beauty, beauty boxes, fun stuff, gardening, healthy, lifestyle boxes, my little box, reviews, skincare

My Little Garden Box 

This is April’s box, the reason for the delay was because I wanted to take photos of my box in the wild – I don’t have a garden but the bonkers weather meant I couldn’t get a break to find some grass and take some snaps. Let’s dive in. 

This garden to table lists the vegetables and fruit in season for every month. Eating seasonally is something I try to do – it works out cheaper when there’s an abundance and you get the best of the crop, sweeter strawberries in June for example. 

I have a larger version of this infuser bottle somewhere, pop your favourite fruits in the infuser core and fill the bottle with water. My favourite fruit combo is lime and watermelon – so refreshing. 

Recipe cards/magnetic shopping list – this has some of the MLB team’s favourite fruit based recipes and then pages to pop your shopping list on with a magnetic backing to stick neatly on the fridge. 

Ape Crunchy Coconut Bites – tasty little discs of crunchy coconut – yummy. 

A floral patterned green and blue square scarf which can be worn in a variety of ways – the last scarf MLB sent out is a firm favourite so this one will be too. 

This month’s beauty treats are all skincare savers. Mixa is a French skincare brand now available in Superdrug (home of many a beauty bargain). Suitable for sensitive skin (yay) this dermatologist tested paraben free moisturiser can be used all over – giving you soft summer skin. 

My Little Beauty Vitamin Shot Facial Scrub – made with bamboo extract, apricot seed powder and argan oil this twice weekly scrub will buff skin and leave you all shiny. 

My Little Beauty Easy Morning Skin Perfector – once you’ve rinsed off the scrub this moisturiser softens and smoothes skin with a subtle shimmer. Just remember to top with SPF! 

fun stuff, gardening, happy mail, lifestyle boxes, reviews

Buddy Box – Plant Life

This month’s Buddy Box from The Blurt Foundation has arrived and it’s a green fingered box. 

I love growing things, I’m just not very good at it. 

There’s a clever little grow your own kit, adding that to my windowsill garden right now, a cute pot plant pin, cactus shaped rubber, vanilla scented soap, herbal tea and postcards. 

Although summer is drawing to a close my plants are still blooming so this feels a timely little treat as the evenings begin to get longer. 

gardening, healthy, lifestyle

How does your garden grow

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I have a tiny patio out the back of my flat and it is covered in plant pots. Some have flowers (my daffodils look great) but others are growing useful, tasty plants. I have a chilli plant, basil, sage, parsley and hopefully spinach when it comes through.

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Last year's chilli harvest, currently making olive oil delicious

Most herbs get their start on the kitchen windowsill, no squirrels digging them up there, lots of sun and I can keep an eye on their moisture levels. At the moment mint, lemon sage and lavender are chilling with my aloe plant, a bromeliad and some baby bonsai trees inside.
There’s also my cacti garden, probably the easiest plants to look after and in the front room a gerboa daisy is hanging out with desert dwelling cactus and poinsettia (still alive three months after Christmas).

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I’m hoping my raspberry cane will yield some fruit in the summer and I got a gooseberry to go with it.

My parents have raised vegetable beds in their back garden but I don’t have the space so everything has to grow in a pot, including the banana tree a friend gave me to carry home on the Tube.

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Soon they will be flowers

Waiting for things to spring back to life, to flower and blossom is frustrating but will be worth it when Spring properly rolls around.

ramblingmads