City trees grow faster
Trees in cities grow 25% faster than their country cousins, according to new research by an international team of scientists led by the Technical University of Munich in Germany. Researchers analysed the growth of about 1400 trees in 10 cities around the world, chosen to give a wide range of climates. They included Paris, France; Houston in Texas; and Sapporo, [...]
What to do in the garden in December 5
December is a month when we’re all a bit distracted by the mad rush that is Christmas. But take time out to go outside and enjoy a crisp sunny winter’s day in the garden, and you’ll dive back into the festive frenzy newly refreshed. Here are some of the jobs you can be getting on with this month. General tasks: [...]
Plant of the Week: Viburnum
Viburnums are queens of the winter garden, bursting into flower in December and continuing the show right through till spring. Most are beautifully scented, with berries to follow the flowers; and many are evergreen too, giving you interest right around the year. One of the best is evergreen V. tinus, covered in pretty white blossom like snow; or there’s V.x bodnantense‘Dawn’ [...]
Time to plant strawberries!
Plant strawberries nowso they have a chance to get their roots down before spring, as well as getting the spell of frosty weather they need to produce flowers and set fruit for a bumper crop of luscious, fat sweet berries next summer. Strawberry plants are on sale right now here at the garden centre, so come over and browse the [...]
Merry Christmas!
Happy Christmas to all our customers! It's a wonderful time to celebrate all that's good about gardening, so just for fun here's a Christmas challenge to try while you're recovering from all that turkey. Your mission is simple: think of as many plants as you can with a Christmassy theme in the name. Here are a few to start [...]
Traditional Christmas tree outside Houses of Parliament
The traditional Christmas tree is now in place outside the Houses of Parliament in London after a 330 mile journey from Kielder Forest in Northumberland, supplier of the Westminster Christmas tree for the last 15 years. The forest also provides smaller Christmas trees for Westminster Hall and the Speaker’s State Rooms. Westminster Christmas Tree The 52ft high Sitka spruce [...]