John Baker, keeper of the National Hosta Collection, spoke to The Littleton and Harestock Gardening Club about gardens in Japan. He and June have travelled extensively, as we were shown in numerous slides of these remarkable gardens, many with a religious and Nature theme, and historical connection, all with distinct styles. The three main styles […]
Asclepias, a genus of tuberous perennials or subshrubs was the subject of a talk given to Littleton and Harestock Gardening Club by Barry Clarke, a widely travelled and experienced plantsman and keeper of five National Collections. They grow naturally in South America, North America, Canada and in South Africa. Grown for their flowers, which are […]
Twenty years ago Fran joined a group of botanists from the Czech Republic studying plants in an area of lakes, mountains, glaciers, forests, valleys and wide open spaces, many of them wheat fields. We saw slides depicting dramatic landscapes, remote, vast, and far removed from habitation. It was Summer, with the daytime temperature reaching 30 […]
In his introduction Kevin said that heavy pruning, widely practised, is not advisable, as it can remove elements that contribute to the subsequent development of plants. Grass heads, as well as looking spectacular, provide food for insects and birds, and leaves can protect plants from the ravages of climate. The glorious colours of Autumn were […]
Dionaea mascipula, commonly known as The Venus Fly Trap has many forms, and the advice was to put it on an ants’ nest at the end of the Summer. Cephalotus follicularis, found in Australia, grows in inhospitable, inaccessible places, such as cliff tops, has flowers on long stems and “in a pot is stunning, or […]
Choose healthy plants, preferably ball-root, and use good compost, Rootgrow (mycorrhizal fungi) and Vitax Q4. Thomas digs square holes, planting in the middle, an inch deeper than the hole itself, taking the roots to the edges, to encourage root spread. When pruning ensure very sharp secateurs and pruning saws, getting rid of dead or diseased […]
Whatever the size or style of our gardens shrubs can form a key element in their framework and the wide range available enables us to maintain year-round interest Initially, John asked his audience which shrubs in their gardens had coped well in the current hot dry weather: Osmanthus, Euonymous, Hebe and Mimosa were mentioned and […]
Richard Loader, a Nurseryman with 40 years experience, he is also a professional photographer whose photos of flowers appear in journals and magazines. Richard indentified the main principles. The shape of the pot matters. Avoid a narrow base and a pot that tapers at the top as that makes potting on difficult. He recommends Yorkshire […]
“Primulas and Auriculas” was the subject of a talk given to Littleton and Harestock Gardening Club by Alan Edmondson Msc, an experienced horticulturalist, former National Mastermind of Gardening and past President of the National Auricula and Primula Society. So numerous are the forms of this colourful genus that they are split into thirty sections, Alan […]
“Pests and Diseases” was the subject of a talk given to Littleton and Harestock Gardening Club by its President, Ray Broughton, lecturer and horticultural consultant. Ray has used a powerful microscope to examine and observe a range of the aphids that feed on the sap of plants, as shown in slides. The knowledge gained is […]
