All bulbs require feeding with bonemeal and potash when they are flowering and also when only the leaves remain, in order to build up the bulb for the following year and allow them to naturalise. Allow the leaves to remain for 6 to 8 weeks after flowering. The first to flower are the snowdrops and […]
On a wet and windy morning eleven of us met at Lainston House. This was to be the second visit the gardening club has made here as we came previously on a hot day in June. Steph, the head gardener, met us at the gate from the car park, and the weather was kind a […]
Holme for Gardens has been developed from a dairy farm which was later converted to a fruit farm which shut in 2017. The 15-acre site stands on soil which is acid clay, sand and gravel. The inspiration for the garden came from books, magazines and visits to other gardens. Work on the garden started well […]
Alan has spent almost all his working life in horticulture and now mainly deals with organic and biological controls. Honey Fungus which attacks the roots of many woody and perennial plants is actually edible. It used to be killed by Armatillox which is no longer available but Jeyes Fluid does have some effect. Vine weevil […]
The Jurassic Coast is 95 miles long and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fossils have been found here since the time of Paeleontologist Mary Anning 1799-1847 who sold fossils collected under Golden Cap and Blue Lias Rocks. The first place on the journey is Whitchurch Canonicorum containing the church of Saint Candida and Saint […]
Climbing hydrangeas. Should be planted horizontally in shade as they only grow upwards. Examples are H. Petiolaris (deciduous) and H. Seemanii (evergreen) which are self clinging. Don’t use on white walls or allow to get behind drainpipes and gutters. Pruned at the end of season. Shrubby but with no framework. Cut down to ground level […]
Anthony began by discussing what scent really is for. It is an aroma given off to attract pollinators to a plant. Some flowers smell, but also some roots do. Crushing underfoot can release the scent of a plant. The sense of smell varies with different people. We each interpret smells in different ways. Anthony asked […]
Gerald lives quite locally and is an accomplished speaker and excellent photographer. His talk was accompanied by pictures of some of the 133 species of wild flowers taken in the area over a two year period. Many of the plants had been mentioned and illustrated in John Gerard’s Herbal of 1657 and we were shown […]
In 1983 there was great concern about overdevelopment in the county and as a result in 1984 the Hampshire Gardens Trust was created with Hampshire being the first county to create such a group. The work of the groups is to conserve and protect historic gardens and although based at Jermyn’s House they liaise closely […]
GROUND PREPARATION My soil is alkaline with a Ph of 6.5 to 7.0, approx. 400mm deep on top of chalk. It is hungry soil and requires a lot of additives to: Retain moisture Give roots food to grow Allow roots to spread with ease Before I start to put the spade into the ground like […]
