Hartley Magazine

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

Marigolds – easy flecks of sunshine

One of the things I use my greenhouse for is raising annuals every spring. One of my very favourites is the marigold because it flowers right through summer until the first frosts. The flowers come in sunny shades of mahogany-red, orange and warm-yellow and these colours attract hoverflies and pollen beetles. The hoverflies look like […]

Gardens to Share—Portrait of a Gem Hidden in Plain View

This month I’m looking at what can happen when private gardeners take their passion public. Streissguth Gardens is a private/public enterprise that could be duplicated in neighborhoods all over the country. Recently, I went for an urban hike with friends on the east side of Seattle’s Lake Union. On Blaine Street, we arrived at a […]

Commelina, Blue Spider-wort, Day-flower

With gorgeous sky blue flowers all of summer the Blue Spider-wort is an ideal plant for a cool greenhouse. True it’s a tad lax and can flop if not supported and the waist high stems of lanceolate leaves are not exactly stunning. However continuous displays of gentian blue flowers redeems all. As these lovely blooms […]

Blossom end rot – problem solved.

I’ve been having one or two problems with Blossom End Rot, where the end of tomatoes becomes circular, black and flattened. It occurs in peppers and aubergines, squashes and watermelons but is most often seen in tomatoes and is caused by lack of calcium in the fruits. Plants growing in soil, growing bags and potting […]