the3growbags, Author at The 3 Growbags

What to grow in a glasshouse

4 July 2020July 4, 2020the3growbagsLeave a comment

Caroline split up with her boyfriend when she was 20 and petulantly moved from Sussex to the Scottish Highlands. ‘She’ll be back’ we thought but no, over four decades later she’s asking for our advice on what to grow in the glasshouse attached to her new home north of Inverness (our feature pic). Luckily for her this is my specialist subject, so she’s in safe hands here. Any sort of protection which increases the warmth and lessens the depth of frost in winter whether this be greenhouse, conservatory, sunny porch or polytunnel opens up new possibilities for the botanically...

Pontederia cordata AGM – pickerel weed

3 July 2020July 3, 2020the3growbagsLeave a comment

In our garden, our beautiful pool was designed and built by Rob, my husband, so fair enough, he now has jurisdiction over its planting (although I still do the weeding around it!). I therefore look and admire, and when something really catches my eye, I ask for its name and find out more. This pontederia is a very showy perennial plant from North America: a marginal aquatic that is hardy and best grown in full sun. Its habit is upright and tidy, and it sits well with most other water plants. Its leaves seem to range from spear to heart shape and they are bright green and glossy – very fresh looking. The dense spikes...

Mint, cloches and lawn-edges – Grow-How tips for late June

26 June 2020June 27, 2020the3growbags4 Comments

We’re past the longest day and the nights are drawing in………………., but not before we have a glorious summer to follow the lovely weather of spring, we hope! Jobs and tips to get on with this week include drying off the tulip bulbs, utilising some household things in the garden and sowing some poppies, so let’s get started……. Household items in the garden No-one, I don’t suppose, wants a garden full of household paraphernalia cluttering up their flowery piece of heaven, but there are a few little dodges than can look okay, work well and can save you some...

Dressing salad, cucumber soup and blackbirds

26 June 2020June 26, 2020the3growbagsLeave a comment

Hurrah! we can invite friends and family around to the garden to have a barbecue and if you’ve been attentively caring your veg plot all over lockdown, or, as Elaine has been doing, growing salad crops in pots on the terrace, now is your chance to really show off. One of the joys of growing your own is that your side salad can be picked straight from the garden, rinsed, trimmed and served in under half an hour, making you the freshest, crunchiest salad on the block. A quick forage in your plot can yield plenty of ingredients (see...