Gardening Event

Offer: 25% Off ALL these gardening things

Categories (Top Selling): Deck Boards, Deck Lights, Trellis, Garden Sleepers, Border Log Rolls, Landscape Fabrics and 2.5L Apply & Protect Decking Stain

Other Categories: Screening, Wooden Border Edging, Bamboo Edging and Garden Hand Tools.

Starts: Friday 18th May 2012

Ends: Monday 21st May 2012 (at 23.59pm)

Wickes has also got a great offer on multi-purpose compost

Offer: Wickes
70L Multi-Purpose Compost – Only £3 a Bag
Starts: Friday 18th May 2012
Ends: Monday 21st May 2012 (at 23.59pm)

It looks like the drought has been averted for much of the country thanks to the copious amounts of rain we’ve had in the last few weeks.

Just in case it comes back though, think carefully about the plants you buy.
This lovely tree is more drought tolerant than many so a good choice in the South East of England perhaps.
Lovely tree at Thompson & Morgan

Honey Locust Tree – Part of the Alan Titchmarsh Collection – 1 bareroot £19.99
Small trees are useful in the garden, so add structure to your border with this handsome, yet manageable beauty. As the foliage emerges during spring, it’s the most intense golden colour. It changes to lime green as the season progresses, but keeps on glowing right through the summer. Thanks to its Australian origins, it’s drought resistant, thrives in sun and is very hardy too.

The fruit of the Honey locust is a flat legume (pod) that matures in early autumn. The pods are generally between 15–20 cm. The pulp on the insides of the pods is edible

No, not some bizarre science experiment gone wrong, but these amazing flowers.
They’ll brighten up your garden
Thompson & Morgan have tons of offers on !

Busy Lizzie ‘Sunpatiens Volcano™’ – 5 jumbo plugs £14.99
The world’s first cascading Sunpatiens™. Just one plant per basket is ample – given the speed of growth and coverage that Sunpatiens™ provide! Sunpatiens™ ‘Volcano’ produces hundreds of large scarlet-red blooms on tough, weather-resistant, drought tolerant plants. Trails to: 60cm (24”).

I love courgettes!
Freshly picked and cooked they are just simply the taste of summer.

Courgette ‘All Green Bush’ – 1 packet (25 seeds) £2.09

Courgette ‘Best of British’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (10 seeds) £1.99

Courgette ‘Black Forest’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (4 seeds) £2.99

Courgette ‘Cavili’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (5 seeds) £3.69

Courgette ‘Coloured Collection’ – 3 packets – 1 of each variety £5.99

Courgette ‘De Nice a Fruit Rond’ – 1 packet (12 seeds) £2.29

Courgette ‘Defender’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (12 seeds) £2.99

Courgette ‘Defender’ F1 Hybrid – 5 plants £6.99

Courgette ‘Defender’ F1 Hybrid – Part of the Alan Titchmarsh Collection – 1 packet (12 seeds) £2.99

Courgette ‘Dundoo’ F1 Hybrid – Duchy Originals Organic Seeds – 1 packet (5 seeds) £3.49

Courgette ‘El Greco’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (10 seeds) £2.09

Courgette ‘Firenze’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (6 seeds) £1.99

Courgette ‘Midnight’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (10 seeds) £2.69

Courgette ‘Nano Verde di Milano’ – Vita Sementi® Italian Seeds – 1 packet (54 seeds) £2.29

Courgette ‘Parador’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (5 seeds) £2.89

Courgette ‘Parthenocarpic Duo’ – 2 packets – 1 of each variety (5 per pack) £4.69

Courgette ‘Parthenon’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (5 seeds) £2.99

Courgette ‘Soleil’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (12 seeds) £2.29

Courgette ‘Soleil’ F1 Hybrid – Duchy Originals Organic Seeds – 1 packet (5 seeds) £3.49

Courgette ‘Sunstripe’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (10 seeds) £2.69

Courgette ‘Tondo di Toscana’ – Vita Sementi® Italian Seeds – 1 packet (45 seeds) £2.29

Courgette ‘Tricolour’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (5 seeds) £3.49

Courgette ‘Venus’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (10 seeds) £2.99

Courgette ‘Zephyr’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (10 seeds) £1.99

Courgette Black Forest F1 Patio Kit – 1 kit £18.99

And a pumpkin!
Pumpkin ‘Summer Ball’ F1 Hybrid – 1 packet (8 seeds) £2.09

New products at Thompson & Morgan

Petunia ‘Summer Sensation Mixture’ F2 Hybrid – 24 plug plants £6.99
A flamboyant blend with a taste of everything in this bargain petunia mix. Petunia ‘Summer Sensation’ offers a succession of blooms in a carnival of summer colour. Fantastic value for filling beds, borders, baskets and flower Pouches®. Height and spread: 30cm (12”).

Continue reading »

Half-Hour Allotment – Lia Leendertz – The Half-hour Allotment (Royal Horticultural Society)

This one is next on my list to get hold of!

The main theme of the book is that you just give your plot 30 mins, 5 days a week to your allotment/garden, with weekends off. Or you dedicate the same time, 2.5 hours at weekends.

This practical and inspirational handbook is aimed at the new generation of gardeners who want to enjoy the taste and health benefits of growing their own food, but who have little time to spare. Expert advice and innovative techniques show you how to grow the right quantities of the fruit and vegetables you love, and enjoy the satisfactions of tending an allotment or vegetable garden without becoming a slave to your plot. Tested by fruit-grower Will Sibley and author Lia Leendertz on their own allotments, these methods will enable you to get the best results in half an hour per day, or even less.

The book covers all aspects of allotmenteering and vegetable gardening, including the practicalities of obtaining and maintaining a site, choosing what to grow, designing the plot and advanced projects such as building paths and shelters. A section on harvesting, storing and cooking shows you what to do when your crop is ripe and ready.

Croydon’s waiting lists are too long so they’ve closed them rather than make more allotment space!

Video of flowers opening. Lovely pictures!

Heat your greenhouse with beercans

Interesting idea!