Swell Stuff

I remember discussing black garlic with my friends at a dinner party about 10 years ago.We’d all heard of this trendy, artisanal

I’m thinking, where do those garden owners put all the STUFF that a gardener leaves lying about, puts down and forgets about, dumps, loses, temporarily leaves somewhere, and doesn’t know what to do with?  Where are all the opened bags of grit, the empty terracotta pots, the buckets,  Where is all that stuff???

Egg-citing Stuff Big Green Egg makes the crème de la crème of barbecues. They also (as far as I’m concerned) made the very best, knocked-my-socks-off, took-my-hat- off trade stand at Chelsea.

Seedy Stuff & Tasty Tomatoes I recently went to a talk by Paulo Arrigo who runs Seeds of Italy the British offshoot of Franchi Seeds, a company that has been growing and selling seeds in Italy since 1783. It was a fascinating talk on many levels; I hadn’t realised that (as in everything else) the Chinese now dominate the seed production market and much of the seed sold in the UK is of Chinese origin (often via Holland) and not always of good quality.

Sorting Old Seeds If you have opened packets of seeds left over from last year (or even further back) it’s useful to know which will still germinate well and which won’t.  Of course it all depends how they have been stored, but the following list will give you a fairly good idea. How long will seeds keep ? Beetroot                      4 years Brassic

Some of the most successful plant combinations in the garden at this time of year are in shades of white and green.  The white Japanese anemones love it in the light soil in this garden as they flower their socks off against a backdrop of fragrant Star Jasmine.  On the other side of the path Gladiolus murielae (also known as Acidanthera) look gorgeous emerging from amongst the ornamental grasses.  I’ve previously tried planting them in the ground but they haven’t been very successful, so this year I’ve grown them in pots that I can tuck in with the grasses when they are in flower.  I will overwinter them undercover in the hope of getting them to flower again. ..

Bird feeders and insect hotels and nest boxes are generally rather utilitarian or rustic, but the new range from prezzybox.com are positively sculptural and would look great in a contemporary urban setting.  Group them together on a wall and they will be as much a work of art as a lure for birds and beneficial insects.  They are £24.95 each. ..

How to grow stuff The brainchild of Alice Vincent ‘How to grow stuff’ is the long awaited guide on growing plants for beginners. Delving between the pages there’s complete sections devoted to growing herbs and bulbs with practical advice and cultivation tips on keeping a range of popular plants healthy all year round.

Peaches (Prunus persica) are one of my favorite fruits. That first bite of sweet liquid sunshine transports me to comforting childhood memories of summer vacations and picnics at the beach.I wait all year in anticipation of

I’m spellbound by salvias. Several members of the Lamiaceae family dwell in my gardens.Of course, I grow common sage for

If I tell you that the oldest living cultivated fruit tree in America is nearly 400 years old, would you believe me? Well, it’s true. And not only that, it’s a pear tree! Who knew? According to the New England Historical Society, William Endicott planted the specimen sometime between 1630 and 1649 on his farm in Massachusetts.This mighty pear tree has survived almost 400 y

Stuffed toys appeal to people of all ages, whether they are tiny tots who drag their stuffed animals everywhere they go or adults exchanging heart-bearing teddies on Valentine’s Day. Even if you feel that you have outgrown your teddy bears or other stuffed toys, you may still keep them as treasures of childhood memories.