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Gardening Jobs We Hate To Do.

By on July 23, 2008 in Gardening

Cutting the grass is hard work, (you could just leave it like this natural meadow) Gardening is a beautiful pastime, working with plants is one of the most rewarding activities. But, there are sill some jobs that never seem particularly attractive. These are some of the jobs I try to avoid doing, or at least [...]

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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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10 Tips to Increase Your Productivity in the Garden

By on July 15, 2008 in Gardening

The garden is a place of both leisure and work. We create a garden to enjoy, but sometimes we find it difficult to sit back and relax; instead we find numerous small jobs to do. We may go out in the garden to do one thing, but get sidetracked and start doing several things at [...]

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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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Herbs for Drinks, Pillows and Baths

By on July 14, 2008 in Fruit, Vegetables & Herbs, Pests, Problems and Health

Herbal Teas, Tisanes and Infusions Herb tea made from dried or fresh leaves can be drunk hot or iced. Chamomile tea is popular and can be bought in tea bags but growing your own is more satisfying. Use one or two tea spoonful of leaves, dry or fresh, to a cup of boiling water and [...]

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Shamrock Joke

By on July 13, 2008 in Flowers and Plants, Pests, Problems and Health

Why do they grow ‘Shamrocks’ in Ireland? Because St Patrick took all the ‘real rocks’ away so the snakes couldn’t hide.

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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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Pests and Diseases on Lupins

By on July 3, 2008 in Flowers and Plants, Pests, Problems and Health, Tips Hints and Ideas

Lupins can be grown from the seed you collect but if you want a second flush of flowers it is best to dead head the spires of blossom. Deadheading saves energy in the plant. Lupin Problems and Treatments Slugs like the tender shoots and snails seem to have attached themselves to the stronger leaves this [...]

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