Back in the 21st century, food security was taken out of our hands, and all but destroyed. But our keepers haven’t just saved seeds and knowledge – they’ve saved hope. As he peered over the edge, Noah’s long golden curls floated on a warm, skyward breeze smelling all at once of cabbages, beans and onions. […]

OK, it’s bees again, but not just honeybees, this time it’s bumblebees and solitary bees too. Without these little heroines (sorry chaps but it really is the girls that do that work), we would have a real dearth of food on our plates and the classic quote, always attributed to Einstein, but in my opinion […]

Unless you’re growing plants for their ornamental seed heads or want to save seed for the following year, ‘deadheading’ by removing the fading flower heads, extends the flowering season. It stops them from wasting energy producing unwanted seeds and prevents those that self seed freely, like ‘Lady’s Mantle’ or ‘Love in a mist’ from becoming […]

Whereas many greenhouse plants are essentially decorative or useful basils may be both. Crucial fresh as an essential culinary herb a pot or several of basil can also be rather attractive especially the small leaved sorts. Indeed pots of manicured small leaved basil can substitute for box topiary during the summer. To be fair though […]

I sowed the plants for the polytunnel before we started building the polytunnel. First things first, I started all those tender, warmth loving things by my feet in my office, cosied away in a heated propagator, and later moved them up onto the office windowsill and later still out into the greenhouse. There they patiently […]

Time and space management in the greenhouse is essential to keep it productive and prolific, but keeping up with the lush greenhouse growth this season has proven to be a bit of a challenge and if I don’t catch up soon there’s a chance that the greenhouse might burst from inside like a puff ball […]

Peat-free compost – bought and home-made – is the way forward, so discouraging us from making full use of our own compost is hardly the way to boost sales. It was impeccable, if ironic, timing. After a few joyous hours of serious riddling, during which I’d rediscovered long-forgotten muscles, followed by some blending and mixing, […]

This greenhouse family gives us surprisingly tough house and conservatory plants, also loved as outdoor summer bedding and happy in fairly cramped containers. These have gorgeous flowers and beautiful foliage year round in a bewildering range of colours. With different leaf shapes and patterns, even trailing varieties, many are scented and some can be used […]

The long range weather forecast for June suggests a typical British summer with continued unsettled weather, now that is mixed news for the gardener! My tropical border has finally been planted out and the sun and rain will help the plants to establish quickly, though higher temperatures would help – the plants might think that […]

One of my big hopes for this year is to have a fine cut flower patch. I want to be able to pick bunch after bunch of lovely flowers for myself, for birthday presents, for my mum when she’s looked after the kids. It’s an investment. A cut flower patch requires an awful lot of […]

Hartley Bean Feast May 2014 When you begin the greenhouse journey, even before you have even parted with any hard-earned cash there’s so much to consider and decide. Greenhouse gurus are generous with their advice regarding siting, ventilation and features, but the most vital consideration of all is its size. Most potential greenhouse gardeners are […]