I have always believed that you should only write or talk about what you know
You may think that secateurs are something you use only in winter but you should really be using them all year round. Apart from using them for cutting flowers, you should be pruning different things all year round. Summer is the time for pruning plums, gages and damsons and peaches. These must never be pruned…
With RHS Chelsea Flower Show next week the whole nation will be thinking about their gardens! Of course, some of us are thinking about our garden all year. Chelsea always means the introduction of new roses. I can’t wait for my roses to be in full bloom. A few are already opening and I am…
With so much to do in the garden our houseplants can get a bit neglected at this time of year. Yet it is the ideal time to repot any that are getting potbound and generally give them a clean or tidy. I have been repotting some of my houseplants. It is often recommended that houseplants…
This weekend may be all about celebration but gardeners don’t need a reason to celebrate. I have been enjoying the tulips for many weeks now: the cool weather has helped them to last well. The red tulips with the wallflowers have coincided well and done exactly what I wanted – colour and scent. They are…
The recent shortages of salad crops in supermarkets has sparked renewed interest in growing your own. Growing tomatoes is on everyone’s mind. Lots of us grow tomatoes already and we know that you can’t really grow tomatoes to pick anytime except in mid- late summer. That doesn’t bother me because I cook and freeze my…
I have never needed a reason to grow my own crops; it is satisfying and it is a joy to pop into the garden to pick something for lunch. But with finances squeezed and supermarkets running out of veg, this may be the year to have a go yourself. Over the years I have covered…
When you crave a touch of the exotic in your life, you need cannas. Nothing else gives you that magical combination of lush, tropical foliage and luxuriant flowers. Fortunately they are simple to grow but there are a few tricks to get the best from them. You can buy them in summer as growing plants…
With tall spires of colourful flowers, ideal for cutting, gladioli are very popular. They are easy to grow and the flowers can be bright or pastel shades. They are an easy way to add colour and height to your summer garden. Gladioli are not reliably hardy so they are usually lifted and stored in winter….
Over the past few weeks I have been talking about some of the main summer bulbs and how to grow them. This week I want to mention a few of the lesser-grown summer bulbs that you may not have tried before. Some are not hardy and could be considered ‘summer treats’ but they are all…
With the Festive season fast approaching, it is time to think about Christmas potplants. In the ‘old days’ the choice was usually of poinsettias, cyclamen and azaleas, and although there are more flowering potplants available today, especially orchids, these are still the big three. I have a love-hate relationship with poinsettias: I joke about them…