They sow. You grow.
Have you ever wanted to grow your own garden but don’t know where to start, or don’t think you have the green fingers necessary to keep a garden alive?
Rocket Gardens is a farm based west Cornwall company who take all the hard work out of growing a garden – they grow the organic seedlings from Soil Association approved seed suppliers, looking after them while they are young and vulnerable, then they package everything up into boxes and deliver straight to your door.
All you have to do is pick what garden you’d like to grow, put the plants in the ground and take care of them!
Rocket Gardens has been on the go now since 2005, and they know their stuff – between them all they have over 70 years’ worth of gardening experience.
They passionately believe that everyone can get growing – no matter whatever their lifestyle, wherever they live or how old they are.
Their range of gardens has been designed to suit spaces of every style, shape and size. Whether you’ve got a few window boxes or an entire allotment, you’ll find a Rocket Garden that’s just right.
Earlier on this year Rocket Gardens kindly sent me one of their large fruit gardens. Perfect timing, I thought, since builders moved in to our property in mid-January and completely decimated the garden I had – my decades-old rhubarb plants, gone – all my black currant bushes, gone, my gooseberry bush that had finally, after years of growing, produced seven gorgeous fruits last year – gone. It’s all gone.
The large fruit garden I received contained  a fantastic collection of soft fruit bushes, canes and plants including: 1 x blackberry, 2 x raspberries, 2 x redcurrants, 2 x blackcurrants, 1 x gooseberry, 1 x tayberry, 12 x strawberry seedlings and 2 x rhubarb crowns. Perfect to replace my old garden.
They arrived in plain cardboard packaging in hay to protect them from damage during travel. Admittedly, the majority of the plants looked like dead sticks. They’re supposed to look like that. They arrived in a dormant state. Since I didn’t have a garden at the time I potted them all up in grow bags and large plant pots and placed them in a sheltered but sunny location.
They grew!
It’s been a few months now (and I still don’t have a garden! Two weeks’ work, we were told back in January, two weeks the builders were supposed to be here. It’s September now and they still aren’t finished…) and the strawberries and the blackcurrants have fruited! I’m seriously impressed with my garden, although they are still in plant pots in a concrete jungle.
Soon (fingers crossed) I will be able to get my plants into the earth, and next year I am expecting a beautiful bountiful harvest. I will update you all with recipes when it happens!
In the meantime, Rocket Gardens has kindly offered the chance for one of my UK readers to win one of their Instant Compact Herb Gardens RRP £24.99
This garden requires approximately 1.5m2 and can be grown on the balcony, in window boxes, on the patio or even on the kitchen window sill.
The Instant Compact Herb Garden contains 8 pots of growing herbs: Rosemary, Basil, Sage, Thyme, Parsley, Mint, Chives & Marjoram.
Please note that the contents of this garden may vary slightly depending upon the season.
They deliver these gardens from late April until Oct 31.
GIVEAWAY
Rocket Gardens have offered my readers the opportunity to win an Instant Compact Herb Garden RRP £24.99Â
HOW TO ENTER
For your chance to win an Instant Compact Herb Garden from Rocket Gardens RRP £24.99 enter using the Rafflecopter form below. Come back and tweet about the giveaway every day for more chances to win!
TERMS & CONDITIONS
This giveaway is open to UK entries only. Entrants must be age 18 or over. The winner will need to respond within 7 days of being contacted; failure to do this may result in another winner being selected.
The prize is offered and provided by Rocket Gardens. The prize is to win an Instant Compact Herb Garden RRP £24.99. There is no cash alternative and the prize is not transferable.
There is no entry fee and no purchase is necessary to enter this giveaway. The promoter (Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary) reserves the right to cancel or amend the giveaway and these terms and conditions without notice.
Entry into our giveaways will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.
If you need some help using Rafflecopter, here’s a quick clip to show you how. Rafflecopter will pick the winner at random from all the entries received. I will be verifying entries and any automated entries or those who have claimed they have made the mandatory blog post comment and really haven’t will be disqualified. It’s mandatory!
Closing date is midnight on Monday 28 September 2015 (GMT) and the winner will be announced shortly afterwards.
If you want to be kept up to date on my recipes, occasional craft tutorials, adventure stories and giveaways then please subscribe to my weekly newsletter; it gets sent out every Monday morning if there is new content. Your email address won’t be passed on to anyone, you will never be spammed and you are free to unsubscribe at any time, no questions asked. Make sure you confirm your subscription or you won’t receive the newsletter – if it hasn’t arrived check your junk mail folder.
[wysija_form id=”1″]
Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary was sent a large fruit garden from Rocket Gardens for review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are our own, although the photographs are from Rocket Gardens (my potted concrete jungle garden isn’t photogenic!). This is not a paid post.
The Temporary Bride: A Memoir of Love and Food in Iran {Book Review}
Pork with fennel from my new Greek cookbook
soup
A Herby and flavoursome vegetable bake
Lamb and mint crock pot casserole with rice.
Lamb with Rosemary
use them fresh on every meal
An omlette
roast chicken
soups and salads 🙂 among other things, love fresh herbs!
I’d try to grow berries of some description – I’d like to eat more healthily, so some homegrown fruit would be a godsend! 😀
I’d use them in soups, in pasta and in bread
Pasta arabiata
Spaghetti bolognese, garlic bread yummy!
Beef in red wine with fresh herbs
Id like to make some kind of pesto
Vegetable based soups
I would add them to my homemade juices and soups.
I’d love to make a Monster meatball pitta 🙂 Love Pitta bread and yoghurt, so the added herbs would make this a cracking dish! 🙂
A tomato sauce
Roast lamb with herbs
i would add to a pasta xx
I’d use them in a lamb Mousakka
lots of healthy tea
I would add coriander to soups. chilli’s and curries and basil to pasta
All Italian dishes and my homemade bread.
A whole range of soups
I would make pasta bake with homemade herby garlic bread
A nice chicken and herb casserole
spaghetti bolognese with garlic bread 🙂
An omelette
I would use the herbs to make some teas
I would use it to make herb breaids, top pizzas and add to warming vegetable casseroles and soups.
Herbs are used more and more in cooking .Learning new recipes all the time so a Herb Garden would be great x
The chives would be in mash, the rosemary and mint with lamb for a start!
pasta
I’d make pesto 🙂
I would make pea and mint soup
Pesto
I would use it in a spag bol x
Some lovely bread
Vegetable based soups, ideal for winter
love all fresh herbs I use in all my cooking
Roast lamb with rosemary
Lots of pesto, and pasta dishes. Yummy!
soups esp now it will be getting colder
A very herby salad
parsley in potato salad
Probably my thyme lamb chops with balsamic vinegar and maple syrup sauce!
pasata sauce
soups and savoury pastries – we love pies 🙂
Pesto
Lamb studded with rosemary and garlic
Coming up to casserole season now and chicken casseroles in particlar benefit from some nice fresh herbs to add flavour.
I would make a basil pesto. I would stuff a chicken with marjoram and rosemary for roasting. I would add parsley to a mushroom sauce. I’d slow cook some pork with sage and apples… I’d use a bit of all in Italian soups and pasta sauces!
Id add them to smoothies!
I would make homemade mint sauce and Rosemary dumplings
Some pasta sauce
a nice cheese and herb omelette for breakfast
I’d make pesto rather than using a jar.
My pet bunny would probably steal some herbs to eat too!
My veg soups 🙂
herby brread
I’d add them to my autumnal soups x
I would make a herb crust and oven bake mushrooms and courgettes in it1
I’d try making pasta sauce.
i would put the herbs in everything for extra flavour
I would use the herbs in some homemade sauces
Pesto, to serve with fish !
A pesto
I think I’d start with a pesto
All kinds of vegan pesto
I’d make the best salad ever!
Lots of Italian Food
I use fresh basil in most things, but would make roast lamb with the rosemary
I would use some rosemary on roast lamb
I would use the herbs in my spellwork and potions. Fresh herbs are the best!
hey pesto xx
Love herbs in omelettes especially chives and parsley
I love roasting tomatoes with basil and thyme, I use fresh mint in Mojitos and rosemary in garlic roast potatoes.
I’m thinking a finely chopped selection would go beautifully in an omelette.
Some sort of pasta sauce
I’d make an nice pesto which i would marinade and cover over a shoulder of lamb and slow cook and serve with baby minted potatoes and fresh green salad with a drizzle of herb infused olive oil
I would love to add some fresh herbs to home made pizzas! And toss some in salads to give with it!
I love anything with coriander, so probably a curry
Basil for a nice tomato soup
Pesto
mINTY NEW POTATOES
mINTY NEW POTATOES
I’m make herby potato wedges
i love to use in tomato sauce for pasta
I’ve only got a balcony, so herbs in pots are essential in both making my balcony look pretty, being used in all my cooking, and for decorating my table. I can never get enough herbs, and love the idea of the rocket garden. Love your video!
So many things! But definitely fresh mint tea, a parsley sauce for fish, and roast lamb with rosemary 🙂
i love pesto, so would have a go at that x
Lemon and herb chicken with Greek potatoes.
yummy tomato sauce
chicken lasagne with lots of fresh basil
Lovely rosemary crusted leg of lamb with chive mash, garlic and rosemary roast potatoes and minted peas.
I’d make my own pestos – they’re great with herbs other than basil and make fabulous pasta dishes, marinades and salad dressings.
Tomato and herb soup
A Pasta dish
Broth with herb dumplings
Rosemary and Garlic roast potatoes/sweet potatoes, minted green peas, homemade pesto with the basil …..
I’d make a herby rice salad with feta and vegetables to celebrate the end of the summer
I’d start with Rosemary on potatoes
I’m really into Rosemary at the moment – great in greek cookery.
I use herbs in all my meals, but I’ve been using a lot of dried herbs. I think fresh herbs would make a difference to my cooking.
Love adding rosemary to potatoes and various other herbs to my pasta dishes 🙂
add them to my slow cooked meals
I would make my own pasta sauce with lots of herbs.
I would use them to make a sausage and chorizo pasta dish!
A nice roast dinner
pasta with a lovely fresh herby tomato sauce
With autumn coming it would have to be some tasty soup x
I use herbs all the time (or should that be thyme!) adding them to all different types of salads, casseroles, boulangeries, lasagna and pasta dishes, and even the humble sandwich really benefits from the addition of some herbs. I particularly love a tomato, thyme, courgette, buckwheat and crispy chickpea salad.
beer stew x
roast chicken with thyme and parsley buttered potatoes
Mint choc chip icecream, with dark chips, and fresh mint, no sugar, great for problem stomachs.
I would make homemade pesto, and chimmichurri sauce! Rosie x
potato dishes with the rosemary and chives
A nice herby sauce
I would make some sort of pasta dish.
the best tasting soup in the world
I’d love to cook a lovely carrot and corriander soup.
I love cooking with herbs but they’re always from a jar – so this would be an amazing prize for me!
pasta with a lovely herby tomato sauce
Basil for my pizza’s
Pasta sauce
A yummy pasta sauce
I’d like to make my own pesto!
I would make herby stuffed chicken
rubs for chicken/fish and sauces
Oh I love gremolata – I use any herbs I have handy though, not just parsley. I’m afraid I don’t stick to traditional uses! I love grabbing a handful of herbs and and stuffing them into a chicken, or into a pesto or pasta sauce.
Some herby bread
Some lovely warming winter soups
I’d make my own salad dressing with olive oil, and fresh pesto too!
Pasta sauce, so tasty!
Roast Lamb and Herby Roast Potatoes
A nice tomato sauce.
Homemade pasta sauces. Fresh herbs make it so much better
A boiled ham with parsley sauce and minted peas
Would make some tzatziki!
I would make a green detox soup
I would make pasta sauce and sprinkle over pizza’s
I would use them in my homemade winter soups
Roast chicken breasts, with roasted vegetables and lemon and herb cous cous!
Omelette with herbs
Pasta sauces – YUM!
I’d make pesto – you can’t beat fresh homemade pesto
I would use them in home made pasta sauces and casseroles
I love using fresh herbs! I reckon the first thing I’d make is spicy falafel wraps as I have a major craving for them recently 🙂
I’d use them in pasta dishes, salads and savour meat dishes.
I would use them on salads and pizzas.x
I would use them in most everyday cooking love the rosemary smell when roasting ,
I would make a delicious spaghetti sauce with fresh herbs.
Italian sauces, curries I through them in everything to add some flavour.
Oh wow what a lovely idea!! This would work perfectly for our garden, plus I love salad
Laura
I would add them to loads of things, incuding…Herby mash, soups, herb bread, shepherds pie, salads, bolognese and my dogs dinner!
I like them on many dishes, but pizza and chicken chassure probably the favourite
I would use them in my italian pasta sauces and salads
Herbs to go with roast dinners x
What a brilliant idea!
We use a lot of fresh herbs and like you are rebuilding our garden. At this time of year I can see us using them for casseroles and stews.
I would use the herbs to make fresh Salsa
I would bake a loaf with fresh herbs.
I’d add the herbs to freshly cooked pasta and also use them to garnish freshly cooked steaks!
Would use the sage and thyme with chicken
they would be added to a lamb casserole
to a chicken casserole
would add herbs to my roast chicken
Basil for my home-made pesto!
I would add them to bolognese
Bolognese sauce and roast lamb.
I’d make basil
Pesto with basil, I meant! Ha! Pressed enter too soon.
herb butter
i would make a curry!
oven roasted root vegetables with herbs
I would add them to my lasagne. I would also add mint to new potatoes, it makes them taste amazing!
Garlic and Herb Bread
I particularly like mint, and would use it to make tea, ice cream, and mojitos
Mediterranean roasted vegetables
We use herbs quite often in our cooking, but don’t grow any! We should really as we grow lots of fruit – blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, apples, pears, cherries and plums, all on miniatures trees I hasten to add!
I would plant basil, parsely as they are what I mainly use
I’d use my fresh herbs for my rabbits! They enjoy them so it would be their treat!
I would cook with it all the time to spice al dishes up
I’d put them with some home grown tomatoes from my greenhouse and make tomato soup.
stew and dumplings and mixed herbs
pesto
curries and a roast lamb dinner
Herby bread to go with an Italian dish.
I would add chives, corriander and basil to a vegetable curry and marjoram to a syllabub for a Tudor twist !!
I’d use them in a curry 🙂
roasted herb vegetables
SHEPHERDS pIE
Roasted vegetables with loads of herbs and a grilled chicken breast
I would make a baked chicken dish using sage and thyme, the chives would be in a green salad and rosemary baked potatoes. I love using herbs, such a really good gift.
I would make a more herby version of a Pesto and serve simply over some pasts.
Tomatoe mozzarella and basil pizza
i’d add herbs to my homemade burgers xx
Anything i love to use fresh herbs
All savoury dishes are improved with fresh herbs! Love being able to use fresh herbs in any of my cooking or baking as it so improves the flavour. All pasta dishes would benefit from fresh herbs.
Spinach and herb risotto, lovely.
Meatballs in tomato sauce
I think I’d start with a lovely herby risotto and a herby chicken stew.
I love making Homemade Pizza tastes great with Basil, chives and Lemon Thyme 🙂
I would mostly use them in soups.
A nice stew
I love making herbal teas 🙂
I would make my partner very happy as although I am green fingered when I grow vegetables,I havent had much luck with growing herbs! My partner is a very competant cook and having home grown herbs picked fresh from the garden would be great!
I would make a tasty spag bol 🙂
Herby potatoes, which herbs and cooking method depends on what it’s being served with – lamb would be rosemary wedges, steak would be buttery mash with a little of all them mixed in.
I’make a tasty lasagne for my family!
What a great idea. I dont have a garden so this would be perfect for me. Fresh herbs make a big difference to a meal.
I love this! I just planted a pot with basil seeds yesterday I hope it won’t take too long until I can use it in salads and pesto! I will be entering the giveaway and if I win, I will keep the pots in the kitchen’s balcony and will be adding the fresh herbs in salads, baking, and cooking!
I use fresh herbs in just about everything I cook. It makes such a difference from dried herbs. My favourite herbs are basil and oregano as I love Italian food.
I would add the herbs to a pasta dish to liven it up 🙂