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Creative Mulching

By on July 22, 2008 in Garden Design, Green Gardening

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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Blue Conifer Abies Glauca

By on July 18, 2008 in Garden Design, Shrubs and Trees

This noble fir is a large prostrate form with thick rounded bright blue needles that gives a good colour contrast within any garden. This is just one of the good looking Conifers that can be suitable for a British garden. This prostrate form is slow growing. Remove any strong vertical branches Young plants need a [...]

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Verbascum Banana Custard – Hybrid Mullien

By on July 14, 2008 in Flowers and Plants, Garden Design

This nine foot high perennial plant has a striking spire of yellow flowers. This variety has several smaller spikes in this case an impressive fourteen at the last count and still growing. This is a Verbascum hybrida and I also have a white which is less robust but still stately. The leaves are hairy and [...]

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Crocodile Garden Design

By on July 12, 2008 in Flowers and Plants, Garden Design

Any space bigger than a bottle can be used to create a garden. This London tennament had a basement flat twelve feet below the pavement and about 5 feet wide. Despite those limitations there was an exotic rock pool, obligatory ferns and phormiums and the London Lizard, the Camden Croc, or the Admiralty Arch Alligator. [...]

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Growing and Eating Ornamental Kale

By on July 3, 2008 in Fruit, Vegetables & Herbs, Garden Design, Tips Hints and Ideas

Many plants sold as “ornamental cabbage” are in fact kales. They are grown for the coloured and ornamental leaves which are brilliant white, red, pink, blue or violet in the interior or the rosette. Because they supply colour in winter Ornamental Kale is popular with some designers. The green kales (Borecole) can also be very [...]

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Tips for Growing Bamboo in UK

By on June 25, 2008 in Garden Design

Bamboo is an intriguing plant, which contains over 1,200 species ranging from specimens 6 inches tall, to varieties which can grow upto a foot a day and reach over 130 feet. With the 1,200 species there are varieties which deserve a reputation for being an invasive plant. In the above picture, you can see how [...]

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Grow a Low Allergy Garden – Cut down on Pollen

By on June 24, 2008 in Articles, Garden Design, Pests, Problems and Health

Breathing Allergies Hay fever sufferers don’t need to told about the typical symptoms of sniffing, sneezing, puffy eyes, sore throat and a runny nose. Starting in spring through summer these symptoms are likely to be caused by pollen and allergens. All year round symptoms are more likely to be caused by dust mites or pets [...]

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Future Gardens Design Competition

By on June 22, 2008 in Books, Garden Design

Win a bursary to design a garden at the Butterfly World site in St Albans. The design can be free format and has few boundaries so designers from all disciplines  can be considered. The gardens when built and opened in 2009 will be the successor to the International Festival of the Garden previously on show [...]

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Thyme and Time Again an Old Perennial

By on June 1, 2008 in Flowers and Plants, Fruit, Vegetables & Herbs, Garden Design

Thyme has over 350 varieties and can make an interesting collection. Thymus is claimed to have volatile oils that have anti-ageing properties and good anti-oxidants to aid health. It retains its flavour after drying and can be stored successfully. Time for some Growing Tips on Thyme Place container or grow in a sunny position to [...]

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Creating A Focal Point in Your Garden

By on May 19, 2008 in Flowers and Plants, Garden Design

Sometimes as gardeners, we place all the emphasis on plants. However, a few well positioned ornaments and focal points can heighten the interest and drama within a garden. The above photo is from Lady Margaret Hall Gardens, Oxford. This is a sunken garden with a mixture of lavenders, verbena and ornamental grasses. The two earthenware [...]

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