The life and loves of a time-poor plantsman
The winter solstice is the longest night and shortest day of the year, this year falling on Sunday December 21st. The Earth’s axis tilts the furthest away from the sun at 23-and-a-half degrees, giving all locations north of the equator less than 12 hours of daylight. This pivotal moment in the calendar has been marked by […]
Read MoreOne of my surprise survivors from last year Solanum laciniatum, the Kangaroo Apple, may finally have outgrown its welcome. The plants were bought from Sissinghurst in 2012 and despite being pruned to 18″ in spring have grown back to 6ft tall. For much of the year the foliage has been deformed by the same unknown […]
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On Saturday we a had a visitation from the Assistant County Organiser for the Kent National Gardens Scheme. So naturally, what could go wrong promptly went wrong. Eager to impress I was up at the crack of dawn to prepare for our inspection. The weather was a dream – sunny and breezy with the morning […]
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Our coastal garden is starting to look really exciting now, with lots of lush growth being encouraged by the warm sunshine. It’s still very leafy for the time of year, with some flowers a number of weeks behind. Our Agapanthus africanus are normally on the brink of blooming by now, but the snake-like heads are […]
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Like a horticultural fashion show, Britain’s flower shows provide the launch pad for new ideas in gardening and the latest introductions from breeders and plant hunters. The Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is the world’s biggest, and after Chelsea one of the most prestigious. Unlike Chelsea, exhibitors can sell their wares direct to the general […]
Read MoreWell, the world didn’t end yesterday, but it’s having a damn good go at ending today. We awoke this morning to lashing rain and howling wind from the south. Even at midday, the sky is not even bright enough to prevent the security lights coming on as we step out of the front door. The […]
Read MoreI have to admit that just at the moment I am feeling reasonably content with how the garden is shaping up. It is 5 years old and required its first major “chop” just as this spring began. The Euphorbia mellifera had become an enormous ball of bright green foliage. Attractive as it was it was […]
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The Frustrated Gardener 