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 […]
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 […]
Purple Passion is a striking greenhouse soft shrub, the reddish violet colour alone makes it stand out. As you look more closely you notice amazing furriness on every part. As soft and hairy as Lamb’s Quarters (Stachys) in the open garden, similarly gentle under the fingers. Indeed a tactile plant you are driven to touch […]
Check greenhouse seedlings daily. They should only be watered if necessary and ensure they are not overwatered. They need watering less often when light and temperature levels are low. Use tepid tap water. Continue to inspect plants daily; look out for the three main greenhouse pests – aphids, whitefly and red spider mite – on […]
Our Events 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show Tradestand no. 149 Hartley Botanic’s 2026 RHS Chelsea Flower Show Tradestand 19th to 23rd May 2026 The 2026 stand at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026 will showcase the craftsmanship, heritage, and longevity of Hartley Botanic’s prestigious Greenhouses and Glasshouses – all handmade in England to the same […]
It all depends how you look at it. Is your garden a demanding diva, that requires the constant attentions of the stylist, the groomer, the maid-of-all-work to keep the whole shebang tidy? Or is just plain fun to be with? A place that makes you laugh, mostly at mistakes that, to your eye, turn out […]
Solar technology is developing apace – but that’s not without controversy. For friction-free, life-enriching solar power, think no-tech – and look no further than your garden. I’m in my greenhouse, cheeks warmed by spring sunshine: calm, relaxed – smug, even. Beyond the glass, the sun at large is sending society into a bad-tempered frenzy; argy-bargy […]
Have we been brainwashed into keeping a monoculture of high maintenance grass plants across a huge area of our garden, asks Jean Vernon? I’ll let you into a little secret. I don’t have a lawn. That’s rather ironic, as for many years I tested lawnmowers for The Daily Telegraph. That was possibly one of the […]
This’s more a curious, architectural greenhouse foliage plant than a spectacular floral display. Although these cute flowers last for many weeks they’re not impressive compared to their sister bulbs, the rose red Blood Lilies, Haemanthus coccineus for this is H. albiflos, a white flowered species. Hailing from South Africa these members of the Amaryllis family […]
April is the greenhouse gardener’s busiest month, and for good reason, the days are lengthening, temperatures are rising, and the window for getting key crops started is firmly open. Get the timing right now and you’ll be harvesting well into autumn, leave it too late and you’ll spend the season playing catch-up. Here’s how I’m […]
It’s warming up in Rhode Island, but the wind is still very cold off the ocean because the ocean water is only about 43°F (6°C) in late April. This cold early springtime breeze keeps my garden temperature roughly two weeks behind inland areas. To counter this issue, I start most seeds in my basement and […]
