Gardeners love a September day, when morning mist and heavy dew give way to warm afternoon sunshine. It’s more than that though: the garden is bathed in a crystal clear light that flatters colour and there’s a relaxed air. No need to rush, the garden’s winding down and so am I. I always liken early […]
A few years ago it was all about Millennials and how they travel to collect experiences, selecting destinations because of the stories they can later tell, and prefer to acquire skills – like gardening — through hands-on learning. Like that’s something new? But if that’s the case, I’ve been a Millennial all my adult (Boomer) […]
Here in Rhode Island, this summer has been one of the hottest on record, with more 90˚F (32˚C) days than ever before. Such high temperatures can easily overheat a greenhouse. If you’ve ever left your greenhouse doors and windows closed on a hot, sunny day, you may have seen the temperature soar above 120oF (49oC), […]
As individuals we need to take responsibility for our health and well-being. With the current pandemic still in full swing, it’s so important to stay well and safe. Many of our modern medicines have botanical origins and many plants have provided powerful healing properties for centuries and indeed are still prescribed today by qualified medical […]
I recently blogged how simple it is for you to use your greenhouse to force, that is bring on much earlier, crops than by growing these out of doors. Now as winter approaches we can also use our greenhouse to extend the productive life of other crops, and produce many for eating fresh throughout winter. Obviously […]
A selection of our latest adverts as seen in leading publications such as Gardens Illustrated, Country Life, The English Garden & many more. If you would like to request a brochure please click here.
Cacti and succulents are plants with thick, fleshy stems and leaves that have evolved to store water in dry climates. In recent years, they have become enormously popular for house plants. You see them for sale everywhere, including most big-box stores. Some of the most common varieties are aloe plants, jade plants, sempervivum, kalanchoes, agaves, […]
The power of plants has been instrumental in the evolution of man for centuries. Plants play a vital role for our food, our medicine, our health and our wellbeing, both physical and mental. Plants have the power to feed us, to feed our livestock and also to feed other plants. Plant protein has become a […]
I’ve been asked which greenhouse plant is top of the GYO essential list, practical, productive, with the most outstanding nutritional value? Unfortunately this would be trays of kale and watercress. However also high in the ranking is a little grown relative of tomatoes that I featured here a decade ago. Still not widely known the […]
With the rush to grow edibles at home this summer, your painstaking efforts with garden stars like tomatoes or corn may mean that easy-care herbs could be overlooked. And yet, herbs can bring joy to your table, enliven your self-care routine, or enhance your gift giving. And many will continue to do that year in […]
Keeping seed-gathering and sowing close to home reduces gardening miles to footsteps – and results only in joy. This spring, one coy flower, above all others, brought me an untrammelled and deeply satisfying joy that endured for weeks on end. It wasn’t just the early dash of pink and blue it added to my borders […]
Sow Fennel, oriental vegetables like mizuna greens and Pak Choi, rocket, coriander dill, spinach, claytonia and land cress, in modules as soon as you can in August. These will germinate quickly and can be planted out by mid-August for cropping in Autumn. Continue sowing ‘cut and come again’ crops like mixed herbs, in pots, greenhouse […]
