Home and Garden from SimonCox.com

Gluten free veggie sausage roll recipe

Simon Cox — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 24:00:00 GMT

Here is the recipe!

Ingredients

Filling

275g breadcrumbs from a gluten free loaf – Shär Vitality Loaf
225g grated mature Cheddar cheese
1 large onion grated
3 tablespoons of The Coconut Collab Double Cream
3 tablespoons chopped sage
1.5 teaspoons mustard powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pastry

Two 280g packs of Jus-Rol Gluten Free Ready Rolled Puff Pastry Sheets.

Method

With the sheet orientated landscape in front of me, I cut the each sheet across about 1/3 down from the top, and then joined the two thinner strips together using a paste brush and some water to have three strips of the same size.

All the filling ingredients were put in a bowl and thoroughly mixed, split into three equal portions and then rolled out to about the same width as a pastry strip.

These were then placed on a baking tray and placed in the fridge for 30 minutes.

When the mix is chilled one is placed on one sheet of pastry which is folded over and sealed using a brush and some water - I brush the water gently along the strip until the surface starts to go a bit sticky. Then press gown gently to get a good seal.

Turn the pastry over and then cut out the rolls - aim for 12 so cut halfway then halfway on each of those and then you can cut those four pieces up into thirds.

Repeat this for the other two mixes and sheets.

Lastly I cut a notch in the top of each roll with a pair of scissors and then place them all on a greased baking tray.

Bake

Set the oven at gas 7 / 220ºc / 428ºf for 10 mins to heat up. The tray of rolls will need 20-25 minutes. They don't brown that well as there is no egg glaze on them to do that - though I might try some olive oil in future.

When basked transfer then to a wire rack to cool and then most importantly of all, hide them.

The inevitable accompanying story

It seems every bloody recipe on the web has an accompanying story, usually before the recipe itself, so here is mine.

This recipe is adjusted from the brilliant one Delia Smith brought out in her superb Delia's Happy Christmas book many years ago and is full of excellent recipes. A few years ago my wife became gluten and dairy intolerant so I had to change a lot of what I had been cooking. Gluten free pasta is great - you hardly notice the difference.

She has missed out on these festive treats, so this year I thought i would try and make these so she can have a couple, ok, begrudgingly half of them then. My wife is able to have small amount of hard cheese occasionally but otherwise does not eat any dairy products.

This mean the breadcrumbs had to come from gluten free bread - she has Shär Vitality Loaf, and The Coconut Collab Double Cream which is very tasty! Surprisingly all the mix ingredients came together really well and the sausage was formed easily and stayed together - usually it breaks up a lot for me. Using pre-made gluten free pastry was a revelation - so easy! I'm not bad at making pastry but this was so much simpler.

Next year I think I will make the rolls smaller - I will try four rolls instead of three and cut the sheets in half and the sausage rolls a bit wider - will update then.

Update 2026-01-31

Made a new batch and used half a sheet per roll instead of a third - also cut the rolls longer and these look much better - still taste great!

Home network set up changes

Simon Cox — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 08:35:14 GMT

A week ago I started having issues with my home network, a network that I had built up and improved over the years.

The first step in this was when we moved to this house and BT provided us with a couple of Powerline networking sockets. This allowed us to run a simple network between the router and the BT YouView box across our mains electric circuit. Usually this happens with wifi but because half of our house is over 200 years old that didn't work.

Powerline

I love the idea of Powerline. It utilises the mains cabling in your house to network across, saving the cost of installing dedicated ethernet cables. It isn't quite as good a dedicated ethernet cabling, and can be subject to interference, but you do get gigabyte speeds across it.

The Powerline adapters that BT provided were made in Kent by a small firm which closed down. I managed to buy three second hand ones on ebay and built up a network across the house for our workstations and a raid drive. It all worked fantastically well except for the wifi coverage, used by our phones which would switch to 4G without us realising. That caused issues with data allowances.

So in time I upgraded our Powerline network with 5 Devolo Magic 2 adapters. Each of these adapters also had wifi so I was able to mesh the whole house on the same wifi network. And all was good.

Except it wasn't.

Outages

In the evenings we would get outages on the network. I could see the led on the Devolo next to the TV turn red for a few seconds. If we were watching any streaming service on the TV it would then buffer. This also caused issues with the wifi network as that would also stop for no apparent reason - though the reason was the devolo's had lost connection with the router.

Split the wifi in two

Eventually I had to split the wifi network into two. I got a BT Wifi Disk and extended the wifi but that still only covered about two thirds of the house (it's not that big either!).

We lived with this set up for several years. I'd have to reboot the Devolo networks in the evening, using my iphone, and that stopped the buffering.

A week ago the devolo network stopped connecting altogether and I spent a couple of days trying to work out what the issue was. And failed.

Lightning killed the ethernet ports

We had replaced our router due to a lightning strike that knocked out the ethernet ports in the past. I thought that might have happened again and got the hub replaced again. BT suggested they send us another Wifi disk to extend the range. I thought we could only have one wifi Disk but you can have up to three!

Wifi to the rescue

Having added the extra Wifi disk we now have wifi across the whole house and a lot of the garden. This will make mowing while listening to Test Match Special possible.

I have removed all the Devolo Powerline adapters and we now run everything through wifi. I might be saving a bit on the electrical bill as well as the Devolos do run very hot. Internet searches have suggested that this may cause issues with them.

Summary

Powerline is great but the electrical circuits in our old house are a bit odd.

Wifi is a bit slower than Powerline, but a lot faster then Powerline that doesn't connect.

Devolo Magic Powerlines run hot. I do not recommend them.

Changing devices to a new wifi password is tiresome - lot of resetting. Try and avoid it.

Then I built a new bin store!

Simon Cox — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 01:00:00 GMT

How to build a bin store

When I ordered the timber for the log store build. I decided to add a bit extra as it doesn't come pre cut to the lengths I need. The wood yard sell by the total length ordered - which can lead to a few frustrations. So I tend to over-order to ensure I have enough.

Materials and Planning

I needed six of the large posts so I ordered 10 and luckily for me they were all perfect. With the over-order of planks I was able to plan out a bin store. I did not have any spare OSB for the roof though so decided to plank it - and I did not have enough offcuts to do that and plank the sides. Luckily I had plenty of rough sawn planks from the log crates for the roof. they did take quite a bit of de-nailing, always a joyful job (not), but I ended up with enough good timber to complete the project.

Construction Process

The build was much the same as the log store but without the floor panel as I would need to roll the bins in. This means it is a little less stable structure wise but it is strong enough and should last quite a few years!

Bin Store Under Construction – Without Roof

If you compare this to the log store you will notice that I have used a simpler construction mostly revolving around placing the inside planks on the insides of the posts - not flush to the outsides. This does mean the bins cannot catch on the posts when being wheeled out! Mostly an attempt to avoid knuckle abrasions!

Bin Store Under Construction – With Roof

You can see in the above image the planking I used for the roof. It does have roofing felt on top - and I still have a few meters left over after this!

Extra Features

Block of Wood to Hold Bin Lids Open

As an extra feature I added two blocks of wood under the roof - one for each bin. This allows me to lift the lid and draw a bin forward so that the lid catches on the block to hold it open while I fill the bin. A quick tap with my foot pushed the bin back enough for the lid to shut. AI can't do that or even come up with that idea.

Finishing Touches

Painting the Bin Store Black

I had to wait quite a few days until it was dry before I could paint the store. Like the log store I sprayed it black.

And that's it, all done.

How I Built a Log Store (Plans, Materials List & Costs)

Simon Cox — Tue, 28 May 2024 01:00:00 GMT

We had a Nordpeis Duo 2 wood burning stove installed some years ago and it looks fab! We use it to keep warm on those days when it is a touch cold but not cold enough to turn the heating on. Of course it gives out a tonne of hygge as well so also gets lit sometimes when it isn't even that cold!

The firewood logs we source locally, but sometimes have to go to a national supplier when local stock is low. Birch is generally our favourite as the bark acts a bit like a firelighter so we don't have to use kindling. The logs from the national supplier arrive in a packed crate and I have been using these as a store. Up till now. Properly stored firewood dries 30% faster so building a log store had to be done.

Key Takeaways

The key to building an effective log store is proper ventilation.

Research shows that firewood needs to reach below 20% moisture content to burn efficiently, and well-ventilated storage is essential for achieving this. According to woodburning best practices, air circulation on all sides—including underneath—prevents moisture buildup and reduces seasoning time by up to 30%.

"A log store raised 300mm off the ground with slatted sides provides optimal airflow from all directions," making it significantly more effective than ground-level storage.

How to build a log store

The steps I took in the build of this log store

Step 1: Create a plan for your log store.

Step 2: Build a materials list.

Step 3: Clear the ground.

Step 4: Build the log store base.

Step 5: Install the upright posts.

Step 6: Add the panelling.

Step 7: Construct the roof.

Step 8: Paint it black.

Step 9: FAQs.

Step 10: Review of mistakes.

Step 11: Update 2024/08/29 – log delivery.

Step 12: Update 2024/10/18 – front overhang.

Step 13: Update 2025/05/31 – Disaster!

Planning the firewood log store

The floor size of the crates is 800mm by 1200mm so that seemed a reasonable size to ensure I could fit a full load into one half of the log store.

The height of the crates are 1200mm also, but I wanted a taller store, with higher floor so that I didn't have to bend down so far. Getting logs out of a crate is always a bit of a pain!

When I started researching materials I found that a sheet of Sterling Board (OSB) is 1200mm x 2400mm. I realised I could use that for the size of the roof - no cuts needed. The golden ratio for my log store dimensions is 2:1 length to depth, which maximizes storage while maintaining structural stability.

The design has two bays with slatted sides and floor to let the air circulate to keep the logs dry and that improves burning efficiency. The roof, as explained, is a single sheet of OSB covered in roofing felt and has a trim around it for appearance. The floor is about 300mm off the ground to provide good all round airflow and less bending down!

The six support posts are 100mm square and the planks 22mm x 100mm. The floor width is 800mm deep to the back which is the same as the crates.

In total the width is about 2500mm and the depth is about 1200mm and the height 1800mm. This should hold just over a cubic meter in volume of firewood in each bay. That's about a third of a cord in old measurements.

These are the plans which I drew up full size in Affinity Designer. I was able to think through the production process as I drew these up which will have saved time and money.

Download the log store plan as a PDF

Materials list for the project:

Most materials were sourced online from a local timber merchant and delivered.

Material

# off	Material
10	Sawn 100mm x 100mm HG Post Celcured 1.8m
1	O.S.B. 9mm (Grade 3) EN 300/ BS 5268-2 2400 x 1200 x 9mm
1	Rigipaq (ELH) Clout Felt Nails (Galvanised) 0.5kg 13mm ClamPack
1	Antitear Polyester and green mineral top felt 20kg (10m-1m) - shed felt
1	EVO-STIK Sticks Like Sh*t Adhesive
22	Sawn Carcassing Celcure Treated 22x100 4.8m
2	Sawn Carcassing Celcured 38x38 4.8
2	4 x 40mm Concept KTX Bronze Nano Coated External WoodScrews 200 in a box
1	Paint Cuprinol One Coat Sprayable Fence Treatment Black 5 Litre
1	Delivery
Cost	£423.79

Day one of the log store build - readying the area

I had to empty and move the crates to another part of the garden to start this project. I then cut back the overgrown hedging behind where the crates were and cut back high enough to give myself room to work on the back of the store. Lot of holy in there which got its own back on me a few times.

I have sited the log store so that the open front is facing east. We have a prevailing west wind here so this shelters the store, and when we do have an east wind, and it is always cold, the house protect the log store from the weather.

There was about 3 ft back to the fence line that was soil - more a matt of ivy roots than soil. I suspected about 5 inches under this was the drive tarmac and I was right. We had already doubled the size of our drive by removing grass and top soil that had been laid by the previous owners many years ago. This allowed me to site the new log store a good foot back further than I had planned.

The ivy roots were so matted that I used a rotavator to mash it all up for easy shovelling. We chipped the removed branches down and used them for path dressing in other parts of the garden.

The wood shipment arrived and I was ready to begin the build in earnest.

Day two of the log store build - construction

The base

Pressure-treated timber lasts 15-20 years outdoors compared to 3-5 years for untreated wood. All the wood I chose was pressure treated even though i planned to paint it. I began by putting together the floor using corner clamps to ensure it was square. I used exterior grade screws to join all the woodwork rather than nails. With a battery powered screwdriver drill this does not take long.

The posts

I then cut the tops of all six posts at a 15 degree angle for the roof slope and marked up where the floor and planks would go. Marking them up at this stage was easier than trying to do that later.

Battens for the planking were then cut and screwed onto the posts as in the plan. These allow the side planks to be flush with the posts on the outsides whilst in the middle I lined them up to one side. This does mean that the left bay has a tiny bit more capacity but you would never know.

Next I laid out the three back posts on the ground. The floor frame was then attached to the first leg, squared up and screwed together. This was then followed with the middle and last back leg.

I then added the top side planks to provide support for the front outside legs and then added the front side legs. The middle front leg would have to wait until the framework was upright and in place.

We tipped up the framework and moved it into its final position, which did cause a little bit of swearing! After some squaring up side planks were then screwed in with a single screw at each end so we could make minor adjustments.

I sat the posts on spare roof tiles to prevent moisture getting into them. Most of the tiles cracked as soon as i put weight on them but the legs are off the ground.

The panelling

Once I was happy with the positioning of the posts, we added some square profile batoning to the insides of the posts for the planking. The planking was cut to size and screwed into place providing the whole structure a lot more solidity. I had measured out the planks and the gap we need to cover so that I could cut two blocks of wood as spacers to ensure we had the evenly spaced gaps. I read somewhere that using spacer blocks to maintain consistent gaps is the difference between amateur and professional results. Not sure that makes me a pro though!

These gaps, in the back and side walls and the floor, let the air circulate freely in the log store keeping the logs dry which means they burn longer and more efficiently.

We put the back panels on first followed by the sides and central panels. We needed somewhere to stand whilst doing this so added the floor panelling last.

The roof

We had thought of cedar shingles for the roof as we have used them in projects before but the roof slopes away so we wouldn't even see them! OSB was then laid on top, squared up and screwed down.

To make the roof waterproof two strips of roofing felt were then cut to size and tacked on with felt nails. I used Sticks Like Shit glue to seal the top sheet. Side facias planks were then cut with the 15 degree angle and screwed on slightly above the roofing felt. Finally the front facia board was then lined up with the sides and screwed in place. There is enough overhang at the back to allow rain run off to drip down and miss the dry logs! done.

Day three of the log store build - paint

The log store looked great in natural timber colour but we have tended to paint wooden things in our garden black. This is because we used to have a small Japanese style garden and black helped the foliage and bamboo visually pop.

Several years ago I purchased a compressor on wheels along with a spray gun but had not had the chance to use it yet. I'm not a novice with an airbrush having used them in commercial endeavours and for modelling but I had not used one so large. Turns out is as easy if not easier! Spray application achieves 30% better coverage than brush application for slatted structures and it is so much quicker.

I had bought some sprayable black fence paint and it did not take long to get a good coat on the log store. Sprayed paint also dries quicker than brush applied paint so I was able to get several coats on in a short amount of time. The bonus was it was not as messy as painting with a brush, managed to avoid any drips!

And that was it - loaded it up with logs from the tree we had felled in one side, they will need splitting this year. The remains of the last kiln dried log shipment in the other.

We are vey happy with this log store. We could have bought a kit, cheaper timber and somewhat smaller, for the same price but this is unique.

The slatted panels and floor give great air ventilation that allows the firewood to dry out. We need the wood to be below a 20% moisture content for it to burn effectively and we often bring a stack in to the porch and keep a stack next to the log burner to further dry out.

And there is some wood left over. I did over-order because despite measuring twice and cutting once I still make mistakes... So the bins needed a place to go so I have written How to build a bin store...

Frequently Asked Questions About Building a Log Store

How much does it cost to build a DIY log store?

My custom-built log store cost approximately £400-450 in good quility materials for a structure holding 2+ cubic meters of firewood. This compares to £300-350 for smaller kit versions with less than half the capacity that you can buy online or at your local garden superstore.

How long does it take to build a log store?

This one took me three days but I wasn't pushing it hard. If you are younger than me then able typical DIY log store can be built in 1-3 days:

My timeline for this:

Day 1: Site preparation (4-6 hours)
Day 2: Construction (6-8 hours)
Day 3: Finishing and painting (3-4 hours)

What wood should I use for a log store?

I used Pressure-treated timber as it is essential for log store construction, even if you plan to paint it to ensure longevity. Research shows untreated wood deteriorates within 3-5 years, while pressure-treated timber lasts 15-20 years or more.

Do log stores need a base?

Yes, elevating your log store 200-400mm off the ground is crucial for proper ventilation and longevity. Ground contact is the primary cause of premature rot in both the structure and stored firewood. i also cleared a lot of the vegetation behind the store to encourage air flow.

Should log stores have a roof?

A sloped roof with overhang is essential for protecting firewood from rain. Studies show that uncovered logs can absorb 40-50% more moisture during wet weather, significantly reducing burn efficiency. The overhang helps with keeping out driving rain.

What direction should a log store face?

Position log stores with the open front facing away from prevailing winds. In the UK, this typically means facing east or south-east, reducing direct rain exposure by up to 70%. Mine faces east, and the house, which was fortunate!

How do you keep wood dry in a log store?

The three principles for keeping firewood dry are: elevation, ventilation, and roof protection:

Elevate logs 200-300mm minimum off the ground
Ensure 20-25mm gaps between slats for airflow
Provide 150-200mm roof overhang at the front

How much firewood fits in a log store?

My design holds approximately 2.2 cubic meters (0.73 cords) across two bays, with each bay holding 1.1 cubic meters. When we get a full delivery not all of it fits the store so some has to go in the house but that's ok as it helps dry it out and i don't have to go outside to top up.

Things I wish I had done differently

It is always good to reflect on how a build goes and makes some notes in case you have wood left over and some ideas what to do with it.

I think I should have used a thicker roof felt.
I should not have cut the roof felt on the grass - not sure why but a patch of grass died off where I had it laid out for 20 mins. It was a hot day so that might have been why.
As always I wish I had spent a little more time measuring things out - but it's not marquetry on a bureau so is more than good enough!
I wish I had used my air compressor and spray gun for painting things sooner - it is great!

Update 2024 August 29th

We had our first delivery of logs since building the store. I was not able to purchase the normal amount that the store was designed for so had to get in a larger load - which of course filled it right up. I will have to stack the remainder in the porch and use that up first.

Update 2024 October 18th

Angela Henson asked me on YouTube what overhang I left at the front. I can't remember the exact measurement as the roof is an as delivered OSB Stirling board - no cuts on that at all. The back has a small lip but most was at the front. You can see how much that was and some other construction details in the photo below. We have had some very heavy rain this year and so far the wood has kept dry!

Update 2025 May 31st

Disaster! I could see a white line on the floor panel On investigation I discovered that the weight of the firewood had snapped the screws I had used to attach the floor panel to the back right and middle legs.

The fix

Having removed all the wood from the log store I clamped the floor to its correct position and put some much bigger screws in. I then added some cross pieces onto the legs for extra floor support. These were from offcuts of the builds - always have a few offcuts around!

On reflection I probably don't need the extra supports so I have not updated the plan but the bigger screws are a must!

I had yet to paint them when I took these photographs of the fix.

Look how grubby it has got already with the rain splashing dust up the legs!!

Update 2025 Nov 5th

I have added the Key takeaways, the FAQs section and rewritten a couple of places for clarification, all especially for bonfire night!

Plots and scheming - digging out a raised bed for fresh food and herbs

Simon Cox — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 24:00:00 GMT

A new small raised bed in the garden to provide fresh produce.

Plans

In our new home we have a much bigger garden — in fact, it’s a bit daunting, to be honest. Paula would really like to combine a cut flower and vegetable garden so we visited Sarah Ravens home/garden/enterprise to see how she had achieved this and are planning something on the same lines — but not quite so grand or commercial! However, it is apparent that it’s going to take a while to get there so we decided that we needed a smaller raised bed to grow some food this year. We installed a new greenhouse in May and that spurred us on. So the position was chosen — next to the greenhouse where we had taken out a rhododendron bush and it was next to a laurel.

Building

I marked the plot out with some chalk line spray and some old bits of pipe to a size of 2 by 1.2 meters wide. It could have been bigger but we wanted to be sure that we could reach all parts of the raised bed without having to stand on it.

Then we started digging. We had read that we needed to dig down about 2 to 3 foot but it was apparent that the whole area was a mass of roots. The fork came in very hand to break up the soil and expose the roots which we then cut or sawed through. It took a couple of long backbreaking sessions to fully dig this out and we probably did not go down 3 foot in the end, but we did remove two barrows of roots and three of builders rubble. That’s a pet hate of mine — builders who sweep the dirt under the carpet. In this case, it looks like the whole lawn had been turfed over the rubble left over from building the extension. We also removed a small pile of brick bits and stones that the builders had buried in one big hole. With all this removed and the earth dug over, we then set about building the raised bed.

First I cut some 2″ square pressure treated timber to length — height of the side boards was about 120mm (note I regularly work in inches and millimetres — never centimetres because that was how I was taught doing woodwork and Engineering) and I made that 2⁄5 of the height of the peg. I then cut the peg to a point. Next, I cut the boards to length. I keep reading that scaffolding boards are good for this but I had some leftover roof trusses in the garden that were perfect. I then hammered the pegs into the four corners of the plot, as marked out, and nailed the boards to them making sure everything was level and square(ish). There are several good tutorials and videos online on how to create a raised bed.

We know the ground under the raised bed will have had most of it nutrients sucked out by the laurel and rhododendron bush but raising the bed means we give the plants a good start before they get there and we can water them easily. At the bottom of the bed, we placed some large pieces of cardboard cut to fit. This acts as a barrier to any plants we don’t want trying to grow up through the bed and also as a moisture trap so that the raised bed doesn’t dry out too quickly.

Filling

We needed some good topsoil to fill the bed so had some delivered that had been premixed with manure and other goodies. It was also guaranteed not to have any weeds in it and we didn’t want out veg fighting for nutrients with unwanted weeds. This was purchased over the Internet and next day a small truck arrived with an onboard mini hoist that lifted the bag into the designated spot which we chose nearby so that it was handy to shovel directly into the bed. An hour of shovelling and tea breaks saw the bed full of the new soil and raked flat.

Planting

We sowed two rows of lettuce and put it under a black net tube, six runner beans with A-frames made from hazel rods and strengthened with a bamboo cross member and string. Under that frame, we put two courgettes plants and everything was watered in. Each edge has a row of marigolds growing to fight off pests. So far everything is growing well, we have already picked some of the lettuce. We have had a visitor though — a pheasant has used the middle empty spot as a dust bath!

End of season

Most of the above happened early summer but it is now November and I have caught up a little. We had lovely lettuces all summer and the only reason the lettuces didn’t go on quite as long as hoped was that one of the courgette plants grew over it and the leaves are quite big! The runner beans came on quite late but we have had too many to eat so have let some go to seed in the hope of propagating them next year. The courgettes went mad! We must have had 30 or so and have been cutting them off every few days else they grow too big too quickly.

The last courgette I cut was in the first week of November — I need to check again in case there are any hiding! Overall a bumper harvest in a smallish space so we are of course planning bigger beds elsewhere. We probably haven’t saved a significant amount of money on produce but that was not the point — these are fresh vegetables without any pesticides or treatments for the supermarket shelves.

A success!

Plots and scheming gallery

The old shed base and rhododendron bed

Area cleared, raised bed built

Base of raised bed lined with cardboard to suppress weeds and retain moisture

Raised bed with the first planting

When the house was extended the rubble was turfed over

There were a lot of roots from the Rhododendron and the Laurel to dig out

Half a wall under the grass

Once the roots were cleared we could edge the surrounding path

Area cleared ready for the path to be laid

We used bark chippings from when we took down several trees, for the path

Our first harvest of courgettes on the way!

Spring has sprung

Simon Cox — Sun, 20 Apr 2003 01:00:00 GMT

Despite the lack of entries here we have been doing a lot to the garden over the winter.

Moved several of the plants around at the back. Recently bought two huge pots to go either side of the doors. Paula has planted one up with the acer that was in the blue pot next to the Machiai and some variegated ivy. Everything’s coming out into bud so expect some pictures along with posts from us soon.

New Bamboo!

Simon Cox — Sat, 22 Jun 2002 01:00:00 GMT

We went to Coolings Garden Centre at Knockholt in Kent last Friday. They are truly worth a visit for the quality and diversity of the plants (and the scrummy cake in the tea shop!).

We were thrilled to find a small leaved bamboo with unusually coloured canes, changing from yellow to green to red as they age. It's perfect for the empty spot in the middle of the newly painted black fence and proves that sometimes it's worth hunting around and waiting for the right thing. Also found was some Japanese blood grass, three of which have been planted around the new bamboo, finally completing that spot in the garden which has been 'on hold' since last year.

The acidanthera bulbs planted in March and May are coming through now and we're hoping for a good show of fragrant flowers later this summer. The brodiaea bulbs planted in March are all up but no sign of flower spikes - hope I didn't plant them too deep.

The saxifrage has been worth every penny, still flowering from April!! The thyme has also started flowering this month, along with the spirea, vinca minor, ophiopogon nigrescens (black grass), and even the tiny corsican mint. The phygelius has been flowering since last month and looks very healthy - even the one we moved.

Despite all this flowering, we can already see that the raised bed at the back needs some flower action during April and May, so I'm already planning for next year. We have some new ideas for the design, but they're going to have to wait until later in the year.......it's all hush hush until then.

Who would've believed we'd become so hooked!!

Clematis go in

Simon Cox — Tue, 04 Jun 2002 01:00:00 GMT

I made a small trellis, from bamboo that I had pruned out of the garden last month, which I have dug in with the first clematis up against the fence. We wanted to paint the fence before we had any established plants in alongside it. I have put a large stone over its roots to keep them cool during summer as this will help the plant establish.

The one nearer the house, with the bamboo trellis is Royalty - rather appropriate that it is planted today of all days. Concord flew over us as I was planting it, on its way to do the royal fly past at Buckingham Palace.

The other clematis, Mrs Bateman, has gone in under the elder tree and we hope to train it along the fence from the top of the stream. I have my doubts that it will survive there as next to it is a creeper that we are training on the trellis part of the fence. We will see what happens.

Black fence

Simon Cox — Sun, 02 Jun 2002 01:00:00 GMT

We have painted the eastern boundary fence black. We tried to get some more of the black fence paint that we had already used but the local DTY Superstores no longer stock it - how annoying! We looked up the Cuprinol website and found that they still make it and it is also available in 5ltr cans which is great - we had 2.5 litres before. The website has a shopping cart so we though we would buy it over the net - pressed the 'buy' button on the 5ltr Black paint and went through to the shopping cart only to discover that you cannot buy it or any of their products online, but they helpfully suggest that you print your order out and take it to the local DIY superstore. Idiots!

They did have a help line phone number which we rang and got the name of a local stockist - you can only get the black fence paint wholesale at trade shops now if you are looking.

Home and Garden from SimonCox.com

Gluten free veggie sausage roll recipe

Here is the recipe!

Ingredients

Filling

Pastry

Method

Bake

The inevitable accompanying story

Update 2026-01-31

Home network set up changes

Powerline

Outages

Split the wifi in two

Lightning killed the ethernet ports

Wifi to the rescue

Summary

Then I built a new bin store!

Table of Contents

How to build a bin store

Materials and Planning

Construction Process

Bin Store Under Construction – Without Roof

Bin Store Under Construction – With Roof

Extra Features

Block of Wood to Hold Bin Lids Open

Finishing Touches

Painting the Bin Store Black

How I Built a Log Store (Plans, Materials List & Costs)

Key Takeaways

The key to building an effective log store is proper ventilation.

How to build a log store

The steps I took in the build of this log store

Planning the firewood log store

Materials list for the project:

Material

Day one of the log store build - readying the area

Day two of the log store build - construction

The base

The posts

The panelling

The roof

Day three of the log store build - paint

Frequently Asked Questions About Building a Log Store

How much does it cost to build a DIY log store?

How long does it take to build a log store?

What wood should I use for a log store?

Do log stores need a base?

Should log stores have a roof?

What direction should a log store face?

How do you keep wood dry in a log store?

How much firewood fits in a log store?

Things I wish I had done differently

Update 2024 August 29th

Update 2024 October 18th

Update 2025 May 31st

The fix

Update 2025 Nov 5th

Plots and scheming - digging out a raised bed for fresh food and herbs

A new small raised bed in the garden to provide fresh produce.

Plans

Building

Filling

Planting

End of season

Plots and scheming gallery

Spring has sprung

New Bamboo!

Clematis go in

Black fence