Helen Nugent

2 weeks ago | northernsoul.me.uk | Helen Nugent

I moved house earlier this year. While my new place is what estate agents euphemistically refer to as ‘a fixer-upper’, in reality it’s a bungalow built in 1988 which has remained largely the same since its inception. While the untouched decor should scream 80s primary colours and funky furniture, what I actually have feels like a 70s throwback. When I saw the pull-down ceiling light in the dining room, I realised I was living in Abigail’s Party.

2 weeks ago | northernsoul.me.uk | Helen Nugent

When you move house, especially during winter, the garden is full of surprises. What is lurking beneath the soil? What will poke its head out in spring? Will there be summer colour? I’ll be honest, I wasn’t optimistic about my new northern plot. Much of it consists of lawn, trimmed with narrow borders that, back in February, looked lacklustre and unlikely to put on a show once summer came around. Months later, my initial synopsis has proved broadly accurate, but there have been a few revelations.

1 month ago | northernsoul.me.uk | Helen Nugent

Up beyond the old Lancashire mill towns of Nelson and Barrowford is a simple single-storey clubhouse. It is an extraordinary survivor, the last Clarion House of its kind in Britain, part of an important social movement which swept the North of England (and particularly Lancashire and Yorkshire) at the end of the 19th century. This was a time when working people had a new opportunity to escape their densely-packed towns and cities at weekends and get out to the countryside.

1 month ago | northernsoul.me.uk | Helen Nugent

When I told my aunt that I was interviewing Adam Frost, she was very excited. “Ask him if he’ll come and live in my garden shed,” she said. This wasn’t on my list of questions but I understood her enthusiasm. The BBC Gardeners’ World presenter has a large and devoted fan base who admire his award-winning show gardens, books, and ability to convey a passion for horticulture to amateurs and professionals alike. Add in Frost’s easy demeanour and cheeky-chappie grin, and, well, you heard my aunt.

1 month ago | northernsoul.me.uk | Helen Nugent

Moving house is a bag of mixed emotions. There’s the anticipation of a fresh start, the lure of unfamiliar surroundings, and a chance to make your mark on a new home. But if you loved your previous place and, like me, spent time and money shaping and nurturing it, moving is a bittersweet experience. And while you can pack up your belongings, taking the garden with you is not so easy. In many ways, I’m a victim of my own success.