Hartley Magazine

All the latest news, hints, tips and advice from our experts

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History Under Glass

The very first glasshouses were not entirely made of glass. That is, their construction did not entail four walls that consisted primarily of glass. But they were surprisingly large, and designed for a specific purpose—the storage of container-grown citrus trees in winter. In Italy these “limonaia” (related to the “orangerie” later developed in France) had […]

Written in United Kingdom

Raymond Blanc to launch new glass house at RHS Chelsea 2014

Raymond Blanc OBE is proud to ‘open’ the Hartley Botanic Westminster Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show Stand TR1 On Monday 19 May, Raymond Blanc OBE will join his friends from Hartley Botanic to officially open their garden at the Chelsea Flower Show, Stand TR1. The highlight of the garden will be a showcase of […]

GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK – Designing gardens with BLING!

Walking into any well-stocked GLASSHOUSE feels like stepping into a world of green. Quickly, your eye will pick out the exceptions to that green — pink orchids, red begonias. But the green background is what provides the overall sense of life in the greenhouse and makes the colors stand out. The same applies in a […]

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On the Hunt for Rare and Unusual Plants

Dan Hinkley’s suggestions turn gardeners into plant hunters  Any plant Dan Hinkley likes, I want. And I’m not alone. When this world-class plant explorer spoke at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show on “Dan Hinkley’s Favorite 25 Plants,” the room was packed. As he reeled off the names of his choices, Dan never outlined cultivation […]

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Greenhouses captivate artists through the ages by Leeann Lavin

Leeann Lavin is a writer and blogger based in New York, her company Duchess Gardens has award winning, international experience of designing and implementing unique and creative custom garden designs. Leeann has also had publishing success with her book “The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook”, which shows off her passion for home grown cuisine […]

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In the Pink –Spring’s Arrival in New England

As part of an annual tradition at Smith College, in Northampton, Massachusetts, rooted ivy cuttings are distributed to each incoming first year student–just one indicator of the botanic leanings of this prestigious women’s college. With late winter’s days lengthening, Smith’s Lyman Conservatory– one of the few remaining plant conservatories in the United States built in […]

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Heating Your Orchid Greenhouse and other Considerations, by Roger Marshall

Having decided what species of orchid you want, you need to consider how to heat your greenhouse. Many orchids have an aversion to the byproducts of propane or natural gas heaters, so this aversion limits the options in designing a heating system. In my opinion, the best way to heat an orchid greenhouse is with […]

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Five Great Trees—these choice arboreal show-stoppers won’t outgrow their welcome

With trees, size matters. Sometimes towering behemoths block light to gardens and greenhouses. Pruning with a chainsaw may be the only option. Or sometimes a lack of trees results in homes and outbuildings bereft of unifying plantings.  In both cases, the best garden design strategy—plant the right-sized trees now. I talked with Nancy Buley, Communications […]