You only have to turn on the TV or open a weekend supplement to see that men often dominate the headlines when it comes to food – but not necessarily in our neck of the woods! Sarah de Souza didn’t have to do much scouting around to find numerous local women who have started businesses or initiatives in the food industry with incredibly successful results. Ever since Keith Floyd first found fame on TV in the 1980s, we as a nation have enjoyed watching chefs on TV, perhaps now more than ever, with the likes of Gordon Ramsay having tantrum after hissy fit, Heston Blumenthal performing his cocktail…

Gardening Goddess, Pat Fox, plots a New Year plan for enhancing life outdoors. Should I be planning projects or simply buying products to enhance my garden? Jan Tuck, 64, Harlow What should I concentrate on doing in the garden to add value to my home? Laura Dolby, 49, Dane End The most important question to answer when investing time and money in your garden is ‘How long are we going to live here?’ We ask our clients the very same one before commencing any design work. If, for example, you hope to move on in two years, you should focus…

Mwaah's garden goddess Pat Fox shows how a modern house in Old Harlow works well with highly stylised garden that has dramatically ditched the lawn in favour of a stunning water feature. This garden is in Old Harlow and adjoins a house that is about ten years old. We’ve been rather radical and got rid of the lawn completely, worth considering if you are short on space. People often keep their lawn when their garden might work so much better without it. I am not advocating all lawns should go, but do you really wish to keep it – after…