Beautifully Crafted Gardens
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9th June 2018
This is how an Arbutus unedo pruned as a “cloud” last summer is slowing developing into an attractive focal point. This type of pruning uses a Japanese pruning technique. It is actually quite easy and great fun to re-shape a mature shrub (or a…
5th December 2017
When all the herbaceous have died down in a border, the beauty of these Japanese Chrysanthemums are the joy of a December month. These spider form Chrysanthemums are the last to flower. A symbol of longevity and rejuvenation in the Japanese…
23rd October 2017
This pretty evergreen plant invades the lower tier of the forest, stopping any other plants growing because of the dense shade it creates. Useless to birds for nesting, the ponticum is not a source of food for the forest fauna either. It reduces…
2nd September 2017
Known to the Royal Horticultural Society as a new comer from Eastern Asia in 2011, this pest was reported established in London and the surrounding counties in 2016. The Box Tree caterpillar has, this August month, found its way to the Isle of…
9th May 2017
When I walk pass gardens, I constantly notice badly pruned shrubs. Unless a shrub is purposely trimmed in a formal shape, the worse thing to do to a shrub is to trim it year after year with shears. You end up with extremely dense tips and bare…
31st March 2017
Fig Trees have an unusual fruiting sequence. They are the potential fruits that overwinter as embryo fruits then fruits that develop on new growth from spring. In United Kingdom, the warm weather is not long enough to allow any outdoor spring crop…
30th March 2017
At the time when not much is in full bloom in a garden, Christmas Roses are a special display, but…Hellebores commonly suffer from leaf spot which is a fungal infection badly affecting the appearance of this wonderful plant. Apart from using a…
12th November 2016
This Autumn is showing a prolific outbreak of Honey Fungus mushrooms in many gardens. Working in the South of England I constantly come across that disease in gardens. Normally when some shrubs are infected, after removing the plant, I dig a narrow…