In a Vase on Monday: the Holly and the Ivy, Both Full Grown

Transform your living space into a lush oasis with the allure of large houseplants, breathing life and vibrancy into your home. These botanical giants not only enhance the aesthetic appeal but also contribute to a healthier indoor environment. Dive into the world of verdant luxury as we explore the top 5 impressive large indoor plants that can be the statement piece your home deserves.

Last week, Anna of Green Tapestry apologised for ‘cheating’ when she shared her amaryllis/hippeastrum In a Vase on Monday. Happily, our rules for this meme are fairly fluid and contributors share vases very much in the spirit of it, and it was by no means cheating – and I am not just saying that because I doing something very similar this week! In fact, I am very grateful to Anna for messaging me back in November to let me know that ‘a certain German supermarket’ had these bulbs in stock, allowing me to hotfoot it down to our local store ASAP.

I have no idea what has caused this ‘flame’ in the garden, but perhaps it really does symbolise the heart of it. I was not aware of the flame while I was working in the garden today, removing and cleaning the bricks from the low retaining wall at the back of one of the bold borders, and it only became evident when I looked at the photos later. Looking at the wider picture, when there was about a third of the wall left to remove and clean, you can see that there is a glass sculpture in the border but, at the time the picture was taken, the sun (and it was a sunny day) was behind me and to my right, so it wasn’t shining through the glass. Curiously, as I perched on my makeshift stool, chipping away at the bricks with my lump hammer and chisel, I found myself thinking of earlier civilisations, chipping away with bones and stones to make their artefacts – so could I perhaps have been joined by ghosts from the distant past, huddled round their fire for warmth…?

The Birds and The Bees (and Bunnies...) My backyard seems to be the perfect place to raise a brood of bunnies! Baby bunny takeover

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From the lucky Shamrock with heart-shaped leaves to the charming Bluebell and pretty Primrose, these native flowers bring beauty to Irish landscapes. Whether it's the yellow Cowslip, fluffy Bog Cotton, or vibrant Buttercup, each flower has its unique charm. Read on to learn about the diversity of Irish flora.

Max Kim-Bee

eye of potato, monkey’s tail….

In terms of a review of the year as a whole, there is not a lot to say, with it being more a case of consolidation than of change, building on subtle changes made the year before, like moving snowdrops to the woodland, thinning the apple trees to introduce more light to the woodland edge border below, and extending the blue & white borders. Even the current project, despite the organised mayhem it has generated, will only bring about a subtle change to the garden. Within the garden as a whole, mixed weather patterns created uncertainty in flowering times but there were negligible losses from the previous cold winter and no problems with waterlogging during the last few rainy and unsettled months.

The holiday season is a time when our homes are adorned with festive decorations and beautiful plants like Poinsettias, Christmas cacti, and Norfolk Island pines. But what should you do with them once the holiday festivities have ended? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered! Here are practical tips on how to care for and repurpose them!

Joyelle West

11 Causes of Yellow or Brown Leaves on Norfolk Island Pines