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19.01.2024 - 14:58 / clairesallotment.com
Good afternoon all. Didn’t realise it’s been such a long time since I’ve put a blog up. If you follow me on Facebook, Twitter (X) or Instagram I’ve been putting photos up regularly. But this has just slipped my notice.
Anyway I will endeavour to blog more this season, sorry I’ve been away for a while.
Even though it’s the winter the garden is still producing some wonderful surprises….not as prolific as the summer mind you, but it’s still giving us little treats.
I still have a few veggies growing, mainly leeks and Brussels Sprouts and I’ve just harvested the last of the parsnips.
I’m rather pleased with the way they’ve grown this year. The chickens enjoy the tops of the sprouts whilst we enjoy the rest.
Jobs for January are mainly in the greenhouses and that’s taking cutting of various plants like mints, mind your own business, fuchsia’s and geraniums. I have some more plants to go in my fairy garden, but they’ll have to wait until the ground softens up a bit, hopefully the weekend. The willow tree needs a massive hair cut which I’ve started but just need to finish. Fortunately the weather is going to warm up considerably this weekend so I can carry on however it’s going to be wet and windy. Still I’m sure I can cope with that.
I’ve sorted all my seeds out for this coming season and they are all waiting patiently in their boxes and are in the order that I want to sow them in. I only had to buy a few packets as I’m still trying to used up old seeds. Hopefully this year I’ll be able to empty most of them. Sowing January seeds will hopefully happen this weekend. I’ll keep you posted.
Well that’s about it for now. Fingers crossed the chilly weather will soon pass and I can get back to doing what I do best.
Happy New Year everyone.
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African violet is perhaps the only full-blown paradox that can survive on a windowsill. On one hand, it is a celebrated show plant, with new cultivars eagerly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts. It has its own organization, the African Violet Society of America, and its own magazine, African Violet. A quick Internet search reveals that there are almost as many African violet sites as there are pages for sex and dieting. And yet, these plants are mass-produced by the hundreds of thousands and are readily available for a minuscule price from mom and pop garden centers, enormous mega-merchandisers, and a host of medium-size vendors.
When you go to the Philadelphia Flower Show, it helps to take along the right attitude. If seeing gorgeous, high concept gardens full of the most fashionable flowers makes you feel insecure, then take yourself elsewhere. If you need a massive dose of color, fragrance, humidity, and horticultural inspiration, then the Philadelphia Flower Show will be perfect for you. On my calendar, it officially marks the end of winter. It also reminds me of everything that a garden can be—provided you have a forklift, a crew of ten, at least $20,000 and the ability to make crocuses, roses and hydrangeas all bloom simultaneously.
In 2024, design is taking a turn away from pastels and towards the boldness of jewel tones.
I’m Maria Nieuwenhof from Quebec, Canada (Zone 5). I was going through my pictures over the last few days and trying to figure out what annuals I will start from seeds this year for my bouquets. When I go to see friends, or when I visit my father in Montreal, or when I have an event to go to I bring one or more bouquets. I started in late April with my first bouquet that had daffodils and ended in early November with achillea.
As part of your Premium access, you can send your gardening questions to our horticultural experts each month. They will then answer a selection of the questions they receive, and share the advice at the end of the month.
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Away from the Show Gardens on Main Avenue, the Sanctuary Gardens offer plenty of inspiration and often on a more achievable scale. A garden that honours 200 years of the National Gallery, a family space that can bounce back from heavy rainfall, and a sensory haven that supports the emotional wellbeing for children undergoing cancer treatment, feature in 2024’s line up.
The All About Plants category debuted in the Great Pavilion at RHS Chelsea 2022. This year, six gardens supported by Project Giving Back and designed in collaboration with a UK charity, will be on display. A grief garden, a skate park with a focus on edible planting, and a vibrant design that champions good gut health are just a snapshot of the gardens putting plants at the forefront of the design and keeping hard landscape at a minimum.
Approximately 180 species of gladiolus are available to the gardener. Originating from South Africa on rocky slopes, marshy areas and grasslands, they are also found growing in the Mediterranean, Asia and Central Europe. The latin name “Gladiolus” means “small sword”, which is referring to the shape of the leaves and flower spike. They were at one time referred to, as “sword lilies” or “corm lilies”, as the plants are formed from round, flattened bulbs, called “corms”.
As with fashion, floriculture also has its trends. Dutch botanist Jacqueline van der Kloet signals two color trends.
At first glance, a derelict garden seems a most depressing problem and one which would appear to be insurmountable. Certainly, its renovation and reclamation will require a great deal of hard work, but it is a task which can be made much easier and pleasanter if a plan of campaign is worked out beforehand.