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| Articles |
| About our writing & imagery Many of our articles are written by us, drawing on real experience, reflection, and practical work in gardens and places we know. Some pieces are developed with the assistance of AI as a drafting and research tool. Featured images may include our own photography, original AI-generated imagery, or—where noted—images kindly shared by other creators and credited accordingly (for example, via Pixabay). All content is shaped, edited, and published by Earthly Comforts, and the views expressed are our own. |
Earthly Comforts Latest Posts …
Joining Habitats in Gardening
Joining habitats in gardening explores how connected gardens support wildlife, resilience, and ecological balance through thoughtful planting, soil care, and shared spaces.
Things I Didn’t Notice at First
A reflective essay on February — its emotional weight, seasonal mismatch, and what working outdoors teaches us about patience, recovery, and readiness.
Excess Nitrogen Growth
Excess nitrogen growth causes lush but weak plants, poor flowering, shallow roots, and increased pests. Learn how to identify, correct, and prevent nitrogen imbalance for healthier gardens.
Common Questions
Do gardeners work in heavy rain or extreme heat? A reflective look at how weather shapes real gardening decisions, soil care, safety, and long-term garden health.
RED Gardens
Explore Red Gardens’ regenerative approach to vegetable growing, where experimentation, soil health, and honest learning shape resilient home gardens.
Rain Is Not the Problem
An observational essay on working in the garden during rain, exploring how wet weather reveals habits, judgment, and the true nature of maintenance.
The Small Garden
A practical guide to why focusing on one border can transform a small garden, including soil preparation, editing, planting structure, and spacing for calmer long-term maintenance.
Unseen Soil Work
A practical exploration of unseen soil work, explaining how long-term soil care quietly supports healthier, more resilient gardens from the ground up.
When the Ground Fills From Both Sides
An observational gardener’s essay on water tables, clay soil, and why lawns struggle and fail in wet UK winters.
The Hedgehog
Discover the life of the hedgehog, from foraging and hibernation to its close relationship with gardens, hedgerows, and connected green spaces.
Kitchen Compost Reality in Gardening
An honest, practical look at kitchen compost in gardening, exploring what it really does, its limitations, and how to use it effectively for healthier soil and resilient gardens.
When the Ground Won’t Take Any More
Reflections from a working gardener on winter rain, waterlogged lawns, and what an exceptionally wet January revealed about soil, patience, and recovery.
Underplanting
Underplanting explained: how layering plants beneath trees and shrubs improves soil health, suppresses weeds, boosts resilience, and creates low-maintenance, natural-looking gardens.
Invasive vs Vigorous
Understanding the difference between invasive and vigorous plants helps gardeners make responsible choices, manage growth effectively, and protect biodiversity without sacrificing a healthy, productive garden.
Funnel-Webs, Bull Ants & Painful Lessons
Childhood encounters with funnel-web spiders and bull ants reveal how pain, memory, and enforced boundaries shaped a lifelong respect for insects and the ground they inhabit.
Volunteer Plants in Gardening
Volunteer plants appear naturally in gardens and can signal soil health, support wildlife, or become a nuisance. Learn how to identify, manage, and work with them.
Understanding the Grass Snake
A calm, informative guide to grass snakes in the UK, exploring their behaviour, habitats, swimming ability, and importance in healthy wetland ecosystems.
When Fear Gets the Click
A quiet reflection on how social newspapers frame AI through fear, and why work, purpose, and human contribution are far more resilient than headlines suggest.
Things I Didn’t Notice at First
Things I Didn’t Notice at First is a reflective essay series about attention, familiarity, and the quiet moments when ordinary places, work, and habits reveal themselves differently.
Pathways & Soil Compaction in Gardening
How garden pathways influence soil compaction, plant health, drainage, and long-term soil structure, with practical guidance for prevention and repair.
Yellowing Leaf Diagnosis
A practical guide to diagnosing yellowing leaves, covering watering, nutrients, soil health, light levels, and seasonal plant behaviour.
When Cleaning Becomes Care
A reflective case study on wall cleaning, patio power washing, and the slow rebuilding of trust in a lived-in garden, written from real gardening practice.
The Small Garden
An exploration of what makes small gardens thrive and why overcrowding, poor structure, and lack of consistency can make compact gardens feel unsettled over time.
Gerald Stratford
Discover Gerald Stratford’s approach to growing exceptional vegetables and how precision, timing, and plant care can improve any home garden.
The Plant That Refuses to Behave
An experienced gardener reflects on living with Old Man’s Beard clematis on a garden wall, exploring pruning, restraint, and the balance between wildness and care.
Understanding the Grey Squirrel in the UK
A balanced, in-depth guide to the grey squirrel in the UK, exploring its behaviour, intelligence, impact on wildlife, and why this familiar mammal divides opinion.
Questioning Garden Norms
Questioning garden norms reveals how outdated rules shape our gardens and how letting go leads to healthier, more resilient, lower-stress spaces.
The Work That Doesn’t Shout
A reflective essay on holistic garden care, long-term responsibility, and why doing less — thoughtfully — often leads to healthier, calmer gardens.
Using Failure as Data in Gardening
Learn how gardening failures can become valuable data, helping you understand soil, timing, and conditions to build a healthier, more resilient garden.
“Can These Walls Be Cleaned Without Damaging Them?”
A client asked how to clean algae-stained rendered garden walls without causing damage. This post explains why pressure washing isn’t suitable and outlines a safe, professional softwash approach.
The Quiet Life of Patio Stains
A gardener’s reflective essay on patio stains, cleaning methods, and how thoughtful care preserves surfaces better than force.
| © 2022 – 2026 Rory Matier – Earthly Comforts – All rights reserved |
| About our writing & imagery Many of our articles are written by us, drawing on real experience, reflection, and practical work in gardens and places we know. Some pieces are developed with the assistance of AI as a drafting and research tool. Featured images may include our own photography, original AI-generated imagery, or—where noted—images kindly shared by other creators and credited accordingly (for example, via Pixabay). All content is shaped, edited, and published by Earthly Comforts, and the views expressed are our own. |
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