HOMEstead GROWN

07/01/2025

Wintering. While nature is in retreat today under the magical white world of the garden and the park beyond, so am I. Snow day: a gift of time to slow down and enjoy the scented paperwhite narcissi I 'forced' in pots in the dark shed a few weeks ago - the scent is incredible for such a small flower and I'm glad I made the effort among the busyness! In years gone by, before I knew better, I would have rushed out and bought a bunch or two of unseasonal, imported tulips or lilies in plastic wrap from a supermarket to cheer me up after the Christmas decorations come down, but no more. Time also to enjoy the wonderland mostly from the warm inside, and trust that under the heavy snow, my resilient plants, bulbs and seedlings will be blooming again when the time is right. I'm excited to have a poly tunnel just now where there's some protection for the hardy seedlings I planted in autumn to get a head start on the growing season - seems to be doing the trick so far🤞

02/01/2025

Looking back at 2024: a year in bouquets! Just a few photos from the last growing year, tricky as it was, which capture for me the joy of watching the seasons change. Every gathered bunch is different, every single bloom locally and sustainably grown. In fact, almost all that you see here are from my garden and growing patch.
Many of these stems have been nurtured from seed to bloom, so the reward and sense of achievement in cutting and giving them away and seeing the surprise and pleasure that they bring, is just wonderful.
British flowers for weddings, for birthdays and anniversaries; to say thank you or I'm thinking of you...
Some had been ordered as part of a gift subscription, a monthly bouquet from my garden to your vase, and could not have been fresher: https://www.byhomesteadgrown.com/products
Hands up if you think there is always a good reason to have a bunch of beautiful, scented, seasonal flowers in your possession - or come to that, for no particular reason at all?!

27/12/2024

And finally, this is for the Sunday afternooners. Treated to a dramatic rainbow sunset on one occasion and then the grand finale of a joyous group of 13 friends and family who all came together!

HUGE thanks as always to Random Apple Sarah & team for being supremely accommodating, helping to create such a lovely environment for so very many people to enjoy, and for warming our hands with mugs of steaming, spiced apple juice.

Thanks of COURSE to everyone who returned for another wild 'fix' this year and those who came for the first time!
Hope you’re bitten by the wreath-making bug like me, and hope to see you in 2025!

27/12/2024

So evening in the apple barn is undoubtedly that little bit magical, specially when you first pull back the huge door and enter the vaulted, twinkly space filled with the aroma of mulling apple juice. Then there’s a loooong hessian-covered work-table between the blanketed haybales, laid with a feast-for-the-eyes of foliage and a ‘breakfast bar’ of other natural materials ready and waiting to be delved into.
The magic continues as every single person makes a unique and gorgeous wreath – there are no kits here and there is no wrong or failed outcome.

One of the most remarked-on aspects is usually the range of choice in the materials and I work hard to ensure this.
This year’s evergreens were from:DD Forestry at Delamere Forest; the lower branches of the Macclesfield and Poynton Christmas trees; prunings by the rangers in South and West Park; some beautiful spruce felled on the Birtles estate; and from the Shrigley Fold farm environs.
Huge thanks as always to who always save me the best of their winter garden prunings. My ears always prick up at the sound of a nearby chain saw. Or an offer on Freecycle. Many a friend and neighbour now knows to save all teasels, honesty and hydrangea for me to dry; they might as well give me gold. And I will love you for ever if you offer me eucalyptus. Cushiony moss is gathered from the drystone farm walls where we allow it to regenerate in between years, (or gouged from my lawn where I swear it spawns). We never want to forage insensitively: just a little here and there, and with permission. I’m fortunate to have some pheasant-shoot farming acquaintances and I never go anywhere without a bag to gather cones, or without snips in my handbag for berried ivy or dried bracken. Less forager and more scrounger. My poor long-suffering family will tell you all about it…
It’s almost a year’s work, really: velvet ribbons will hopefully be on sale in January and next year’s dates will hopefully be pencilled in the diary by March. Huge amounts of time, energy and brain space goes into it as you can imagine, but I LOVE IT ALL!
So there you have it: 'Found and Foraged' ...

27/12/2024

'Twixmas'.
As the mist hangs atmospherically outside and the bare trees loom, I'm more than happy hibernating inside in the warm, all on my own, just for today.
A WHOLE day-in-pjs change of pace (unheard-of normally), eating crisps and much cake (more routinely heard-of ...) I'm not even tempted to head out and plant the remaining tulip bulbs that couldn't quite be managed before Christmas Day.
The weeks before Christmas were full-on exhausting with 7 workshops in the end and their repeated preparation because I don't order anything in if I can help it: it's all sourced locally, foraged carefully, and much of it collected and dried throughout the year. I was also selling at some lovely artisan events in the town centre in December and had a list of commissions to make up... but SO MUCH JOY in it all and in every lovely interaction and bit of creative passion shared. Weary body, full heart.
So now there's a little time and space to re-live the glorious memories of a bumper season of 'Found and Foraged 2024' before the year moves on apace.
This was our fourth round of what seems to be a winning formula of sustainably wild creativity in the rustic, twinkly barn of the Random Apple Co. For those who like their wreaths a little on the wild side, I always say.
I was taken by surprise and blown away by the enthusiasm this year - enquiries started trickling in during August, an unprecedented 75 places were booked by the end of September and I'm so sorry if you were someone that had to be turned away this time around. Keep an eye out on the socials at the end of next summer!
So first up are pictures from the only morning workshop which, like today, was an atmospheric, still one in the rural, drystone wall surroundings of the farm at Shrigley Fold. As the crow flies, barely a field or two beyond the Silk Road of Macclesfield town but we could easily have been in the middle of nowhere...

27/12/2024

09/12/2024

Do come and find me among the artisan stands, selling a wide range of our handmade wooden vases and HOMEstead GROWN dried flower goodies - the perfect treats and gifts if you like to buy unique and local!
https://www.byhomesteadgrown.com

25/11/2024

See you in the Buttermarket.. I’ll be waiting with buckets of flowers for you ☺️

It's time to get planning for the weekend! Christmas is coming to Macclesfield this Saturday 30th November.

The lovely Rachael our Events Officer will be on Silk 106.9 giving the full rundown of what we have on, but for those without radio, here you go (timings subject to change, check back before the big day!)

MYBB Choose Macc Christopher Hickey Magic Chris Marley HOMEstead GROWN The Face Painting Queen Macclesfield Community ArtSpace Spivey's Web P R Jones Jewellers Mayor of Macclesfield Macclesfield Roundtable Made in Macclesfield R&G's Beer Vault

20/11/2024

Not long now… shop small this Christmas!

20/11/2024

Lots of lovely and unique, hand crafted inspiration for Macclesfield locals to buy local, support local… do take a look inside this guide! Read the whole post below to see the link.

Our FIRST MACCLESFIELD CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE!

https://madeinmacclesfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/christmas-gift-guide-2024.pdf

With so many amazing local makers living in Macclesfield (and the wider SK10/SK11 area) we thought we'd give you some gift ideas for your Christmas shopping.

What's better than buying quality, locally made/designed/created products from people who live in the same town as you!

Imagine the back story to your gift when you buy a gift that was made in Macclesfield, from somebody who lives in Macclesfield. You can say that you supported local people this year, encouraged and supported local makers to keep on making and really made their Christmas with your purchase!

This year buy gifts that are Made in Macclesfield

You can find over 100 local makers on our website at www.madeinmacclesfield.com and view lots of our makers products at the Macclesfield Visitor Information Centre

Macclesfield Town Council Totally Locally Macclesfield Macclesfield Nub News So Cheshire Visit Macclesfield Mayor of Macclesfield

01/11/2024

Come and join me for some festive creativity in aid of two great local
initiatives!

🎄🚨FULLY BOOKED!🚨🎄

Once again the Mayor of Macclesfield and Macclesfield Town Council are holding a Christmas wreath making workshop, this year facilitated by HOMEstead GROWN.

Everything is provided for you, although you may want to bring your own secateurs, apron and gloves.

All proceeds go to the Mayor's chosen charities Space4autism and Macclesfield Community ArtSpace

We don't anticipate these wreath making slots being available for long, so don't delay!

31/10/2024

October's end and damp, darkening evenings - how did we get here already?! I've enjoyed a little holiday in the sun and a slowing down in life recently, of the flowers and seasonal changes too. The unusually mild weather in my corner of Cheshire continues to be a gift which has taken me by surprise and compensated for the difficult growing year, with dahlias into November, the sweet peas only just finishing and gorgeous spidery crysanths opening daily in the poly tunnel. This is never the season's end anyway, but rather the beginning as I sow hardy and perennial seeds to nurture seedlings through the winter for a head start next spring. In fact, it never really ends - I've also spent the summer pressing and drying flowers for winter projects, and gathering seeds as the blooms fade. Every day just now, I try to accomplish a little seed-sowing, a little spring bulb planting, and some garden tidying and faffing around too. Soon the pace will pick up again with hundreds of tulip bulbs to be planted in crates, seasonal wreaths to be made in workshops aplenty and local artisan events in the run-up to Christmas. Always looking forward and planning ahead, but the biggest gift is to be able to enjoy the moment, isn't it.

20/10/2024

Local friends, do come and find me at Step into Christmas and the Twilight Market!

So what have we got coming up for Christmas then?

LOADS - as the poster says, everything from music and magic to carols and Christmas trees.🎤🪄🎼🎄

And later today Choose Macc will be announcing the acts for the Silk 106.9 stage at Step Into Christmas - we cannot wait!

17/10/2024

We love seeing our hand-made wood and test tube stem vases selling here month by month - do take a look at all the beautiful things there if you’re passing!

13/10/2024

A little word in praise of Lunaria – Honesty. A biennial plant, so requiring extra patience and forethought as you need to sow and grow it one year but won’t see it flower till the next. For a grower-florist, it’s one of those flowers that is less interesting for the purple (or occasionally white) flowers but worth everything for the reward of gorgeous silvery, moon-like, penny-like seed husks.
It wasn’t till I grew it myself that I discovered how you need to gently peel off the outer brown layers to reveal the seeds and leave the best bit, the translucent disc membranes behind. It’s a very mindful thing to do!
They’re such a magical, light-catching ingredient in any dried flower arrangement and I love to use them in an autumn or winter wreath too.
Am always over the moon (sorry 😛…) when anybody gives me an armful from their garden or allotment too, as I can’t get enough of the stuff…