HAPPY SPRING!
19.01.2024 - 16:09 / theenglishgarden.co.uk
With his brother Chris, Paul Blom selects premium bulbs to be sold to discerning customers by the family company, Bloms Bulbs.
Of all the spring bulbs, tulips are probably the ones that best announce the beauty of spring. Tall or short, bold or demure, early or late, species or a highly bred variety, in beds or borders, there’s a tulip to suit every garden.
For bright flame shades that will contrast with the likes of Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’ and Alchemilla mollis, try Tulipa ‘Ballerina’, a lily-flowered variety with scented, vivid orange blooms in April and May.
For pure colour, try the old favourite T. ‘Negrita’, a mid-season tulip, with purple, strong, long-lasting flowers that make it a good candidate for cutting, too. It will reach a height of about 45cm.
At just 35cm, tall, sturdy-stemmed T. ‘Princess Irene’ is one of the glamour queens of the spring garden, with gloriously shaded orange petals marked with a violet flame. Try planting it with a purple such as T. ‘Havran’ for a rich, jewel-coloured display. Both are April-flowering, with T. ‘Havran’ slightly taller at 45cm.
T. ‘Mystic van Eijk’ is a reliable classic. This large-flowered tulip is a lovely soft pink with slightly deeper markings towards the petal edges. It will cope with partial shade, too, adding to its versatility. Its leaves are a similarly soft, versatile green that will go with most companions.
For a multi-headed tulip, I recommend T. ‘Fusilier’. This variety is ideal for tubs, where its vivid red flowers can brighten terraces and balconies.
Daffodils have many forms, but for a classic yellow trumpet, go for Narcissus ‘Dutch Master’. Pure white N. ‘Thalia’ was introduced in 1916 and remains extremely popular for good reason: it’s fragrant,
If your closet is in desperate need of a good re-organizing, you’re not alone. Professional organizers spend tons of time helping their clients come up with practical closet organization systems that will last—it's one of their most in-demand services. Whether you are dealing with a bedroom closet, linen closet, or front hall closet, the right closet organizing products can make all the difference in the final result.
Selecting a perfect indoor plant gift is made easy with our Best Indoor Plants for Gifting! From the lucky Jade Plant to the low-maintenance Peace Lily, each plant, like Orchids or Poinsettias, offers unique qualities for meaningful gifts.
Bagworms are caterpillars that make homes using twigs and silk. If you see bags hanging from your plants, they might be bagworms, causing harm by eating leaves and adding weight to branches. You can remove them manually, use insecticides with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), or invite birds and wasps to control them. If the problem persists, consult a pest control professional.
Growing a garden that a florist would be envious of is always the goal when designing a cut-flower display. Zantedeschia (also known as Calla Lilies) should be top of your summer list for this exact reason! These beloved bouquet blooms are a must for any seasonal display, regardless of how new or seasoned you are to gardening.
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Some people get their kicks from designer labels, others from rummaging through flea shops, or collecting obscure Japanese comics, vintage tractors, handbags, dolls, beer-mats, Star Wars merchandise or whatever else. Me, I get mine from ordering seeds.
Not long ago, I was talking to a gardening friend. The subject was spring bulbs, and her lament was that she just didn’t have the time to get them in the ground. “I’ve given up buying bulbs,” she said, “because every year they end up rotting in my garage.” I can sympathize with her, because of every fall, at least in my little corner of the world, sinister forces conspire to take away the weekends that I intended to spend planting all the bulbs that I ordered back in August.
The news has been awash with UK Environment Secretary Owen Paterson’s issues in relation to the badger cull. There has been fierce opposition to this issue. No one seems certain whether this strategy will help make a positive impact on the reduction of bovine tuberculosis in cattle. With fierce protests and ongoing issues yet to be resolved, it seems this is far from over.
As with fashion, floriculture also has its trends. Dutch botanist Jacqueline van der Kloet signals two color trends.
Gardening for a Holistic and Sustainable Lifestyle: Combining Insights from GardenAdvice’s Latest Initiative on growing your own fruit and vegetables based on the meals you love to eat.
Gardening enthusiasts are not left with too much of choices, when winter approaches. Colder months bring their unique set of challenges, but also bring opportunities for us to grow choicest seeds, bulbs, and cuttings!