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Gardening articles that may not include tips

Japanese Gardens – Key Features

Japanese Gardens – Key Features

Kyoto Garden London

London Holland Park’s water feature in Kyoto Garden.

The composition of enduring elements such as buildings, stones and paths that harmonise with the surroundings are critical factors in a good Japanese garden.

The waterfall plays an important role in Chinese and Japanese landscape. Japan’s earliest known manual of gardening—the Sakuteiki—describes ten different forms of waterfall stipulating the proper height and width of a cascade.

Japanese gardens are a living art form, in which the plants and trees are ever changing. As they grow and mature they are constantly sculpted and pruned to maintain and enhance the overall composition. Over time it is only as good as the careful and qualified maintenance that it receives by those trained in the art of pruning.

A space in the garden for contemplation or meditation fits with the Buddhist and Daoist philosophy

On a more war like footing the features in a Samurai garden include those listed here.

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This book explores ‘five classic styles: Stroll Garden, Tea Garden, Courtyard Garden, Dry Garden and Pond Garden. …….. It is an inspiring and accessible guide to designing and creating a Japanese garden…’

Ornamental Grass & Design

Ornamental Grass & Design

There are many families, species and varieties of grass suitable for ornamental purposes. Wether you want a prairie grass-scape, a potted plant or a focal point in a formal garden then there is a grass to suit. Grasses are well suited to a range of landscaping projects.

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The Fescue, Pennisetum, Panticum, Carex, Miscathus, Stipa and many other species are covered below. A recommended variety is given where ever possible along with shore notes. Grasses are perennial unless stated to be annuals.

 

Gardeners Tips Recommended Varieties

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Spirea Shrubs

Spirea Shrubs

Spirea

I have two very good Spirea varieties where I have long since lost the names. This example is a strong flowering mauve and white flowering plain leaved type. The other is a pale yellow leaved variety that has great colour in spring as the leaves start.

How hard was it going to be to identify the plants surely it can’t be too hard. I went to my copy of Hilliers Manual of Trees and Shrubs only to find over 80 species, varieties and cultivars described.

Well the next lesson is that I haven’t even considered my Spirea’s habits and Hillier identified those that flower on this years wood and those that flower on previous years wood – how have they thrived on my random pruning regime?

My first shrub is 6 -8 feet wide and currently covered in blossom on the ends of this years growth. I am going to give it a hard prune almost to the ground in March working on the thesis that it is a bumalda- japonica- douglasii .

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Grow your Own Figs

Grow your Own Figs

The Brown Turkey fig, Ficus carica, produces large, sweet, juicy figs even in British conditions.

Fig Growing Tips

  • Grown in a large pot they can get upto 12 feet tall but to encourage fruit prune in autumn and keep to a reasonable size about 5 -6 feet tall.
  • Keep  plants well watered particularly when young.
  • Grown against a south facing wall the full sun will encourage both fruiting and ripening.
  • Expect fruit to ripen in August or  September and pick regularly leaving tiny, embryo fruit towards the ends of the shoots will over-winter and  will ripen the following year.
  • Left to grow some Figs varieties can produce very large trees but they are not suitable for the British climate.
  • Fig trees do not need a pollinator so one tree should suffice.
  • Some winter protection may be needed in very hard frost.
  • Constrain the roots to encourage fruit and suppress the desire for the fig to become a large tree.
Tips for a Minimalist Garden

Tips for a Minimalist Garden

Skulpturenpark Köln / Cologne Sculpture Garden. Hubert Kiecol: "Rheinwein" (Rhine wine) in Sou Fujimoto's "Garden Gallery" from 2011

Dramatic gardens can be designed on minimalist principles. Minimalist gardens need to look good during all seasons and at all times of the day. Thus all your senses plus horticultural nous need to be considered when setting out your initial design.

Essence of Design in a Minimalist Garden

  • Minimalist gardens need to be immaculate.
  • Minimalist options include a formal or romantic look but you must have the clarity of vision and stick too it.
  • There is no room for ragged edges, dirty gravel or scattered chippings.
  • Minimalist gardens may be designed to look cool and welcoming but check that that is also true for the plants. Often cool plants are planted in hot spots
  • Invest in good quality hard landscaping, it is hard to do minimal on the cheap!

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Blazing Deciduous Azaleas

Blazing Deciduous Azaleas

Autumn is the best time to plant Azaleas so you get a blaze of colour next spring. If you want to see the colour before you buy than aim for a pot grown plant in spring.

Azalea & Aquilegia

Deciduous Azaleas have trumpet shaped flowers in a range of bright often fiery colours. The flowers appear before or at the same time as the leaves.

Types of Deciduous Azalea

  • The Ghent hybrids are generally fragrant plants growing 4-6′ tall.
  • Knapp Hill hybrids, Exbury and Mollis Azaleas do not have much scent but are available in vivid colours.
  • Occidentale hybrids have fragrant pastle coloured flowers in May.

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Propagate Plants – Help Books

Propagate Plants – Help Books

Your book shelves wont propagate themselves but with just a bit of help from Amazon……

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‘RHS Propagating Plants’ a Paperback by Alan Toogood is a good present for a favourite Uncle (I hope my relatives are reading).
The RHS own review says ‘Each plant is described briefly, followed by in depth descriptions of the main forms of propagation which can be used to increase stock, gathering seed, taking cuttings, grafting and so on. Earlier chapters cover basic botany required to understand how plants grow and also describe the various techniques in detail.’ At around £10 I think it represents good value.

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‘Creative Propagation’ by Peter Thompson is a scientifically sound book based on a readable approach to the propagation of a range of plants.
At around £15 this book helps the gardener understand the processes that makes propagation work.

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Readers Digest and Miranda Smith bring us ‘The Plant Propagator’s Bible’ but with Readers Digest I often feel like I have just had a chinese meal – shortly afterwards I want something of more substantial. …

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Garden Fiction on Gardeners and Gardens

Garden Fiction on Gardeners and Gardens

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‘The Garden of Reading: An Anthology of Twentieth-century Short Fiction About Gardens and Gardeners’ edited by Michele Slung.

I was going to write about brochures, bulb and seed catalogues, but then I came across this book. At least the anthology collects works that set out to be  fiction, whilst gardening brochures presumably did not.

On Brochures

  • The best photographs you can imagine are used in brochures. So more flowers and better colours are visible than you may attain with your own plants.
  • Printed brochures are subject to the skill and vagaries of the printer and his reproduction processes. Accurate colour matches can’t be guaranteed.
  • Brochure side step, insect damage, weather problems and  other trials and tribulations facing gardeners.
  • It is a brochures  job to put the best foot forward not talk you out of a purchase.
  • So are Brochures fact or fiction – well I will read the Anthology whilst I make up my mind.

On the Anthology

‘….The twenty-four stories in The Garden of Reading comprise a diverse and unexpected collection but one that stays true to its central and harmonious theme. Included are Colette’s sensuous ‘Grape Harvest,’ David Gueterson’s poignant ‘The Flower Garden,’ Stephen King’s sinister ‘The Lawnmower Man,’ J.G. Ballard’s lovely and otherworldy ‘The Garden of Time,’ the ominous ‘Green Thoughts’ by John Collier, Rosamunde Pilcher’s touching and simply titled ‘The Tree,’ and the splendid ‘the Fig Tree, by V.S. Pritchett – as well as classics from such masters as Saki, Robert Graves, and Eudora Welty, and contemporary writing from the likes of Sandra Cisneros and Garrison Keillor. If you’ve ever nurtured a flower, a green plant, a tomato plant, or a gleam of imagination, there’s something in The Garden of Reading that is sure to delight.’ source amazon review.

How to Grow Practically Anything

How to Grow Practically Anything

Do you want to grow something different or are you indifferent about your growing capabilities?

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This book says it all in the title, You don’t need any more Tips from Gardeners (as long as you purchase the book) but you will get some anyway.


Quick Tips Anyway

  • Experimenting, trialing and taking a chance is a part of fun gardening.
  • Horticulture and farming take experimentation and  trialing more seriously. You can have lots of fun and enjoyment by treating gardening as a hobby .
  • . If a plant is really bad get rid of it and grow something else. It is often better to tell someone there is no remedy than to delude them with a false one
  • Do not covet your neighbors garden ask for a cutting or some seedlings.
  • Weeds, fungus and bacteria will grow as new gardeners will find out
Growing Food for Fussy Kids

Growing Food for Fussy Kids

Lateral thinking can get fresh garden produce down the little darlings throats. The Ribena tree or apple juice tree can create drinks and breakfast cereal additions. Many veg can go in a blender or be added to favourite dishes in small quantities disguised as necessary.

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How can you get children to eat their ‘Greens’?

If your kids are too fussy when it comes to  food from the ground rather than from an advertising packet the here are some tips and ideas for you.

Growing Kids Food

  • Involve children in the growing process. Give them a small plot and some big starters like onion sets, part grown seedlings or pea seeds.
  • Look for coloured varieties that are attractive to grow and tasty to eat, particularly important for brassicas such as purple sprouting.
  • Give fruit and veg interesting names like the Ribena tree above or the Harry Potter Potato.
  • Choose food they would eat if packed in a tin or freezer, such as Peas, Sweetcorn or even Carrots.
  • Cucumbers and courgettes are easy to grow and do not have strong tastes to put off the kids.
  • Kids can pick there own mange-tout or sugar snap peas and eat them pod and all.

Do Not Forget Fruit

  • Sweet and palatable this is easier stuff to get the kids eating away.
  • Soft fruit like Strawberries and Raspberries have juicy, attractive  red fruit that can also have a bit of sugar and cream added.
  • Rhubarb is the subject of several children’s jokes, it  is easy to grow and tastes great in cooked puddings.
  • Apples can be grown on small low growing rooting stock so the apples can be in reach of the children for picking. Try Ballerina types.
  • Grapes can be a good crop if tou have a sunny spot to get the natural sugars working.

5 a Day for Kids for Amazon

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