With 40° heatwaves and devastating wildfires now a routine part of a British summer, cool heads are needed on the plot. Surfing the clammy, 40°-plus breeze, Lex freewheeled down the winding street, legs splayed. Even with sunglasses on, he was still forced to squint. Every building was white: white walls, white roofs, white drives. White […]
While temperatures remain high, watering and ventilation are top of the list. Open vents early in the morning, as temperatures in the greenhouse soon rise (shading should be in place by now), water preferably in the evening or early morning and check plants several times a day to ensure that they don’t dry out. Consider […]
Agapanthus is a genus of perennial plants known for their large, spherical clusters of flowers that bloom well above the foliage on long stems up to two feet above the leaves. The flower color ranges through all shades of blue to a creamy white. At least 20 flowers, and often a great many more, make […]
What do wasps do?? What’s the point of wasps?? These are commonly uttered, exasperated questions of wasp-laden summers. Wasps need a new PR agency. They are badly misunderstood, hugely persecuted and victims of incredible abuse. All because they dare to gate crash our summer parties and from time to time kick back. Yes some wasps […]
Gardening is satisfying in so many ways and it develops some desirable personality traits – such as generosity, patience and perseverance – although some would say I’m a work in progress! You’re likely to be in tune with nature, if you garden, and that helps your humility because most gardeners realise that they’re not in […]
My scented pelargoniums have long been released from the greenhouse and are beginning to look their leafy best now, and producing their myriad scents in abundance: cinnamon, lemon, peppermint, spice, cola, and more. These plants are closely related to the bedding pelargoniums that we all plant in terracotta pots and hanging baskets to flower through […]
Glasshouses serve many purposes: in my experience there are three themes that stand out. Production, Relaxation and Experimentation: A productive Greenhouse is where one grows vegetables, fruit, and herbs for the ultimate “locavore” experience – your own backyard. A Glasshouse can be a personal spa-zone or a short journey to a restful staycation. You know […]
In the past two years, I’ve been listening to podcasts as part of my gardening routine. They give me companionship and inspiration, as well as new information—especially for unfamiliar gardening practices. For instance, I don’t keep bees, but I enjoy the deep dives into the world of pollinators on the podcast Pollination. An added benefit—when […]
Living on an island near the coast is interesting in that thunderstorms often fall apart as they pass overhead. This often puts our area in a very dry situation, that, in summer can approach a drought. Being in drought conditions often causes a drop in the island’s only reservoir and the imposition of water restrictions. […]
The erratic weather continues to preoccupy our gardening thoughts, with hot sunshine and cold drying winds over much of UK and barely enough rain, in most areas, to top up the water butt. Check your pots twice a day and water if necessary, make sure tomatoes are moist. Erratic watering causes fruit splitting. Pinch out […]
And the Latin Cestrum is hardly any better. Anyway these scented plants are well suited to greenhouses and conservatories though sadly soon grow too large to be generally popular as house plants. Not quite hardy some have tried these outdoors as wall shrubs but they don’t survive long whereas under glass they can live for […]
The past few weeks have been quite exhilarating for gardeners: chores to tackle like cleaning out the potting shed, waking up the garden then attacking with vigor all the prepping, planting, and sorting before summer heat sets in. Along the Front Range the weather has been mixed, to say the least, with 90 degrees F […]
