As the winter solstice passes and the days begin to get slightly longer, the importance and the wonder of light becomes more and more apparent. Just as the moon controls the tide and other life rhythms the daylight length is tightly intertwined with growth, nature and the cycle of life. At Christmas or Yule we […]
āOh Bob, how could you?ā said a friend spying this nestling amongst my edible, scented and useful greenhouse specimens. Coral Bead plant does catch the eye, and to all the world looks just as if itās one of those market stall plant travesties sprayed with paint, glitter or bedaubed with plastic flowers, fruits or bugs. […]
Happy New Year! Hereās to fabulous crops, few pests and many pleasurable moments pottering in your Hartley greenhouse. With the wet weather, there is no better place to shelter as you check your plants. If you havenāt done so already, a water butt to collect rainwater from the roof is a āmustā and can be […]
As the stakes rise for our natural world, itās time to harness the collective potential of our gardens and greenhouses as a force for good. Our life support is on the blink. This prospect would be scary enough if it were happening in one of our hospitals, but what elevates it to terrifying status is […]
Real gardeners go out whenever they can and, at this time of year, thereās a lot to do. Iāve been busy, very busy, because itās been dry and cold rather than wet and warm. Several white dumpy bags full of leaves, testament to my efforts, are discretely tucked away on the far side of my […]
There is not a great deal going on in the greenhouse at the moment. It is doing its job, protecting those plants that need to be kept out of winter rains, or that need just a little bit of protection from the cold, and those plants are in a bit of a holding pattern ā […]
You need a warm sunny greenhouse for this tropical gem, the Roselle, which for much of the year is not the most stunning looking specimen. Though the leaves are very rich in Vitamin C and often eaten as spinach and added to curries Iām not recommending it for those. Nor are the pale yellow hollyhock-like […]
Itās the focal point in most homes at Christmas, but is the traditional Christmas tree an essential ingredient for the festive season? With the cost-of-living crisis biting some families hard, every purchase at this time of year needs scrutiny and that includes our festive decorations. You donāt need a statement Christmas tree to complete your […]
This image is a testament to climate change! Harvest any crops which remain in the unheated greenhouse. Start Amaryllis bulbs into growth as soon as you can, watering sparingly at first; just trickle a little tepid water around the bulb, increasing the amount as the bud appears. Once it is growing strongly, keep the compost […]
Microplastic pollution is one of the most insidious impacts of modern living ā and, yes, gardening ā but natural pollution-busting solutions abound. One of the great joys of living in the foothills of Eryri ā or Snowdonia ā National Park is that I get to walk among the clouds. Iām at a low enough altitude […]
If thereās one plant at the height of the fashion stakes, itās the succulent. We canāt get enough of these fleshy-leaved beauties with their intricate swirls and whorls. Theyāre on countless nursery stands, at all the major flower shows, and theyāre found in every garden centre across the land. And rightly so, for these easy-care […]
A lush foliage plant for a cool greenhouse Acmella makes a cascading mound of verdant foliage with almost non-stop production of cheery yellow pom-pom flower heads. Also known as the Electric Daisy, Alphabet plant, Australian cress, Para cress, Cresson du Brezil, Hoko So and Toothache plant, Acmella oleracea was originally Spilanthese acmella before moving from […]
