If you’ve ever grown tomatoes, you’ll know they can be both incredibly generous and, at times, a little testing. My lovely Dad does an amazing job every year and, no matter how hard I try, I cant seem to get anywhere near as good as him as a mini tomato farmer.

Holidays are about expanding your mind, and your palletr, I learnt this dish whilst in Mauritus this week. This Creole-style turmeric chicken is all about sunshine flavours, gentle heat and fresh ingredients. It’s the kind of dish that fills the kitchen with spice and comfort, yet still feels light and vibrant — perfect for bringing a little island warmth into winter cooking.

My aim when I set up Thegrowup.co.uk was to help everyone, young and old, big gardens to window boxes, allotments to school gardens, have a helping hand with knowledge and encouragement to grow their own food. But it has grown, notice my pun there, into something much bigger than just that.

There’s something deeply satisfying about cooking outdoors at this time of year — wrapped up warm, fire crackling, fresh air all around.

It’s festive, flexible, and guaranteed to impress — without spending hours in the kitchen. I styled mine with rosemary straight from the garden (which looked and smelled amazing), along with olives, mozzarella balls and a variety of cold meats.

I am very excited to introduce Polyeco Greenhouses as one of our new partners this season. I first worked with them at the Ideal Home Show, where I had the pleasure of styling one of their beautiful structures.

Choosing a potted living Christmas tree is one of the most sustainable and satisfying ways to decorate your home for the festive season. Instead of buying a cut tree each year, a potted tree can be brought indoors for Christmas, enjoyed in its full glory, and then returned outside to continue growing in the garden.

I will be honest, I love winter pottering. There is something wonderfully satisfying about pulling on far too many layers, wrestling myself into thermals like an enthusiastic Michelin man, and heading outside with rosy cheeks and a cuppa in hand. Some people think gardeners disappear until spring, but I am happiest crunching across a frosty lawn and puffing little clouds into the air like a contented dragon.

This soup is everything I love about autumn in a bowl. It is cosy, creamy, packed with home grown goodness and best of all, it uses my little no-peel hack from Instagram.

At this time of year, when the air feels colder and the sniffles seem to be multiplying everywhere, I always turn to nature first. Simple ingredients, real warmth and a little intention can go a long way.

This month’s Grow Up spotlight shines on one of my absolute favourite discoveries French Soaps, a beautiful small business run by the equally lovely Victoria and Paul, who are keeping a centuries-old tradition alive with passion, purpose, and integrity.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know how much I adore discovering places — and people — who live and breathe plants. One such gem is Architectural Plants, a truly extraordinary nursery in West Sussex that specialises in statement trees, topiary, palms, and bold, sculptural specimens. But there’s so much more to them than stunning plants — they offer a full suite of services and a deeply rooted ethos that makes them more than just a nursery.