LIFE OF A GARDENER

Edible garden show on its way to it's new home

2013-03-17T12:12:00.004-07:00

Well that's it for another year the doors have been closed on the Edible Garden Show it's also the last time the show will be held in Stoneleigh. In 2014 the show is moving to Alexander Palace in London and is set to be much bigger and better than it has ever been. The Edible Garden Show has become a firm favorite for a lot of grow your owners and marks the start of the new growing season, which is hard to believe as the garden was covered in snow this morning. But what a show it was this is the first time i have ever been to the show and I'm so glad i went i would certainly recommend it to anyone who grows and of there own food. But its not just about Veg Chickens, Goats, Pigs, Fruit and just about any seed plant tool or gizmo that you would need to become self sufficient.

There was even a Solar Panel company there so you could go off grid if you wanted, But probably the strangest but the also the most novel stall was the Snail Farm they are a fairly new company. Selling home snail farm kits for you to grow your own snails to eat at home kits start from £25.00 and should be ready to eat in 6 months. They also sell snail caviar which is just the snail eggs I'm not sure about this it will take a lot to persuade the public in to eating snail caviar.

The highlight of the show has to be the launch of the new James Wong Homegrown Revolution new plant range Tea, Cardamon, Saffron and many more fantastic plants for you to grow at home. All available from Sutton's seeds You can read all about the full range on our site www.thepottingsheduk.co.uk Suttons Seeds where also selling apart from there seeds they had there Grafted plants although more expensive than your average tomato or pepper plant you have the potential to harvest up to 70% more fruit per plant compared to when conventionally grown.

Other seed company 's with a presence at the show where Kings Seeds,More Veg, Sea Spring Seeds, Terwins Seeds and Marshals Seeds where there with there recently launched new seed range. Marshals have been solely a mail order company until now but have moved into retail displays and they should be starting to appearing in garden centers and nursery's as we speak.

The range is aimed more at the serious Veg gardener as they are all sold in plain packets no fancy photos to temp you i know they will do well once they get themselves established in the garden centers .
Another interesting product i came across is Rock Dust which a natural volcanic rock high in minerals and trace elements which increases plant growth and health well worth a try. Many National organizations where present Garden Organic giving advice on growing organic. The National Allotment Society where promoting allotments and also the National Vegetable Society where there giving out growing advice. There where so many stall too many to mention but all selling good quality products and services and not to mention all the Talks and demonstrations going on all day every day. James Wong was promoting getting more folk growing something a bit different and help save them a bit of money. Aly's Fowler was promoting the use of edible flowers and fruit. Bob Flowerdew was promoting the Organic cause unfortunately Paul Peacock was not able to attend due to a Heart attack during the week. As well as many cooking Demos that smelt fantastic where ever you where all you could smell was cooking. It's given me lots of new ideas as well as lots of Plants and seeds to sow can not wait to get stuck into the garden again once this snow has gone, I have already put next years show in my diary 28th-30th March 2014 at Alexander Palace.

The Edible Garden Show 2013

2013-03-15T15:45:00.004-07:00

I spent a great day today at the edible garden show today lots of new products and plants on offer. The show takes place at the Stoneleigh Agricultural center in Warwickshire although the show is moving to Alexander Palace next year. If you want to get some ideas for your garden for the coming season then The Edible Garden Show is well worth a visit.

There are so many products on offer it is hard to know where to start so i have put together a top ten stalls to stop at are.

1. Sutton's seeds a well established company that every one will have heard of launched today a new range
    of plants in the James Wong's Home Grown Revolution. A seeds range has been available for a couple of
    years now but Sutton's have put together a new range of plants to complement the seeds. Ever fancied
    growing your own Tea (Camellia sinensis) well you can now although not completely hardy it can be
    grown in a pot on the patio and just put in a frost free greenhouse for the winter. one plant is available
    £7.99 other plants in the new range are Cardamon, Saffron and Chilean Guava 'KA-POW' which is being
sold exclusively by Sutton's seeds and many other great new plants to try see there website for the full
range www.suttons.co.uk .

2.Carbon Gold with there fantastic range of coir based composts and there Bio char this is a product that is
   going to become more popular with gardeners once they have tried it.

3. Kings seeds have been around since 1888 when a company is still trading after that amount of time you
    know that they are a company to trust. New this year is the Seedlets which is a new childrens seed and
    tools range designed and selected by Blue Peters Chris Collins.

4. Rock Dust is a Volcanic mineral rich crushed rock that is packed full of mineral and trace elements that
    are beneficial to plants. It vastly increases plant growth improves plant health.

5. Grow Rings i new raised bed system made from corrugated plastic can be made into different size beds. It
    also has the option of a green house top to protect your young plants from the worst of the weather
    available in may styles and colours.

6. Link-a-bord this is a great product that can be used to make almost any sized raised bed made from
    recycled plastic. They also have a fantastic compost bin with a mini greenhouse on top that is heated by
    the heat given off by the decomposing compost. You also get increased growth due to the carbon
    dioxide being given off by the compost.

7. Proctors have been producing fertilizer since 1812 for many years they have been producing and bagging
    fertilizer for other company's for many years. But have now decided to start selling and marketing again
    under there own name.

8. Snail Farm this is an odd one for gardeners to get there heads round as we spend all our time trying to kill
    them. Grow your own snails to eat at home they are selling starter snail growing kits so withing 6 months
    you could have your own supply of fresh snails to eat.

9. Aqua Allotments this is a very new concept it is effectively a raised bed with a fish pond underneath. This
    is defiantly one for the self sufficient gardener ever fancied growing your own Carp but no room for a
    pond. This is the solution with the added bonus of the raised bed where you can grow the veg to go with it
very interesting concept.

10. The Garden Store Is a chain of garden centers mainly based around the midlands they have a big stall
     selling a wide range of grow your own products. They have lots of demonstrations going on and very
      good special offers on fruit bushes and trees.

The sun has come but not for long

2013-02-28T10:31:00.001-08:00

The sun has come out its been long over due. The garden always looks a lot better with a bit of sun on it the snowdrops, hellebores, witch hazel and crocus are still in full bloom. They are tough old plants fighting there way through snow, ice, wind and rain all to give a wonderful display they mark the year and you know that spring is only round the corner. But all good things come to an end at some point . The sun is set to turn back into grey clouds by the weekend :(

Start of a new growing season

2013-02-17T12:27:00.002-08:00

The sun finally came out today so it was time to make the most of the weather. The problem is when the weather is as wet and miscible as it has been is when the sun dose come out you tend to do to far too much in an attempt to catch up. Today was no exception and my back is now feeling the effects i spent most of the day getting as much digging done as possible in the Trail garden. I no this should have been done a lot earlier but it has just been too wet and frozen to get on the land with out causing damage to the soil structure or just causing a mess. I am pleased with the progress made today it's beginning to look more like a garden now and less like a field if we get a bit more of this weather we will soon have it all dug over.

I have also been potting up some young plants i have received the first is the new perennial Foxglove 'Illumination Pink' from Thompson and Morgan this is a perennial foxglove which dose not set seed so flowers all summer and will come back year after year £14.99 for 3 plug plants.

Canny Gardener mixed plug plants

I also took delivery of a box of mixed basket and container plants from a new company The Canny gardener who started up business in September 2012. There plants are of great quality good root system nice and healthy foliage will romp away now i have potted them up. There plug plants start from only 6p per plug which is great value i would recommend this company to anyone.

I potted up all of the young plants with Grow Char which is a new organic coir based compost this compost has had some fantastic reviews last year so we are hoping for some good results from it.

EDWIN TUCKER & SONS LTD NEW INTRODUCTIONS FOR 2013

2012-11-18T12:56:00.000-08:00

Edwin Tucker & Sons have been around since 1831 supplying agricultural seed to west country farmers and growers. Although a lot of people know of Edwin Tucker for there brewing skills they are now a big player in the Vegetable seed market they are a suppler Rijk Zwaan UK Ltd seeds. They also offer one of the biggest selections of seed potatoes via mail order in the country. they offer a good selection of seeds mainly vegetable's but they do offer a small selection of flowers all at good prices. They have several new offerings for the gardener in 2013 the first is.

Winter Squash 'Butternut Barbara F1'

This is a very exciting new introduction is completely different to your average Butternut Squash. It has green skin with cream stripes once cut open it revels a dense bright orange flesh. It is a trailing type fruits weighing between 800g and 1500g each harvesting is usually 18 - 20 weeks from sowing. It is also early maturing so worth a try in colder areas of the country this one i will definitely be trying this year.

£2.50 for 8 seeds

Winter Squash 'Autumn Crown F1'

This is a cross between butternut and crown prince giving you the best characteristics of the both of them. It is a British bread variety so is bread for our climate early maturing only 95 days from sowing to harvest. With a dark creamy colored skin with an orange flesh with the aroma of melons. Weighing 1 - 2kg per fruit it is a semi trailing variety so good for the smaller garden.

£1.80 for 10 seeds

Courgette 'Best of British'

Bred in Britain for the British gardener and the British climate one of the heaviest croppers on the market. Has an open habit which allows air flow around the fruit in turn preventing rotting off of the fruit fruits are dark green and spine free. harvest from June to October no matter what the weather you will get a good crop.

£1.70 for 10 seeds

Beetroot 'Carillon RZ'

Bred by Rijk Zwaan UK Ltd it is a cylindrical rooted type ideal for slicing and pickling. has a good red colour with strong up right foliage good cropper.

£1.90 for 250 seeds

Carrot 'Krakow RZ F1'

Bred by Rijk Zwaan UK Ltd it is a 'Flakkee type' carrot main season and can be stored for a long time ideal for over wintering in your root cellar. Very strong orange colour high in sugar and carotene harvest in 150 days from sowing.

£2.00 for 500 seeds

Organic Romaine Lettuce 'Victorinus RZ'

Bred by Rijk Zwaan UK Ltd and is a romaines cos type with tasty dark green leaves very slow to bolt. Good disease resistance ready to harvest may - October seed sold pelleted to aid sowing.

£2.10 for 25 pelleted seeds

Flower Sprout Petit Posy F1 Mix

Flower sprout TM has been bred in Britain and has taken nearly 15 years to be developed it is a cross between Brussel sprouts and Kale this gives them a fantastic flavor. They look like Brussel sprouts but with baby kale's growing on them if you want to grow something different this year then this is the one to try. Ideal in stir fries or just simply steamed they grow to 120cm tall and are very hardy harvest from October - March.

£2.20 for 40 seeds

We will be trying all of these this summer and will let you know how they perform throughout the summer.
But if you would like to order them to try for your self simply click on the individual links above or visit there website www.tucker-seeds.com.
You can also find them on facebook and also on Twitter.

The BBC, Dr Who and a secret nuclear bunker

2012-07-01T08:06:00.002-07:00

Wood Norton Hall

The BBC, Dr Who and a secret nuclear bunker whats this got to do with gardening well it's all on or has been on the site of a new garden. Wood Norton Hall the former site of the BBC engineer training center has recently been sold off and is being converted into a hotel. Part of the site is still owned by the BBC and is home to there underground nuclear bunker set in to the hill side although technically this bunker dose not exist . the site was also used to film several Dr Who episodes between 1970 - 1974 the house it's self is in a french style being built by prince Philippe, Duke of Orleans who was in line to the French throne had the french revolution had not have taken place. the BBC took over the site in 1939 to be used as an emergency broadcasting station in the event of London being either bombed or invaded. In the 1950 and 60's the cold war was in full play so the need for a under ground nuclear bunker to broad cast from was thought to be needed and the BBC set about building one at Wood Norton. So the Brendon Wing was built to cover up the entrances to the bunker which are believed to be 10 stores deep into the hillside that is aptly named tunnel hill. The site is still heavily protected with CCTV and steel barriers that are capable of stopping a tank bit of over kill considering it is just a training center (officially anyway). Back to the gardening bit the Hall and out buildings have been bought by a developer and is in the process of being developed into a hotel the gardens are also getting a complete make over by English Heritage Gardens i had the opportunity last week to go there to see what they are doing. I met up with an old friend Peter Baldock the 1970's garden has gone and is being replaced by a stylish new french style garden to fit in with the architecture of the house. as you pull up to the hotel you will be greeted by an original fountain which is now at the center of a round about the area will be enclosed in pleached hornbeam from there you will be drawn down a path lined with pleached hornbeam under planed with box hedging you cross over several paths which lead you off to other parts of the garden. at the end there is going to be a statue. we took the path to the right where we made our way along the path with balustrade edging on the left with a view over to Evesham on the right you will find a large shrub bed and an expanse of fine lawn broken up by a lone mature tree that will give welcome shade in the summer. we worked our way round the edge of the lawn back to the house. Where Peter and his team are currently laying a stone terrace which will be used as an out door restaurant in the summer and also a place to sit and have a drink with a copy of the Telegraph or good book to read. we cut back again through the pleached hornbeam avenue as you come through the avenue to your left and right you will fined rows of vegetables and herbs

New vegetable garden

that are to be used to the hotel kitchen. All the borders in this area are edged by box and either in filled with roses or herbaceous perennials this is also where you will find the croquet lawn and boules square. This is going to be a fantastic garden when it is finished and will be a real asset to the hotel and this is just phase one there is a much bigger area behind the hotel to be landscaped in phase two the hotel is due to open late 2012 early 2013.

Rudbeckia occidentalis 'Green Wizard'

2012-06-22T10:29:00.002-07:00

This is a new plant we have grown in the garden this year it's not showy or brightly colored but it is a great plant. i love the green insignificant flowers you have to look for them in the border. it likes full sun of part shade planted in moist soil. can grow up to 1m tall is loved by florists for there usual green colored flowers. we only have one in the garden but i will definitely be getting some more to make a bigger clump for next year.

some things want to grow and some just don't

2012-06-20T12:24:00.001-07:00

The sun has shown it's face again for the first time in a while it's not going to be around for long as it's back to rain tomorrow. so we have been making the most of it mowing, planting, hedge cutting it always amazes me how long it takes to plant out all the seasonal planting and filling in any gaps that have come about from losses due to the bad winter we had. i have nearly given up on Hydrangea's i have only found one spot in the garden where they are happy to grow. in the main borders it is just too cold and wind swept for them to survive last year there new growth was frosted twice this finished most of them off. the one or two that are remaining i will dig up in the winter pop them in to some pots. grow them on a bit next year till they are a decent size and then try them in a sheltered spot some where. one plant i am very please with is one particular clump of Digitalis 'Alba' they are a good 6ft tall and covered from top to bottom in pure white flowers. the bees are loving them the whole plant is buzzing when you get close to it so there will be plenty of seed to grow a few more on for around the garden i have always wanted to plant a big bank of them with several hundred plants. when driving in to Shugbourgh this weekend they have got a bank of the native Digitalis purpurea carpeting the flour of the woodland and making a welcome site to visitors. although they are a common plant you can't beat a well grown fox glove at this time of year.

A new way of composting by Link-a-bord

2011-12-10T13:46:00.001-08:00

I recently went up to the Link-A-Bord factory in Morton, Derbyshire i was amazed by the many uses that Link-A-Bord can be used for. it's not just about raised beds Link-a-Bord can be turn in to a whole range of uses window boxes, planters and even whelping boxes. All link-a-Bord products are made from recycled plastic from UPVC windows and credit cards even all there off cuts and rejected planks go back into the system. So the factory produces virtually no waste it is all recycled on site making this one of the most environmentally sound plastic products i have seen for a long time. but the product they make that i am most excited about is there compost bins the first one is there standard compost bin 1m x 1m holding 100 litres of compost. where dose this differ from other compost bins on the market is due to it's double skinned walls which trap air and help incress and maintain the temperature in side the compost bin. Which in turn helps speed up the composting process and more of the contents get composted unlike other compost bins where you always get a layer round the edge that is not composted as this is acting as a insulator to the rest of the bin. the double skinned wall of the Link-a-Bord dose this for you so you get more compost out of the bin. the other advantage is that the bin is vermin proof and has a easy access door to get all the composted material out with ease.


Link-a-Bord is available in a variety of colors the picture above also shows the double skin of the boards

But the compost bin that i am most excited about is there new solar cycler which is there basic compost bin with a mini greenhouse on top. But it is not as simple as that what is the one thing that is produced during the composting process is heat and Co2. They also happen to be two important factors to stimulate plant growth so put the two together and you have ideal growing conditions the greenhouse also has easy access from all sides with no waste space from paths etc. It is also at waste height making it easier to work with. When your garden waste composts down it produces heat and Co2 which rises up into the greenhouse which in turn heats the greenhouse and the Co2 stimulates and incress plant growth. the greenhouse also traps the Co2 before it is released into the environment. There is also no need for artificial heating from fossil fuels making this an all round environmentally sound product. i would defiantly recommend this product to everyone why go to the expense of a greenhouse and compost bin when you can have both in one.

further details or to order one are available from there website www.link-a-bord.co.uk
or phone 01773 590566

liriodendron tulipifera

2011-06-25T13:04:00.000-07:00

introducing liriodendron tulipifera or the Tulip tree this is a magnificent tree at this time of the year covered in it's tulip shaped flowers. originating from eastern America was originally discovered and recorded in 1688 it has since been used as a timber tree which is very popular in America. the tree has attracted several common names over the years depending on where it was growing the first and most popular the tulip tree due to its striking resemblance to tulips and also the leaves have a tulip shape to them a lot of loggers call it white wood due to the colour of its wood. settlers in the Appalachian mountains called it canoe wood due to them using it for canoe building and round the Mississippi area it's called poplar due to the fluttering habits of the leaves. it is also a major pollen tree for honey bees producing a darkish reddy coloured honey although the honey has mixed reviews. the tulip tree has also been adopted as the state tree for Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee but the most famous of the tulip trees is the queens giant and is the oldest living thing in new york being about 450 years old. it is 40.8m tall although not the tallest which stands at 50m tall it is certainly the oldest. this is not a tree for a small garden they can take up to 20 years to come into flower but it is worth the wait.

Coleus

2011-06-19T07:39:00.000-07:00

Coleus is Beginning to become one of my favorite plants at the moment we have about 10 varieties growing at the moment. there are not many plants that can match them for the wide range of colours they contain in there leaves. they seem to becoming more and more popular are local garden centre has 5 varieties for sale as well as seed raised multi packs. only a couple of years ago you would never have found them for sale except via specialist nursery's such as dibleys. coleus (solenostemon scutellariodes) is original from the tropical forests of Asia and Africa it is not really known when coleus came to Europe but one of the first mentions is in herbarium amboinensis by rumphius published in 1747. in 1913 a Dr Robinson went to amboina to see the plants described in rumphius book unfortunately for him he looked like potong capala (the decapitator) a man who was rummer ed to go round chopping peoples heads off so the locals quickly murdered him on his arrival in the village just to be on the safe side. coleus was at its height of popularity during the Victorian era and was planted on mass as bedding but went out of popularity due to the high costs of heating greenhouses over winter to keep them going. they made a come back in the 60's with the introduction of better quality seed varieties but like all good things they always make a come back and I'm glad they have. suitable for many situations borders, pots and bedding displays in sun and shade* (*although there colour's are not as vibrant in shade). cutting raised plants is the best way to grow them the colours seem to be more vibrant and there is less chance of them running to seed. take tip cuttings from the most vigorous shoots coleus are so easy to root cuttings can be taken all yer round but best to take in august if wanting to over winter some plants. root them in 50/50 perlite and compost in a propagator they should root in about two weeks. pot up into 9cm(3") pots and grow on in a heated greenhouse keep on pinching out all the side shoots this will give you a good bushy plant. they Can be planted out once all risk of frost has gone in to well prepared soil or good quality compost if growing on in pots. the other way is to grow on from seed this also saves the heating costs of over wintering them there re many good varieties that can be raised from seed moles seeds sell a good range.
sow seeds in march in good compost in a propagator once germinated prick out in to plug trays this gives you a chance to see what colours are developing this also helps you get a good mix or the best colours when planting out. again pot into 9cm(3") pots and grow on as the cuttings the only down side to seed raised plants is that they can go to seed easily just pinch out the buds as they develop. of course if you really like any of the ones you grow just take cuttings off them and grow them on as above.

weeds and rabbits

2011-06-15T11:33:00.000-07:00

been another productive couple of days at work the place is beginning good if i do say so my self spent the day weeding. why is it that the weeds always grow much quicker then the plants you are trying to grow. weeding at this time of year is like the blokes who paint the 4th bridge when you get to one end its time to start again. weed seeds must lie there under the soil laughing at us gardeners bent double on our hands and knees pulling them up and the second we have pulled one out another one germinate laughing at us as they grow. it becomes a ever ending battle between man and nature but nature will always win. wile weeding my way down the new knot garden i started to get less and less weeds growing in the border only to discover that since last week a rabbit has taken up residence i the middle of the border. it's dug a big hole flattened all the surrounding plants with all the soil it has dug out of it's Warren luckily it dose not seem to like the plants we have planted only the weeds. shame we can not train him he would come in quite handy on the team as a weeder with a bit of luck the game keeper should have him caught within 24hrs before he dose find some plants he likes to eat.

2011-06-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

i haven't written for a wile i haven't had a minute to my self with work and what not. where has the rain gone we are officially in a drought area even though all the lakes and ponds in the area are still full of water. but there just has been no rain except for the odd drizzle the sprinklers have been going non stop since march just to keep things growing. the garden is beginning to look good at home and at work. my attempt at growing exhibition leeks again is going well they are in there 12" collars now as you can see from the pic below so fingers crossed they may be i with a chance of winning this September.

i am still hear

2011-03-05T14:05:00.000-08:00

i haven't blogged for a little wile my lap top came down with a serious virus and won't let me do anything and is still in quarantine i may have to put my hand in my pocket and let an expert have a look at it. i have been flat out at home and work nearly finished building my garden at home. wile i have just started replanting all the borders at work just finished planting up a new 50m long knot garden. just started working on a new mixed border i will post some pics soon. the weather although there has been a cold wind it has been on our side dry which is ideal for digging and rotorvating i don't think we would have got so far if it had not been the case. sorry it's just a quick post to let you know i am still hear.

A - Z OF VEG

2011-01-30T11:15:00.000-08:00

ASPARAGUS

The Asparagus some would say it is the king of the vegetables you really have to like this veg to grow it. As it takes 3 years from sowing to get your first crop or two years if buying in crowns. Even then you will only get a small crop until about year five. its a permanent crop that needs a bit of room not suitable if you have a small veg garden although i have seen it growing in the flower border as it has lovely ferny foliage which is much sort after by florists.

sow seeds indoors march - April in plug trays one seed to each cell they are slow germinate rs so you have to be a bit patient. when germinated you will get a single grass like plant when large enough and the plugs are full of root plant out in a well prepared seed bed 6" (15cm) apart and grow on for another year. the following February - march the crowns will be big enough to dig up and move to there permanent growing position.

if you opt for buying in crowns instead of growing from seed or you have just dug up your own one year old crowns. the first decision you need to make is where you are going to site your asparagus bed. it can remain productive for 15 - 20 years this also means that you need to prepare the soil very well as it is the last time it will be dug for a few years. incorporate large amounts of compost or well rotted manure in to the soil as you dig also apply some blood, fish and bone.

once the ground is prepared dig out trench 24cm (8") deep and 30cm(12") wide. the base of the trench should be on a curve so the crown sits on the top. spacing 48cm
(20") apart and 90cm (3') between the rows once the crown's have been place in the trench back fill with 6cm (2") of soil. as they grow back fill the soil bit by bit until you are back to the original soil level. as they crow keep weeded and watered in autumn cut back fronds to 6cm (2") folk over soil around crowns apply blood fish and bone how in and mulch with a layer of compost or well rotted manure. when mature and cropping in year three pick lightly to start with for a year of two until early June and then leave the rest to grow on in in to fronds this puts the energy back in to the crowns and gets them to grow bigger and stronger year on year. if looked after well it will crop well for many years.

THE ALTERNATIVE TO BEDDING PLANTS

2011-01-18T05:22:00.000-08:00

Every year millions of bedding plants are bought and planted out in are gardens giving colour to are borders all summer long. But has any one ever considered using an alternative to are great institution the bedding plant such as vegetables. I can hear you now this man is either drunk or clinically insane neither I am afraid. Vegetables are now one of the most popular plants to grow from seed in the UK, but still when ever people are considering growing vegetables they make there was to the furvest flung corner of the garden to grow them. out of sight of the rest of the garden I have never understood why people want to do this when most vegetables are just as beautiful if not more than some of the bedding plants we grow they come in a wide variety of colours, shapes and leaf textures and are a real alternative to traditional bedding with the added bonus that you can eat them most people never stop to appreciate the beauty of the vegetable they only look at the practical use of them rather than there ornamental value.

You can use vegetables as you would with your bedding filling in the odd gap hear and there or a single bed solely planted with bedding you can do just the same with vegetables there is also a financial benefit to growing vegetables instead of bedding is a lot cheaper than bedding and you also save on your shopping bill to.

I now what your going to say not all vegetables are suited such as potatoes etc. but I still believe that there is a place for them but I must admit they are best suited to a mixed border where there is a big gap rather than a single bedding plant display but with there lush dark green foliage and flowers from white to purple they will still look just as good as some perennials carrots are a another example there real colour is in the roots under ground but with there feathery green foliage they two will look just as good in the mixed border.

Some of the best vegetables as bedding are

Kale

One of the hardest of all the brassica’s once classed as peasant food and cattle fodder is now becoming a more fashionable food. It comes in a wide range of colours leaf shapes and textures as well as heights and looks fantastic on a cold winters morning when it is covered in a layer of white frost some of the best varieties are

Redbor f1
With its deep red tightly curled leaves and reddy purple stem grows to about 90 – 120cm tallNero di Toscana
It has elongated leaves that curl back on its self deep green in colour with thick mid ribs the leaves are blistered in appearance this has become a very popular variety over the last couple of years

All are ideal for the back of the border or as a dot plant

Runner beans

Give some height to the border with tepees of runner beans or grown over a hazel arch which you can walk under and pick the beans as they grow above your head runner beans make the perfect companion to sweet peas and morning glory there is nothing better than a tepee of runner beans in full flower runner beans come in a wide variety of colours red, pink and white as well as a good range of leaf colour from dark green to golden one of the oldest varieties is

Painted lady

With its dark green foliage and red/white bicoloured flowers followed by a good crop of beans.

Sun bright

This variety has great with its gold tinged leaves and masses of red flowers slower growing then your standard runner beans due to its lack of chlorophyll but well worth the wait for the foliage.

Sunset

Will be covered in a mass of pink flowers set off by its lush green foliage.

White lady

This has to be one of my favourites both for colour and taste as the name suggests it has white flowers followed by long green pods

Globe artichokes

These are fantastic architectural plants giving you the most fantastic grey/green foliage and if you can resist not eating some of the buds they will open to reveal large vivid blue thistle like flowers that can grow up to 100-120cm wide and 180-200cm tall this is a fast growing perennial vegetable needing a bit of space ideal as a dot plant can be used as an annual if sown early will produce good sized heads in the first year one of the most common varieties is

Green globe

This produces good sized green heads of good flavour

Purple globe romanesco

With its purple /dark red buds which are smaller in size than green globe but has a slightly better taste.

Beetroot

This is a good purple/red foliaged plant and makes an excellent gap filler in the border can be ready in 10 weeks form sowing one of the best varieties for use as bedding is

Bull’s blood

This is an old variety and is already widely used In bedding plant displays its used for its dark red leaves it doesn’t produce much of a bulb it is mainly used in baby leaf production.

Golden beet

This is a green foliage variety with yellowish stalks with a good sized yellow/orange bulbs this makes a good alternative to the standard red varieties

Boltordy

Green leafed variety with dark red stalks and veins with deep red bulbs

Beet leaf / chard

This is probably one of the best suited to the flower border with its vivid coloured stalks in a range of colours from white to yellow and the stalks and leaves are shiny when covered in dew or rain they shimmer in the sun light available in a variety of individual colours such as

Rhubarb chard

With its dark red stalks and deep green leaves with red veins

Yellow chard

Bright yellow stems with green leaves and yellow veins

Rainbow chard

This is a good mixture of colours including yellow, red and orange and variations of the three

Cabbage

This gives a talking point to have in your border having green/red balls of cabbage in groups of 3 or 5 dotted in your border cabbage comes in a wide range of leaf shape colour and texture and will atand well through the winter if the right variety is chosen

Holland late winter

Large heads ready from November onwards light green leaves which forms a tight ball

Marner lagerot

Deep red leaves produce firm balls of cabbage ideal for pickling

Marners lagerweis

Produces tight heads with dark green leaves

Climbing French beans

This is another one to give height to the border ideal for growing up tepees or arches they have small flowers but the real colour comes from the pods available in purple to yellow flecked with red

Borlotta lingua di fuoco

Produces bright green pods splashed with red as they mature this is one for drying and used in soups and stews throe out the winter

Coron a d’ora

Pencil podded type with golden yellow pods produces a heavy crop
Peas

This is a great alternative to the sweet pea grown up a tepee or arch they will be covered in white/pink sweet pea like flowers followed by pea pods depending on the variety pick as mang tout or leave until the pods are full one of the best varieties is

Purple podded

With its fantastic deep purple pods really give a talking point as most people don’t believe you can get purple peas and yes the peas are still green they really do stand out in the border.

But if you cant get hold of any seed of purple podded varieties ordinary green peas are just as good such as Hurst green shaft another good variety but is very hard to get hold of them is parsley pea it is a dwarf variety but with tightly curled leaves which resemble parsley with white flowers followed by small pea pods well worth growing if you can get the seed of it

Lettuce

This is a really good gap fill for the border and is very suited for the border ready to harvest in 10 weeks from sowing lettuce is available is a wide range of colours leaf shapes and textures the leaves shine in the sunshine especially when the dew is still on them some of the best varieties are

Marvel of four seasons

This is an excellent variety with deep red outer leaves and green inner leaves gives a striking contrast

Salad bowl red/green

This is a well known cut and come again variety which has serrated red and green leaves

Red fire

Deep red fringed leaves, which is very uniform in shape

Tom thumb

Small green variety with good green leaves

vegetable's A - Z

2011-01-16T08:47:00.000-08:00

I am going and try write about a different veg every week starting with the A's - Z's and as many letters as possible in between so hear goes with the letter A

A is for Artichoke

some people love them more people seam to hate them i must admit i am not a big fan my self.
there are several types of vegetables that we call artichoke but are completely different. they are from the family compositae with the exception of Chinese artichokes which are in the family labiatae these are very hard to get hold of.
the most popular of the artichokes being the globe artichoke where the unopened flower is eaten. next is the Jerusalem artichoke where the tuber is consumed much like potatoes are and lastly. Chinese artichokes which are still a bit of a novelty and you will find them hard to come by eaten in the same way as Jerusalem artichokes.

globe artichokes (cynara cardunculus)

there are no known wild globe artichokes they are believed to have been developed from cardoons or cynara syriaca which are found in the Mediterranean area. they have been cultivated for many years and are believed to have come to Britain by the Romans. where they became the food of choice for the kings and queens and are still classed as a bit of a delicacy today. original artichokes where raised by division of established plants now there are many seed raised varieties with larger heads fewer spines and can also fruit in the same year as sown
sow seeds February - April in good compost when germinated in a greenhouse or window sill prick out into 3" (9cm) pots grow on when the pot is filled with root harden off and plant out April - may in well prepared soil which has had a good amount of manure or compost added space 1m apart as they do get big and grow fast once they get there roots down give at least 1.5 - 2m between rows harvest flower bud between July - September dependent on variety and when you sowed in Autumn cut plants down to ground and mulch with compost or manure.

jerusalum artichoke (helianithus tuberosus)

they are native to north America and related to the sunflower they where introduced to Britain via Holland. and are a very hardy crop there knobbly tubers and are good for diabetics.
plant tubers February - march 15cm deep 30cm apart and 1m between the rows in well prepared soil. plant to the edge of your veg garden as they can grow up to 2m tall good for a summer wind break cut down foliage when frosted harvest December - January.

next week Asparagus

sorting out the garden for 2011

2011-01-16T07:38:00.000-08:00

i never made it to the allotment i decided to give the garden at home some attention. being a new garden to me and the fact that it was totally over grown when we moved in i have spent i lot of time digging up and clearing away the old trees and shrubs. i have also been laying new paths and creating new borders but there is still lots to do. i made a start putting the wooden edging in down the drive against the new border i have made. there has also been a big pile of top soil in the middle of the garden since i dug out the area for the patio tho it didn't make the girls happy as they have been using at as a ramp for their bikes but it has to go. i am using it to fill in the bed down the drive 20 or so barrow fulls later it was lunch during lunch i got side tracked and decided to make some bread to go with dinner tonight. so no more barrowing today which is probably a good thing as my back was still feeling the last 20 barrow fulls. hopefully next weekend Will be as good as this one and ill be able to crack on with a bit more work it won't be long now until the nights get longer and il be able to do a bit after work.

first visit to the plot for 2011

2011-01-15T10:20:00.000-08:00

as you no i took on an overgrown allotment at the end of last year when i went up there in November i cleared a lot of the brambles and cut back the hedges. but since then the ground has been either frozen covered in snow or heavy rain but today i managed to get up there. unfortunately the brambles and nettles hadn't disappeared with the snow so it meant i had to get on with some digging. the ground is heavily infested in nettle and bramble roots as you can see from the pic but by lunch time i had cleared a good bit of land weather dependent i will be down their again in the morning.

DREAMING OF A RED CARD

2011-01-12T13:16:00.000-08:00

new year new show season as i have mentioned before i am going to get back into showing veg again this year i haven't showed competitively for many years. so am looking forward to the potential of getting a red card. well i say i haven't shown i have put up a couple of large displays every year for my old company and i was successful winning many large gold medals. i just have not been showing competitively on the show bench where you can see the whites of the eyes of the other competitors. i worked hard to get my new veg beds at home ready before Christmas so they are getting a good frosting to break down the soil. have finally got the glass in the greenhouse just need to give it a good clean now and then we are ready for action. not done a lot down the allotment as it has either been frozen solid or covered in snowfor most of December.

so what am i planning to grow this season

pot leeks

blanch leeks

runner beans

french beans

peas

celery

large onions

8oz onions

tomatoes

shallots

potatoes

large pumpkin

large marrow

and a few other veg

i am considering the possibility of putting in a stump carrot bed as i got hold of some planks last week but i wasn't going to grow any root veg until next year when i have more time. i am growing all the leeks, onions, celery, toms and shallots at home the rest i will grow down the allotment.

i have my leeks and large onions growing already my dad has been very kindly growing them on for me under lights as i have only just finished putting up my greenhouse up i Will pick them up next month when i have put the heating on. i will give you regular updates through the year on my progress.

THE SNOW AND THE ICE KEEP ON COMMING

2010-12-22T09:04:00.000-08:00

if the temperatures dropping to -11 on Monday wasn't bad enough to deal with we now have 4" of snow on the ground. it really dose make being a gardener hard work in weather like this i must have shoveled tons of snow this week and put down bag after bag of salt. but there are still lots of jobs to be getting on with clearing the snow off the hedges and weak plants to stop them breaking from the weight of the snow the same goes with the green houses and polytunnels. i have seen a tunnel flattened to the ground with the weight of snow on it it's not what you need let alone the expense of replacing it. there is the servicing of the mowers and strimmers to get on with general tidying of the sheds and work shops. as well as cleaning out the greenhouse ready for the start of the growing season although it is just as cold in there at the moment even with the heating on it just can not cope with such low temperatures the other day the thermometer read -5 with the heating on. need to up grade next year to something a bit more powerful but just remember on these icy cold days the harder you work the warmer you get. but if you are not keen on wondering outside just yet then light the fire and read a good gardening book.

MY SEED FETISH

2010-12-21T11:56:00.000-08:00

i have many boxes stuffed full of seed packets some variety's i even have up to 10 packets of them. but even though i have more seeds that i need for this years growing season i still get itchy feet at the sight of a new freshly printed seed catalogue. with all it's new offerings for the coming season i can't help my self and buy a few more packets but the problem is when you have ordered from 20 or so catalogues it adds up to a lot more seeds to try and find space for. but i just can't help my self once ordered the anticipation of getting that parcel through the post with all the shiny new seed packets in it. even though i no what's inside i still get excited it's like a second Christmas. there is such an array of variety's to chose from now a days it hard to make a choice you need to consider soil type, location, shade/sun and so many other points. but a lot of seed catalogues just don't give you that sort of information now a days of coarse everyear we always stick to the same old faithful variety's but it's good to try out a few new variety's every year after all it gets a bit boring if you stick to the same variety's. so i always go on what it looks like if it's a bit different it always gets my attention if it fails or dose not grow well or taste good so be it but along the way you always get a cracking new variety or two.

ICE HOUSES

2010-12-11T12:34:00.000-08:00

They oval Althorp fozen solid

It has been cold very cold with temperatures getting as low as -9 and some days in the mid day sun only reaching a top temp of -2. every living plant has been turned white i have also never found so many dead birds lying on the ground. this must be a combination of the cold and lack of available food or what food is available is frozen solid. the oval lake has been frozen solid for over 2 weeks now it can even take my weight when i gingerly stood on it waiting for the sound of a cracking ice beneath my feet. the old gardeners used to walk over to the island when it was frozen over but i am not that brave or stupid. but it did get me thinking about ice houses as it was at this time of year when the ice was at a suitable depth that the gardeners would have been out there in there boats with hammers smashing the ice. to cart it away to the ice house to be stored for use in summer drinks and keeping food cool in the summer months. the ice house was they first form of refrigeration the first recorded ice house was in 1700BC in Iran but ice houses where only introduced to England around 1660. all ice houses in the UK where purpose build structures usually of brick some times of stone all where domed in shape. location was also important close to a source of water that regular freezes but also in a shady site to prevent the ice house heating up in the summer sun. most ice houses had drainage at the base of the house this was generally covered in a layer of logs this kept the ice of the flour but also allowed any melted ice to drain away freely so as not to get stagnant and spoil the remaining ice. i good well maintained ice house would still have ice in when the new ice was being brought back in the following year ice houses where still in uses on some estates up until the 1920's when modern methods of refrigeration where superseding the ice house so the doors where locked never to be used again.

ice house entrance Killerton Devon

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE PLANTS

2010-11-30T11:42:00.000-08:00

SEQUOIADENDRON GIGANTEUM

THE KING OF THE FOREST CAN GROW UP TO 84M TALL ORIGINALLY FROM CALIFORNIA. WE HAVE SEVERAL AT ALTHORP BETWEEN THE 35 - 40M TALL. IT WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE UK IN 18 53 IT'S REGARDED AS ONE OF THE OLDEST LIVING PLANTS IN THE WORLD. THE OLDEST FELLED SEQUOIADENDRON WAS AGED AT 3.200 YEARS OLD WITH THE TALLEST TREE BEING THE 'GENERAL SHERMAN' IN CALIFORNIA IS 84M TALL WITH A GIRTH OF 25M ROUND. THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN STANDING AT THE BASE OF ONE AND LOOKING UP THE TRUNK COVERED IN ITS DEEPLY CUT SOFT BROWN BARK. THE LINES DRAW YOUR EYE UP THE TRUNK WHICH IS REACHING UP TO THE SKY. THERE IS NO BETTER TREE IT IS ONE TO PLANT FOR THE FUTURE AND IS CERTAINLY NOT ONE FOR THE SUBURBAN GARDENER IT IS DEFIANTLY A PARKLAND TREE IT IS AFTER ALL THE KING OF THE FOREST.

FIRST SNOW

2010-11-27T01:59:00.000-08:00

view from back of house across fields
nearly constructed greenhouse still need to put the glass in