garden Stake Decoration
for £21.95 from Paper High.
The ornament is supported by two stakes at the base
to ensure it stays in place.  It's easy to move as it's got a lightweight structure.

These ducks have been made by Noah's Ark in India.  Their goal is to change the lives of grassroots artisans.  Noah's Ark works with about 49 talented producer groups and they represent about 500 artisans.  Together they work towards the eradication of poverty.  

Visit Paper High here.

Well, May is just round the corner and for garden enthusiasts that means No Mow May is on its way from the plant charity Plantlife, who are asking us all not to mow our lawns.

No Mow May is all about giving Power to the Flowers, and letting your lawn (or at least some of it) grow.   Why?  Plantlife say that about 97% of flower-rich meadows have been lost since the 1930s, and that means that vital food and habitat needed by wildlife has gone as well.  Wildlife need things like clover, knapweed and long grass to help themsurvive and thrive. 

So they are asking us all not to mow our lawns with a campaign called #NoMowMay.  Different flowers give different resources for different wildlife,  so it’s good to have a variety.  Leave a mix of grass lengths in your lawn and help nature!  You can find out about it here – if we had a sprinkling of longer lawns across the UK, that would really help nature.   Watch for #NoMowMay  on social media!  And then follow on with Let it Bloom June!  Plantlife have lots of help and advice for your garden lawns to help nature and wildlife. 

Take a look at Plantlife's You Tube Channel

We’ve decided not to mow some of our lawn – we haven’t got a big one, but flowers are starting to appear on it, and they look very pretty!   Plantlife has advice on how to increase the number of wildflowers in your lawn, and they’ve got a guide to a nature friendly lawn too!

Dig here for more information.

And if you’re looking for a gift for a plant lover, you could think about giving your loved one a Membership to Plantlife or adopting a reserve, a flower, lichen or fungus, an acre, or a veteran tree.  They've also got very pretty sustainable bags.  Find out more here.

It can be really difficult to come up with gifts that are a bit different.  Those fabulous people at Paper High have had some new gifts in recently and I wanted to share some of them with you!

How about this duck?  Introducing from Paper High, Janhvi,
the Small Quacking Duck Wire Garden Ornament.
For £26.95

~
Or how about this Multicoloured Jute and Cotton Oval Rag Rug
from Paper High?   For £44.95

For people who love writing in a journal,
Paper High have this Large Sari Fabric Journal 
for £16.95. 
There are different colours to choose from, 
and they could be used as a diary, travel journal, sketchbook or simply for to do lists!

How about a Vaani Multicoloured Saddle Crossbody Bag from Paper High:


These are handcrafted from recycled leather.
Designs are a patchwork of bright colours,
stylish patterns and animal prints.  For £64.95
 

Paper High's products are unusual, eco-friendly products carefully crafted by artisans in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal.  The products on their site are handmade from recycled and sustainable materials.  What's more, purchases made on the Paper High website supports Fair Trade artisans in Sri Lanka, India and Nepal AND it helpls fund the planting of 200 trees a month!  

They work with Tree Nation, who are on a mission to reforest the world.  Every month, Paper High plants 200 trees wherever they are needed most, be it Africa, America, Asia or Europe.  Tree Nation's efforts help to  restore forests and protect biodiversity, to create jobs and support local communities.  

And if you leave a review on Feefo, it will help Paper High fund the planting of 50 trees a month with Treefo/Ecologi.  Find out all about it here. 

Visit Paper High here