Crocus Cultivation Tips

• Allow foliage to die back. Do not tie foliage because it weakens the bulb and flowers for next year.
• A little bonemeal in spring will help build up corms and bulbs for next year.
• Crocus often like a rather heavy but well drained soil. Enrich sandy soil with leafmould.
• If troubled with mice or squirrels eating corms, place wire netting just below the soil surface.
• Bring a pot of Crocus into the house when the first buds show and keep in a light cool spot.
• Allow species crocus to self seed to increase your display in years to come.
• Suspend black cotton over the buds to stop them being attacked by birds.
• After the foliage fades Crocus can be lifted and split every 4-5 years to avoid over crowding. Leave them be if they are naturalised under grass.
• Mulch with garden compost only sparingly 5cm deep.

Types of Crocus

• Autumn Crocus  flower before the leaves and are also sold as Colchium. If autumn is dry water the corms.
• Crocus vernalis tend to have larger bulbs and spring blooms.
• Crocus chrysanthus like sun or light dappled shade and a lighter soil.
• Species Crocus Tommasinianus, C.sativus, C. angustifolius C. biflorus, C. korolkowii and C. olivieri will grow well under a late leafing shrub.

Buying Hints and Advice

• Buy firm plump bulbs.
• Avoid bulbs that are in the least bit soft.
• Avoid bulbs which are already sprouted and showing green.
• Avoid any bulbs that show signs of fungus, spots, rot or mould.
• Buy as soon as Crocus become available and plant September-November

I have just planted 100+ crocus around a new Paperbark Acer and a similar number in a variety of pots and containers. When the containers have flowered the crocus will be fertilised and planted out.

See our other photos

Update 28 September 2011 New Bulb Book
Bulb: A Hand-Picked Selection of the World’s Most Beautiful Bulbs by Anna Pavord is a personal selection and authoritative guide to the most gorgeous bulbs on the earth.
Anna Pavord, world-famous author of “The Tulip”, writes charmingly about her favourite subject from Acis to Zigadenus via Tulip and Crocus.

My Top 420 Gardening Books

I wish to pay tribute and offer thanks to all those who have contributed to the tips on this web site through their words and wisdom in numerous books and published works. It is the inspirational gardeners, plantsmen and horticulturalists that are celebrated by authors, publishers and photographers, that deserve the praise.

If I have failed to cite or reference a particular comment in the past I apologise. I have tried to give appropriate credits and increase sales of some books by offering a link to an appropriate page on Amazon. This should cover the other 80 or so titles that go to make up the top 500.

Gardening Books a pdf  file highlights over 420 gardening books that I dip into from time to time.

If you have a preferred book that I have missed, or if you have written a gardening book yourself let me know and I will add it to our list.

I am an acknowledged hoarder and collecting gardening books became a passion several years ago. Most of my 12 book cases are overflowing as you can see from the picture.

RHS Books and Libraries

• Additionally I volunteered at RHS library at Harlow Carr and helped move the book collection from ‘the old potting shed’ to the superb new Bramall Learning Center.
• The new library section at Harlow Carr stocks 8,000 books, DVDs, magazines and offers online facilities.
• Members can borrow books from the RHS at any of the ‘Lindley Libraries’, Wisley, London, Rosemoor and Hyde Hall. I think this is one of the pleasures of RHS membership.
• There is a web search facility available to members and non-member on this link
• Lindley Library in London is currently closed after a small fire but will hopefully reopen soon.

Notes on my Books file

• I have tried to arrange titles in a way that highlights the subject matter.
• The authors should be listed by surname followed by first names.
• The year published, number of pages and publisher is self explanatory.
• I have a personal scoring system to highlight how useful or pleased with the book I feel at the time of recording it on the data base.
• I have suppressed several other columns that are of less interest.

Send us a comment with your favourite gardening book details.

A Coronary Garden was more popular in late Victorian times but as I discovered it goes back beyond the 17th century.
Coronary gardens were  used to grow flowers that could be used for wreaths and garlands and take their name Coronary from the word crown not the health problem.

Tips for the Coronary Garden (1686)

• Do not separate off sets from Tulips until they are quite dry.
• Cotton Lavender makes a foot high hedge or border if kept well clipped.
• A layer of stable litter under the soil that is planted with Tulips, Anemonies and Ranunculus will help them thrive. They my survive without lifting.
• To grow Stock Gillyflowers chose a plant with excellent double flowers. Make it beare one branch of flowers and collect the seed. Sow in February in the hot bed and transplant in Michaelmas (September).

Note about Stock Gillyflower. – I originally took it to mean Carnation or Pinks of the Dianthus family but other plant dictionaries include stocks like Matthiola incana, or say stock gillyflower is the Cheiranthus; the queen’s gillyflower is the Hesperis or even any of several Old World plants cultivated for their brightly colored flowers.

Wordswarmnet Dictionary for Stock Gilly Flower

Plants for the Coronary Garden

• Lilies in red, white, Crown Imperial or Persian.
• Tulips, Crocus, Narcissus or Anemonie for spring
• Snap dragons, Sweet Williams and Gladiolus
• Iris and Fritillaries.
• Daisies, Pansies and Violets
• Various annuals or exotics like Amaranthus and Heliotrop.

The tips and flower selection have been taken from ‘ Directions for The Gardiner at Says- Court in 1686′. They were published in a wider more embracing form in ‘Directions for the Gardiner and Other Horticultural Advice’ by John Evelyn the diarist and OUP available via Amazon

The original manuscript was first transcribed in 1932 by Sir Geoffrey Keynes

The pomegranate is a native of Iran and Pakistan. The shrub or small tree bears bright red flowers and juicy, if seedy fruit.
Even if placed in the sunniest, warmest part of the garden they will suffer in the UK but with global warming who knows.

A taste of the unexpected contains details about growing and cooking Chilean guava and Szechuan pepper amongst other unusual items.
Whilst the photograph below was taken in England these bananas were only grown in the Kew garden tropical hot house.

First read the authoritative book ‘The Himalayan Garden: Growing Plants from the Roof of the World ‘ by Jim Jermyn

This book will provide tips and advice about cultivating species indigenous to the Himalayas. Understanding the ecology of the area gives a better appreciation of the Himilayan garden. It covers all the usual species including but not limited to Daphne, Euphorbia, Gentiana, Meconopsis, Primula and the classic Rhododendron. The book also considers different zones that are worth bearing in mind as we only associate Himalayas with big mountains. Jim covers chapters on Temperate, Sub-alpine and Alpine zones.

So now you are better prepared where can you visit?

• The Himalayan garden The Hutts, Grewelthorpe, near Ripon Yorkshire not only has an interesting address but a good display of hybrid Rhododendrons. Also on display are Eucryphia, Bamboo and Cornus.

• Also in Yorkshire is Harewood Himalayan garden opened by Alan Titchmarsh, in May 2009, says ‘The Harewood Himalayan Garden is a hidden gem and second to none in the UK…’

• At Muncaster in the lake district check out the wonderful Sino-Himalayan Garden featuring many specimens rarely seen in the West.

• If on the other hand you want your kids to have fun seek out Yeti at Riverhill Himalayan garden or climb the summit of Little Everest (the biggest hill in Sevenoaks)

Suppliers and other locations are listed on Rhododendron growers Glendoick’s web site.

See also Himalayan Gardens near Home

Six DVD’s in a boxed set ‘A Year at Kew – The Collection’ (Series 1-3) with Alan Titchmarsh is available from Amazon well in time for a Christmas gift.
Over 1000 minutes of gardening in a month-by-month journey via the BBC through the world’s greatest botanical garden.

Rather than punt the book for the negligible commission we get if you buy after clicking the cover or link above I will just post some seasonally coloured photos of plants taken at Kew.

Wouldn’t a Christmas Rose have been hell – e – boring ?

Gardeners Tips Links

• The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)
• Alpine Garden Society (AGS)
• BBC Gardening
• See our sister site Gardening Products for tips and ideas on Garden products new and old.
• Thompson & Morgan search for seeds and plants

‘Grow It Eat It’ is a book for adults and kids to work on together.

‘Starting Gardening’ sets out simple gardening skills in a fun manner.

If you think gardeners are getting younger then look at this Activity book for 3-5 year olds .
‘…All the activities are designed to develop important preschool skills and are based on the Areas of Learning for under-fives recommended by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.’ I am in favour of Kids learning but do we need gardening on the under 5′s curriculum?

The king of books about Bed & Breakfast has to be Alastair Sawday. His paperback ‘Garden Lovers Bed & Breakfast Special Places to Stay British Bed & Breakfast for Garden Lovers’ is a treasure trove of information for garden vistors.

The editorial team have tracked down hundreds of beautiful, eccentric, unique places to stay with gardens. ‘Several of the properties in this book are quite wonderful little corners of the UK that until now have been extremely well-kept secrets. A fantastic guide’.

What Others are Saying

• ‘The ideal all-round publication for a gardener’s weekend away’ The Times
• ‘Garden Fanatics will love this book.’ BBC Gardeners World
• ‘In these places you will meet owners with hugely different gardens..’ Telegraph

A new edition will be published in April 2011
‘As ever, a hand-picked collection of Special Places to Stay – all with gorgeous gardens to discover. Stay on the remote Isle of Gigha where the owner grows rare tropical orchids; take a course with a Chelsea Gold Medal winner in a secluded valley garden in Wales; discover a pretty plot planted to excite the wildlife – and the senses – in Somerset. Owners’ gardening tips are listed too, and their ideas for visits to special woodlands, gardens and arboretums close by. This beautifully illustrated book contains over 90 B&Bs, self-catering cottages and hotels – an unusual and diverse spread of places to stay. All are visited by us, and chosen because we like them; the owners are valued for their hospitality as much as their green-fingers, and the gardens for their character and setting. There’s good value too: a third have double rooms at £70 or under a night.’ The current edition is available from Amazon .

This gives a whole new meaning to ‘bedding out’.

Gardeners Tips Links

• The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)
• Alpine Garden Society (AGS)
• BBC Gardening
• See our sister site Gardening Products for tips and ideas on Garden products new and old.
• Thompson & Morgan search for seeds and plants

Over 1500 posts are available on Gardeners tips and Rudbeckia has been covered several time before. I make no apology for this as they are a handsome plant worth considering for their long flowering season that lasts well into autumn.

Rudbeckia are perennial plants that form rounded clumps. They are easily raised from seed available from Thompson Morgan and other merchants.  Plants will grow in semi-shade or full sun without much help.

Types of Rudbeckia to Grow

• Rudbeckia hirta is probably worth growing as a half-hardy annual.  Named varieties include Goldilocks, Irish Eyes, Toto, Autumn Forest and Prairie Sun.
• Rudbeckia missouriensis is a rockery sized plant growing 12-16″ and flowering profusely
• Rudbeckia laciniata will grow up to 10 feet tall in moist soil and flowers with a lemon petal and green centre.
• Rudbeckia maxima is even taller than laciniata with blue green leaves and large ray flowers.
• Rudbeckia speciosa is a traditional hardy plant like the one shown above.
• Rudbeckia occidentalis Green Wizard has a brown centre with green petals on the flowers.

Read Other Rudbeckia Posts

• Double flowering Rudbeckia
• Growing Rudbeckia in Autumn
• Rudbeckia growing tips.
• Brash coloured Rudbeckia

Or buy the definative book ‘Rudbeckia: Rudbeckia Hirta, Rudbeckia Fulgida, Rudbeckia Laciniata, Rudbeckia Triloba, Rudbeckia Pinnata, Rudbeckia Maxima, Rudbeckia Alpicola’ from amazon for under a tenner.

Gardeners tips on Easy Autumn Rudbeckia

‘Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots: Gardening Together with Children’ by Sharron Lovejoy includes themed gardens like the “Pizza Patch” and the “Moon Garden”, and a list of the top 20 plants for children.

‘The Playground Potting Shed: A Foolproof Guide to Gardening with Children’ by Dominic Murphy will inspire young people to get gardening whether at home or at school.

The RHS starts off with the ever popular Sunflower on the cover of ‘Ready, Steady, Grow’. The book includes details of quick and easy garden projects

Books can be ordered from Amazon by clicking on the images above.

Gardeners Tips Links

• The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)
• Alpine Garden Society (AGS)
• BBC Gardening
• See our sister site Gardening Products for tips and ideas on Garden products new and old.
• Thompson & Morgan search for seeds and plants

Other Young Gardeners Reading

• Encourage kids to read the information on the back of seed packets and seed catalogues
• Read gardening features in newspapers.
• Borrow library books about insects, gardens and ecology.