Hartley Magazine

All the latest news, hints, tips and advice from our experts

Written in United Kingdom

Fan palms or Dr Livistona I presume

Fan palms, Livistona chinensis & L. rotundifolia, are tough enduring specimens for frost free greenhouses, conservatories or even as house plants. These endure considerable neglect yet make highly decorative foliage displays year round. Although flowering and even fruiting does happen this occurs when mature- by which time these could be 30 feet for the chinensis […]

Written in United States

Steal This! —the season’s best indoor show ideas

I think of indoor flower and garden shows as giant greenhouses where you can walk among the plants and pick up great ideas for your garden. I recently attended the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle. Here are some terrific takeaways you can use from that show. Play with perspective –The multiple award-winning Asian-inspired […]

Written in United Kingdom

Daphnes

I apologise if you’re a Daphne, but Daphnes are capricious creatures. However I’m not talking people, I’m talking plants. These gloriously scented, shrubby plants, designed for hedonsists as well as gardeners, cast a special sort of magic and they’re an essential part of my garden. However,  just when they’re at their best, they’re likely to […]

Written in United States

Glasshouse gardening for modern life

Living in a house built in 1958, the design of which borrows heavily from California architect, Cliff May, I am only too aware that a Glasshouse structure suited to mid-century modern style needs to be spare in form and more committed to defining architectural space than serving as a decorative ornament. Having gone through several […]

Written in United States

How to Help Native Plants Win Back their Territory

It’s well known that really obnoxious invasives can overpower our native plant populations. Now meet Nancy Lawson, garden columnist, habitat consultant, and author of the book, The Humane Gardener. She’s got great advice for how gardeners can assist natives to fight back—and win. In Nancy’s two-acre garden outside Baltimore, Maryland, a fallen tree allowed the […]

Written in United States

Fine Gardening with a Greenhouse

For many gardeners, owning a greenhouse is the epitome of fine gardening. Not only does a greenhouse enable you to cultivate plants throughout the year; it also allows you to grow plants that otherwise wouldn’t survive in your climate. Desert plants, alpine plants, rainforest tropicals, and more are all possible no matter where you live […]