Most gardeners have an ideal image of springtime: one sunny day after another, each slightly warmer than the one before, coaxing the crocuses and daffodils and perennials out of the ground in exactly the order promised in the catalog. There’s an occasional light rain, just to keep things moist—but never on the weekend. Needless to […]
Protein is an important part of our diet, but many people rarely consider plants as a good source of protein. That’s a shame, because plants can be a great source of protein and if you grow a variety of plants for seed, grains, fruits and nuts you can actually grow a lot of protein in […]
For a number of years, I’ve grown lettuce in plastic gutters in my greenhouse. The installation is simple: Each ten-foot-long gutter hangs from brackets on a greenhouse wall, with one end four inches lower than the other. I fill the gutters with clay pellets to give the plant roots something to grip. A fish-tank pump […]
Stop trying to control your garden, start letting nature take the lead, then sit back and watch the benefits to people, plants and planet. Fast-moving feathered flashes of black, white and red, amid a flurry of sawdust, to the tap-tap-tap of beak on wood: it isn’t what we usually wake up to here. Blue, great […]
A Hartley Botanic greenhouse is not only a joy to behold, it’s also a useful gardening tool because it creates an ambient environment that encourages plant growth. And if you live where I live, in the aptly named village of Cold Aston, it’s a necessity for it’s parky up here! My greenhouse began life with […]
It’s time for flower festivals! These once-a-year celebrations allow gardeners to pick up rare and unusual plants, just at the moment when they really look good. And here comes the Peony and Bamboo Festival, on April 22 and 23, at the Seattle Chinese Garden. This month I’m talking with Phil Wood, owner of Phil Wood […]
The Queensland Umbrella tree, Schefflera is an evergreen greenhouse or conservatory shrub come small tree distantly related to ivy. Given good conditions a plant under cover may flower and berry though it’s for the somewhat hand shaped and handsome foliage this is cultivated. Originally from Australasia these distinctive ornamental shrubs have proved popular in subtropical […]
This competition is now closed. Thank you to all who entered. Our winner was Janet Clegg of Leeds, West Yorkshire. Do you love luscious plants, beautiful flowers and all things gardening? Then I imagine you might like to attend the prestigious, world-renowned RHS Chelsea Flower Show. If so, today could be your lucky day! […]
Now’s the time to repot or ‘top dress’ and spring clean houseplants. They can last for 2-3 years before repotting but it pays to check annually. Knock your plants from the pot, to see if they are ‘pot bound’ – soaking the root-ball for half an hour in tepid water makes it easier to remove […]
