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- Chelsea 2012 – The People’s Champions - by Submitted on Jun 08, 2012 from Floral and HardyFollowing on from last week’s update on this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, we wanted to include a piece concerning your, the ‘people’s’, choice winners. Every year the Royal Horticultural Society awards two designers with this auspicious title based on the many thousands of votes they receive from ...
Views: 684 - Chelsea Flower Show 2012 - by Submitted on Jun 07, 2012 from Floral and HardyLast week saw this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, an event of special significance for one of its garden’s sponsors, Brewin and Dolphin, for they were celebrating their 250th anniversary. So, with an eye to our horticultural heritage, we thought it appropriate to research the history of the Chelsea ...
Views: 827 - Reclamation and Sustainability within Design - by Submitted on May 29, 2012 from Floral and HardyPreviously we discussed the viability of the night time garden and also promised a piece detailing the ways in which you can outfit your property to be more environmentally friendly, as witnessed by the products and practices exhibited at two of London’s largest ecological and domestic shows - ...
Views: 719 - Ten Easy Annuals To Sow Now! - by Submitted on May 25, 2012 from Floral and HardyAnnual plants are an excellent way of bringing colour into your garden and, as any gardening centre will tell you, the best time for sowing them is in the height of spring from March to early June, so here at the end of May it is not too late for planting to provide late summer bloomers. Below ...
Views: 690 - Building a Night Garden - by Submitted on May 23, 2012 from Floral and HardyThe week before last I was lucky enough to attend Custom House’s Grand Designs convention, wherein over a thousand different exhibitors displayed a range of new products, techniques and disciplines, applicable not only to interior design and decoration but also (on a smaller scale) to ...
Views: 732 - Gardening Around the World: The Top Ten Gardens to Visit – Part 2! - by Submitted on May 22, 2012 from Floral and HardyContinuing, as promised, from last week’s article which began this title race for, what could be considered, ‘the greatest garden design standing’, we now have for you numbers 6-10 of the premier league of horticulture. As with the first section, our aim has been to maintain the standard of ...
Views: 695 - Gardening Around the World: The Top Ten Gardens to Visit – Part 1! - by Submitted on May 21, 2012 from Floral and HardyAs gardening is such a global pursuit, is important that those of us who hold an interest in horticulture should be encouraged to pursue the purveyors of the craft’s excellence – and to the ends of the earth if possible! With summer holidays approaching, we now have an opportunity to tailor any ...
Views: 769 - Flying the Flag - by Submitted on May 18, 2012 from Floral and HardyOne of the major headlines that have dominated the domestic press runs this year has been Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee, the celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th year on the throne - a feat only achieved once before, by her grandmother Victoria. And her celebratory tour of the country, and, ...
Views: 764 - Some Fine Ferns - by Submitted on May 16, 2012 from Floral and HardyFerns are something of a British institution, being one of the most common members of most of our forest and woodland based eco systems. Ferns are also an extremely diverse family of plants, as they can be suited to a variety of different weather conditions and situations, and varieties can be ...
Views: 723 - The Veg of Tomorrow, Sown Today - by Submitted on May 16, 2012 from Floral and HardyBeing the month of May, we each of us have an opportunity now to begin sowing new crops in time for a summer harvest, more specifically salad and vegetable crops that, weather willing, we’ll be able to enjoy with a barbeque come July. Aside from the satisfaction of raising your own dinner, home ...
Views: 706 - Bamboozled! - by Submitted on May 16, 2012 from Floral and HardyA short time ago, in our review about the RHS London flower show, we talked about the value of natural screening in the garden and this week we wanted to devote some more time to the subject, and specifically the benefits of growing Bamboo. It’s a rare and wonderful plant that can engage you on ...
Views: 715 - The Return of the Butterflies - by Submitted on May 14, 2012 from Floral and HardyYou may remember some time ago we published an article covering the necessity of a healthy butterfly population to the British ecosystem, that due to particularly rainy summers and springs, their numbers had been dampened because a lack of hospitable breeding grounds. However, their recent ...
Views: 607 - RHS Cardiff Show - by Submitted on May 14, 2012 from Floral and HardyA couple of weeks ago began the years first major garden show, courtesy of the people of Cardiff and of the RHS and the Cardiff Flower Show is as much a celebration of the beginning of spring, as it is of the advancements in horticulture and breeding over the previous year. This year the show ...
Views: 780 - Choosing a Lawnmower - by Submitted on May 11, 2012 from Floral and HardyWhile mowing the lawn may seem a mundane and at times trying task, it needn't be. Indeed the maintenance of a fresh, emerald swath can be extremely therapeutic, provided you have the right tools for the job, however, it can also be a real pain in the neck if you find yourself ill equipped. ...
Views: 688 - The Ides of Spring - by Submitted on May 10, 2012 from Floral and HardyDue to the uncharacteristically wet springs we have suffered in recent years (although not so much the early part of this year), our blossom trees have suffered accordingly - an unfortunate and somewhat alienating side effect, seeing as the common cherry blossom symbolizes for many the dawn of ...
Views: 822 - Saving Watery Habitats - by Submitted on May 10, 2012 from Floral and HardyAs is discernible from the recent press coverage they have been receiving, not to mention initiatives such as Lodmoor and Radipole Lake Reserve in Dorset, reed banks are becoming an increasingly threatened biosphere in Britain. In fact, in a recent new release, the publication ‘Southern Farmer’ ...
Views: 638 - Lawns in Spring - by Submitted on May 08, 2012 from Floral and HardyIf winter be our great discontent, then spring is the time of great uncertainty and none in recent memory has proved this the case more righteously than the one we are currently experiencing. So far we have seen several late frosts, one of the longest droughts in recorded history and now a ...
Views: 778 - Rhododendrons - by Submitted on May 04, 2012 from Floral and HardyIn recent memory no genus has seen such a spike in popularity as the Rhododendron. Although it has become a widely cultivated plant in the British Isles, the Rhododendron is endemic to the Himalayan ranges of Nepal where it is the national flower. This species also includes the cultivar known ...
Views: 2296 - The Shape of Our Cities - by Submitted on Apr 19, 2012 from Floral and HardyIn our initial report on the Ecobuild conference we touched on a seminar given by Duncan Baker-Brown representing BBM design and titled 'Searching for an eco vernacular' wherein he described briefly the imminent need for change in our architectural infrastructures. That due to the global ...
Views: 682 - Floriade 2012 - by Submitted on Apr 18, 2012 from Floral and HardyIt is 2012 and aside from a certain birthday party here in the UK, we have several things to celebrate, not least of which is Holland’s Floriade, the ten-yearly festival that, as of this year, has been going strong since its inception in 1960. The theme for this year’s expo, which takes place in ...
Views: 679 - The Ecobuild Rumpus - by Submitted on Apr 18, 2012 from Floral and HardyA few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend London’s Ecobuild conference on the emerging role of sustainability in infrastructure on the domestic and global stage. As a brief outline for those unfamiliar with Eco build, its role is that of an annual ecological summit designed to encourage not ...
Views: 625 - Leaves of a Different Colour - by Submitted on Apr 17, 2012 from Floral and HardyContinuing our colour themes editorials about the different tones of foliage available to the gardener to provide interest and contrast throughout the seasons, we write this week about the anomaly of variegated foliage. The term refers to any foliage which is possessed of multiple leaf pigments ...
Views: 671 - Friend or Foe? - by Submitted on Apr 17, 2012 from Floral and HardyIt is oft disputed whether an insect population as a general concept is beneficial or detrimental to a gardener, however this subject cannot be decided with a simple black/white frame of mind. Like their micro equivalent bacteria, there are types and species of creepy crawlies that can be ...
Views: 723 - A Climber for Every Corner - by Submitted on Apr 16, 2012 from Floral and HardyA while ago we released an article on the increasing encroachment of urbanization on personal green spaces, stating some means by which a lack of space can become an opportunity, rather than a hindrance to creativity. This week we want to follow that up with a selection of wall based planting ...
Views: 695 - Blooms on Canvas - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2012 from Floral and HardyNature, and more specifically its minutiae, comprises probably the oldest topic of recorded artwork - dating from the documentation of prehistoric animal and tree life in the cave scrawls of our ancestors, to Van Gogh’s Irises, arguably the most lucrative bouquet in history. This week I'll be ...
Views: 746 - Blue Foliage Plants - by Submitted on Apr 13, 2012 from Floral and HardyFollowing on from last week’s article concerning silver toned foliage, this week we will be covering the colour blue, and a selection of the most effective cultivars for displaying this hue. As has been mentioned previously, it is interesting to consider the time of year that your foliage will ...
Views: 805 - Sculpture Gardens - by Submitted on Apr 04, 2012 from Floral and HardyWe have previously discussed the recent RHS London Flower and Design Show, which I was fortunate enough to attend, and one of the exhibitions I saw was for ‘The Sculpture Park’, a Surrey based company that essentially serves as an outdoor gallery for developing sculptors. It is so important ...
Views: 704 - Floral and Hardy’s Top Ten Drought Tolerant Plants - by Submitted on Apr 04, 2012 from Floral and HardyTo help your garden cope with the hosepipe ban and our seemingly changing climate, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite drought tolerant plants: 1. Abelia grandiflora – a large, easy-to-look-after, semi-evergreen shrub - properly tended it can reach heights of 1.8 metres and will bear ...
Views: 804 - Ways to Cope with the Hosepipe Ban - by Submitted on Apr 04, 2012 from Floral and HardyDespite our country’s worldwide reputation for being wet and grey, last year may have been grey but certainly it wasn’t very wet and, consequently, this week a hosepipe ban comes into force in many areas. Among the uses of hoses that are banned are watering lawns and borders with a hose attached ...
Views: 650 - Divided We Stand - by Submitted on Apr 02, 2012 from Floral and HardyPlant division is one of the most common, not to mention cost effective practices that ensures consistent propagation. This means you can get new plants that are true to the original for free, and now is a good time to do it for many cultivars. In this piece we will discuss the proper ...
Views: 659 - London Orchid Show - by Submitted on Apr 02, 2012 from Floral and HardyA couple of weeks ago, the RHS celebrated its London Orchid Show in fine style, exhibiting the very best of England’s cultivars and awarding those of special merit. One of the country’s most prolific growers -The Chantelle Nursery - made quite an impact on the show with their Cattleya hybrids - ...
Views: 725 - Hi Ho Silver! - by Submitted on Mar 30, 2012 from Floral and HardyThis week we have a list of silver tinted cultivars to brighten your borders. A quick word on the colour silver - while you won’t achieve a mirror effect no matter how diligent your maintenance routine is, you can bring a bright, shiny feel to your garden with shimmering silver foliage. It’s ...
Views: 739 - The Bees Needs - by Submitted on Mar 23, 2012 from Floral and HardyIn previous articles we’ve talked about the environmental influence that our indigenous bee population has - from flower pollination and, subsequently, propagation, to their agricultural applications - indeed they are one of the most critically needed insects that exist on earth today. But ...
Views: 689 - Haiti Survie - by Submitted on Mar 23, 2012 from Floral and HardyIn the wake of recent disasters that have stricken the country with poverty and forced its people into the tall shadow of starvation, and since the devastation of 2010’s earthquake that laid waste to much of the country’s infrastructure, the charity organization Haiti Survie has turned its ...
Views: 832 - The New School is Green - by Submitted on Mar 23, 2012 from Floral and HardyIn recent news it has become a point of national pride that nearly half of Britain’s schools have not only actively encouraged their students to take an interest in horticulture, but that they have made a private space on their grounds a standard as much as the playground, or the assembly hall. ...
Views: 651 - There’s a Bright Golden Haze on the Meadow… - by Submitted on Mar 22, 2012 from Floral and HardyContinuing with last week’s instalment on colour based foliage, this time we’re continuing with the gold tinted medallists of our gardens. That’s right - it’s time for the amber leaves of our locality to rear their gleaming heads. 1. Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’ Sharing its name with my ...
Views: 820 - More than Just a Lawn - by Submitted on Mar 22, 2012 from Floral and HardyGrass - it’s one of the most common elements of any garden style, be it as a simple filler or part of a practical play space, or even an all-encompassing border to divide different plant types. The majority of gardeners will recognize its basic application - the lawn and, although this ...
Views: 717 - Flowers in Poetry - by Submitted on Mar 21, 2012 from Floral and HardySince time immemorial flowers have been the subject of literature, paintings and poetry, not only for their beauty but more significantly the connotations that their individual appearances, uses and detriments evoke. Consider how often Shakespeare would characterize flowers or even use them ...
Views: 760 - Don’t Make a Folly of Foliage! - by Submitted on Mar 21, 2012 from Floral and HardyWell it was inevitable – we have run out of colour schemes for your gardens bloomers, so natural progression dictates we focus now on the foliage of a garden and how this can be tailored to suit your colour choices. As with the floral side of planting, the hue of foliage is affected by the ...
Views: 654 - Third Degree Shade - by Submitted on Mar 21, 2012 from Floral and HardyDefining the border between privacy and security is a particularly precarious balancing act, especially when you are situated in the close quarters of urban living. In our previous article concerning hedges we named a few species which could provide adequate measures of both, without completely ...
Views: 662 - Tulipmania - by Submitted on Mar 09, 2012 from Floral and HardyWhen it comes to the world of luxury, you can’t put a price on exclusivity, and horticulture is no different. Recently Thompson and Morgan made headlines and history in their successful bidding war for the world’s rare yellow variety of snowdrop, Galanthus woronowii ‘Elizabeth Garrison’. The ...
Views: 685 - Irrigation: What’s the cost? - by Submitted on Mar 08, 2012 from Floral and HardyOne of the key concerns that modern gardeners face is how best to utilize one of the most important resources to their projects, that is to say water. There are a of myriad different methods that deal with this problem and each has their own benefits and drawbacks, ranging from their basic ...
Views: 708 - Black as the Night - by Submitted on Mar 21, 2012 from Floral and HardyWe are continuing this week with our regular editorial concerning the qualities of specific colour tones within the garden, how best to take advantage of them through your planting choices, and how properly to plant and then maintain the cultivars you select. This week’s colour is the elusive ...
Views: 589 - Green Roofing - by Submitted on Mar 07, 2012 from Floral and HardyContinuing the theme of the importance of sustainable gardens, here we will discuss what are known as ‘Green Roofs’, the different types available and why they have become such an integral part of modern horticultural planning. As one can ascertain from the name, the basic premise of a Green ...
Views: 803 - No School like the New School - by Submitted on Mar 07, 2012 from Floral and HardyFollowing on from our previous article, we’ll be discussing the ‘New School’ of garden design, how it has been shaped by the current ecological climate, and also the aesthetic focus, and how this has been supplanted by the concept of the interactive garden. As we discussed in ‘Gardens through ...
Views: 571 - Gardens through the Ages - by Submitted on Mar 06, 2012 from Floral and HardyAs a pursuit built as much on our own foresight as it is on our creativity, it is important to reflect on the schools of thought that drove previous horticulturalists, because, as influential as the great painters and film makers are on our artistic heritage, so of course must be the gardeners ...
Views: 647 - Five Snow Whites (no dwarves) - by Submitted on Mar 05, 2012 from Floral and HardyContinuing our weekly periodical on colour based cultivars, we bring to you a selection of white and cream hued blooms to accompany those other tones we’ve already covered. The White Garden at Sissinghurst is a famous example of the use of this single colour scheme, although it is of course ...
Views: 635 - Hedge Your Bets - by Submitted on Mar 02, 2012 from Floral and HardyIt can be a confusing affair deciding what varieties to use when planting hedges in your garden and the myriad of different species and their attributes can daunt the inexperienced gardener – we’ve all heard the nightmare stories of Leylandii disputes! The first point you should consider is ...
Views: 647 - Don’t Soil Your Chances - by Submitted on Mar 02, 2012 from Floral and HardyThe importance of soil types in the different areas of your garden cannot be overstated, as the ph level (alkalinity versus acidity), density and moisture retention can all serve as major factors in the success of the plants you try to cultivate. Aside from this you also have the fertility of ...
Views: 669 - Where The Wild Things Aren’t - by Submitted on Mar 01, 2012 from Floral and HardyThe other day I watched the jungle book and while I enjoyed myself with all the abandon of the first viewing of my youth, the ending disturbed me unlike I remembered - how quick Mowgli was to abandon his jungle, the place he’d been raised in. The reason I’m citing a cartoon this week is due to ...
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