How to Overwinter Banana Plants

The fact that we water regularly does not mean that we water well. Watering wrongly can cost the life of the precious plants. That is why, in this article, we talk about how to water plants and the most common errors people do when it comes to watering. You are probably going to find yourself culprit of committing at least one or even more.

For an impressive dose of prehistoric drama, consider sago palm.The Cycad genus in the Cycadaceae family inclu

It should come as no surprise that before he became a social media “plantfluencer” with a thriving plant styling business, multiple books to his name, and a product line at Target, Hilton Carter honed his creative skills in Los Angeles, earning an MFA in film at the ArtCenter College of Design. In the lush cinematic photographs of plants he posts on his Instagram, @hiltoncarter, each plant plays the role of a character on the stage of whatever room Carter has exactingly placed it in. The principles behind this dramatic staging are to be found in his new book, Living Wild: How to Plant Style Your Home and Cultivate Happiness. Here are Carter’s tips on how to bring your houseplants outside and turn your outdoor space into an extension of your home as winter turns to spring.

If you want to add a certain sheen to your indoor plant collection then include these Silver Leaf Houseplants for a touch of class and elegance.

Succulents are planted in a large shell and filled with tiny gravels.

Gloves are always of interest to gardeners – I have an enormous collection, many of which have holes in the fingers, so I think it is time to cull the less than perfect and invest in a few more. I came back from the show with a pair of MechanixWear womens’ leather-palmed gloves (£22) which are soft, comfortable and washable as well as extremely tough. The sizing is on the small side though so it’s best to buy larger than normal. Burgon & Ball always have innovative displays on their stand – their Love the Glove range (from £12.95) were displayed under glass domes. These gloves are ultra-soft but hardwearing, have padded palm and a wrist strap to keep debris out. www.burgonandball.com Sneeboer, makers of fine garden tools have had fun with one of their garden spades that they have fashioned into a stool – it’s not for sale, but I best they get lots of enquiries about it – so who knows, in the future it may be added to the range. Just the sort of thing the hipsters love! Trugs come in every shape and size and the Trugmake

In my earlier post about Sir Paul Smith, I wrote about the role of green as the anchor that holds everything in place in a garden – so it’s unsurprising that the greenness was what I noticed as I looked at some of the drawings of this year’s Chelsea gardens. No doubt, when we get to Chelsea our eyes will seek out the excitement, and the actual gardens will be further enlivened by shape, texture and the play of light, but it is useful to see the contribution that green makes to each of the gardens and bear it in mind for the planting in our own garden. Jo Thompson’s Sylvan Retreat will h

The Chelsea Flower Show

I don’t think it was just the flat light, grey skies and chilly temperatures that gave the show quite a subdued feel. Of course, it was not helped by our never-arriving spring that has left many of the show gardens with flowers on the point of unfurling, but seemingly as reluctant to open as I was to remove any of the several layers of clothing I was wearing on Press Day.

Sir Paul Smith finds inspiration at the Chelsea Flower Show Last week I somewhat reluctantly took the train to London for a second day in a row to attend the late afternoon RHS press briefing for Chelsea 2015.  Don’t get me wrong – I was interested – it was the prospect of a two hour journey home on a crowded commuter train that put me off. I’M SO GLAD I WENT.

Retail therapy at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2014 by Daniel Carruthers The Chelsea Flower Show, now in it’s 101st year, is revered for its wonderful gardens showing the latest trends in garden design. The show does also have many other elements of inspiration too with a wide and often unsung retail section. Predominantly the Eastern Avenue is the shopaholic gardeners first port of call with everything on display ranging from hats and gardening apparel to seeds and works of art.

The Most Beautiful Object at the Hampton Court Flower Show Lucy’s Smith’s exquisite stoneware Kingfisher Pool stopped me in my tracks.  Look closely and you will see that not only is the watchful kingfisher perched on the rim, lurking in the depths there is a fish.  It’s not often that I covet an object quite as much as this – but with a price that justifiably reflects that it is a work of art rather than a garden ornament, I’d better start saving.