Archive | March, 2009

Top 10 Spring Flowering Shrubs

By on March 30, 2009 in Gardening, Shrubs and Trees

Spring is known for colourful bulbs and primula but there are many top shrubs that provide great colour in spring. Forsythia The yellow flowering twiggy shrub that can grow to 10 feet. It flowers before the leaves form and is a strong, bright  yellow. Large blossom varieties are now being cultivated but either way you [...]

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Gardeners Question Time

By on March 28, 2009 in Books

A cheap tip for members of the RHS is to borrow books from their libraries. I am reading the entertaining Techniques and Tips for Gardeners from the BBC Gardeners Question Time Team. A well produced book of over 300 pages contains a wealth of information and ‘nuggetts that rarely find there way into practical books’ [...]

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Wordsworths Daffodils

By on March 27, 2009 in Flowers and Plants

Even William Wordsworth probably saw fewer daffodils at a glance than appear in this shot. Intensive planting in grass land have now naturalised into producing a fine spring display(with some litter). ‘I wondered lonely as a cloud that floats on high o’er vales and hills When all at once I saw a crowd a host [...]

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Organic Methods for Dealing with Greenfly

By on March 27, 2009 in Pests, Problems and Health

Organic Gardening by Geoff Hamilton Covers many ideas about your own Organic Garden. 1. Encourage Ladybirds. You can encourage ladybirds by providing suitable places for them to hibernated. You can buy ladybird boxes from specialist retailers. 2. Encourage Hoverflies. Hoverflies are voracious eaters of greenflies. You will hopefully attract hoverfly without any effort. But, you [...]

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Apple Blossom

By on March 26, 2009 in Shrubs and Trees

Apple Blossom on Oxford High Street by University Church Close up of Apple Blossom against the Sky

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Growing Roses

By on March 26, 2009 in Flowers and Plants

Roses enjoy a rich well fertilised soil. They have deep roots, but, in dry weather they may need a heavy watering to avoid drying out – especially when in flowering season. Roses are prone to a variety of diseases such as black spot and more serious fungal diseases. The most common cause of disease is [...]

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Tips for Growing Pulsatilla the Pasque Flower

By on March 25, 2009 in Flowers and Plants, Tips for Growing Series

The Pulsatilla is also called the Pasque flower or meadow anemone and although related to the anemone it is a separate part of the buttercup family Ranunculus. Also commonly known as the prairie crocus, wind flower, Easter Flower and meadow anemone. This clump forming herbaceous perennial is 6 inches tall and the flowers can be [...]

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Tips for Growing Hellebore

By on March 25, 2009 in Flowers and Plants, Tips for Growing Series

Growing better Hellebore with these gardeners tips

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Grow Stir Fry Vegetables

By on March 24, 2009 in Flowers and Plants

Oriental vegetables are at the heart of a good stir fry and are quite easy to grow from seed. Here we look at Pak Choi, Japanese Onions, and Lemon Grass but peppers are also easy to grow in a cold greenhouse. Pak Choi can be grown as a baby leaf or left to mature into [...]

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Tips for Growing Daffodils

By on March 24, 2009 in Tips for Growing Series, Tips Hints and Ideas

Daffodils are one of the easiest plants to grow. If basic care is given, the bulbs can flower year after year. Planting Daffodils. The best time for planting daffodils is in September and October. They can be planted in the green in late spring. But, usually do fine through planting in autumn. The most important [...]

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