With Britain blooming during lockdown, we have lavished attention on the green spaces around us and found our gardens and window boxes to be a horticultural haven.

Sisters Steph and Ali Mills are the green-fingered ‘keepers’ of Ginger House Garden where they grow and harvest a wealth of beautiful, seasonal fresh flowers and foliage. Part of a move away from mass imported flowers towards homegrown, seasonal British blooms, their flower fields are the centre of their smallholding on the English/Scottish border. With the Cheviot Hills on one side and the Tweed Valley on the other, there’s inspiration from the natural world all around. We chatted to Steph and Ali for the first issue of Chronicles, our C&C magazine.

Ginger House Garden carry freshly picked and homegrown pink flowers in Northumberland.

Ginger House Garden prepare for a flower arranging class in a Crabtree & Crabtree holiday home.

Silver buckets of freshly picked flowers here at Ginger House Garden in Northumberland.

The day brings...
No day is the same at Ginger House Garden. We do the whole process of growing the flowers, from seed to vase, so every day is varied. Some days are in the field, others might be prepping for weddings, dealing with florists, running a workshop, or might be spent selling at a farmer’s market at Kelso or Morpeth. We love that every day is different, as long as we have time to escape to walk the dog!

We escape to...
Cheswick Beach – slightly off the tourist trail, you can quite often have the whole beach to yourself and not see another soul!

We take people to...
The Hirsel Estate, Coldstream, which is especially beautiful in the spring and early summer time with the abundance of bulbs. The snowdrops start the procession off, followed by crocuses, then golden daffodils and then the bluebells.

We're charmed by...
Belsay Hall and Gardens, a place that has enchanted us since we first visited on our holidays. We moved to Horncliffe in July 2016 from Lancashire, we have always been in love with Northumberland/Scottish Borders having holidayed here most years for over twenty years. The Grecian mansion, the enchanting gardens and ruined medieval castle all carry their own charms.

We feast on...
Breakfast at Carnaby’s, Ellingham, coffee and cake at Pilgrims, Holy Island. Lunch at The Jolly Fisherman, Craster and an ice cream from Milk  Bar, Wooler. We also love the fabulous Foreman’s butchers in Norham who not only have the best meat but are amazing at supplying us with pheasant feathers from the local shoots during the game season.  We use the feathers in our Christmas wreaths and decorations. Polly the cockapoo is also rather partial to Mr Foreman’s sausages!

We get a buzz from...
Sunsets on Bamburgh Beach and going out stargazing; we have the most glorious night skies.

The region means to us...
Uniqueness. There aren’t many places that have it all, the stunning Northumberland coastline and countryside and the historic towns of the Borders. The region is built on history and traditions, whether they be farming, fishing, shooting and so on.  That makes it a special place to live. You truly feel part of something.

Ginger House Garden picking fresh flowers in a flower field in Northumberland, England. Pink, purple, yellow and orange flowers.

A floral display in a white vase. Try flower arranging on holiday with Crabtree & Crabtree in Northumberland.

The flower fields in the English countryside at Ginger House Garden in Northumberland, England.

Bringing blooms to life

If you’d like to dip into the wonderful world of floristry, the ladies at Ginger House Garden offer exclusive workshops in holiday homes and at their flower farm in Horncliffe. Workshops include wreath making, bouquet masterclasses, vessel arrangements and more. Find out more on their website.