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Ahh, Tree Echiums or as I clearly like to call them ‘Giant Echiums’, which of course they are! The problem with growing them on the south coast of England is that they live on the very edge of where they can survive. This means that a harsh winter here can really damage them. So in order to survive into the following season they will need some frost protection – which creates its own problem. When left hidden under cover, it is possible that caterpillars are in there too meaning that they can happily munch on the succulent new growth throughout the winter leaving you with a damaged, poor quality specimen come the spring! No at first sight your specimen my look absolutely fine, and of course these plants really want to grow so will happily produce luxurious side shoots as soon as the weather improves. The problem is that these side shoots are always weakly connected to the main branch. So as they grow upwards to produce the flower spike they will not be able to hold themselves in strong

Eastern Europe and the Baltics are places left undiscovered to many travellers. The lands of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc were, for many years, difficult to access for many tourists. Even if you were permitted entry, you were likely to be watched strictly by government assigned tour guides. Those days, however, are long gone. Today thousands of people visit these fascinating countries every year. Look below for some tips on the major cities of this fascinating part of the world. Moscow Perhaps more than any other city in the region, Moscow is a place that inspires awe in the hearts and minds of people around the world. Once the centre of the Muscovite aristocracy, then the centre point of the Russian Empire, and latterly the capital of global communism, Moscow is a truly fascinating place. Like many metropolises, Moscow can cause shock and wonder in equal measure. A note for when you are travelling to parts of the world that you are unfamiliar with, such as Russia: money tr

Audi’s Q4 e-tron is a battery-electric compact premium crossover SUV based on Volkswagen Group’s electric MEB platform and the fourth fully electric model in the brand’s e-tron series, writes Trish Whelan. It is offered as an all-rounder and family car and, as the model number suggests, sits between the brand’s smaller Q3 and larger Q5 model. Its length of 4.58m is slightly shorter than that of the Audi Q5 although Audi say it offers comparable interior space.  Two body styles are offered — the SUV version and a Sportback model. Both have the same length and width at 4588mm and 1865mm respectively but the SUV is slightly higher than the Sportback. By comparison the VW ID.5 from the Volkswagen Group is slightly longer but not as wide or as high as the Q4 e-tron but that said, there’s not much difference really. Other cars of a similar size include the Nissan Ariya, Mercedes-Benz GLB SUV, and Skoda Enyaq iV.  The car’s high front is dominated by the big black grill with the brand’s four-

Readers, please join me welcoming Kelly Gay , author of The Better Part of Darkness who’s guest blogging here today! This book is an electrifying debut urban fantasy that introduces readers to Charlie Madigan, who Jenna Black (bestselling author of the Morgan Kingsley series) describes as “the epitome of the modern kick-butt heroine!” Synopsis – Charlie Madigan is a divorced mother of one, and a kick-ass cop trained to take down the toughest human and off-world criminals. But now an insidious new danger is descending on her city with terrifying speed, threatening innocent lives: a deadly, off-world narcotic known as ash. Charlie is determined to uncover the source of ash before it targets another victim — but can she protect those she loves from a force more powerful than heaven and hell combined? And now, here’s Kelly herself – Welcome, dear author! When I was asked to write a holiday guest post for A Book Blogger’s Diary, I was thrilled. (Thank you!) 🙂 Being an urban fantasy aut