Country Living, Cosy Interiors and Life with Animals, a Q&A with Gemma Leese

Ever dreamed of the peaceful country life, being surrounded by animals and nature? We sat down with Gemma, who turned this dream into a reality!

In our Q&A Gemma shares how gardening became a passion, and her best tips for keeping a busy country home clean (without stressing over a little mud and pet hair!). Plus, she reveals some hilarious farmyard antics—like the time her pygmy goat, Merry, decided to take a rooftop adventure!

So, whether you’re a fellow countryside enthusiast, a new gardener looking for inspiration, or just curious about what it’s really like to live with a house full of Spaniels, goats, and ducks, you won’t want to miss this conversation.

Keep reading for a glimpse into Gemma’s wonderfully wild country life!

1.     What’s your first memory of being around animals? 

 I have loved animals for as long as I can remember.  There isn’t one specific memory or animal that sparked this – I have always found that they bring so much joy and can make you feel at peace.

2.     What inspired you to start gardening? Was there a person or experience that introduced you to it?

 My Grandad loved gardening and kept an allotment, I loved seeing the satisfaction he felt in watching things that he planted come to life.  I didn’t start gardening myself until 2018 – that was a challenging year for me, along with support from my doctor and therapy, gardening was one of the biggest contributors in helping me to recover.  Gardening has been one of the most positive impacts on my mental health and something I can’t recommend enough! 

3.     What’s your favourite season of the year, and why?

 Before my delve into gardening, Autumn/Winter were always my favourite seasons.  Since spending more time gardening and generally adopting a more mindful and slower pace of life, I appreciate all seasons and how they are all different. Take January/February for example, pre-gardening I found this time of year would drag, but now I look forward to January and February.  It’s a time to rest, refresh and plan ready for a busy year in the garden and on our small holding.

4.     Which animals are the most mischievous, and what kind of trouble do they get up to?

 LOL! We seem to own a lot of mischievous animals, from naughty Shetland ponies to two very mischievous pygmy goats & five cute but cheeky sheep!  The most mischievous moments involve the goats!  One of the standout moments was Merry (one of our Pygmy goats) jumping onto the roof of our then 10 ft high brick stables and refusing to come down. He had a great time up there, but I wasn’t having a great time while he was up there! 

 Another memory was when the goats opened the door to our duck enclosure and chased out all our poor little call ducks! Or the time they demolished their way into our old shed!

5.     How do you keep dirt and debris from the farm out of the house? Do you use entry mats, shoe racks, or other cleaning methods?

 We just use entry mats.  We are in and out so many times throughout the day (in all weathers) that we don’t have time to worry too much about bringing in dirt to the boot room.  As a rule, we take our wellies off outside the back door but occasionally when we are in a rush or forget something we will come inside in muddy wellies.  The dogs (& other animals) are constantly in & out, too, so having good entry mats is very important to us.

6.     Do you have any pets or animals that live inside your house? How do you manage pet hair, dirt?

 We have 3 cocker spaniels that live inside – we have tiled floors in the boot room & kitchen which is helpful when they are rushing in & out with muddy feet.  We have always used Hug Rug mats to help combat this, they are so good & it’s great that they can just be popped into the washing machine.  We have a couple of sets so that when one is in the wash, we don’t need to wait for them to dry.  We also love the fact that they are made in the UK, and from recycled materials – generally great all round!

7.     If you had to pick who would be your favourite animal or is it too hard to choose like having a child?

 It is hard to choose a favourite – each have their own different characteristics & personalities.  I think you can feel a closer bond/connection with certain animals.  

8.     What tips could you give to keeping your home clean when you have such a busy house?

 My biggest tip is to not be too precious about keeping the house ‘clean’!  If you like a spotless house, I’m not sure this lifestyle would work.  With our way of life, mud & animal hair are constants and we try to manage and stay on top of things the best that we can.  A quick & regular hoover of our Hug Rug mats in the boot room & kitchen, and then a quick mop of the floors makes such a difference.  Trying to just fit in a quick 10 or 15 minutes a day isn’t too daunting and helps to keep on top of things in-between a deeper clean. 

9.     How did you discover Hug Rug and which is your favourite design?

 My mum uses Hug Rugs and so we’ve used them ever since we got our first house.  I love Hug Rug designs, but my favourite design was one of our first, which we've had for years - it was cream with a dark grey dog pattern on it.  One of my favourite pictures is of our Spaniel, Oscar (who is sadly no longer with us) sat on the mat in our old boot room.

10.  Who loves the Hug rug the most, and who remembers to always wipe their paws/hooves?

 Winston, one of our Spaniels is particularly fond of the mats in the kitchen! He loves to curl up on them while we are cooking.

11.  What are some key tips for growing vegetables successfully, especially for someone new to gardening?

 Just give it a try! There is so much information out there, a lot of which is telling you to do this and do that, and that you have to do it in a certain way. I think sometimes it can all feel too complicated or scary to even try! It’s easy to be worried that it will go wrong! But just buy a packet of seeds and give it a go, if it doesn’t work, try again next year. 

12.  What’s your favourite and easiest vegetable to grow.

 I think the ‘easiest’ depends on you individually…for example, I have yet to successfully grow cress, despite it apparently being easy & suitable for children to grow (I’m about to turn 40!!).  In our first year of trying (back in 2018) we successfully grew a batch of pumpkins & squash - all in pots (as at that point we didn’t have a vegetable garden so were growing them in big pots on our drive. They took over the drive!).  Our favourite vegetable to grow now is probably Beetroot.

13.  Are there any tricks or hacks you've learned to keep the house clean that might surprise others?

 Not so much tricks or hacks, but we swapped out using harsh cleaning products and instead follow & make Nancy Birtwhistle recipes.  It has saved us money buying lots of different cleaning products and is also better for the environment.

From mischievous farm animals to the joys of gardening and country living, @Gemma_Leese has shared a wonderful glimpse into her world. Her love for nature, animals, and home life comes through in every story.

What was your favorite part of the Q&A? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to follow @Gemma_Leese for more countryside charm!

 

*all images credit to @gemma_leese.