Unveiling "The Growers": A Little About Us & What We Stand For

Thank you for stopping by—and a warm welcome to The Fleur Kitchen.

We’re Joanne and Ashley, the faces behind this space. In 2022, we took on a rather unloved allotment tucked away in the beautiful Lake District. What began as a bit of an overgrown project has turned into something that’s completely changed our lives.

Before the allotment, everything we grew lived in pots—squeezed into the corners of our paved back garden. For me (Joanne), growing food became more than just a hobby. I’ve spent the past ten years managing an autoimmune condition, one that’s triggered by what I eat. That meant saying goodbye to additives, preservatives, artificial flavourings, and all those hidden extras we now know as ultra-processed foods. It wasn’t easy—in fact, it was overwhelming at times.

But growing our own food gave me something back: control over what I was feeding myself and my family. And from that, a quiet passion began to grow.

These days, as a family, we produce a good share of our own fruit, veg, herbs, and edible flowers. We preserve as much as we can—drying, fermenting, pickling, freezing—always trying to use every part of what we grow. From homemade stock powders to milling our own flour for bread, what started as a necessity has become a way of life.

I also discovered a love I never expected: herbal and floral teas. Learning about the uses of what we were growing quickly became a bit of an obsession (the good kind!). Before I knew it, I’d picked up a surprising amount of knowledge.

That’s when I joined a Facebook group focused on reducing ultra-processed foods. I was asked to start sharing recipes, tips on dehydrating, and ideas for living a little more simply. That group now has over 72,000 members—and I’m still an active part of it.

It was there I realised something important: people really do want to get back to basics. They want to live better, eat cleaner, and grow their own, even if it’s just a few pots on a balcony. That’s what inspired us to start our own community. Our Facebook group, The Fleur Kitchen, is now a space where we share knowledge, encouragement, and honest moments—from bumper harvests to complete disasters. (We’ve all had them!)

The group is run by a small team of wonderful volunteers, each bringing something unique. One of them is Gemma, a skilled forager who runs courses across Northumberland under The Cramlington Forager. Her knowledge of wild food is incredible, and her workshops are well worth a look. You can read more about Gemma here.

The rest of the admin team are experienced growers with over 40 years of combined growing know-how between them—and they’re always happy to share advice, ideas, or just a bit of encouragement when things don’t go to plan.

So wherever you’re starting from, we hope you’ll join us. Whether you're planting your first seeds or pulling your hundredth spud, there's space here for you. We’ll be cheering you on, offering support (and commiserations when slugs strike), and helping you figure out how to cook, preserve, and celebrate everything you grow.

You're never doing this alone.