Quality peat-free compost doesn’t need to come out of a bag, and it certainly isn’t sterile and sanitised. It’s time to rip up the rule book. My idea of an adventure doesn’t require me to jet off on some adrenaline-fuelled, round-the-planet jaunt. Although I’m inherently curious – I love exploring new places – I don’t […]
Today Hartley Botanic received a very special RHS medal for their first ever show garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Winning any medal is great, but the garden designed by Catherine MacDonald was deemed to be special enough for silver gilt, just one notch down from a gold! The garden features Opus, a newly […]
Water conservation and water-saving garden solutions have a creative edge in the Coachella Valley of south California, and in Palm Springs sheets of glass reflecting sheets of water give a refreshing fresh sparkle to arid gardens. Three months and two trips to California, from one destination south, to one north (which you can read about […]
It’s an important summer season for Hartley Botanic! They have been regular exhibitors at the most important flower show in the world, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, for decades, but 2016 will be their very 1st foray onto Main Avenue with a full show garden. The garden has been designed by the very talented Catherine […]
Sometimes I imagine the perfect potting bench. It’s inside a conservatory, of course, so I can pot up my imaginary rare orchids all year round. It has ample space to work, a bin for my own special blend of potting mix—oh, wait, I’ll need a separate bin for orchid mix too. There’s a handy faucet […]
When it comes to fruit and flower production, pollinating insects are major players. The act of pollination inside a greenhouse may require the introduction of bumble bees or the use of equipment that mimics the bees’ wing vibrations. However, outside in your garden you can attract pollinating insects by simply growing the plants that will […]
Growing potatoes in your greenhouse may not seem very exciting or even particularly worthwhile. After all, you can buy a bag of spuds for a few dollars. But imagine growing high-value fingerlings such as Russian Banana, Rose Finn, or Blossom. These can be hard to find in a grocery store, especially during winter. And they […]
I recently wrote that for a glasshouse watercress was the most nutritious crop you could grow, and that still stands. However the huge productive capacity under cover can be more efficiently harnessed to produce even more healthy nutrition. And a very succulent, delicious and tasty increase this is; from growing baby salad leaves. You see […]
