Gardenig in Chile. Tips & Guides

Climb the cast-iron steps to the roof garden at the Reading International Solidarity Centre (RISC) and you can almost forget that you’re in the heart of the city. Just 30 by 6 metres, the garden manages to fill every vista and the breeze through the trees drowns out all but the loudest city noises.

There are a tonnes of trees in the nature with some having really interesting names, while some have funny ones. We have 15 of the latter examples!

If you’re a sun-loving gardener, finding yourself presented with a woodland garden or an otherwise shaded area of the landscape can feel a little overwhelming, and maybe even disappointing. But as soon as you discover the multitude of wonderful lush and leafy plants that actually prefer to grow in shade here in the Pacific Northwest, you’re going to start wishing you had a few more sun-deficient areas to plant up.

The monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) is a large evergreen tree with a distinctive shape – its often horizontal branches are covered in spirals of sharp, triangular leaves. When mature, trees produce large cones at the tips of the branches. 

The growing and collecting of cacti has been a popular hobby in this country for many years. Their varied shapes and colors together with the colored spines make them fascinating and their spectacular flowers are an added interest for the grower. Some of the larger types may not flower in this country owing to the lack of intense sunshine, but many hundreds of other species should flower every year.

Peppers that grow upwards are easy to find as they are not hidden in the dense foliage, making it really easy to know which one is ready or not!

How to Grow and Care for Queen’s Tears Bromeliads Billbergia nutans

Not only do these pink birds look stunning, but they also play a vital role in balancing the ecosystem. This article will showcase the best ones with a salmon hue!

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One of nature's most unique plants, the monkey puzzle tree (also known as araucaria araucana) is a bit of a mystery. Due to their unusual, thorny branches, it's a great option for plant lovers looking to add a dose of flair to their space. «There isn't a tree out there like the monkey puzzle, especially compared to native choices within the United States,» says Tamara Hogan, resident plant expert at Fast Growing Trees, an online nursery. «Its blade-like leaves and branch structure are unlike any other conifer trees. It's also an evergreen that can handle some cooler, humid environments since the southern areas of Chile is where this tree comes from.» Another benefit of growing one? You can live with a monkey puzzle tree for a long time. It can grow up to 90 feet tall and survive for thousands of years if it isn't cut down. However, since a monkey puzzle tree is so rare, many people aren't sure how to make one thrive indoors or outdoors. To help you out, we've consulted with experts at Fast Growing Trees to share everything you need to know about caring for a monkey puzzle tree.

Learn all about How to Grow Jalapeños in Pots and relish them fresh in smoothies, smoke them in dishes, toss in pizzas, add in tacos, omelets, and much more!

Over our heads, on the International Space Station, chilli peppers are blooming and being hand-pollinated by astronauts.

Myrtle (Myrtus communis) is a plant that has been on my ‘to grow’ list for years now, although it has yet to make an appearance in the garden. In the UK it is often grown as an ornamental plant, an evergreen shrub up to 3m in height and width. Given a spot in full sun and well-drained soil, it produces pink buds that open into white flowers with multiple gold-tipped stamens, followed by blue-black berries. It is hardy down to -10°C, and in mild areas can be grown as a hedge as it tolerates regular clipping. The species has the most frost tolerance; some of the named varieties are less hardy, but there are also smaller varieties that will tolerate being in a container long term, and so can be moved into more sheltered accommodations for the winter.

Header image: Purple microbial mats offer clues to how ancient life functioned. Pieter Visscher, CC BY-ND

I found some time (and a blackbird-free window!) to spend in the garden yesterday afternoon. After pottering around looking after my seedlings, and repotting my salmonberry, I had to do some watering. April has been uncharacteristically dry, I don’t think we’ve had any rain to speak of this month. Everything in a raised bed is doing OK, but things in containers were starting to wilt.

Join Emma the Space Gardener as she explores cultivating the cosmos, planting planets and sowing seeds in space. The second episode of Gardeners of the Galaxy includes a look at the current state of plant experiments on the International Space Station, a rundown of the missions on their way to Mars and a sneak peek at the future of space chillies. And there’s a seed giveaway too!

In 2020, Morgan Irons made space exploration history when she sent the first Earth soils to the International Space Station. Morgan joins Emma the Space Gardener to talk about the importance of soil structure on Earth, why she sent soil into space, and how we might develop living soils on Mars.

NASA will soon be growing chillies on the International Space Station. Jacob Torres joins Emma the Space Gardener to talk New Mexico chiles in space, his Space Chile Challenge citizen science project, and more!

This is Hellboy*, he’s a very special chilli pepper. He’s part of the Space Chile Grow a Pepper Plant Challenge, which is run by Jacob Torres (who gets name-checked in episode 12 of Gardeners of the Galaxy).

Alstroemeria are a herbaceous perennial with mid-green, lance-shaped leaves and terminal clusters. Petals often have distinctive markings. They originate from Peru, Brazil and mainly Chile which also earned them the name ‘Lily of the Incas’

My Solanum Crispum is now about 8 feet high but is covered in purpley-blue blossom most of summer. I prune it to keep it at that height or it would go on to 20+ feet tall.

Tulips protected by a windbreak.

Here are Types of Bamboos to Grow in Containers and Gardens that can uplift any home. Many gardeners love to grow bamboo plants for their striking beauty and features. Here are the best ones to adorn the pots and gardens of your home.

O.K., so maybe that wasn’t on the top of your list, but how about carrots that are gorgeous purple inside or a diversity of textural kales from far off places for your fall garden? Those and more to tempt you are our topic today.It was Nate Kleinman who caught my attention with his social-media post about seed for that unusual conifer, the monkey puzzle tree. Nate is co-founder of Experimental Farm Network dot org, a nonprofit cooperative of growers, whose mission includes the core belief that agriculture

Until recently, if you wanted to add a little fire to your food, you didn’t have many choices. You could grind black peppercorns over your plate or shake on some dried red chile flakes. If you were really adventurous, you could give your food a couple of squirts of Tabasco. But the pickings were pretty slim.

Are you planning a holiday by the sea? Discover some of our lovely coastal 2-for-1 Gardens to visit, uncover the unique plants that thrive in these microclimates and enjoy the views out over the water. Make sure you pack your2-for-1 Gardens card in your suitcase before any trip away, to ensure you’re saving money on garden visits.

When you spot its ethereal plumes swaying in the wind, it’s clear why pampas grass has rocketed to the top of everyone’s wish list.I nearly passed out when I saw how much a couple of dried stal

Do you want to ensure optimal growth and maximize the beauty of trailing plants in your garden? Here are some fantastic Tips to Follow When Growing Vines and Climbers.

Q: Some time ago I planted a number of Tropaeolum ciliatum along a privet hedge. Over the years it has covered the hedge and is now choking it, and has spread to planting on the adjacent road.

Succulents with Purple Flowers are an excellent way to add vibrant colors to your garden or indoor space. These hardy plants not only look stunning but also require minimal care and maintenance.

For years, lemon verbena has been valued for its incredible fragrance and medicinal uses, and some people regularly enjoy it in tea.But I think this humble woody herb deserves a lot more love than

Alstroemeria, also known as Peruvian, parrot, or princess lily, as well as lily of the Incas, is an exceptional cutting garden flower in the Alstroemeriaceae family.There are about 80 species native to South America,

One of the oldest medicinal plants used by people, anise (Pimpinella anisum) is a powerhouse of therapeutic uses.Belonging to the Apiaceae family,