At Hartley Botanic we have a good relationship with many knowledgeable garden writers both in the UK and USA – here you can enjoy reading their articles and gardening tips.
If you want to do something that will make a big difference to the environment, plant trees says Jean Vernon Trees are the lungs of the planet. During the day they use carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in a process called photosynthesis that makes sugars to fuel their growth and produces oxygen. It’s a phenomenal […]
Devil’s Ivy is a robust variegated scrambling climber, not exactly exciting but so very useful. It’s one of those near bomb-proof plants essential in warm greenhouse, frost free conservatory, the home and many an office. A born survivor it puts up with shade and neglect only eventually dying from cold, prolonged drought or severe water-logging. […]
In June there is plenty to do. Aubergines, peppers and chillies should be transplanted as they grow into pots one or two sizes larger when there is a good root system but before they become pot bound, finally transplanting into 23 cm pots or two per growing bag. You can instinctively tell by the size […]
A good garden should shine throughout the year and it should also provide plenty of nectar from early spring until late autumn. This is the time of year to think about late-flowering plants, because many of them come from the southern hemisphere, particularly South America. Flowers tend to be pigment packed, with plenty of reds, […]
It is time to pull the hanging baskets out of the glasshouse and let them take their chances in the outside world. I love cosseting hanging baskets in the greenhouse early in the year, it is one of the real benefits of having a greenhouse: that you get to grow them on for a bit […]
Most people buying compost still have no idea what’s in the bag – or why it matters. As the climate crisis escalates, that needs to change – and fast. I recently did a spot of crowd-sourcing via social media: Twitter, in this case. I asked – via the hashtag #peatfree – for ideas, tips and […]
Jean Vernon explores some of the plants that are ideal for your first greenhouse Let’s be honest, what’s the first plant that springs to mind when you think of a greenhouse? Chances are it’s tomatoes, and while they can be high maintenance there are ways to succeeding with tomatoes AND there is nothing tastier than […]
Seldom found in glasshouses or conservatories this compact shrub is near ideally suited. Although requiring lime free compost and rainwater this’s not much disadvantage as tub culture is so easy and allows the plants to be moved outdoors for those months when they’re dormant. Beautiful flowers? Yes, like large white heather bells these bloom on […]
Sow: outdoor cucumber, marrow, squashes, pumpkins on edge, individually in 7.5cm pots plus French and Runner beans and Sweetcorn in gentle heat in multipurpose compost in a propagator. Tie in the leading shoots of tomatoes, peppers and aubergines as they grow to support growing stems. Continue to prick out and pot on seedlings, gradually increasing […]
Well the greenhouse is finally back up and running! The last couple of months I have written here about how the greenhouse had become used as a bit of a dumping ground when we demolished our big old shed, sledges and spare rabbit hutches taking the place where tomato seedlings should be thriving. We did […]
I always get wisteria envy at this time of year, because it’s one climber I don’t seem to be able to find the right place for. I’ve planted two in my lifetime and the first one was in a Northamptonshire garden in the late 1980s. I recently went back for a peek and it’s now […]
Cut your ties to plastic – there are plenty of renewable options that provide plant support without microplastic pollution. Off they go, carried on the breeze – motes of pink, persistent pollution blowing up and away into our world. A small, shimmering cloud of glinting alien fragments, destination uncertain, their effect on the web of […]
