Garden Supplies News

Garden Ramblings

2009-12-16T17:38:58Z

This is just a short post to let you know that the December issue of Garden Ramblings has now been published and you can read it online by clicking HERE.

You will see that in the special offers section I said that there was no sale at Gardener’s Supply Company, but I have just received an email from the company advising that they are holding a Secret Santa Sale with savings of up to 73%. Click the banner to find out more.

Exploring the Compost – Garlic Connection I was intrigued by the above headline that was on...

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Sky Planters, Christmas Trees and a Hori Hori

2009-12-08T12:08:20Z

In general December is a quiet month for gardeners since most people are now concentrating on preparing for Christmas. There’s plenty of advice in the local papers on what to buy your gardening friends, but it’s mostly the same suggestions that we get every year. One headline that did catch my eye was “Nothing says ‘Merry Christmas’ like a hori hori” by Mary Fran McClure. I had not heard of a hori hori before, but it certainly sounds like a useful tool that would make a most acceptable present. Read more..
photo credit: russelljsmith

When I first came across this site I had to check the date in case it was 1 April. While the practice of growing tomatoes in upside-down containers has been around for a couple of years, the idea that you should do the same with a collection of houseplants seems faintly ridiculous. While I can see that it is a way of saving space, the rsulting display is decidedly peculiar to me at least. See what you think. Read more..

Finally some practical advice on choosing a Christmas tree. Master Gardener Marsha Overton lists the different kinds of evergreen trees that are available and discusses the pros and cons of each. Read more..

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Yesterday I Lost An Old Friend

2009-11-24T14:48:23Z

The Original Two Poplars

The one remaining poplar

As long as we have lived in this house my wife and I have always admired two tall poplar trees in a neighboring garden. Watching the leaves appear each spring – my wife insists that April 20 is the date when they are fully in leaf, and then gradually losing them in the fall so now the branches are bare again. But alas stormy weather has caused more than the leaves to fall. Yesterday the weather was particularly wet and windy, and when I looked out of the window at lunchtime I noticed that one of the trees had disappeared. Here are before and after pictures. Now we are just hoping the the remaining poplar will survive as it has been such a feature of our landscape.

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The End Is Near and the Blue Rose

2009-11-18T14:31:54Z

“The End Is Near!” screams the headline, but all that it portends is the passing of the seasons as we come to the end of another gardening year. The article itself is a chatty interview with three gardening experts from the Twin Cities, “Don Engebretson, author of five garden books, who also runs the Renegade Gardener website; longtime garden writer Lynn Steiner, whose most recent book is “Landscaping With Native Plants of Minnesota” and Mike Heger, garden author, lecturer and owner of Ambergate Gardens in Chaska”. For three different views on bulbs, cutting back, mulching and compost, read more..

Of the many ways of propagating plants division is one of the simplest. There’s no fiddling with seeds or complicated grafts, just dig up the plant, divide it into smaller pieces and then replant small sections where you want them to grow. Of course this is not suitable for all plants, but works well for many perennials as Tony Tomeo explains. Read more..

“THE quest for gardening’s holy grail is over. It’s a blue rose – and it will be gracing flower arrangements near you thanks to an Australian company”. The article continues in similar vein and then almost breathlessly confides: “The blue rose has almost mystical connotations. Associated with royalty and ‘love at first sight’, they are also symbols of the ‘impossible dream’ – most likely because of the difficulty associated in developing them”. I’m not sure what all the fuss is about since we have had the rose “Blue Moon” for years although that is not regarded as a true blue, but rather more lilac or mauve. Then again this new Applause rose is being described by some as a “wishy washy mauve”. See what you think. Read more..

And finally I couldn’t resist this quote from Mel Gibson:
“Some of the best advice I was given, a long time ago, was from a guy who said, ‘You want to make yourself better, go and dig a ditch.’ So, a lot of that’s been going on, ditch-digging, vegetable-growing”.

Source

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Landscaping Pavements and November Cleanup

2009-11-10T17:33:33Z

Landscaping a pavement sounds like a contradiction in terms until you realise that what Tony Tomeo, writing in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, is talking about is growing plants in pots. Not that he is particularly fond of container gardening, but he found it was the answer when he had large areas of paving that he wished to landscape. What is really interesting about his article is the list of shrubs and small trees that he suggests are suitable for this kind of treatment. Read more..

“November gardening tasks” by Katherine Grace Endicott is a handy reminder of the tasks that need to accomplished this month. “November cold signals that it’s time to put the garden to bed for the winter. Clear debris that would harbor insect pests over the winter. Plant young, winter-weather-hardy, spring-blooming plants now so that they will grow sturdy roots over the winter. Spring-blooming plants planted in fall significantly outperform spring-blooming plants planted in spring” is the introduction to her checklist that follows. Read more..

And now for a book review from Nancy Szerlag. In fact she is talking about two books both by Tracy DiSabato-Aust – “The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting & Pruning Techniques” and “The Well-Designed Mixed Garden: Building Beds and Borders with Trees, Shrubs, Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs”. If after reading her review you think that either book might be of interest, I have discovered that making your purchase from Amazon will result in a considerable saving. Read more..

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Exploring the Compost – Garlic Connection

2009-11-05T11:53:32Z

I was intrigued by the above headline that was on an email I received from Kitchen Gardeners International whose newsletter drops into my inbox every month. The article talks of three ways that compost and garlic are connected. The first two are fairly obvious that using compost to amend the soil helps to produce a great crop of garlic and that November is the time to build your compost pile and to plant garlic. The third link is that the two most popular videos on KGI’s YouTube channel cover these topics. Completely by chance I included the “Planting Garlic” video in the October issue of Garden Ramblings, so to complete the link here is their advice on “How To Make Compost”.

If you haven’t completed your bulb planting yet, I’ve just heard that Dutch Gardens are having a Fall Clearance Sale where you can save up to 40% – worth a look.

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Seeds Saved and Roasted plus White House Veggies

2009-10-30T12:11:18Z

In these times of financial crisis and ultra low interest rates here’s a reminder of a form of saving that really pays dividends. Or as Donna Campbell puts it “saving seeds is a savings account that can’t evaporate into thin air”. She is particularly keen on saving seeds of unusual or heritage vegetables and explains both the wet and the dry methods. Follow her tips and you will never need to buy another packet of seeds again. Read more..

I always keep my eyes open for Q&A articles. Although the same questions seem to come up time and time again, there’s usually at least one helpful piece of information that you can glean from them. This is by Richard Nunnally writing in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. How to get rid of English Ivy, dealing with crabgrass in junipers and how to store banana trees and hibiscus plants over the winter are just three of the subjects he covers. Read more..

Michelle Obama and the White House vegetable garden are in the news again. On this occasion she has invited some elementary school students to help her harvest the crops, but the interest seems to be more on the fashion than the veggies. Read more..

Tomorrow is Halloween and Terry Wolfley gives us a potted history of pumpkin carving and the origins of Jack-O’-Lantern. He also makes some suggestions about varieties suitable for the garden and includes his recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds. Read more..

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Koi, Mosquitoes and No-Dig Gardening

2009-10-19T16:43:48Z

: Image via Wikipedia

If you have spent time and money installing a garden pond and stocking it with koi, the last thing you want is preditors stealing your precious fish. Luckily there are a number of ways that you can protect your koi and this artcle suggests several different methods. From the obvious one of making the pond too deep to allow a heron the stand to providing areas where the fish can hide in the depths are just two of the ideas you can find here. Read more..

It is a well known fact that back problems are one of the commonest reasons why people take time off work and digging in the garden can be a prime cause of the problem. For this reason people may be put off starting a new project in their backyard which involves digging, but there is another way as Cindy McNatt explains. “You can start a new bed anywhere in your landscape without lifting a shovel. No-dig gardening is easy and it works.” Read more..

So many of the gadgets that I review here turn out to be complicated pieces of machinery which are designed to carry out functions that traditional gardening methods achieve with far less cost and greater efficiency. I am thinking in particular of those fancy indoor plant growing systems where an old fashioned flower pot would serve just as well. For a change I have come across an electronic gadget that performs a useful function. The Electronic Bug Zapper kills mosquitoes and other flying insects both inside and outdoors as Owen Jones explains. Read more..

And finally here is a belated reminder that the October issue of Garden Ramblings is now online.

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Koolatron, Naked Ladies and the USB Greenhouse

2009-10-02T10:33:31Z

Bulb planting time is here again and all the papers are full of articles reminding us that now is the time to complete this task. Pop them in the ground and then wait for spring is the general tenor of their advice, but it’s not always that simple as Mike Lascelle has discovered. Raccoons and squirrels are always on the lookout for a free meal and your bulbs, except perhaps for daffodils, are an easy target. Mike tried scattering peanuts to distract the squirrels, but the wily creatures stored the nuts and then ate their fill of his bulbs. He describes various ways that you can try to protect your bulbs some of which are more effective than others. Read more..

“Take time to watch ‘naked ladies’” is the title of this article in the Sun Herald. Lycoris radiata is the official name of these flowers whose common names include surprise lilies or spider lilies, even hurricane lilies as well as naked ladies. In fact naked is an apt description for the plant which has no leaves but just “gloriously red frilly flowers” on a bare stalk. Jack in the pulpit and Black-eyed Susans are two other common names discussed in this piece. Read more..

And now for the gadget spot. I was intrigued by the name of the “Koolatron Dog and Cat Repeller” hoping that someone had finally come up with an effective way of keeping these animals away from our gardens, but was disappointed to find that it is just a battery powered ultrasonic device of which there are already plenty on the market.

As gardeners we enjoy planting seeds and tending the plants as they grow, but all that you need is a container, compost and seeds. The people who make gadgets just seem to make life so complicated, or is it just the “fishing lure” trick to hook the angler rather than the fish. The “Self Sustaining Indoor Garden Gadget is perfect if you don’t have a garden, but you want to grow your own herbs, flowers or vegetables indoors”. I suppose it’s just a minature hydroponic setup, but I am not sure how many vegetables you can grow in a small pot.

On the same page you can find a link to the ultimate geeky gadget – the USB greenhouse. It reminds me of an easter egg in which you can plant three marigolds. You can watch them growing on your desk and you can monitor progress on your screen – Wow! Read more..

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Conservation Gardening and Gadget Reviews

2009-09-17T13:20:01Z

“Mowing your lawn for an hour produces as much pollution as driving a car 650 miles” is just one of the facts quoted by the Virginia Living Museum in its campaign for the creation of conservation gardens. While it’s a well known fact that gas mowers cause pollution, I have not seen it spelt out quite as starkly as this before.

But a conservation garden is not just about grass. “The new 7,000-square-foot Conservation Garden features environmentally friendly gardening with an emphasis on native plants and mulching and composting techniques to reduce the use of commercial fertilizers and pesticides that are potentially harmful to people and nature”. The article contains some helpful hints as to how you can adopt these priciples in your own backyard. Read more..

A few months ago I wrote about various garden gadgets that were new on the market. Now I’ve found a couple of articles by people who have bought some of these products and tell of their experiences. First is Larry McDermott writing in The Republican who is not too happy with his $12 watering wand. Read more..

“One of my favorite parts of writing this column is that it provides the perfect excuse for buying and trying gardening toys. Usually, I have three or four new tools or gadgets to play with, but the second one I purchased this year was such a whopper of an expense that I quit after two” says Linden Staciokas writing in the Daily News-Miner. The “whopper of an expense” he refers to is an indoor composter costing $400. When I read about this product earlier in the year I thought it sounded too good to be true and so it turns out. Read more..

And finally the September of my Garden Ramblings newsletter is now online with articles on spring bulbs and organic lawncare among others.

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Cuttings, Gadgets and Escargots

2009-08-17T18:51:00Z

Why is it that whenever you take a particular fancy to a plant or shrub that you have read about or seen in a neighbor’s garden, you find that your local garden center does not sell that variety? In “Growing new plants from old” Maureen FitzPatrick suggests a way round this problem by reminding us of the gentle art of taking cuttings. This is a useful article full of practical tips. Read more..

Slugs and snails are one of the more annoying garden pests because of the damage they cause to flowers and vegetables. I listen to a weekly radio program where a panel of gardening experts answer questions sent in by listeners. Last week the panel were surprised to be asked how to encourage snails into the garden. It turned out that the questioner enjoyed eating escargots and wanted to be able to “grow his own”. In case you are interested here is the recipe for a snail farm. Take an old laundry basket and place inside some plant pots for cover and soil for the eggs. Provide water and feed your stock lettuce and paper. Bon apetit!

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk

I’ve found a couple more garden gadgets, both solar powered so with green credentials. Depending on your point of view the first one is either exceptionally cool or the height of tackiness. “The Amazing Solar Powered Whirling Sunflower” – when the sun shines it spins! Wow!
The second gadget is more practical. If these “Garden Solar Insect Zappers” work as claimed, then they sound like a worthwhile investment.

And finally the August issue of my monthly newsletter Garden Ramblings is now online.

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Plastic Essentials, Herb Scissors and Squirrels

2009-08-03T13:30:58Z

Some people think that squirrels are cute little creatures. The way that they sit upright with their bushy tails erect using their front legs like hands to eat nuts and other goodies. Or we marvel at the way that they leap from branch to branch in the trees with such agility. But not if we’re gardeners – for us squirrels are one of the most annoying pests. And manufacturers of garden supplies know this well so there are a plethora of remedies available in the stores to deter these critters from damaging our crops. But just how effective are these? Gary Bogue writing in Contra Costa Times tried seven repellent brands with disappointing results. Read more..

With the title “Can We Ever Have Enough Gardening Tools?” you might expect to be presented with a long list of the writer’s favorite implements, but Suzanne Thompson restricts herself to two both made of plastic. Read more..

Here’s another headline I couldn’t resist: “The best herb scissors in the world”. In fact these are for use in the kitchen rather than the garden, to chop your herbs after you’ve picked them. “At just under $11, they’re a time-saver that won’t drain your wallet!” Read more..

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Lawns, Veggies and Gadgets

2009-07-16T10:39:27Z

Combine the current enthusiasum for growing your own veggies with the concerns about the use of pesticides and you will see how Tressa Eaton can make such a persuasive case for turning your lawn into an edible garden. “When we put pesticides onto our lawns they run off into sewers, rivers, lakes, and oceans. Consequently, we end up drinking pesticides in our water, breathing them in our air…” and “more water is used on household lawns every year in the US than on corn or wheat crops”. So dig up your lawn and plant potatoes and cabbages instead. And don’t miss the comments below the article including details of some natural pesticide recipes using ingredients from your own garden. Read more..

If you are not too keen on seeing vegetables in front of your house, then why not grow them on the roof? For restaurant owners Mike and Helen Cameron the desire to use produce grown locally in their business was a major concern. A rooftop garden above their restaurant means that their food miles can be measured in feet. Read more..

Like fishing lures which are more often designed to catch the fisherman rather than his quarry, some garden gadgets turn out not to be such a good idea as they first seemed. I’ve found these two selections containing products of varying usefulness. The first list includes the Easy Bloom plant sensor. Plug it into the ground for 24 hours, then plug it into your computer and you will be given plant recommendations. The portable composter sounds interesting, if a little pricey, but Prepara Power Plant Mini seems to be an unecessarily complicated way of growing a few seedlings. Read more..

The second group comes from Shiny Shiny which just about sums up this collection. From fairy lights to a laser fountain by way of Darth Vader speakers and ending with a hot tub, what more could you want in your backyard? Read more..

And finally the July issue of my monthly newsletter Garden Ramblings is now online.

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Alstroemeria the Peruvian Lily

2009-07-09T11:55:40Z

We are all being encouraged to grow our own veggies to save money in these recessionary times, but think how much more you can save by growing your own flowers for cutting. Apart from sweet peas which take up little space, I have never grown flowers for use in the house.

Recently my wife has been buying bunches of alstroemeria from our local supermarket, but after seeing this display at a local garden, I am trying to grow some myself. Hopefully it will eventually grow into a good sized clump and provide plenty of flowers for cutting.

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Green Lawns, Children And Beneficial Pests

2009-07-01T10:00:56Z

For Clyde Tressler going green in caring for his lawn means more than using organic fertilizers. For him throwing out the gas powered mower is the key and he makes a spirited case for “the reintroduction of manual labor to lawn care”. I love the way that he suggests that while your head may reject the idea, your body “is quivering (possibly even jiggling) with anticipation”. Read right through to the end and see if you are convinced. Read more..

On the face of it teaching children how to cook seems a strange way of getting them interested in gardening. But harvesting the crop and then preparing it to eat makes the connection and gives kids the incentive to become involved in the gardening activities. The problem is that children usually don’t have a lengthy attention span, but the article explores various ways of overcoming this. Competitions and experiments are just two of the suggestions. Read more..

Organic gardeners do not use pesticides and so have to find other ways of controlling the aphids and other pests that invade their gardens. Here’s a description of “5 Beneficial Garden Pests That You Will Want To Live In Your Garden”. Read more..

“Design a compost heap into the landscape” is the message from Jane Gates in the LA Landscape Design Examiner. We all know the benefits of compost, but it’s useful to be reminded of all the different methods of converting garden and kitchen waste into this soil enriching material. Full of practical tips. Read more..

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Bergenia ‘Morgenrote’

2009-06-26T11:53:16Z

I spent yesterday visiting Loseley Park near Guildford. The weather was perfect and the roses were in full bloom, but imagine my surprise when I found this border of bergenias in flower. I had always thought that bergenias were spring flowering plants although I have discovered after some brief research that some varieties do flower a second time in the autumn. When I enquired I was told that the plants were Bergenia ‘Morgenrote’ and that they regularly flowered throughout the season. I will have to find some to replace my unamed variety which has refused to produce a single bloom for the last three years!

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Guerrillas, Working Gardens And Hopping Mowers

2009-06-24T10:51:01Z

Guerrilla gardening has been around for several years and is generally understood as a clandestine activity carried out by small groups often at night who plant flowers on neglected areas of public land. Admittedly the publication of “On Guerrilla Gardening” by Richard Reynolds has given the activity an air of respectability, but it is still essentially action carried on without consent. But this is how Rosemary Ponnekanti describes it in her article: “It’s fairly simple to do: Just ask landowners if they mind you improving their garden, picking their fruit or taking a cutting”. Never mind the semantics, it’s clearly a worthwhile activity. Read more..

Writing in “Landscape Juice” Philip Voice considers the reason why garden designers prefer grouping plants in odd numbers rather than even. To “avoid a bed with plants all in a row lined up like soldiers” is one answer, but it all depends on the context and the type of effect you are trying to achieve. Read more..

“Working gardens that are pretty much self-maintaining” is the way that John Cobb describes the rain gardens in Lexington, KY. Designed to catch stormwater runoff and allow the water to soak slowly into the subsoil, rain gardens reduce the flow of water into the stormwater sewers. And provided suitable plants are chosen will add an attractive feature to your garden. “The challenge is to use these (native) plants and not have it look like a bunch of weeds”… Read more..

Fed up with mowing the lawn? Then buy yourself a wallaby, at least that’s what some people in Britain are doing according to the Daily Telegraph. Watch the video and see what you think. Perhaps it might be cheaper to buy a couple of sheep. Read more..

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More Garden Tools And Exotic Alliums

2009-06-18T10:21:14Z

The choice of garden tools is a highly personal business as is evident from the huge variety of implements on sale in stores and garden centers. But even with this wide choice you will often fail to find the exact shape or style that you want. So don’t despair – make your own. In this extract from Eliot Coleman’s Winter Harvest Handbook he explains how simple alterations to tools that you buy from the store can give you just what you need. Read more..

I’ve never been too keen on alliums particularly when they are grown en masse like those in the picture, but after reading this piece by Steve Silk I am begining to see them in a new light. Don’t be put off by the photo at the top of his page, but scroll down and admire the Allium bulgaricum or Sicilian honey lily. While it’s a great joke I don’t think that I would bother with Allium ‘Hair’ but I am impressed by the Star of Persia. Read more..

“What stage are you at?” asks Roger Marshall as he takes us through his five stages of gardening from the young novice full of enthusiasm to the more mature gardener. Follow him as he describes the evolving landscape as ideas and interests change over time. Read more..

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Fashion, Gadgets And Green Savings

2009-06-11T10:28:33Z

Every gardener needs tools and we all have our favorites, but we don’t all make an exclusive selection from around the world and list them for sale on our website. But this is what Dianne Benson from East Hampton has done. Her “Ten Garden Greats” include clippers from Japan, gardening shoes from France and hand made stainless steel shovels from Idaho. Number ten on her list is a garden tie called “Better-Than-Twine” which comes from the UK. Read more..

On a rather more high tech level are these “10 brilliant gadgets for your garden”. There’s an Alligator cordless powered lopper with Ni-Cad battery powered jaws that turn branches into wood chippings, with up to 150 3.5cm cuts per hour. The Toro 3-in-1 Recycler Mower gives you the choice of either spinning the cuttings in to a regular grass bag, or chewing them up and spitting them out as a mulch. And for relaxing there’s a gas barbecue and outdoor sound system. And perhaps the ultimate gadget, a completely autonomous robot mower with its own built in solar panel, enabling it to recharge itself when not in use. Read more..

Back to reality and Carol Oneal writing in the Mail Tribune has some suggestions on ways to save money in the garden. Recycle and save some “green” is her motto and she starts with a plastic gallon milk jug which can be used in four different ways. Using old pantyhose to make ties is one that we’ve all heard before, but I’m not sure if cutting up a discarded venetian blind for plant labels is really worth the effort. Read more..

Mowing the lawn is not everyone’s favorite task, so how would you like to give up your grass and be paid for it into the bargain? If you live in LA this is now on offer. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has begun a cash-for-grass program. Single-family homes served by the DWP will be eligible to receive $1 for every square foot of turf that they replace with less thirsty alternatives. Las Vegas has had a similar scheme for years and, as a result, has saved almost a tenth of its annual water supply. Read more..

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Peonies, Tablecloths And Tumbling Tomatoes

2009-06-02T13:11:06Z

I planted this peony in my garden last year and it has just come into flower for the first time. But if you want to see some spectacular peony pictures take a look at this piece about Cricket Hill Garden and Peony Heaven. Cricket Hill in Thomaston, Ct is the nursery where the owners have spent over twenty years growing hundreds of different varieties many of which are displayed in their seven acre show garden which they call Peony Heaven. Read more..

It seems that we cannot escape the upside-down tomatoes this year. Here’s another view from Carol O’Meara. Does the method work? Yes it does she admits, but then lists a number of problems that can occur. After you’ve read this you may decide that growing tomatoes in the conventional way is not such a bad idea after all. Read more..

Too often garden gadgets turn out to be more trouble than they are worth. Either they are not strong enough and so break the first time you use them or so fiddly that it is easier to do the job in the conventional way. But here’s a gadget that is both simple and practical. If you like to use a tablecloth when eating outside, you will know the problems caused by a gust of wind. Attach these clip on tablecloth weights to the four corners and you can dine in peace. Read more..

“In Which Urban Beekeeping Looks Like A Religous Experience” Couldn’t resist including a link to this photo.

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Hanging Tomatoes and Cool Intruders

2009-05-27T09:23:34Z

The upside down tomato planter is a gadget that I have mentioned once or twice before. It is a type of hanging basket in which the tomato plants grow out of the base of the container. The idea is that the plants require no staking and are kept clear from the ground and away from any pests. I’ve never tried this myself, but Sonja Smith
writing in the San Jose Gardening Examiner describes her experience of using a similar product called the Tomato tree. Read more..

Another gadget that caught my eye is this Garden Shower. Just what you need to cool off after a hot day in the sun. The shower consists of a 30 inch diameter disc that is completely portable. Just hook it up to your garden hose and step on the pad to activate the jets. Read more..

One gadget that would be really useful and would be the answer to every gardener’s prayers would be one that kept cats out of your garden. Numerous methods have been suggested but I have yet to find one that is truly effective. Listening to the radio the other day I heard of a novel suggestion that was said to be absolutely foolproof. Make a noise like an elephant and cats disappear in a flash.

Talking of four footed intruders a few months ago I found this cheeky fellow sunbathing in the flowerbed. He let me get quite close before he slowly strolled away.

Perhaps it wasn’t a “he” after all because look who came to show off her family.

I had to take the picture through the window so as not to disturb them and that is why the photo is rather fuzzy.

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Chelsea Flower Show

2009-05-19T11:43:39Z

The Chelsea Flower Show, that highlight of Britain’s gardening year, opens to the public today. At the preview yesterday Prince Charles was presented with the Royal Horticultural Society Victoria Medal of Honour by the Queen. This is the highest award the society grants. Only 63 people can hold it at a time in recognition of the 63 years of Queen Victoria’s reign. The medal was awarded to the prince for his “passion for plants, sustainable gardening and the environment”.

The article covering the Prince’s award also mentions a few highlights of the show. With the economic downturn there are fewer sponsored gardens this year and exhibitors have been spending less on their creations including one made from scrap and recycled materials. One uncoventional exhibit has flowers made from plasticine – described as low maintenance by its designer.

: Image via Wikipedia

One unexpected guest yesterday was a garden gnome which was sighted in an exhibit submitted by a member of the RHS ruling council. This caused some surprise since garden gnomes are bannned by the rules and lead to automatic disqualification. But it appears that the offending creature was removed before the judges arrived. Read more..

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Soldier Beetles, Ladybugs and Hummingbirds

2009-05-13T14:46:40Z

You can tell that Gerry Duggan is a real enthusiast because the first six paragraphs of his article “Bird Friendly Gardening” describe the sighting of a flock of White-winged Crossbills which are rare in North Wilmington. Then he turns to the main subject and suggests plants that will attract hummingbirds. These include petunias, fusia, red monarda, cardinal flower and dahlias. He also suggests two vines, the trumpet honeysuckle and, if you have room, the orange trumpet vine. Butterflies are not forgotten either and he suggests growing milkweed to attract monarchs and swallowtails. Read more..

In “Gardening success stories” Tony Eulo describes three pleasant surprises that he has experienced in his yard this spring. The first concerned an invasion by some evil looking bugs which on closer inspection turned out to be soldier beetles which were devouring the aphids on his artichokes. Number two was his discovery of a better way of dealing with his annnual cover crop and the third involved sunflowers. Read more..

Continuing the good and bad insects saga Matthew Stevens, the horticulture extension agent for Halifax County Cooperative Extension, describes several that we should welcome to our gardens. These include ladybugs and praying mantis as well as spiders. He lists several more beneficial insects and, as these can be harder to recognize, he includes a link to the N.C. State entomology department website where further details can be obtained. Read more..

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Welcome to the New Look Garden Supplies News

2009-05-13T17:01:04Z

Welcome to the new look Garden Supplies News. Following the transfer of the Garden Supplies Advisor to a new server I am now able to use Wordpress for this blog which makes life simpler for me and should provide a better experience for the reader. All the previous entries in the old version of Garden Supplies News are still online and there is a link in the sidebar.

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