Archive | July, 2008

Growing Plants from Seeds

These pink cornflowers are two feet tall. In a vase cut 12 inches long they last 6 or 7 days and are attractive on there own or with simple foliage. They were bought from Wallis seeds and sown broadcast in late spring. I didn’t even bother thining the plants out and they are robust and [...]

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Hypericum – St John’s Wort, Rose of Sharon, Aaron’s Beard

Hypericum is a large family of perennial shrubs with creeping roots. This specimen is three feet tall and attracts lots of insects from mid June. Often called St John’s Wort it is named after St John’s day which is 24th June when it’s flowers are collected for medicinal purposes. In mild climates the shrub can [...]

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Gardening Jobs We Hate To Do.

Cutting the grass is hard work, (you could just leave it like this natural meadow) Gardening is a beautiful pastime, working with plants is one of the most rewarding activities. But, there are sill some jobs that never seem particularly attractive. These are some of the jobs I try to avoid doing, or at least [...]

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Cistus maculatus with spots on

The Latin part of a plant name often gives a hint about the attributes of a plant or flower. Maculatus or maculata means spotted in leaf, bark or this case flower. It also means spotted in the insect world. Look out for other obvious hints like odorata and fragrans which will be scented . Alba [...]

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Creative Mulching

Mulching is the covering of bare soil with a mulch. Mulch can be organic or inorganic and its purpose is to conserve moisture in the soil, suppress weeds and protect the roots of new plants. The right material will cut down on maintenance with less weeding and watering. Choose a mulch that appeals to you [...]

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Scented Pelargonium (Geraniums)

It is the scented leaves of Pelargoniums rather than the flower that attracts growers and collectors. They are often used in scented gardens for the blind but are useful in a normal garden border where they may be brushed or touched. As indoor pot plants they are ideal as living pot-pourri and may be hybrids [...]

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Georg Arends 1863-1952

Georg Arends was a German nurseryman who bred many perennial plants. His business was successful until the second world war and Rosa ‘Georg Arends’ and Rhododendron ‘Georg Arends’ are named after him. Plants he bred include ‘Arendsii’ versions of Aconitum, Arabis, Phlox and Hosta sieboldiana. He also specialised in Bergenia breeding ‘Abendglocken’, ‘Morgenrote’ and the [...]

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Smoke Bush – Cotinus coggygiria

Red leaved plants seem to be doing very well in this wet summer. I spotted this healthy shrub at Harlow Carr on a recent visit. The name smoke bush comes from the clouds of very fine, fluffy, grey flowers that appear on panicles in such profusion that it looks like a cloud of smoke. This [...]

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In the name of Japanese Maples -Acer

Acer palmatum dissectum atropurpureum Acer is the genus for a range of trees that includes the Sycamore and some of the loveliest foliage trees for your garden. palmatum the species name refers to the hand shaped leaves dissectum or variety name reflects how the feathery leaves are finely separated and deeply cut or fringed atropurpureum [...]

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Books you can’t buy from Amazon

These gardening books are just crying out to be written so we suggest some titles and authors. Do not smoke your grass by Mary Wana Turn your MP into Compost by Pete Substitute Money saving tips add up by Alice Summ Trollius, Yaks and other plant transportation by Dick van Bike

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