A load of rot!

Amanda has already covered the practical stuff, so let me briefly concur; yes, it's a beautiful notebook, and no, I can't imagine wanting to bury my words either. But it's still terrific idea, and I shall endeavour to explain why.

Firstly, and I'm sorry to introduce a sombre point so early on, but one day you won't be around any more and some poor soul will have to go through your stuff and do some extreme decluttering. It's a sad chore and there may as well be some joy in it. How about leaving some plant-able marigold and wildflower seeds in a biodegradable notebook cover? A few petals go a very long way.

The blooms depicted in this review are just those found in an unkempt 'English country garden', incidentally - one would have to have very green thumbs to grow flowers from a notebook in two days while testing said notebook itself. But you get the general idea; it's happy out in nature and looks the part. If you do decide to take the plunge and try growing seeds, beware the manufacturer's suggestion of planting at an ambient temperature of 72°; that temperature at Celsius would cook your seeds rather than lead to germination, and quite probably bump you off for good measure. They probably mean Fahrenheit, or at least I really hope so; about 22°C is more realistic.

Aside from its potentially florid long-term state, this is a lovely notebook for use in the here and now, not least as a result of Nomad's typically eccentric use of a different paper on every sheet. I know, bonkers, isn't it? But it works, because every time you turn the page it feels like picking up a different notebook, and many of the background prints include subtle hints to get out into the garden - which is the best place for fresh thinking, especially when there's a lock-down on.

As it happens, it can handle a spot of horticultural graphite too - that being a pencil held by someone who gardens, of course.

I'm not going to try to persuade you that this is the perfect notebook for the boardroom - but it is, without much doubt, the antithesis to that. Experiencing writer's block? Here's part of a cure!