Jun 06, 2026

Tea and Toast with Diana Yates

Diana Yates is an ex corporate COO turned soft furnishings maker, avid gardener and homemaker. She recently downsized from a former manse to a charming cottage in the hills and is in the process of making the house and garden her own. In 2023, Harper Collins published her first book, Growing at Greenfields. When not making bespoke soft furnishings for local and international clients, she writes a monthly column for Country Home & Interiors magazine.

Tea or Coffee? Tea

Marmalade or Jam? Jam

Owl or Lark? Owl

Book or Newspaper? Book

Pyjamas or Nightshirt? PJ’s

What do simple pleasures mean to you? After leading a rather frantic and fast paced life in the corporate world for many years, these days I aim to fill my time with simple pleasures, or rather to find pleasure in the simple things. Whether that’s savouring my first cup of tea in the quiet before anyone else is stirring, or spending a leisurely hour in the greenhouse tending to plants and soaking up the sights and sounds of the garden, I value these moments deeply. I also love to immerse myself in a project, whether it’s sewing or something DIY related. I get a great deal of enjoyment from making things for my home, and from homemaking in general.

How would you spend your ideal slow Summer weekend? In the garden with my nearest and dearest, soaking up the warmth and each other’s company, having a long and leisurely dinner and a walk in the hills with the dogs.

If you have guests coming to stay, what would you make them for breakfast? My husband is the breakfast champion and makes the best scrambled eggs, which we seem to always offer to guests. I, on the other hand, take care of the extras, like a fresh homemade sourdough loaf and jam, Greek yoghurt, and fresh fruit. I think when it comes to hosting, giving your guests a bit of choice is the real luxury.

How can we create moments of calm in our daily lives and what does rest look like for you? I’m notoriously bad at giving myself time to rest, but it’s something I’m really trying to prioritise this year. My calmer moments usually involve dipping into my newly created analogue basket, essentially a digital free hobby basket filled with things like my sewing sampler, a watercolour practice book and paints, my latest read, and my commonplace journal. Spending time with any one of these helps me slow down and focus on just one thing, which clears my mind for a while, and helps me to reset.

What helps you get a better night’s sleep? A leisurely soak in the tub beforehand, a luxurious magnesium infused body butter, freshly laundered PJs and the cool side of my pillow.

What are your top tips for creating a relaxing bedroom? Lately, I’ve been enjoying winding down to music for a little while before bed. Slipping into fresh bedsheets, along with a final cup of tea to gently ease me off to sleep.

We love seeing you in your Summer house, tending to your seedlings, what are you currently growing? This year, in the greenhouse, I’m focusing on melons, lemons, and pelargoniums, enjoying the process of tending to them and learning more about them as they grow. Alongside these, I’m keeping up with the usual staples of tomatoes, cucumbers, chillies, and a variety of herbs. There’s something deeply satisfying about moving between seedlings and established plants, checking on their progress and quietly watching everything come to life over the season.

What’s your favourite garden to visit? Floors Castle in the Scottish Borders is, by far, my favourite garden to visit in any season, a place that holds so many cherished memories of time spent there with my husband and children, wandering the gardens and enjoying the changing beauty of the grounds throughout the year.

What are your favourite sustainable lifestyle swaps? A fairly new one for me is washable make up remover pads in place of cotton pads.

Finally, what’s your favourite Sian Esther piece? The green striped scalloped set has quickly become a new favourite of mine, so much so that I’ve been known to keep them on all day.