Everyday shrubs: Potentilla

If you have been reading my posts for the past few weeks you will know that I am shining the spotlight on easy and reliable shrubs. Some have been shrubs that you may not have heard of but I am sure that you are all familiar with shrubby potentillas. They are a regular choice of…

Everyday shrubs: Spiraea

At last it seems that the weather has calmed down a bit and we can think about being creative in the garden. After recent posts about shrubs you may not have heard of, this week we have a shrub that is known to many gardeners but still deserves a moment in the spotlight. Most people…

Everyday shrubs: Diervilla

Following on from my post last week about physocarpus, I want to ignore the weather entirely and turn my attention this week to another shrub you may not have heard of: Diervilla. Like physocarpus, these are American shrubs, the few species all from the Eastern US states and all very similar, with opposite leaves and…

Everyday shrubs: Physocarpus

When you visit a garden centre like Nags Hall, looking for a shrub for the garden, it can be a bewildering affair! With so much choice, just what should you buy? To create a colourful display and provide inspiraration, the most colourful plants and those in bloom, will always be at the entrance to inspire…

Grow some cut flowers this summer

Most people like the idea of growing some flowers for cutting but few of us have room for a dedicated cutting garden. In a previous job I had to supply cut flowers ‘for the house’ all year round. This can be a challenge but is easy to grow flowers for cutting during the summer months….

Dahlias for summer colour

Whether you have woken to a blanket of snow or just rain this morning you can cheer yourself up by thinking about your garden display this summer. I know I am itching to sow something and although I have already sown my sweet peas and have just sown some giant onions, it is too early…

Happy New Year

I hope you had a good Christmas season. We stuck to our principles again and had a chicken rather than a turkey. We prefer chicken (as does Mia the cat) and there is room in the fridge for nice things rather than a huge turkey carcass. I won’t pack away Christmas quite yet but my…

Happy Christmas

Just a few days to go now and the big day will be upon us. But as long as the food shopping is done there is still time to get those last-minute presents from Nags Hall. Hardy shrubs, flowering or with berries make great gifts as well as the traditional favourites like cyclamen, poinsettias and…

Give a plant for Christmas

Christmas is coming! It can be a bit tricky buying a gift for a gardener. Who knows what plants they like best or what they have already got? As a gardener myself I know that something that I use a lot is always welcome. So plant labels, cell trays or fertiliser would always be welcome….

Pot plants for Christmas

Your attention is probably focussed on the wind today. Mine certainly is and has been all weekend. I hope you did not have too much damage in the garden; my summer house has ‘budged’ but I think everything else is OK. Despite the awful weather the Festive season is upon us. A traditional part of…