Hello, and welcome. I’m Ines, and Fern is where I write about growing things: gardens, habits and small software. It’s a slightly odd mixture, but I’ve come to believe they’re all the same subject. In each case, you arrange the conditions, pay attention, and wait for something to happen on its own schedule.
What you’ll find here
Essays and practical notes, published every other Sunday. Some are about the garden: how to plant garlic, why compost smells, what to do with too many courgettes. Some are about habits that have stuck for me and a few that haven’t. Some are about the small programs I write for myself, and about why I think personal software deserves more love. And occasionally I write about a book that has stayed in my head.
How I work
I’ve gardened an allotment for about eight years, and I’ve written code for about twenty. I’m not an expert in either, in the sense of having a qualification or a title. I’m a keen amateur who keeps notes, makes plenty of mistakes, and enjoys passing on what’s worked. If I’m unsure about something, I’ll say so.
Letters from the plot
If you’d like new essays by email, you can subscribe at the bottom of any page. There’s no algorithm and no tracking, just a letter whenever one is ready. I read every reply, and I love hearing what’s growing in your world.
Thank you for being here. Now, go and look at something green.