The Frustrated Gardener

The life and loves of a time-poor plantsman

Hairnets and Harry Wheatcroft – The Chelsea Flower Show in 1973

January 17, 2021.Reading time 12 minutes.

The Beau is a thoughtful chap. For my birthday earlier this week he managed to track down a copy of the Chelsea Flower Show catalogue from the year of my birth, 1973. Whilst the cover design leaves much to be desired, the contents allow me to draw some fascinating comparisons with the modern-day. Most striking […]

Where Have All The Coleus Gone?

June 20, 2018.Reading time 14 minutes.

When a plant does well in my garden, I want to grow more of it. As a gardening strategy, this makes perfect sense. So often we struggle on, trying to grow things that are not best suited to our conditions. Then we ask ourselves why we fail. I wonder how many people have abandoned […]