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Tips for Growing Sweet Violets – Viola odorata

By on November 3, 2011 in Novice Gardeners Advice and Pointers, Tips for Growing Series

A century ago Sweet Violets were part of the Victorian way of life. Florists and street vendors sold them and ladies carried or wore them. Since ancient Greek times and through medieval times Sweet Violets were more than a flower or scent, they were used as a sweetener, a deodorant and medicinal uses.

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Growing Cosmos – Easy Annuals

By on November 1, 2011 in Novice Gardeners Advice and Pointers, Tips for Growing Series

Cosmos! What a stonking name for a plant evoking all the constellations in the Universe. Growing Cosmos Cosmos flowers are a ring of broad petals and a center of disc florets similar to a daisy. Cosmos flowers are 2-4 inches in diameter. There is a lot of color variation including white, pink, orange, yellow, chocolate [...]

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Tips for Dealing with Slugs and Snails

By on October 19, 2011 in Pests, Problems and Health, Tips Hints and Ideas

Slugs and snails have tremendous appetites for devouring your plants. The younger, tastier and more precious your plants the more likely they are to go for them. Young lettuce seedlings seem to be very tasty and a whole row can be devoured overnight by these innocuous critters.

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Frost Damage to Plants

By on October 16, 2011 in Gardening, Tips Hints and Ideas

Frost damage in Spring and Autumn can be unsightly but take care with the secateurs. Tips on how to prune frost damage and clean up after the first Autumn frosts.

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Help Growing Globe Artichokes

By on October 11, 2011 in Fruit, Vegetables & Herbs, Tips for Growing Series

Speciality vegetables are worth a place in the garden and Globe Artichokes are no exception

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New for Ponds or Renovated Ponds

By on September 14, 2011 in Garden Design, Garden Equipment Tips

Pond ideas to help your garden water feature design plus some timely renovation tips and hints

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10 Tips for Taking Flower Photos

By on September 13, 2011 in Flowers and Plants, Tips Hints and Ideas

Rose with Dew Taking flower photos is often seen as an easier aspect of photography. Even with a simple point and shoot camera you can have very good photos for little effort. However, these tips will enable you to get even better photos and push you into the ‘pro’ category. Taking flower photos is very [...]

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How To Take Cuttings for Big Shrubs

By on September 5, 2011 in Flowers and Plants, Shrubs and Trees, Tips Hints and Ideas

Forget 6 inch cuttings, for bigger shrubs use bigger cuttings. Giant cuttings of 18-36 inches may be worthwhile on the following:- Cistus, Euonymous, Hebe, Leycesteria, Weigelia, Pyracantha or Kerria japonica. I have a friend who excels with Roses taken this way. Also read Gardeners tips Taking cuttings for beginners Proceedure for Cuttings Water the host [...]

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Local Show Tips

By on September 4, 2011 in Tips for Growing Series

Tips for showing at your local show, keep to schedule present well and have a good time…..

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Winter is Coming to Your Garden

By on September 2, 2011 in Tips for Growing Series

First the bad news! The London Met Office has warned that the winter 2011/12 will be similar to our last three winters with cold and snow caused by high pressure trapped around our Islands. Now the good news! These long range forecasts are usually rubbish and the opposite may be true. Even better news for [...]

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