Enduring Gardener

Murder in the Churchyard

admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:04:57 +0000

Walking down the road to do some shopping, I discovered a team of council contractors bent on horticultural murder in the grounds of our 14th century church. What hadn’t been ripped from the ground had been brutally hacked back. I have a horrible feeling that what was previously a shrubbery of hydrangeas and fuchsias will be replaced by supermarket-style low-maintenance planting. Thank goodness the lovely rose that I have previously taken cuttings from has survived, after a fashion. I shall take my secateurs down there and right the wrongs that have been done to it. This type of massacre is happening throughout the country as skilled gardening teams are made redundant and replaced by contractors whose main aim is to do the job as quickly as possible.

In the greenhouse this week

admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:13:39 +0000

The peas I planted in a gutter some weeks ago have finally emerged and the broad beans I sowed in Roottrainers are also stirring. The sweet peas are begging me to plant them outside, but I need to prepare their bed first.

Chaos Reigns, but thanks to Kevin, Order is Restored.

admin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:58:08 +0000

Thank goodness I had arranged a day’s help in the garden from Kevin, an amiable Scouser, who I can call on when heavy work needs doing. Last week’s log delivery was still sitting on the path, admittedly looking remarkably like an Andy Goldsworthy sculpture, but nonetheless, in urgent need of transport to the log store. He had nearly finished and was looking forward to a little light horticulture, when a delivery of a tonne bag of organic multipurpose compost arrived on a lorry without a crane. The only place it could go was on the driveway in front of the car - which was needed first thing the next morning. So I gathered up every bag I could find and Kevin shovelled and between the two of us we managed to empty the bulk bag sufficiently to heave it out of the way and liberate the car. Remarkably, Kevin was back the next day to move all the potting compost to its final destination. What a trouper!

Lion versus Lamb

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 11:45:39 +0000

March is definitely hovering between lion and lamb at the moment; there’s no shortage of sunshine, but after a couple of days of real warmth which filled the sheltered area around the front door with the scent of daphne, witchhazel and iris reticulata, we are back in the deep freeze with a bitter north easterly wind. I have to stick my nose right into the flowers to pick up any hint of fragrance.

Rootrainers Offer

admin — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:26:38 +0000

Just at the right time of year Haxnicks is offering good savings on Roottrainers, the perfect growing system for deep-rooted plants like broad beans and runner beans. Visit www.haxnicks.co.uk

Garden Fleece Offer

admin — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:57:17 +0000

Harrod Horticultural has savings on fleece, netting and ground cover and cloches – the more you buy, the more you save. It is a good idea to stock up ahead of time, especially with the netting, or by the time it arrives the birds will have feasted on your fruit. www.harrodhorticultural.co.uk

Blueberry plant offers

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:39:40 +0000

Suttons has got a less-than-half-price offer on blueberries. Three varieties of juicy blueberry plants Earliblue, Bluecrop and Elliott, cropping from July to October, for only £16.95. They will be sent out as quality bushy plants in their own pots, ready to plant in ericaceous soil in deep patio pots or for planting in gardens with acid soil. Click to see blueberry offer.

Petersham Nurseries

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:23:12 +0000

Petersham Nurseries in Richmond are running a ‘How to’ gardening workshop on Spring Staking. Set within the very beautiful, private garden of Petersham House; head gardener Lucy Boyd offers a practical demonstration on staking. A rare opportunity to step foot inside the gates of Petersham House garden and pick up the secrets of what makes its borders flourish throughout the growing season. A simple but invaluable technique, staking is a centuries old tradition. Much favoured by gardeners, it lends support to tall plants like sweet peas, hollyhocks and delphiniums and climbing vegetables including tomatoes, beans and peas. Within the 150″ long running double border of Petersham House garden, expert gardeners Lucy Boyd and Rosie Bines will demonstrate how to use coppiced hazel to stake a variety of garden plants and to create simple structures which will create stunning visual features.

Combining the practical with the creative, you will learn how to build nests out of pea sticks to support Oriental poppies; structures for sweet peas and bean pole wigwams for your beans to scramble up. They will also offer their own top tips on how best to hide visible supports - allowing the plants to take centre stage - and why it is preferable to use biodegradable twine.
This seasonal workshop aims to demonstrate how to create a beautiful mid-summer garden, bursting with colour and structure.
Petersham House is the private home of Petersham Nurseries’ owners, Frncesco & Gael Boglione. Ticket price: £65.00 includes tea/coffee on arrival, a light lunch of homemade soup & sandwiches after the workshop, plus a bundle of peasticks to take away. www.petershamnurseries.com

Holker Hall

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:20:28 +0000

Holker Hall & Gardens, which reopens on the 14th of March, celebrates its 60th season this year. To start the season with a flourish, head gardener Yvonne Cannon and her team have planted over 38,000 bulbs. Holker Gardens will awaken with an array of spring flowering bulbs, including early, mid and late-flowering tulips and 7,500 thickly-planted primulas and primroses, through which the tulips appear. Carpets of daffodils add colour in the woodland garden and on the main lawn. In addition to the traditional planting, the gardens are also home to a number of unusual, exotic and in some instances rare plants, which although sourced from warmer climates are surprisingly at home at Holker. The Hall itself has indoor displays of hyacinths and fragrant, paper-white narcissus. The Courtyard Café serves locally produced food. To find out more visit Holker Hall Gardens

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Iris Reticulata

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:16:25 +0000

If ever a plant deserved the epithet ‘small, but perfectly formed’ the Iris reticulata is the one. I planted these ones (‘Harmony’) on October the 18th and it has been worth every minute of the wait to enjoy this little pot of perfection on my desk – and fragrant too!