A bullace is a wild plum that can be either dark blue-purple or light yellowy-green, sometimes flushed with red. Black bullace and white bullace are the traditional names for the two kinds. There are a few cultivated varieties too, which give rise to more names and varied colours. Damsons are similar to a dark bullace, [more...]
Some folks like to hang up a bucket and grow a tomato plant out of the bottom of the bucket, letting the stem grow downwards towards the earth. What’s the point? By growing the tomatoes suspended upside-down, snails and slugs are unlikely to bother the plants, and you won’t need to use stakes to stop [more...]
A groundskeeper may not have to deal with many people, but he—or she—still needs a few traits that make a good manager. To some extent, a groundskeeper’s work is more critical—well, more open to criticism: everyone can see it, and one doesn’t need experience to recognize if it’s sloppy work; except for disastrous weather, there [more...]
Guerilla gardening is the greening of a blighted urban area by bypassing the official channels and taking direct action. Guerilla gardeners surreptitiously plant and maintain trees, shrubs and floral borders to brighten up local eyesores such as abandoned buildings, industrial units, car parks, and other parts of the concrete jungle. Strictly speaking it’s not always [more...]
This deadly bloom is one of the most common wildflowers in the late summer in U.S. Midwestern woods and is seldom noticed, since it is somewhat weedy. It is a notorious killer, and at one time ravaged whole communities with its poison. Small pioneer settlements were visited by a terrible affliction, which came to be [more...]
Are you thinking of being out in the cold looking at bare trees and wishing you could have a more tropical landscape? Well, maybe you can. There are palm trees that can take 20 degrees fahrenheit below zero temperatures and survive. There are palm trees that will grow as far north as Canada and some [more...]
Rosemary is delicious in all kinds of savoury cooking, and it’s simple to grow in climates not too different from its home base around the Mediterranean. If you plant it near a path not only can you enjoy its scent when you brush past on sunny days, but on rainy days you can easily pick [more...]
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) are perhaps one of the easiest herbs to grow in your garden or in a container. They require little attention and bring a late-spring colour to the garden. Chives are part of the onion family. You can eat the bulb, leaves and even the flower head. Most people just use their leaves [more...]
It’s an odd custom. Some gardeners will fastidiously tie all their daffodil leaves into knots at the end of the flowering season. What gives? Actually, the purpose served by the knots is more social than horticultural. Daffodils burst into bloom each April (or October south of the equator). The petals then fall off and, provided [more...]
The first flower salad I ever saw was covered with bright nasturtiums like the visual treat in the photo. It impressed me with the idea that some garden flowers are not only edible, but look wonderful on food. You can grow them as well as the better-known herbs to add interesting colours and flavours to [more...]
Lavender likes a temperate climate with sunny summer days and cool winters. It will grow in most of Europe and in American zones 5-10. While it is happier on well-drained soils than on damp clay, it’s not too fussy otherwise. Mix sand into the earth round lavender roots to help it cope with heavy, wet [more...]
Creating your own cottage garden is about building up an overall effect, not about following hard and fast rules. Aim for a nostalgic, informal look, with plenty of old-fashioned flowers – sweet-scented if possible. This style can suit not-too-hot parts of North America and Europe as well as anywhere in the UK. A traditional cottage [more...]
The growing of ornamental grasses is becoming more popular, especially as water restrictions and drought bring their case against our water loving flower gardens. It wasn’t too long ago that many gardeners would shy from these ‘weedy’ grasses and opt for flowers and ornamental perennials. Ornamental grasses have had some bad publicity, and it’s not [more...]
Strawberries are an ideal fruit for the home garden. They are easy to grow, fairly pest free, require little space and are fun. Twenty-five plants should provide enough berries for a family of four. There are many varieties available. Be sure to purchase certified, virus-free plants. They may cost a little more but will produce [more...]
Gardening can provide an enjoyable source of relaxation and purpose. Unfortunately, many individuals find their ability to garden suddenly cut short due to age, illness or injury. Traditional gardens can become off limits for those who are confined to a wheelchair or who have difficulty bending, kneeling, or standing for extended periods. Rows are often [more...]
If you visit the south of Spain in winter-time you’ll see colourful, fruit-laden orange trees growing along the streets, in squares and public parks. They’re not sweet oranges, and so they stay on the ornamental trees without being picked by passers-by. In spring, visitors may be treated to the fragrance of orange blossom. Book a [more...]
Vegetables and fruits were very basic in the ancient Egyptian diet and they had more of a variety than many modern people imagine. Common knowledge has it that the ancient Egyptians had dates, garlic and onions and little else. Well, that just isn’t the case. Of course dates, onions and garlic really were staple foods. [more...]
Gardens were very much a part of life in ancient Egypt and gardening was an honored profession. Ancient Egyptians designed and spent much time in garden houses, it was not some modern architect who invented the garden house idea. Egyptian gardens (in the larger estates) were composed of both trees and flowering plants. Gardens with [more...]
Now growing pumpkins may seem like a no-brainer. Stick a seed in the ground then stand back, unfold your favorite pie recipe, and wait, right? Well, not quite. It does take some work and it may take a few tries unless you are a commercial grower. But go ahead, take a chance. Direct seeding should [more...]
Grandiflora roses are a cross between the Hybrid Tea and Floribunda roses with a flower size midway between that of it’s parents. Flowers bloom on long stems either singly or in small clusters. The blooms are usually double and without fragrance. It is ideal as a background border planting. Grandifloras are not a large class [more...]