Now here’s a greenhouse plant that takes almost no effort whatsoever. Or rather here are a great number of species as this is a big family and the curious collector can amass a large and interesting selection. Mostly from southern Africa these are succulent plants which although slow growing at first soon become large specimens […]
I first noticed it about two weeks ago. Those dead-looking stems that had been sitting brownly on my potted nectarines suddenly looked – almost imperceptibly – alive. There were no leaves or flowers, no bells and whistles, but something had changed: there was a livelier gleam to the wood, perhaps, but above all the buds […]
Gardening can be a pleasure for 365 days of the year. Whatever the weather outdoors, a greenhouse is a year-round refuge where there’s always some activity to enjoy, whatever the season. But it’s not just the weather which can spoil our gardening activities. Growing plants involves not just our creative talents but also skill and […]
The British people are very sensitive to the idea of luxury and relaxation, something we experience little of in our domestic lives. Whilst we’re certainly an outdoors people, swimming pools aren’t common on the estates of London and Birmingham; despite every outdoor pool from Spain to Sardinia being overtaken by Brits in their socks […]
Most greenhouses are used to grow fruit, but usually it’s tomatoes. I can’t think of many greenhouse growers that don’t have a few tomato plants growing and fruiting over the summer months, but that’s not really the fruit that I mean. I’m talking about the fruit that you eat with ice cream, custard or cream […]
The way we garden reveals a lot about our outlook on the world. It comes down to whether we feel gratitude to planet Earth – or think it owes us.
