Hartley Magazine

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

GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK – Designing gardens with BLING!

Walking into any well-stocked GLASSHOUSE feels like stepping into a world of green. Quickly, your eye will pick out the exceptions to that green — pink orchids, red begonias. But the green background is what provides the overall sense of life in the greenhouse and makes the colors stand out. The same applies in a […]

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On the Hunt for Rare and Unusual Plants

Dan Hinkley’s suggestions turn gardeners into plant hunters  Any plant Dan Hinkley likes, I want. And I’m not alone. When this world-class plant explorer spoke at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show on “Dan Hinkley’s Favorite 25 Plants,” the room was packed. As he reeled off the names of his choices, Dan never outlined cultivation […]

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Greenhouses captivate artists through the ages by Leeann Lavin

Leeann Lavin is a writer and blogger based in New York, her company Duchess Gardens has award winning, international experience of designing and implementing unique and creative custom garden designs. Leeann has also had publishing success with her book “The Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook”, which shows off her passion for home grown cuisine […]

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In the Pink –Spring’s Arrival in New England

As part of an annual tradition at Smith College, in Northampton, Massachusetts, rooted ivy cuttings are distributed to each incoming first year student–just one indicator of the botanic leanings of this prestigious women’s college. With late winter’s days lengthening, Smith’s Lyman Conservatory– one of the few remaining plant conservatories in the United States built in […]

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Heating Your Orchid Greenhouse and other Considerations, by Roger Marshall

Having decided what species of orchid you want, you need to consider how to heat your greenhouse. Many orchids have an aversion to the byproducts of propane or natural gas heaters, so this aversion limits the options in designing a heating system. In my opinion, the best way to heat an orchid greenhouse is with […]

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Five Great Trees—these choice arboreal show-stoppers won’t outgrow their welcome

With trees, size matters. Sometimes towering behemoths block light to gardens and greenhouses. Pruning with a chainsaw may be the only option. Or sometimes a lack of trees results in homes and outbuildings bereft of unifying plantings.  In both cases, the best garden design strategy—plant the right-sized trees now. I talked with Nancy Buley, Communications […]

Five Mistakes Seed Sowers Make—Rose Marie Nichols-McGee Tells How to Get it Right

It’s indoor seed sowing time! Whether you set up a small table, or a full-size greenhouse, seed starting can sometimes be fraught with challenges. Just when you think your seedlings are growing well, they can turn up their toes. It all comes down to the fungus among us, says Rose Marie Nichols-McGee, president of Nichols […]

The Orchid Greenhouse – choosing the right plant(s) by Roger Marshall

Many a greenhouse owner wants to grow orchids. Orchids, after all, are the largest family of flowering plants. They can be found on every continent and in a wide range of settings – in rainforests, in temperate climates, and even in rather harsh environments, such as deserts and alpine regions. Many orchids are epiphytes, which […]