Gardening for Wellbeing
2017 seems to be the year in which the world has caught up with the gardeners and realised that gardening is good for our mental as well as physical wellbeing. Or possibly it is just that the mainstream media has finally picked up the message. The formal term for using gardening activities to support or enhance wellbeing is Social and...
Make the best of summer bedding
Pastel or hot colours? Try out colour schemes before committing to permanent planting. Many gardening columns will be talking about summer bedding plants as we reach the start of May and are able to plant out half hardies with confidence. I have written on this topic before and this time I am encouraging you to expand your view of what summer...
Starting an Allotment
Fruit and veg never go out of fashion and whether you have a few plants at home or are nearly self-sufficient on an allotment, nothing beats the experience of picking and eating your own produce. There is an increasing range of varieties and exotic introductions to tempt us in the seed catalogues and garden centres but if this is your...
Gorgeous Camellias
The first of my Camellias has just burst into flower and it looks like being a good year with all the Camellias that I have seen having plenty of fat flower buds. Plants such as Camellia, Rhododendron, Azalea and Acers are ‘ericaceous’ and are often described as acid-loving plants. But I garden on a neutral clay soil so why...
Valentine’s Day in the Garden
February 14th, St. Valentines Day, is traditionally said to be the day when birds start to nest. While this is debatable, late February can seem like spring but do not be fooled into sowing and planting too early as the first part of the month is definitely winter. What you can do this month is some planning and maintenance to ensure...