Archive | July, 2008

Gardeners Tips on Ground Cover Plants

By on July 31, 2008 in Garden Design, Gardening, Tips Hints and Ideas

Reasons to consider ground cover for your garden Ground cover can be designed to be low maintenance Good cover will soften edges and sides of paths Soil on slopes or banking can be held in place Difficult areas with access problems can be covered in style Bare soil can be unsightly unless covered Good plant [...]

Read full story • Comments { 1 }

Top 5 London Parks

By on July 30, 2008 in Articles

1.  Battersea Park Festival Gardens, Peace Pagoda, Henry Moore sculpture, Exotic trees and 200 acres of lively park and amenities. All these features and more are to be found on the southside of the Thames opposite Chelsea. 2.  Hampstead Heath Heather and heathland plants attract birds including flamingos and parakeets. The Pergola and Mawson Hill [...]

Read full story • Comments { 0 }

Gardeners Tips On Dahlias

By on July 29, 2008 in Flowers and Plants, Gardening

Dahlia Types Cactus or semi-cactus like this Dana, Super (red) or Morley Lass a pale yellow Single flowered dahlias are open centred flowers up to 4 inches in diameter with a single ring of florets around a central disc. There are self colours or some bicolours. Collarette similar to singles with a extra ring of [...]

Read full story • Comments { 0 }

Duchy Originals and Organic HDRA

By on July 28, 2008 in Flowers and Plants, Gardening

The Daily Telegraph report that a new range of Organic Seeds are to be available from Duchy Originals. This announcement coincides with Prince Charles visit to Ryton the Garden Organic establishment (HDRA). It amuses me to see amongst the range of tools on sale at Duchy Originals a Dutch Hoe but may be I am [...]

Read full story • Comments { 0 }

Titan (ic) Sunflower – Biggest Sunflowers

By on July 27, 2008 in Flowers and Plants, Gardening

From July to September you may see some giant sunflowers and they may be from the variety ‘Titan’ which is advertised as up to 12 foot tall. Other large varieties include Giant Yellow, Paul Bunyon and variations on Russian Giant sunflowers. Guinness Book of Records categories for giant sunflowers Biggest flower measured from the petal [...]

Read full story • Comments { 1 }

My Main Garden Problems

By on July 26, 2008 in Gardening, Pests, Problems and Health

Not everything in the garden is lovely. Consider this hosta with snail damage that has ravaged the leaves so that they are just a mass of ribbons and holes. Slugs and snails are a pest at the best of times but this plant was in a wet spot and has suffered accordingly. See our slug [...]

Read full story • Comments { 1 }

Variegated Leafed Shrubs

By on July 26, 2008 in Gardening, Trees and Shrubs

This variegated hydrangea had white and pale pink flowers. It was on display from a garden centre and I didn’t buy one because they looked a bit over bred well over the top and the flowers were weak stemmed into the bargain. For larger leaved Hydrangeas some shade is essential. Variegated plants often like shade [...]

Read full story • Comments { 0 }

Tips for Garden Tools

By on July 25, 2008 in Articles

I was pointed to these tools by a comment from a visitor too our site – thanks Zoe Get the key tools right to make your garden easier and more pleasurable. A Spade that is light enough for your physique and a stainless steel blade will not get claggy with soil. Secateurs for snipping, pruning [...]

Read full story • Comments { 1 }

Propagate more Plants by Layering

By on July 25, 2008 in Gardening, Tips Hints and Ideas

Layering a wide range of shrubs trees and climbers can get you lots more plants cheaply. This method encourages new root growth whilst a stem is still attached to the parent plant. Some plants send runners that can be rooted. Other plants send out suckers that can be used for new plants How to Layer [...]

Read full story • Comments { 1 }

Sunflowers as Food

By on July 24, 2008 in Flowers and Plants, Fruit, Vegetables & Herbs

Sunflower Food Crops Plants are grown commercially to produce sunflower oil and sunflower margarine. Do not eat the petals but you can grow sunflowers for their seeds to bake in to bread, use about a quarter of sunflower seeds to the amount flour you use. Sprouted sunflower seeds are full of goodness and easy to [...]

Read full story • Comments { 0 }