Why Choose Cyclamen

Astronaut Steven Swanson tending to the Veggie garden on the International Space Station. Image credit: NASA

I’m hoping to go and see The Martian soon, one of the few films to feature a botanist as the hero. Astronaut Mark Watney is one of the first humans to set foot on Mars, but accidentally gets left behind and has to survive on his own – and to do so he grows potatoes. He wouldn’t be the first person (or even population) to rely on potatoes for survival, but here on Earth there’s a slight snag. The potato (Solanum tuberosum) has an arch nemesis – late blight, caused by an organism called Phytophthora infestans. It cuts down both potatoes and tomatoes, and was the biological cause of the Irish Potato Famine in the 19th century.

In Jade Pearls and Alien Eyeballs I take a look at some of the journeys familiar plants have made across the globe, and touch on their arrival in previously inhospitable places – underwater, Antarctica and even outer space. Since writing it I have become increasingly interested in the idea of plants in space, and have blogged about some of the current projects (lettuce on the ISS, and a ‘Mars’ greenhouse in Hawaii, you can scroll through the posts by selecting the space blog category). Researching the history of plants in space has proven to be quite a challenge. It’s not that there’s no information available, it’s that there’s a *lot*, and it’s a fascinating topic. Tracking down one piece of research inevitably brings up something new and shiny, and you’re off down a rabbit hole. It occurred to me that it’s a bit like a maze, and I thought we could treat it like a Choose Your Own Adventure story.

Recently, people have been exploring new ways to grow and cultivate their backyards, often with their local ecosystem in mind. As a result, we’ve seen a rise in meadowscapes and other options that attract pollinators, and one great new suggestion is a clover lawn rather than a grass lawn.

Ever wonder how interior designers know how to style coffee table books so flawlessly? It turns out, selecting and displaying coffee table books throughout the home is somewhat of an art form.

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Because color is so personal, it’s often one of the easiest design elements to nail down; people immediately know which colors they like and dislike. However, when choosing your garden color palette, don’t forget to consider the mood or atmosphere you wish to evoke. Cool colors have a calming effect, while warm colors grab your attention and elicit feelings of excitement.

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The 18th century Union Jack Gardens at Wentworth Castle were originally called the ‘wilderness’. It was dense with shapes, texture and contrasts of shade and light. Now it may be a suitable place to take a seat in the garden and see the original Yew trees and the variegated ‘creamed’ Hollies.

I admire Cyclamen more and more as the years go by.

Cyclamen are easy and rewarding houseplants to look after as long as you control the watering.