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    Archives

    Monthly Archive for: "March, 2021"
    Home » Archives for March 2021
     Which plants to buy at Easter
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    By Alan Down
    In Climbing and Wall Plants, Evergreens, Gardening tips, Hardy perennials, Seasonal Gardening, Trees and Shrubs
    Posted March 29, 2021

    Which plants to buy at Easter

    What plants to buy at Easter might seem like an unnecessary question. But it’s surprising how many gardens look great around springtime but them lack colour at other times of the year. For [...]

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     House Plants from the Rain Forest
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    By Alan Down
    In Exotic plants, Indoor Plants, Travel
    Posted March 28, 2021

    House Plants from the Rain Forest

    House plants from the rain forest seems an unlikely scenario. But, after a recent visit to Central America I discovered that this is just where many of the plants that we have in our homes [...]

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     Shorter flowering bulbs for windy places
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    By Alan Down
    In Bulbous plants, Bulbs, Corms, rhizomes,etc, Plant Focus
    Posted March 17, 2021

    Shorter flowering bulbs for windy places

    Shorter flowering bulbs are the perfect answer if your garden is exposed to strong winds. There is nothing more irritating than finding tall tulips snapped off by a sudden spring squall. Unless [...]

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     For the very earliest new potatoes
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    By Alan Down
    In Gardening, Grow your own, Seasonal Gardening, tubers, Vegetables
    Posted March 13, 2021

    For the very earliest new potatoes

    Potatoes in containers can finally get started! And it’s great to ‘grow your own’ again! Whilst I’m sure that the keenest veg gardeners have already got lettuce, broad beans, peas and [...]

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     Winter Gardens at the Hillier Arboretum
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    By Alan Down
    In Gardens Visited, Seasonal Gardening, Shrubs, Trees and Shrubs, Winter colour
    Posted March 7, 2021

    Winter Gardens at the Hillier Arboretum

    The Winter Gardens at the Hillier Arboretum are a relatively new addition to the garden. I had heard about this new feature in the Sir Harold Hillier Arboretum and it claimed to be the largest of [...]

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    About Alan

    Flora and fauna have always fascinated me but it was a lifelong career in horticulture that filled most days.

    Having grown up on a farm where boyhood days were filled with discoveries of the natural world I soon found that my passion for plants – wildflowers at that time – would direct my career…

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    Alan E Down @AlanEDown
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    And this was wild bullace plums that I foraged last autumn. But these steps are so useful and safe for lots of #gardening and #diy tasks! https://t.co/tKb2UE9hIR
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    Henchman Ltd @Henchman_Ltd
    We're dreaming of summer days, picking fruit & enjoying the harvest

    Great photo from @AlanEDown of a very productive fruit picking session, with a little help from his Henchman

    #staysafe #harvest https://t.co/uakQPP1f5o
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    Alan E Down @AlanEDown
    1 day ago
    I know how important this is for @IndiePlantGuide nurseries! https://t.co/Fhuo13ADuF
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    Alan E Down @AlanEDown
    1 day ago
    Gardeners and the garden industry really needs this. https://t.co/afgfliEQ2S
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    Tom Pope @ipm_tom
    Exciting opportunity for an @The_RHS funded 1-year MRes based @HarperAdamsUni to investigate the use of nematodes to control vine weevil, one of the most damaging garden pests, in peat alternative growing media. Please DM me if interested. https://t.co/6g6yOJOGXp
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    Rhodanthemum Casablanca is such an underrated plan Rhodanthemum Casablanca is such an underrated plant! Give it sun and fast drainage and it repays with masses of daisies in spring. 

Not a lot of difference between Casablanca and African Eyes and both worth planting!

Here planted in an old stone container with the purple form of sea thrift Armeria maritima 'Rubrifolia'

#daisy #daisies #alpinestars #alpineplants #containergardening #containergarden #seathrift #white #celebratetheseason #celebratethelittlethings 
#embracingtheseasons 
#aseasonalshift 
#aseasonalyear 
#inspiremyinstagram 
#somerset 
#gdnmediaguild
    Thank you @niwakijake for these #garden snips and Thank you @niwakijake for these #garden snips and really close fitting gloves. Both will be really handy in #mynewgarden 
Thanks also @gdnmediaguild for organising this.

#gardening #newstuff #niwaki #niwakigarden #tools #toolsofthetrade
    We’re into the late #daffodils here now and a ni We’re into the late #daffodils here now and a nice pot full of Kaydee from a new supplier to the UK called simply Dutch Grown. 
You really can get 5 months of daffodil blooms with a selection of varieties! @GdnMediaGuild
    Blackthorns have been exceptional in bloom this sp Blackthorns have been exceptional in bloom this spring! Apparently unaffected by the recent frosts it will be interesting to see what effect this has on fruiting and the all important sloes.

My grandfather would always call this a “blackthorn winter” since we invariably get a cold spell when blackthorn is flowering.

These are in the #leylandway and #monarchsway in Somerset.

Accompanied by garden warbler, wren, robin, chaffinch, great and blue tits and the distant cawing from a rookery. (Sorry no sound)

How fortunate am I?

#naturalworld #hedgerow #longdistancewalking #nature #naturelovers #springtime #springishere #april #white #sloegin #springblossoms 
#celebratetheseason #celebratethelittlethings 
#embracingtheseasons 
#aseasonalshift 
#aseasonalyear 
#inspiremyinstagram 
#somerset
    Tulipa tarda An easy little one for shallow pots Tulipa tarda 
An easy little one for shallow pots (as here), a sink or in the rockery.

#springblossoms 
#gold 
#flowerbulbs 
#celebratetheseason #celebratethelittlethings 
#embracingtheseasons 
#aseasonalshift 
#aseasonalyear 
#inspiremyinstagram 
#somerset 
#southwestisbest
#gardening
#horticulture 
#horticulturelife 
#horticultura 
#gardenlife 
#gmgspring 
#springisonitsway 
#springisontheway 
#spring 
#signsofspring
#april 
#gardenlifestyle 
#tulip 
#tulipfestival
    An old Narcissus in our village churchyard and pop An old Narcissus in our village churchyard and popping up in other older gardens too. 
I believe this is White Lady which can be traced back to pre 1897. 
It has an old world charm and is clearly a survivor!
It dances with every slight breeze and has a faint (to me) scent.

#daffodils #heritage #narcissus #churchyard 
#springblooms
#celebratetheseason #celebratethelittlethings 
#naturesway 
#naturalisedbulbs 
#inspiredbynature 
#inspiredbyflowers 
#alittlebeautyeveryday #slowsimpleseasonal #theconstantlycurious 
#myquietbeauty 
#embracingtheseasons 
#aseasonalshift 
#aseasonalyear 
#inspiremyinstagram #whimsicalwonderfulwild #botanicalpickmeup 
#somersetlife 
#somerset 
#southwestisbest 
#tintinhull
    And still the daffodils keep coming! This is Golde And still the daffodils keep coming! This is Golden Echo - a multi headed and scented one from @taylorsbulbs1919 

Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca 'Citrina' behind is full of bloom and competing strongly in the scent stakes!
    Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’. Fabulous colour and for Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’.
Fabulous colour and form and flowering well at a relatively young age. 
One of the many excellent Jury hybrids bred in New Zealand.
    Churchyards have become an important refuge for wi Churchyards have become an important refuge for wildflowers and this one is spectacular! Primroses, Lent lilies (daffodils), violets, lesser celandine and much more.
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