I have always believed that you should only write or talk about what you know
Although this winter it has not been particularly cold, it has been wet since a dry January. Lawns are in need of a little TLC to get them ready for summer and March is the ideal time to get your grass match fit. There is a lot to consider when it comes to lawns these…
Spring is the time to do some pruning. The shrubs that need pruning in March include all those that flower in summer and autumn on new shoots that are produced in summer. This includes buddleias, summer-flowering spiraeas, late-flowering ceanothus, caryopteris, shrubby potentillas, Hydrangea paniculata, Hydrangea arborescens and most roses. Do not prune spring-flowering spiraeas (mostly…
We all understand the importance of protecting our wildflowers but one flower that we are all aware of, at this time of year, is the native primrose (Primula vulgaris). This delightful plant has entranced gardeners for centuries and was welcomed into our gardens. It was crossed with cowslips to make polyanthus and with European species…
Lilies have always been shrouded in mystery and a sense of the exotic. Their large and spectacular flowers are often heavily fragrant and, unlike some other summer bulbs, they are hardy and undamaged by winter cold. They have upright stems that take up little room and they are perfect planted among other herbaceous plants or…
A dedicated band of enthusiasts never lost the faith with dahlias but it is a sad fact that for too long dahlias fell from fashion. It is with great relief; actually more like joy, that dahlias are finally not only acceptable but actually embraced by gardeners. Part of the reason for the revival in dahlias…
If you want a crop of tomatoes that taste better than anything you can buy in the shops, now is the time to plan your sowing and planting. Tomatoes are not difficult to grow but there are a few important considerations regarding what type to grow and where to grow them. Pots, bags or borders?…
There are lots of advantages in growing your own vegetables; and we all have our reasons. I don’t have enough room to grow everything I need but my raised beds allow me to grow a fair amount and I have a poly tunnel that allows me to grow crops that might struggle outside and to…
Continuing from last week’s post about buying seeds ready for sowing in spring, today I’m highlighting those cottage-garden favourites, the hardy annuals. These are flowers that bloom the same year as sowing and then die. But unlike the Half Hardy annuals discussed last week, these are hardy which means that they can withstand frost and…
Annuals are the least expensive and quickest way to fill a garden with colour. The photo above is of a garden that was completely bare in February but, by August the same year, after laying new turf, was filled with colour from annuals. All from a few packets of seeds I had sown that March….
Rhubarb is one of the simplest home-grown crops. A clump should remain productive for up to a decade and can be relied on to produce tasty crops every year. Rhubarb is hardy and will grow in most soils, provided the soil is not waterlogged in winter or too dry in summer. But rhubarb does appreciate…