Archive | December, 2008

Roses in Spring

By on December 31, 2008 in Flowers and Plants, Trees and Shrubs

source The spring light is shining through this crystal clear white rose that may well be the emblematic White Rose of Yorkshire. To get attractive blooms and glossy foliage try the following tips. Tips to Get Great Roses. The first flush of Rose blooms are normally expected in June but with warmer springs and careful [...]

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Peace Lily 2009

By on December 31, 2008 in Flowers and Plants

Peace Lily- Spathiphylum Happy New Year 2009 Enjoy Health, Happiness and all your Plants From both of us at Gardenerstips

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Berberis Prickly Shrubs

By on December 30, 2008 in Trees and Shrubs

Prickly shrubs of the Berberis family are ornamental and useful for deterring unwanted visitors. The leaves themselves can be very spiky like Berberis Darwinii with glossy dark green leaves and orange flowers. Alternatively this purple Berberis Thunderbergii has stems that are spiney with sharp needles to deter the most ardent burglars. How to Grow Berberis [...]

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Architectural Phormium

By on December 30, 2008 in Garden Design, Gardening, Tips Hints and Ideas

Tips for Growing Phormium Phormiums make a striking architectural plant and feature in your garden. Called New Zealand flax the sword like leaves are leathery and useful for flower decorations. This variety of variegated Phormium tenax is 6 foot tall. Plants are usually vegetatively propagated  so look like the parent plant. Some plants can be [...]

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Easy Houseplants Wandering Jew

By on December 28, 2008 in Flowers and Plants, House & Greenhouse plants

Wandering Jew is the common name of Tradescantia purpurea shown above. the leaves have a brownish  upper surface with a purple underside and fleshy paler stems. The colourvarieation is stronger if the plants get plenty of light. How to grow Tradescantia Put five or six cuttings together in the same pot. This will produce several [...]

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Choosing Silver Birch

By on December 28, 2008 in Environmental Gardening, Trees and Shrubs

Silver Birch or Betula pendula has gleaming white trunk and stems that look good in winter with yellowing leaves in autumn that add seasonal colour. As a native British tree birches are good for the environment and encourage wild life. Growing Silver Birches In a large garden a full grown Silver Birch can offer shelter [...]

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Best Gardening Tools

By on December 26, 2008 in Flowers and Plants

From my experience of gardening, these are some of my favourite and most useful gardening tools. Secateurs. When it comes to secateurs, there is no  point in buying some cheap variety. I recommend buying a really good pair and looking after them (i.e. don’t leave them out in the rain!). Secateurs are the most versatile [...]

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Rhododendron

By on December 24, 2008 in Books, Flowers and Plants, Trees and Shrubs

It is hard to know where to start with Rhododendrons and the 850+ species. Perhaps a good  book will help the beginner get an overview. Failing that there is membership of the RHS specialist section The Rhododendron, Camellia & Magnolia Group. www.rhodogroup-rhs.org/ This society controls ‘The International Rhododendron Register and Checklist’ of the named 29,000 [...]

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Roses in Winter

By on December 24, 2008 in Flowers and Plants

source What to do with Roses  in Winter Planning ahead  in January to get the best from your garden roses can be a restful pastime. What varieties and forms do you want to try? Check out some catalogues for ideas and more information. Tidy up leaves that may hold blackspot spores Prune any broken or [...]

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Easy Phalaenopsis Orchids

By on December 23, 2008 in Flowers and Plants, House & Greenhouse plants

Some orchids are temperamental but this Phalaelenopsis has give unstinting blooms for eight months on the trot without any trouble. Growing on one stem which branched into three side shoots there were upto 20 flowers on the Orchid at anyone time. The variety must be resilient as we gave it no special treatment but these [...]

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