When I started gardening, in the 1960s, the first thing I did was a parks and gardens inspired rose border containing twelve leggy hybrid teas of different colours. These unhealthy beasts lost most of their foliage by midsummer and they all flowered at slightly different times and at slightly different heights. However, my biggest crime […]
The Romans were recorded as the first to create greenhouses, specifically growing cucumbers for Emperor Tiberius. There are early Korean records of greenhouses being used to grow flowers and force vegetables by 1438, and the Chinese grew mandarin trees indoors – the first ‘greene’ houses. In 1663, the Orangery was opened at Versailles. The Victorian […]
Some interesting and useful glasshouse plants can be grown without ever finding any seeds first. Although most plants grow from seed using these can give variable results. When we want exactly the same characteristics as the parent we use vegetative propagation. That is we grow on a small bit of the original and not a […]
Damp, still air in the greenhouse causes grey mould, particularly on damp leaves or soft tissue like cyclamen flowers. It is less of a problem with good air circulation, so open greenhouse slightly vents on mild sunny days, shutting them before temperatures drop, early in the afternoon and avoid chilling draughts, (the lack of frost […]
Climate chaos has some hard lessons for earth-friendly gardeners, not least about embracing change – and rejoicing in the upsides where we can. Having invested much time and energy over the past 30 or so years in thinking and writing about how gardening can make the world a better, safer, saner, fairer and more beautiful […]
I’ve been picking up a lot of leaves lately, so many that when I close my eyes I see orange beech leaves in my subconscious. I even dream of orange beech leaves, because there are several mature beech trees close to Spring Cottage and they usually chose to drop their leaves on me. You can […]
We have a new salad box in the greenhouse, and it is proving productive even as the temperature is dropping. I am pleased. The box was not put in for this purpose and in fact my husband hammered it together at the beginning of the summer and then filled it with multiple bags of compost […]
As the seasons change and the leaves fall the skeleton of our gardens comes alive with the sound and movement of garden birds. And it’s beautiful. Spend some time in the garden and really tune in to the birds. You might be amazed at what you find. Some birds arrive from far distant shores to […]
Not often considered a worthy greenhouse subject the humble potato can actually be a rather rewarding crop. Really freshly dug new potatoes are delicious. Much better than those from out of store, or even those just dug a few days before. Well with a frost free greenhouse you can already be eating your own new […]
It is time to sow sweet peas in a cool greenhouse for an early display next year. Soften the seed coat by putting the seeds between two layers of kitchen towel on an old plate. Dampen the towel, drain off excess water, sow those that start to swell or sprout after about 48 hours. Leave […]
Cardboard is one waste problem that’s actually a solution, with a host of labour-saving, cost-cutting, earth-friendly uses in your garden and greenhouse. Brown, bulky, boring and super-abundant: if there’s one thing we’ve not been short of during these tough and trying pandemic months, it’s cardboard. Booming local deliveries, click-and-collect services, and online buying generally have […]
In Homage to Shakespeare’s Sonnet 43 – “How do I love thee. Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace. I love thee to the level of every day’s Most quiet […]
