Jean Vernon extols the virtues of the winter evergreens holly and ivy explores some of the myths and legends that relate to some of these seasonal plants. Despite the cold, wet and frosty weather that accompanies winter, there are many beautiful plants that perform during this time to provide essential colour and interest in the […]
Until plastic started washing up on our beaches and hitting the television screens with heart wrenching scenes of wildlife entangled in rubbish, plastic was fantastic. In many ways it still is fantastic, it’s not really the plastic that’s the problem, its what we do with it and how we dispose of it. For such a […]
The news is full of stories of invading ladybirds riddled with sexually transmitted disease, spiders with venomous bites and robotic bees. Is it time we just managed without insects asks Jean Vernon? What is the point of insects? What do they do? They bite or sting. They spread diseases. They eat our food. Can’t we […]
We all want to do our bit for reducing what we send to landfill and recycling as much as we can. Transforming our kitchen (and some garden) waste into a rich soil conditioner ticks so many boxes for eco warriors and natural gardeners, but it’s rare to find the right information so that you select […]
Jean Vernon defends gardeners against the summertime accusation of wasting water We’ve had a lovely spell of hot weather this summer, which in some areas has led to a hosepipe ban and as usual the finger of blame, is pointed at the gardener. Well I beg to differ. I disagree strongly and I want to […]
When you are looking to buy a greenhouse you need to do your research very carefully, where better to see a glasshouse in the flesh than an RHS Flower Show, says Jean Vernon Buying a glasshouse is usually a once in a lifetime investment. It’s really important that you can see some of the options […]
Jean Vernon explains the June Drop phenomenon, what it means and what to do June can be a strange month in our gardens. While the garden is burgeoning with lush vegetation in the moist warm weather, something very strange is happening on our fruit trees. Particularly the apples. If you watch your apple trees carefully […]
There’s a lot of unnecessary myth and magic about making garden compost says Jean Vernon First let’s unravel the confusion between the compost that you buy in bags for container plants and growing seeds. This, the trade, is called growing medium and is basically specially formulated to a precise recipe with a variety of ingredients, […]
Jean Vernon explores the wonder of seeds. Growing plants from seeds is one of the most satisfying parts of being a gardener. It’s sometimes surrounded in mystery and perceived as something difficult, but take a look in nature, any bare patch of soil and you will see that seeds germinate outside all of the time. […]
At the start of the New Year gardeners and greenhouse owners keep a close eye on nature’s clock. As the sun rises and sets to create a few extra minutes of daylight each and every day, so the sun returns to our gardens and gradually warms the soil. Every extra moment of daylight is a […]
Jean Vernon uncovers a few easy to grow perennial crops for your garden. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a few vegetable plants in the garden that grow year on year and don’t need sowing, planting and constant attention? Well you can. Just like your raspberries and strawberries that get better and better as time […]
Whether you have a tiny garden, balcony or patio or a larger garden plot if you like eating blueberries you’d be mad not to grow them yourself. So in essence yes you can grow blueberries in your garden, regardless of the soil that you have. These plants are just wonderful to grow, perfect for pots […]
