The first full moon of 2020 fell on January 10. It was quite spectacular, like every full moon in the Southwest, from low desert to high plains, foothills to mountain tops. Sitting in my sunroom cum conservatory, peering out into the garden on a mild winter night, I was enchanted by the ethereal glow the silvery light […]
The great advantage in having a Hartley greenhouse is stealing a march on time. It may be a chilly outside, with a biting easterly wind, but it’s always toasty under glass so you can start to sow earlier in the year. If you can keep the temperatures at an ambient 10 -17C, with ventilators or […]
Orchids are probably the largest genus of flowering plants with nearly 30,000 species. Because these plants are fairly easy to hybridize there are somewhere around 100,000 hybrids. Orchids grow almost all over the world, yes, even in the arctic circle, but mostly they grow in tropical rain forests. That said, orchids can be found in […]
Water in the Western United States is a fast-diminishing resource. Just ask Cynthia Bee, Outreach Coordinator at the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District in Salt Lake City. Last summer, I got so excited when she shared the district’s new creative solutions for reducing water use through garden design. These tips can also save you other […]
This curious genus of pretty onion like flowers from South Africa will both grace, and scent, your cool greenhouse though perhaps in ways you did not expect. Much grown outdoors in countries warmer than Britain and often along paths in the manner of chives this tuberous family also much resemble those Alliums in having garlic […]
Keep the greenhouse guttering clear of debris which reduces their effectiveness and can eventually block the down pipes. Clean all of your old pots and seed trays ready for sowing in spring. Wash with a solution of environmentally friendly disinfectant like Citrox, rinse, drain and allow to dry. Make sure you have pots and trays […]
The jobs I love doing in the depths of winter in the greenhouse are those that transport me to the height of summer. If I am going to brave getting my hands chilly and have to stamp my feet while sowing seeds, I want it to be for blousy blooms waving in a soft breeze. […]
When deciding where to put a greenhouse, the first question to ask is what do you plan to grow. If the answer is orchids, for example, your greenhouse should probably not be in bright sun for too many hours each day. On the other hand, if growing out-of-season vegetables is your goal, you’ll likely want […]
At the advent of solstice as I sit in my sunroom/conservatory, staring out over a snowy landscape that’s framed by a sapphire blue sky, with the sun beating down on the Rockies and the neighborhood buried under a foot of white fluffy stuff, thoughts turn to the coming year’s gardening: Will the Woodward junipers that […]
A deep winter freeze can be filled with challenge, surprise, sadness – and moments of unfettered joy. My tips, and findings from winters past, will help to keep your greenhouse and garden ticking over when temperatures plummet, keep wildlife safe, and keep you cheerful through the bleak months ahead. Snow load Most greenhouses are strong […]
As a busy journalist you get to meet a lot of gardeners and garden lovers and sometimes they make an enormous impact on me, despite the fact that I may only spend a short time in their company. The late Felix Dennis, who passed away in 2014, was one such person. He had built up […]
If there’s a greenhouse on your Christmas list you might need to convince a non-believer in their worth. Jean Vernon helps you state your case A gardener without a greenhouse is a bit like a cook without a stove. Yes you can manage, improvise and still be creative, but the greenhouse facilitates much more than […]
