A little while ago I wrote here about my hopes and plans for a cut flower border at the allotment. We were putting in the new polytunnel, and there was a bit of a lost space in front of it. I wanted that space – right at the front of the plot, on the path […]
“A Buzzing Hotel that helps the environment” Here at Hartley Botanic, we know how important it is to look after the animals and insects that are found within our gardens. Working in conjunction with John Walker the expert in earth-friendly gardening we developed this fun guide to help you create the most important hotel for […]
Back in the 21st century, food security was taken out of our hands, and all but destroyed. But our keepers haven’t just saved seeds and knowledge – they’ve saved hope. As he peered over the edge, Noah’s long golden curls floated on a warm, skyward breeze smelling all at once of cabbages, beans and onions. […]
OK, it’s bees again, but not just honeybees, this time it’s bumblebees and solitary bees too. Without these little heroines (sorry chaps but it really is the girls that do that work), we would have a real dearth of food on our plates and the classic quote, always attributed to Einstein, but in my opinion […]
Unless you’re growing plants for their ornamental seed heads or want to save seed for the following year, ‘deadheading’ by removing the fading flower heads, extends the flowering season. It stops them from wasting energy producing unwanted seeds and prevents those that self seed freely, like ‘Lady’s Mantle’ or ‘Love in a mist’ from becoming […]
Whereas many greenhouse plants are essentially decorative or useful basils may be both. Crucial fresh as an essential culinary herb a pot or several of basil can also be rather attractive especially the small leaved sorts. Indeed pots of manicured small leaved basil can substitute for box topiary during the summer. To be fair though […]
Rachel is an award winning Landscape and Garden Designer based in Surrey. She choose a Hartley glasshouse as the focal point in her garden design for RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2014. Rachel says “The glass ‘room’ is key to the design of Lust, and it is vital to get it right. Right from […]
RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2014 Designer Rachel Parker Soden Contractor Burnham Landscaping Lust Garden in the Inspire Zone Site No. IN10 Conceptual Garden hello@rachelparkersoden.co.uk www.rachelparkersoden.co.uk 72 First Avenue, West Molesey KT8 2QN 07980 179470 Sinful Gardens at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show This year’s RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show sees the Conceptual […]
I sowed the plants for the polytunnel before we started building the polytunnel. First things first, I started all those tender, warmth loving things by my feet in my office, cosied away in a heated propagator, and later moved them up onto the office windowsill and later still out into the greenhouse. There they patiently […]
Time and space management in the greenhouse is essential to keep it productive and prolific, but keeping up with the lush greenhouse growth this season has proven to be a bit of a challenge and if I don’t catch up soon there’s a chance that the greenhouse might burst from inside like a puff ball […]
Peat-free compost – bought and home-made – is the way forward, so discouraging us from making full use of our own compost is hardly the way to boost sales. It was impeccable, if ironic, timing. After a few joyous hours of serious riddling, during which I’d rediscovered long-forgotten muscles, followed by some blending and mixing, […]
This greenhouse family gives us surprisingly tough house and conservatory plants, also loved as outdoor summer bedding and happy in fairly cramped containers. These have gorgeous flowers and beautiful foliage year round in a bewildering range of colours. With different leaf shapes and patterns, even trailing varieties, many are scented and some can be used […]
