{"id":130408,"date":"2020-05-28T11:12:33","date_gmt":"2020-05-28T10:12:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/?p=130408"},"modified":"2020-05-28T11:12:33","modified_gmt":"2020-05-28T10:12:33","slug":"gardening-blogger-spotlight-alison-levey-the-blackberry-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/blog\/gardening-blogger-spotlight-alison-levey-the-blackberry-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"Gardening Blogger Spotlight: Alison Levey, The Blackberry Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>\u2018What I enjoy most is writing about things in my garden that make me happy\u2019 \u2013 if you\u2019re lucky enough to have a garden to go to when you need some space, find out how to fill it with things that make you happy with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blackberrygarden.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Blackberry Garden<\/a>\u2019s Alison Levey.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Grab a good pair of secateurs and read on for Alison\u2019s gardening inspirations and some small things you can do at home to add colour to your own outside space \u2013 \u2018I think, at the moment, we need the joy that colour can bring\u2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">How did you originally get started with writing about gardening?<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nI have always enjoyed writing, from when I was very young. I started writing my blog nine years ago as I was starting to really develop the garden where I live now and also reading a lot of blogs through social media. One thing led to another&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-130416\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Alison-Levey-The-Blackberry-Garden.jpg\" alt=\"Alison Levey\" width=\"400\" height=\"430\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Alison-Levey-The-Blackberry-Garden.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Alison-Levey-The-Blackberry-Garden-279x300.jpg 279w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">What\u2019s your favourite thing to post about and why?<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nI only ever write about things I enjoy, but probably what I enjoy most is writing about things in my garden that make me happy.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">Have you had to change your approach to blogging during the COVID-19 crisis?<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nNo not really, though of course I am not attending any shows or visiting any gardens for the foreseeable future. I am talking about the COVID-19 crisis and the impact it has had on my gardening and on me, but otherwise it is important to keep on keeping on.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">What are some small things people can do to change up their gardens\/balcony planters\/windowsill flowers while on lockdown?<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nI would say add colour. This could be as simple as a flowering house plant or sowing some nasturtium seeds. I think, at the moment, we need colour and the joy that it can bring.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">For those just getting into gardening, which essential tools do they need for their kit?<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nA pair of good secateurs and a trowel are essential. I also use a Japanese weeding knife called a hori-hori which is one of the best multipurpose tools I have ever had. Add a watering can, spade and wheelbarrow and then you can do most things.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">Most beautiful outside space\/garden you\u2019ve ever seen?<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nThat is a very difficult one. My favourite outside space is the Gwyllt at Portmeirion. The most beautiful garden is too close to call. I am incredibly fond of Ulting Wick in Essex, Coton Manor in Northamptonshire and Great Dixter in East Sussex.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">What are your thoughts on garden gnomes \u2013 cute, or creepy?<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nI like a good gnome.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">How do you collaborate with brands and which kind of brands do you really like working with?<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nI have a good working relationship with several brands. I have a very positive approach to the work I do and so brands that provide good service and high-quality products are a natural fit for me.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">For PRs looking to work with you and your blog\/website, how would you prefer they approach you and with what kind of content?<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nEmail is usually best and there is also a contact form on the blog. I enjoy visiting new places and garden shows. I also like reviewing garden related products and books. It does have to have some link to gardening, but I am not precious on how tenuous the link may be. I do not accept third party content as I write the content for my blog.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">What other blogs do you check out regularly (whether gardening-related or not)?<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nI read quite a few blogs. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jackwallington.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jack Wallington<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/thecynicalgardener.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Cynical Gardener<\/a> always have good content. I also dabble in dressmaking, so I read dressmaking blogs as well.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/pr-software\/media-database\/?clid=promo_content_spotlights#get-pricing\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-111841\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database.jpg\" alt=\"Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database\" width=\"900\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database-300x142.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database-768x364.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database-705x334.jpg 705w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database-450x214.jpg 450w, https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database-500x237.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re lucky enough to have a garden, find out how to fill it with things that make you happy with The Blackberry Garden\u2019s Alison Levey. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":312,"featured_media":130412,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1449],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130408"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/312"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=130408"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130408\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":130413,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130408\/revisions\/130413"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/130412"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}