Archive | January, 2009

Funny Gardening Video

By on January 31, 2009 in Gardening

Jeremy Clarkson of BBC Top Gear offers a radical way to deal with those pesky weeds (presumably effective for dealing with slugs as well…)

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Easy and Easier Dahlias

By on January 31, 2009 in Flowers and Plants, Tips Hints and Ideas

If you want neighbours to stop in amazement to gaze at your garden give easy dahlias a chance.

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A Picture Post

By on January 30, 2009 in Flowers and Plants

My garden is a thing of beauty and a job for ever. My photos however are shaky double exposures.

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Pelargoniums or Geraniums in January

By on January 28, 2009 in Flowers and Plants

Pelargonium more often called Geranium Something Special – Fir Trees Throughout January  this Pelargonium has been in constant pink flower on my desk.  Each of 14 pips or mini buds opens to a 5 petal flower in a bunch of florets to make up the overall flower head. Three or four are in colour at [...]

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2009 Weather Permitting

By on January 27, 2009 in Books

Drought or a rainy wet summer whatever we are going to get there is a book by the doyen of British gardening Beth Chatto. Her garden in Elmstead Market Essex is worth a visit for the gravel garden alone and her treatise on Drought Resistant Planting or gravel gardens are equally captivating. If you imagine [...]

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Garden Angel

By on January 26, 2009 in Garden Design

Harlow Carr has a garden guardian angel amongst the trees and rhododendrons in the RHS garden. The stainless steel works well in winter with the dark looming trees in the background. This sculpture is one of many that have been introduced into the garden since the RHS took over from the Northern Horticultural society and [...]

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Growing Hyacinth MultiFlora

By on January 23, 2009 in Flowers and Plants, House & Greenhouse plants

I have seen these multiflowered hyacinths in florists shops but never thought to grow them from bulbs. When I saw one in B&Q bursting with 11 shoots from one bulb I parted with my money hoping for flowers on each stem. I have seen them called Roman hyacinths, Festival hyacinths and multifloras but they are [...]

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Camellia Species

By on January 23, 2009 in Books, Flowers and Plants, Shrubs and Trees

Waxy flowers of Camellia ‘Satans Robe’ and the even more waxy leaves of the camellias are one of the early joys in the spring garden. There is a range of camellias to suit most conditions and if you can’t find the lime free soil most varieties need they will grow in a pot of ericaceous [...]

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Espallier Fruit Trees

By on January 20, 2009 in Fruit, Vegetables & Herbs

source Easy Espalier Trees Buy a tree that has two tiers already trained and in place. This will fruit earlier and benefit from the work already done by an expert. Make the most of your wall space by planting apple and or pear trees to be trained against the wall. Before planting stretch three or [...]

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Bright Bromeliads Indoors

By on January 19, 2009 in Books, Flowers and Plants, House & Greenhouse plants

This Bromeliad is a relative of the pineapple and as it is easy to grow indoors it makes a fine house plant. There are a wide range of Bromeliads and a society dedicated to there culture the Bromeliad Society Bromeliad Tips Grow the Bromeliads for the coloured leaves that spring from the plants center. If [...]

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