This is the moment in the greenhouse – with warmer nights finally arriving, the soil temperature rising, the light long and generous – when basil stops being a struggle and becomes worth growing. Even if you haven’t started yours yet you can get it underway in June and you’ll be cutting handfuls of the stuff […]
It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of Matthew Biggs, who died on Thursday, 21st May, at the age of 65. Matthew gave so much to horticulture, and his influence will continue to bloom in gardens, greenhouses, and in the imaginations of gardeners for many years to come. There are people who […]
A gloriously sunny late-May, with record temperatures, has turned into something of a damp squib with June’s arrival. Not that I’m complaining, for 30C in May and no rain means one thing – watering, more watering and yet more watering. The roses and peonies haven’t minded the hot, dry weather one bit, but everything’s flowered […]
A once much loved conservatory and cool greenhouse plant this is long overdue for a comeback. Though the Latin name has always been a hindrance as near comical and an unwelcome challenge in any spelling contest- Antirrhinum. This Snapdragon, A. majus, is surprisingly a native and one of our most gorgeous though seldom seen in […]
Fill your watering cans with water and allow them to stand in the greenhouse for at least 24 hours to warm before watering your plants. You may need to water two or three times while the weather is hot especially if you are behind on your potting on and large plants are in small pots. […]
The stand at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 showcased the craftsmanship, heritage, and longevity of Hartley Botanic’s prestigious handmade English Greenhouses and Glasshouses. Deftly demonstrating how Hartley Botanic’s structurally superior and astonishingly beautiful Greenhouses provide the ideal environment for growing, nurturing, and living. Built to perform in every season, and stunning enough to transform […]
I am the proud owner of two Hartley greenhouses, one heated and one unheated. I have a problem, Houston! They’re just not big enough at this time of year for all the things I want to grow. By early May they’re both groaning under the weight of dahlias, tomatoes, pelargoniums, countless annuals, sweetcorn, peppers and […]
Mmmm! Biting into a fresh tomato on a hot summer day can be one of a gardener’s most pleasurable experiences. But if you haven’t grown tomatoes before, what do you need to know? Here are some basic answers. First, you need to decide whether to grow determinate or indeterminate tomatoes. Determinate plants are smaller and […]
Isn’t it confusing? We all love the garden birds and wish them no harm. But feeding them seems to be causing problems. So, what do we do to keep the garden birds safe? Everyone loves garden birds. We stop and listen to their melodious songs, we watch their funny antics around the garden and we […]
Writing this during the May’s closing days, after winter’s final hurrah (I hope, but this is Colorado and it’s a bit dodgy to count on it), my neighbors and I have been digging out dandelions in the faint hope of eliminating them from our lawns and gardens. It would be nice if the flowers were, […]
Compost, leaf mould, bracken, wood chips, even grit… it’s time to sieve your way to gardening gold. Blackcaps are serenading overhead. Spring sun warms my cheeks. A cool, light breeze gets the bluebells shimmying – and I’m joining them. My arms and upper body are moving to a steady, repeating motion, left-right, left-right, as I […]
My greenhouse in May feels like it is buzzing with potential, the warm, humid air, the trays of seedlings stretching towards the light. This May has felt a little different. There are still trays of seedlings but it has been so cold of late that there isn’t the feeling that everything is bursting to get […]
