I have always believed that you should only write or talk about what you know
Well, summer is here. Heat and thunderstorms confirm this. And your summer flowers should be full of bloom. If they are in pots, regular watering and feeding will keep them flowering. But there is one more job that we need to do: deadheading. There are two main reasons for doing this. Firstly it keeps plants…
Autumn is the best time to plant shrubs and trees. If planted then, the soil will remain moist all winter and there is no danger of the plants drying out. Soil will be in contact with the roots by the time growth starts in spring. All is good. When I worked at Nags Hall in…
Tomatoes are the most popular homegrown crop. Everyone has a go at growing them at least once. Tomatoes are pretty easy to grow and being able to pick your own, ripe and warmed from the sun, is one of the joys of summer. By now, you will have planted yours so I won’t repeat myself…
Some plant names strike fear into the heart of the experienced gardener! Mention Japanese knotweed, ground elder or bindweed to anyone that has had to suffer these weeds and they are likely to need a sit down. And some garden plants provoke similar reactions. One of these is oxalis. There are hundreds of kinds of…
Some plants are universally loved by gardeners. Everyone loves daffodils, roses and clematis. And now that Chelsea Flower Show is over, perhaps we have had our fill of alliums! But some flowers, that deserve to be in every garden, seem to be rather neglected. Daylilies (hemerocallis) are far from neglected because breeders around the world…
While we continue to enjoy glorious weather my attention is drawn to the agapanthus in the garden. It is a bit early to expect flowers, they are usually at their peak from July to September, but you will be able to buy plants in bloom. These tough perennials are admired for their glorious blue flowers….
When I started gardening it was normal practice to regularly use garden chemicals. I can still remember the smell of malathion, a nasty insecticide that was used in the greenhouse and, when we grew chrysanthemums for cut flowers in autumn at Nags Hall we kept black aphids at bay by burning nicotine shreds – a…
Whether or not the climate is changing, gardeners have long been obsessed with creating gardens that reflect warmer climates. Whether it has been planting ‘subtropical’ bananas and summer bedding plants in Victorian times or experimenting with palms and bananas in the garden in recent decades, we long for planting that can be enjoyed on those…
After the Easter break we are all enthusiastic about working in the garden! There is lots to do. It is also the perfect time to sow hardy annuals – plants that are sown now, where they will flower, and which will provide colour all summer. There is a huge range of heights, flower colours and…
Happy Easter. I hope you have a lovely weekend and the weather allows you to enjoy your garden. Although there is lots to do in the garden perhaps we can relax a little and enjoy the beauty of spring. Of course that can always include a trip to Nags Hall to stock up on seasonal…