November is a wonderful time to head outdoors in search of seed heads, pine cones, interesting stems and fallen branches to create stunning indoor decorations for Christmas.
Honesty (Lunaria annua) seed heads are called silicules. As a whole they may appear a little drab, but gently flex Honesty seed capsules between your fingers and the outer casing will peel off and reveal the elegant beauty of Lunaria annua.
I was both excited and incredibly relieved when I heard that the National Trust had purchased Munstead Wood, the Surrey home and eleven-acre garden of the legendary horticulturist, designer, writer, artist, photographer, and craftswoman, Gertrude Jekyll.
Gertrude lived at Munstead Wood in Busbridge, Godalming, from the 1890s until her death in 1932. Having met the renowned architect Edwin Lutyens early in his career, long before he achieved fame and was knighted, Gertrude invited Edwin to design her an Arts and Crafts house to complement the garden.
If you’re in need of some early summer cheer, I’ve got a stack of photographs I’ve taken of vibrant and flamboyant flowers that I hope will brighten up your day!
Last autumn, Dutch Grown sent me some of their bulbs to trial. I’m sharing my photographs I’ve taken of these flowers along with some info about each of the plants to help you, if you’re considering planting bulbs this autumn.
Pieter and Ben, from Dutch Grown, have very kindly sent me a range of their bulbs to try out.
When these bulbs arrived, all of my containers were already allocated to specific trials, so I am incredibly grateful to my wonderful friends, Terry and Nicky, who were absolute superstars and saved the day by lending me a number of their pots.
April is such a magical time of year! It’s quite simply awe inspiring to see the landscape being painted by mother nature in every beautiful shade of green, as more leaves unfurl and the view becomes ever greener each day. I love to be outside, surrounded by the birds singing and bees buzzing.
The RHS London Spring Plant Extravaganza is being held on Friday 1st April 2016 and Saturday 2nd April 2016 (today), at The RHS Lawrence Hall, Westminster, London, SW1P 2QD.
The Great Pavilion at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show extends to an area equal in size to three football pitches; during Chelsea week it’s filled with a glorious array of interesting, new, rare and beautiful plants and stunning floral exhibits created by top plant breeders, growers and nurseries. Here are some of the Gold Medal winning nurseries from this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show:
W & S Lockyer – AuriculasBill, Joan, and Simon Lockyer are specialist growers and breeders of Florist Auriculas.
We’re fortunate to benefit from so many beautiful, important, and historic gardens being open for us to enjoy in Surrey, Hampshire and West Sussex. We can be inspired by spectacular plant collections, see rare and exotic plants, enjoy beautiful landscapes and learn more about how amazing plants are, without travelling very far at all!
I love flowers. I cut flowers, stems and leaves to bring indoors all year round. It’s lovely to enjoy seasonal flowers, which often flower for just a short while every year, somehow this makes the flowers even more precious. I appreciate and value what’s in season now, in the UK we have beautiful, British grown cut flowers and plants that we all can enjoy if we know where to find them.
I love this time of year! I look forward to seeing the beautiful, diamond like sparkle of the first frosts glistening in the morning sunlight. There are lots of lovely things you can do now, both indoors and out, to ensure that your garden is in tip-top condition, with lots of wonderful new plants that you can look forward to growing next year!
This time of year is so exciting, with Christmas coming and lots of celebrations on the horizon! Make the most of any bright, sunny days, wrap up warmly and get out in the garden!
Mycorrhizal fungi are a species of fungi that occur naturally in the soil. Mycorrhizal fungi have a special growing relationship with some plants, they effectively work together to create a stronger, wider reaching root system for the plant; helping the plant to withstand drought and stress.
I love autumn, the colourful falling leaves, shiny berries, and burnished tones add to the romance and beauty of the garden. Make the most of the autumn planting opportunities available now, order seed catalogues and create a beautiful garden to enjoy all year round. There’s still lots to do in the garden, or at your allotment now!
Mycorrhizal fungi are beneficial fungi species that occur naturally in the soil.
I love the autumn, the colourful falling leaves and burnished tones add to the romance and beauty of the garden. Make the most of the autumn planting opportunities available now, order seed catalogues, and create a beautiful garden to enjoy all year round. There’s still lots to do in the garden or at your allotment now!
Mycorrhizal fungi are species of fungi that occur naturally in the soil.
