Hartley Magazine

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

Written in United Kingdom

Is it worth growing strawberries?

Strawberries are possibly the plant, or fruit that just about everybody wants to grow. And with the extortionate price of these fruits in the shops and the deliciousness of these rich red fruits, it’s no wonder that everyone wants to grow them. When a bowl of strawberries at Wimbledon contains a handful of fruit (usually […]

Written in United Kingdom

Local School benefits by auctioning a Patio Glasshouse

St Mary’s C of E Primary School, in our Village recently held their Summer Festival. Bigger and better than ever for 2017 there were many wonderful stalls and entertainment throughout the day. Food and drink was in plentiful supply and everyone had a great time. Despite the ever unpredictable weather the event raised over £6,500. […]

Designing Conservatory “Living” Rooms

Conservatories offer all sorts of opportunities to open up your home to the outdoors while at the same time letting you and your plants live in comfort. The newest addition to the Hartley Botanic range of glasshouses is the stylish ‘Opus’. Its clean lines and walls of glass speak of mid-century modern style so very […]

Written in United Kingdom

Pesticide roulette

New research confirms that ‘perfect for pollinators’ plants can contain potentially toxic pesticides – so what can gardeners do about it, and how can we improve the odds for insects? A year ago I interviewed Dave Goulson, Professor of Biology at Sussex University, about his six-year study into the effects of pesticides, particularly neonicotinoids or […]

Written in United Kingdom

How to Grow Agapanthus

True-blue is an evening star because it glows as night falls. I’m not talking cottage-garden, wishy-washy, ‘so-called blues’ in shades that hover between mauve, lavender and grey. Many campanulas, lavenders and hardy geraniums, for instance, come in these softer colours but tend to look a milky grey in evening light. Radiant blues, on the other […]

Written in United Kingdom

James Alexander Sinclair Writes About Horatio’s Garden, Glasgow

Over the years I have made a lot of gardens in many parts of the world. They have embraced all sorts of styles and situations from the very formal, to the wildly unkempt from the classical to the modern. However, I think I confidently say that the garden we have made for Horatio in Scotland […]

BRIDAL BOUQUETS THAT ARE A KNOCKOUT

Greenhouse flowers and May go together like love and marriage in June…for bridal bouquets and wedding décor. It’s a chance to push the envelope and combine traditional and modern approaches to create memorable floral moments. You’ve heard about the wedding photographer’s stylist who grabbed up a table centerpiece for the model to hold, and with […]