Hartley Magazine

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

Gardens ‘can counter climate change’

Gardens can be used to counter the impact of climate change, particularly for people who live in built-up urban areas. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) notes that this will be a generally positive trend for city landscapes. In order to raise awareness of this, the gardening charity is hosting an Environment exhibit at its forthcoming […]

Take inspiration from Flower Show gardens

There are plenty of places gardeners can look to take inspiration on how to give their outdoor space a distinctive edge. Events such as competitions are a prime example, as there are often a lot of unusual design and arrangement ideas on display. With the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show set to take place […]

Make the Most of your Garden Show Experience— Sunset Garden Editor Kathleen Brenzel tells how

“Every garden starts with inspiration, and you can find lots of inspired ideas at garden shows,” says Kathleen Norris Brenzel, editor of the just-published ninth edition of The New Sunset Western Garden Book. She should know. As Sunset Magazine’s Garden Editor, Kathleen has judged countless show display gardens and presented many excellent talks on the […]

Why not grow orchids in a glasshouse?

Glasshouse owners could follow the lead of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in the UK and take advantage of the hot green space to nurture plants that may not grow as successfully in outdoor conditions. The orchid is one example of such a flower and the RHS will be celebrating it with an event entitled […]

Gardeners ‘need to be consciously eco-friendly

Gardening is not an environmentally friendly activity by default, according to new research from the University of Reading, the University of Sheffield and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). Instead, the environment is something green-fingered individuals need to consciously take into account in order to reduce producing excess greenhouse gas emissions. Indeed, many staples of the […]

Watering ‘is not the only gardening solution to dry conditions’

Gardeners are advised to turn to a wide range of solutions when dealing with dry conditions. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) claimed it receives a great deal of enquiries expressing concern that they will be forced to deal with this situation more and more often as a result of issues relating to climate change. However, […]

People ‘are drawn to gardens by their DNA’

There is something in people's DNA that means they are hard-wired to be drawn to gardens, according to master gardener Gloria Kupferman. In an article for The Wenatchee World, she suggested a "fascination with the gift of flowers goes back to the beginning of life in the Garden of Eden, where love began". The expert […]

Landscape for Privacy— Marty Wingate shows how to plan now for next summer’s garden sanctuary

Have you ever wished your garden could feel more like a private hideaway? Perhaps your outdoor space has yet to be defined, or maybe the neighbors just added a second story that overlooks your back yard. Because winter is the best planning time for summer projects, this month I talk with Seattle garden writer Marty […]