8 Root Crops You Never Knew Existed (and some you maybe knew already)
Growing your own food has never been this interesting. Most of us enjoy root crops of two kinds; the starchy mostly-carb kind, such as Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes, and secondly the ‘vegetable’ kind such as carrots, parsnips, turnips and swede. Our diets have changed dramatically over the past few centuries Continue Reading
The Best Unusual Bulbs you can Grow and Enjoy at Home
We’ve all been there – staring at the shelves and shelves of bulbs in the Garden Center, or poring through pages and pages of online bulb-merchants. It can quickly become overwheming – how do you choose which bulbs to grow in your garden? Which Bulbs will thrive in your climate? Continue Reading
Plant Profile: Sphaeralcea grossulariifolia – Stunning xeric subshrub
Sphaeralcea species occasionally pop up in seed and plant offerings of various nurseries and seed-merchants. Usually the species on offer is the striking Sphaeralcea coccinea – a pretty plant for a sheltered rockery, with a low-growing habit. Of that species perhaps 50% of the seedlings will thrive in colder, Continue Reading
Plant Profile: Leucocoryne hybrids- A stunning flowering bulb from the Andes
Back when I used to run the nursery, we used to make a lot of sales of these bulbs. They were super-popular. However actually GROWING Leucocoryne was a bit of a challenge, and I could only rarely get them to flower. These are mostly supplied as mixed hybrids, or sometimes Continue Reading
Plant Profile: Dianthus cruentus – pretty unusual pink
Dianthus species are well-known, even to those who don’t think they know them. The most common is probably the extravagant Carnation, which is usually too wimpy to grow in frosty climates – although there are hardy selections which can be grown from seed. Most Dianthus tend to be short-lived and Continue Reading
Fuchsia excorticata – the Elusive, Elegant and Wonderful Tree Fuchsia of New Zealand
Most people think of Fuchsia as the somewhat gaudy, colorful plants so often used in Hanging baskets and summer bedding displays – and rightly so, as they provide some serious color and interesting form for a pretty long period. The majority of the Fuchsia come from South America originally – Continue Reading
Delosperma – Colorful, Easy, Waterwise Hardy Succulents
Delosperma (sometimes called Ice Plants) are one of the best plants for a temperate climate where the Summers can be warm and dry, and especially where the winters are somewhat mild. Some species are REALLY hardy and can survive as well as a Sedum or Sempervivum in a Rockery of Continue Reading
Catchfly – a neglected garden flower.
Both Silene and Lychnis species are sometimes called ‘Catchfly’. The common name comes from the sticky resinous trichomes which quite often entrap small flies which land on them. Not all species have the sticky hairs, but the name persists. These plants are really easy to grow – usually very Continue Reading
Wolfsbane – A plant that bites back. A cautionary tale.
The plant genus Aconitum is known by a number of common names, including ‘Wolfsbane’ and ‘Monkshood’. As is often the case with common names, they derive from superstitious or actual significance. I believe the name ‘Wolfsbane’ comes from it’s use as a poison against wolves, which for a long time Continue Reading
Some special Early-Flowering Spring Bulbs – a review
There are many beautiful bulbs that pop up in the Springtime – but the early spring is one of the periods that many folks neglect when planning their bulb planting. In this post we’re going to have a quick look at just a few of the best bulbs for this Continue Reading