Tag: gardening

Ageing Well allotment programme to run at Leith Links

Ageing Well, Edinburgh Leisure’s successful project promoting healthy lifestyles for older adults in Edinburgh, is launching their allotment programme at Leith Links.

It will run weekly from Wednesday, 20 March, from 10am-1pm. Continue reading Ageing Well allotment programme to run at Leith Links

12 plants to add colour to winter gardens

Green-fingered gardeners have been urged to liven up their backyards this winter by planting some hardy, bright-flowering evergreens.

Outdoor specialists BillyOh.com have researched a dozen of the best flowers and shrubs to place in British gardens this winter.

From vivid winter heather and the classic Christmas rose, to tough firebird flax lily and traditional witch hazel, these twelve plants could make any British garden more pleasant during the colder months.

It can be a difficult task keeping up the appearance of UK gardens over the winter, but a couple of specially selected flora could make a big difference outdoor spaces according to gardening experts.

A spokesman for BillyOh.com said: “We passionately believe that predictably rubbish British weather this winter should be no excuse for accepting a dilapidated garden.

“An outdoor space should be the pride of any home and the envy of neighbours, even when the cold and rain sets in.

“Our research has uncovered twelve eye-catching examples of pretty plants that won’t be put off by a bit of a chill in the garden.

“A lot of far-eastern varieties seem to thrive in tough conditions, along with some classics that are native to this island.

“Filling your garden with yellow, pink, purple and red flowers on evergreen plants will really stand make it out in a sea of boring brown backyards this winter.”

Here is the BillyOh.com list of twelve winter plants and shrubs that could add colour to British gardens this winter:

  1. Harry Hotspur (Primula Auricula)

These beautiful primulas are semi-evergreen and will withstand the worst of the winter before blooming brightly at the start of the new year. 

2. Heather (Calluna Vulgaris)

Found naturally in moorland, winter-flowering heather is great in pots or bedding, can live for several years and will add pinks, purples and whites to drab winter gardens.

3. Sow Bread (Cyclamen Hederifolium)

The ivy-leaved version is the hardiest cyclamen species and will thrive throughout a cold British winter with beautiful flowers.

4. Christmas Rose (Helleborus Niger)

A evergreen and long-lasting buttercup, the Christmas rose has all the beauty of a wild white rose but is much more robust when the weather worsens.

5. Firebird (Flax Lily – Phormium)

‘Firebird’ flax lilies are another evergreen perennial that retain their strong leathery leaves and distinctive colours throughout the year in a range of soils.

6. Elephant’s Ears (Claire Maxine – Bergenia)

Rhizomatous ‘elephant’s ears’ bergenia, also known as Claire Maxine, will bulk out garden bedding with drooping red foliage during the colder months.

7. Tsatsumi Gold (Hinoki Cypress – Chamaecyparis Obtusa)

Coniferous tsatsumi gold shrubs can bring lovely, subtle yellow-golden hues all the way from their native Japan to dull winter gardens in Britain.

8. Witch Hazel (Wisley Supreme – Hamamelis Mollis)

Distinctive yellow to red witch hazel is a fragrant and textured shrub that will flower during the winter in all British gardens.

9. Korean Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis Brachytricha)

This far-eastern feather grass will bring unique silver tones to make outdoor spaces stand out against the neighbours.

10. Common Sage (Tricolor – Saliva Officinalis)

The common tri-colour sage is a versatile evergreen shrub that can liven up British backyards this winter with grey-green leaves and purple flowers.

11. Grand Prix (Camellia Japonica)

The camellia is another Asian winter hero – a dynamic shrub with bright flowers that jump out from its leathery leaves, it is sometimes known as the Rose of Winter.

12. Angelina (Sedum Rupestre)

Clusters of little yellow flowers on the evergreen Angelina will sprout either side of the height of winter and in any soil that isn’t sodden.

August garden plant of the month: Hebe

A late summer party in the garden: Hebe
Hebe (Speedwell Shrub) is the ideal plant for giving your garden and patio boost in the late summer. White, purple, pink, or lilac flowers instantly lend a fresh energy, and Hebe’s foliage varies in colour from pale green to dark green, and very pale grey. In the winter and spring some varieties even have claret leaves. Thanks to the somewhat random structure, the plant has a loose, natural look, and the clusters of flowers are very popular with butterflies and bees. Because Hebe is so versatile, it’s often used in beds and borders, rockeries or as pond planting, but it also works well as a container plant on the balcony or patio. Hebe is evergreen, bringing life to the garden throughout the year. 
Range
The Hebe range can be divided into two groups:
– The largest consists of generally hardy evergreen species with decorative foliage. The best-known are H. ‘Emerald Gem’ syn. Green Globe’, H. ochracea ‘James Sterling’, H. ‘Autumn Glory’, H. pimeloides, H. buxifolia, and H. pinguifolia.
– Completely different but also utterly Hebe is the H. andersonii group, also known as shrubby veronica. This flowers in late summer and autumn, and is particularly popular around 1 and 2 November (All Hallows – All Souls Day).
Hebe trivia
• Hebe travelled to Europe from New Zealand in 1835. The resultant cultivars are able to cope well with European winters thanks to crossbreeding.
• In Greek mythology Hebe, the goddess of youth, was the daughter of Zeus and Hera. She was given as a bride to Hercules.
• Hebe can cope relatively well with salty air, making it an ideal plant for seaside gardens and balconies.
Origin 
Hebe grows wild in the southern hemisphere, particularly in New Zealand, but also in French Polynesia, the Falkland Islands and South America. There are around 30 species that are fairly tough: the plant grows both along the coast and in mountainous regions at considerable heights, although they do have smaller leaves there.
What to look for when buying
• Check the balance between pot size, plant diameter and number of buds, and ensure that the plant is free of pests and diseases.
• The plants are cultivated both outdoors and in greenhouses, depending on the species. Good growers ensure that a Hebe grown outdoors is also supplied in a clean pot.
• The larger the plant, the greater the decorative value and the easier Hebe is to look after.
• There should be no dry or dead parts on the plant at the time of purchase.
Care tips
• Hebe likes a sunny spot, and can even tolerate full sun, but will also thrive in partial shade.
• The plant prefers airy, humus-rich soil.
• Water must always be able to drain. The soil can be left to dry out a little between waterings.
• Give some plant food once a fortnight during flowering. Remove wilted flowers.
• Hebe is fairly hardy, but if there’s a hard frost it’s better to wrap the plant, particularly if it’s a container plant. Shrubby veronica prefers to overwinter in frost-free conditions.
• Cutting back after the winter keeps the Hebe attractive and strong.

National Trust for Scotland to grow next generation of gardeners

The National Trust for Scotland has unveiled a new garden apprentice scheme to help nurture the next generation of talent to care for its 38 heritage gardens and designed landscapes. Continue reading National Trust for Scotland to grow next generation of gardeners

June garden plant of the month: Climbing Fruit

It’s easy to create a pick-your-own garden with climbing fruit 
A pick-your-own garden with climbing fruit like blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and grapes do not require much room. These plants grow upwards along a wall, fence, frame or pergola, and can even thrive on a balcony. They offer attractive foliage and blossom early in the summer.  

Continue reading June garden plant of the month: Climbing Fruit

May Garden plants of the Month: vegetable plants

A Vegetable patch with beautiful plants
Pick-your-own plants and kitchen gardens are incredibly popular, and vegetable plants often also look fantastic, so there’s a double benefit. On the one hand it’s a response to the growing interest in healthy, sustainable and vegetarian food, on the other hand it creates a decorative corner with productive green plants with produce which is good to grow and tasty to eat. May is a good month to plant vegetables in containers, pots or beds. 
Range
The vegetable plants in the selection for May all bear fruit. These include cucumber, bell pepper, chilli pepper, tomato, pumpkin and courgette. Most vegetable plants are supplied already bearing some edible fruit. There are climbing plants, bush forms and dwarf plants available, but also special consumer-oriented concepts such as Pluck, Snacker® Funfoods and Pick-&-Joy. Multiple varieties are available of all vegetables: different colours of chilli and bell pepper, tomatoes from Roma to vine, and cucumbers from snack-sized to giant. The pre-cultivated plants produce plenty of fruit over the summer period, and therefore offer the joy of picking and a real ‘ fresh experience’ throughout that time.
Vegetable plants trivia 
  • Are they vegetables or fruit? From a culinary and horticultural perspective the tomato, bell pepper, cucumber and chilli pepper are vegetables, although the odd purist will still maintain firmly that they are fruit.
  • Vegetable plants also do very well on the windowsill: they grow upwards, so they need little space.
  • Bell peppers contain twice as much vitamin C as oranges, and are also rich in vitamins E, B1 and B2.
  • The gherkin is closely related to the cucumber and can be grown in the same way.
Origin 
Bell and chilli peppers are so closely related that they bear the same name: Capsicum annuum. The bell pepper originates from South America, whilst the chilli pepper plant grows in India and South-East Asia.
The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a member of a large family which also includes the potato. Tomatoes are native to Central America. The ancestors of the Mayas and the Incas grew them.
The cucumber (Cucumus sativus) originates from India, where it has been cultivated for its fruit for over 3000 years. The plants came to Western Europe via the Mediterranean with the Romans.
What to look for when buying
  • When buying cucumber, bell pepper, tomato and chilli pepper plants particularly look for a fresh appearance and a good balance between plant and pot size.
  • Also important is the number of flowers from which fruit can be produced, and preferably some young fruit already present to make the vegetable plant more appealing for sale.
  • Many vegetable plants are grafted onto a rootstock which gives them a higher quality, more power and growing capacity, and makes them more resistant to disease.
  • The soil must be slightly damp. The leaves should not be drooping, damaged or yellow. The plant must also be free of snails and aphids.
  • Because vegetable plants need a lot of light, water and heat, a rapid turnover at the point of sale is important.
Care tips for consumers 
  • It’s best to plant a vegetable plant in a bed or in a more spacious pot or container after purchase so that it has room to grow and produce fruit optimally.
  • Vegetable plants prefer a sunny, sheltered spot out of the wind.
  • Canes, frames or netting help the vegetable climbers to grow upwards.
  • Regularly removing side shoots (runners) means that the plant invests its energy particularly in itself and its fruit.
  • All vegetable plants need a lot of water: the soil may not dry out, but preferably do not have the roots standing in water.
  • The plants grow rapidly and consume a lot of energy, so that plant food is required once a fortnight to keep their strength up.

Best in Show for Kevock Garden Plants

Graham Gunn, Manager of Kevock Garden Plants, near Edinburgh, with the trophy for Best in Show for horticultural displays at this week’s Harrogate Spring Flower Show (26 – 29 April 2018).

Lasswade nursery, Kevock Garden Plants, has won Best in Show for horticultural plant nursery displays at this week’s prestigious Harrogate Spring Flower Show. Top honours in the 2018 Harrogate Spring Flower Show Gardens has gone to Thirsk-based designers, Colour Your Garden. Continue reading Best in Show for Kevock Garden Plants