I was going to write about a dependable, evergreen, scented shrub but decided at the last minute that we might all need a bit of cheer. This fumitory (as they’re commonly known) ‘Beth Evans’ cuts the mustard and is equally dependable and also tough: a couple of years ago it was covered with snow one […]
First up: We’re reviewing a great new gardening book ‘Diary of a Modern Country Gardener’ today – do have a look at the bottom of this post. Even if some of us are still trudging through snow, the lengthening days lure us into the garden in March. There is much to be done – staking […]
A review of Diary of a Modern Country Gardener by Tamsin Westhorpe I so enjoyed reading this! Its lightness of touch and lack of pomposity carried me through it at a much quicker pace than I normally manage with gardening books. Arranged in diary-fashion, it doesn’t become bogged down at any point with long ‘purple’ passages, […]
We all need boundaries. E and C regularly exceed theirs, so I’m not sure how much you can trust their judgement even with horticultural ones but I’ve come up with some examples of how we have chosen different plants for different purposes on the boundaries of our garden. Our front garden borders a busy road […]
Loddon lily, summer snowflake It’s a bit of a misnomer this common name. Leucojum aestivumusually flowers in March or April, yet informally, it is called the summer snowflake. Furthermore, this year, which is far from normal climatically, it’s out in February. This clump forming, bulbous, hardy perennial is very easy going and tolerant of most situations. […]
The named storms have been coursing through the UK, but spring is on its way regardless and there are jobs to do, like pruning winter-flowering jasmine, choosing some slug-proof plants, and dividing snowdrops…… Jazzing up Jasmine It’s usually a cinch to grow Jasminum nudiflorum, and it’s a bright and pretty thing to see when covered […]
Our gardens are like empty stages at this time of winter, poised, ready to be shaped by your plans for the coming year. Regrettably my two sisters often show a lack of ambition in this respect: Caroline’s prepping for spring will likely stretch as far as flicking through the ‘Crocus’ catalogue and ordering their ‘yellow […]
It’s not all about snowdrops and winter aconites in February. I just couldn’t let the month go by without giving these little beauties a mention. Classic yes, and I do wish I’d planted more of them last autumn; it takes four months from planting to flower, you can’t ask for more than that. And what good […]
Are your fingers itching, as mine are, to get going in the garden? While we are waiting for the busy-ness of March to begin, how about helping the early insects, beautifying garden trees or preparing the veg beds for the coming season……. Catering for Critters Unexpectedly mild winter weather in the south has been worryingly […]
We’ve all been told that’s it’s in the winter months that you appreciate the structure of your garden, but as I have had to remind E and C on numerous occasions over the years, (generally in the aftermath of boozy parties) taking things to excess is rarely a good idea for those of us in […]
This is an interesting euphorbia at any time of the year, but it really comes into its own in the winter, most especially during a cold snap when some of the lower stem leaves turn a brilliant pillar-box red. It’s not a massive blast of colour; it is one of those small delights that catch […]
With the lengthening days and snowdrops making their entrance, thoughts are definitely turning to the glorious gardening year ahead. So let’s get cracking on some handy tasks to set the scene like top-dressing plants in pots, taking some root-cuttings, and cleaning up the tools ready for the great Spring Push……. TOP-DRESSING FOR TOP SHRUBS Many, many […]
I know that in terms of clothes fashion (trousers from Lands’ End, jumpers from Woolovers: job done), I am a big disappointment to my older and younger sisters who are both secretly wannabe Kardashians, but trust me when it comes to gardening trends I am dynamite compared with either of them. So what are my […]
Mid-January in the UK and I don’t know about you, but I find it a little less tempting to venture into the garden. But there are lots of tasks like early seed-sowing, scrubbing down patios and paths, and planning for winter scent etc. that will take our minds off the chill and put a gloss […]
Let’s celebrate the New Year by planting a tree! Or lots, if you have the space and right environment for them. Human beings have already wiped 40% of the world’s trees off the face of the earth. In summer 2019, research led by experts at ETH Zurich (one of the world’s most prestigious universities in […]
Unlike many of its springtime show-off cousins, this is an understated and elegant small tree, and one of the best for winter interest in the smaller garden. Deciduous and spreading, its leaves show good autumn colour, and they are followed by delicate, semi-double, white flowers tinged with pink, which can appear intermittently throughout late autumn and […]
I Want to Like My Garden by Rachel McCartain A review by the3Growbags This book starts with the premise that gardening is a boring chore, which probably echoes the feelings of a lot of people. Starting from this rather negative outlook, it launches into quick fixes for this attitude, and we enjoyed the unusual analogies […]
New year, new beginnings – hurray! And even in the deepest days of winter, you can get on with some tasks that will make you feel that spring is on the way – clearing things up ready for the early bulbs, pruning the shaggy shrubs, ordering seeds………. Sprucing up for early spring There are plenty of […]
1. Horticultural quotations a) rosebuds b) violets c) apples d) flower e) rosemary (10 marks) 2. Tangled trees a) magnolia b) laburnum c) holm oak d) chestnut e) hornbeam f) sycamore (12 marks) 3. Flying birds a) DOVE, love, live, LIME b) SWAN, swat, seat, teat, TEAK c) SHAG, sham, slam, slum, PLUM (16 marks) […]
Yes at last it’s quiz time! Elaine’s been persuaded to set aside her dreary winter tasks (does anyone else actually wash their greenhouse?) and Laura’s obsessive bulb-planting has briefly subsided leaving a tiny window for FUN! We’ve put together a gardening quiz for you to dip into over the Christmas hols. You can click on […]
If you spot an apple tree still bearing fruit at this time of the year, chances are it will be a Sturmer Pippin. This is a very late cropping variety that was highly regarded in the Victorian period because it keeps so well on (and off) the tree; it will remain hanging on into January […]
ANSWERS TO THE 3G CRYPTIC CROSSWORD 2021 Across: 4. Sunflower Seeds 6. Dogwood 7. Chestnuts 11. Laura 13. Mistletoe 16. Parsnips 17. Elaine 18. Holly Down: 1. Cyclamen 2. Tangerine 3. Noel 5. Frost 7. Caroline 8. Blue Spruce 9. Poinsettia 10. Evergreen 14. Sprouts 15. Winter Box
QUIZ ANSWERS ID Test 1. Answer: The spindle tree, Euonymus europaeus, whose pretty pink fruits have now split open to reveal the orange arils, the pulp-covered seeds. The pulp is a rich nutritious food source for blackbirds, and particularly, robins, although the seed itself is toxic and thus passes through birds gut intact. The spindle […]
ANSWERS TO THE 3GROWBAGS PRIZE CHRISTMAS CROSSWORD ACROSS: 2. Jute 4. Pond 5. Birch 7. Sage 8. Sloe 9. Moss 11. Gala 14. Daphne 15. Carrot 16. Heather 17. Sedge 18. Rhubarb 19. Pineapple 23. Gladioli 25. Cane 26. Chitting 27. Primula 28. Raspberry DOWN: 1. Dixter 3. Trowel 6. Clematis 7. Sycamore 9. Mulch 10. Spade 12. Cranesbills 13. Heuchera 20. Iris 21. Physalis 22. No Dig 24. Lime
Ooh, it’s nearly here now! But before we lose ourselves utterly in the chaos and magic of Christmas, let’s get a few jobs done like feeding the birds, tending to the houseplants, and sowing some alpines…… Don’t forget the birds! Everyone getting excited about the delicious food and drink we are going to consume over […]
What could you give a gardener for Christmas that would truly revolutionise their gardening experience? – a razor hoe, that’s what. Honestly, I can divide my life into two distinct phases, pre-razor hoe and post-razor hoe, it’s that good. And no, I am not getting a backhander from Burgon and Ball, apparently their razor hoe […]
Willows are a diverse lot, but if it’s shout-out-loud winter colour you’re after, then look no further than my subject today – it simply cannot be ignored in the December garden. Known also as the scarlet willow or the coral bark willow, the young stems are nearer orange than red, and they create a fiery […]
Question 1. It’s called the gin and tonic plant! If you brush against its foliage it emits the fragrance of a delicious G & T. Chin chin! 2. Plant identification A. Helleborus foetidus. Grows best in thin chalky soils and I snapped this striking specimen last December, obviously loving life in car park of the […]
What with the weather being very regularly…..meh in December, some of my tips this week have a somewhat ‘indoorsy’ feel – herbs in window-sill pots, and bringing in bulbs to flower for Christmas, for instance, amongst such hardier pursuits as compost-heaps and mulching the Agapanthus………And don’t forget to click on to our Shop Page at the bottom […]
Let’s help the planet by giving plants as Christmas presents this year. If you choose wisely you can give something that not only looks lovely on the day but is a great investment for years to come (so this rules out those factory-produced poinsettias Caroline buys en route at a garage forecourt) As the most […]
Despite falling temperatures, still this china rose is in flower. Okay so it’s not a blaze of colour as in the summer months, but I’m so impressed by its persistence. On any given day during this very damp grey autumn I have counted at least a dozen flowers, and many more buds, on our rose. […]
Got some beetroot and apples from the garden looking for a delicious recipe? With huge thanks to our very good friend and master gardener Bill Tait, here’s a fabulous recipe for a hearty soup. Laura confirms it’s totally delicious! Ingredients: One large onion – chopped Two or three potatoes – chopped Two large cooking apples […]
Now every shop on the High Street has stocked up its Christmas aisle, and you’ve been panicked into buying your first gifts for nearest and dearest, get some little gardening jobs done before the mayhem really kicks in. Planting tulips, pruning vines and cleaning labels can all be on your to-do list this month……. TIME […]
Answers at the end ? 1.Who was the father of plant nomenclature? a) Charles Darwin b) Carl Linnaeus c) Alfred Einstein c) Sir David Attenborough 2) Why are scientific names more useful than common names? a) they are unique and recognised globally b) they are easier to spell c) they never change d) they make […]
Plant nomenclature is a huge topic and you can delve as deep as you like – there’s always more to learn! Common names versus scientific names Plants have two different sorts of names, a common one, such as sweet rocket, and a scientific one, in this case Hesperis matronalis. The benefit of having a scientific […]